Billy Jonas – Everybody’s In The Band (Children/sing-a-long)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: C-     Main Program: B-

 

 

It’s not easy to do kids programming, especially when it involves sing-alongs.  We have seen many disappointing ones, and it is harder and harder these days to do such things without running into pandering and even outright stupidity.  That is what makes Billy Jonas a pleasant surprise.  He is very good at making up good sing-alongs, is not afraid to embrace instruments and is more effective than most lately in being personable with his audience.  Everybody’s In The Band is a decent example of what he can do and consistently.

 

The ten tracks happen over 43 minutes and have little vignettes and even a guest appearance by Allison Krause to boot.  It definitely has replayability and is never dull or redundant, or as much as a sing-along program can be not redundant.  The extras are also few, which include bloopers and some nominal extras.  It is also available on now-dated, yet more kid-friendly VHS with the title Bangin’ & Sangin’, which is about the equal of this title.  Both could have fit on this DVD.

 

Still, the picture on this DVD is best, shot in full frame 1.33 X 1 NTSC video and being pretty clean for it.  It is also on the colorful side, though not overdone.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo has no Pro Logic surrounds, unfortunately, but it is more than clear for the purpose of participation.  Titles like Bangin’ & Sangin’ are all too rare in the children’s market, but sing-alongs were ironically more commonplace pre-home video.  Nice to see the return of something too much video may have squashed.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo