Wendy H - Kid Doctor

Hear The Track Here

God knows why I would have raced to the conclusion that Wendy H was some kind of hip hop artist, but believe me that hasty assumption almost led to a nasty accident in the street. See, what came out of my player was so unlike hip hop as to be startling. And that, I declare, is why I screamed out loud, no doubt startling innocent bystanders out of a years growth. As unlikely as it sounds, I was frightened that my player had been taken over by evil thingies...errrr..... munchkin thingies. As soon as I had my heart pounding in a more normal fashion I tried it again, and slowly it dawned on me that this wasn't gremlins, it was girls. I know it could be argued that they are one and the same thing but I refuse to be dragged into that verbal thicket and it's only one girl - Wendy H.

Meh, you think, what can one girl do?

Mess with your brain is what, and Wendy H is very, very good at it too. However, that wasn't my first impression as I shamefully admitted, that was more puzzlement. The kind of wtf is this puzzlement when faced with something out of the ordinary. 'The song itself tells the story of a pre-school girl who is trying to find a way to visit sick grandma' Wendy explains helpfully, and I wish I had read that before I heard the track because it explains everything. Certainly part of my confusion upon encountering the track was trying to figure out if it was a joke (kinda spoof thing maybe) or for real. I finally decided it was for real, and that's where things get really interesting...

I grew up being ultra-impressed by the talents of Kate Bush and, having just written a review about the punk period another female singer who made it despite not being in any way punk like. I speak of course of the inimitable Lena Lovich. More to the point, the reason I mention these singers is because Wendy sounds like both of them in equal measure and musically, can out-Kate Kate in the musically weird department. Despite it's childlike slant and delivery, behind it is a very smart cookie indeed. I bet you won't want to like Kid Doctor but I'd place an even larger bet that you'll love it to death - because it is brilliantly done. Of course, if you don't love it, you must be prepared to scream loudly in public. You have been warned.

Quirky and cute as a button. MUST HAVE oddity.