An interesting combination? Yes, definitely. Swinging between songs like the strangely arcadian "Silver-Tongued Devil" and the poppy, whiny "Trapped Inside the Planet of the Roller-Skating Bees" (my least favorite track), the album takes you from a mental picture of a mosh pit to an authentic (or at least authentic-sounding) swing club and everywhere in between.

Steve Perry, the band's vocalist, wrote all the words and music for the album, an impressive feat when you consider the wide spectrum it covers.

The lyrics are introspective and thought-provoking at their best ("In this time of a new understanding, with the darkness descending and your money all gone, I will hang tough, making weirdness a virtue, I will never desert you in your quest for the dawn").

They're entertaining, if a little silly, at their worst ("Trapped Inside the Planet of the Roller-Skating Bees"). The subjects within the songs range from what seems to be religion ("Here Comes the Snake") to the Civil War ("Luther Lane"), and while they are not concise, all of them seem to have some sort of point, putting the Daddies ahead of many of their peers.

Even if you don't care for the Daddies' lyrics or couldn't understand a word Perry was saying (as is the case in the beginning of "Say It To My Face," which reminds me faintly of Mr. Bungle), it definitely would be possible to derive some pleasure from listening to this CD. The music is wonderful!

The guitar, bass, keyboard and drums make a pleasant backdrop, but the real stars of the show are Dana Heitman on the trumpet and trombone, Sean Flannery on the tenor sax and Rex Trimm on the alto sax.

Even when the Daddies miss the mark a bit and begin to sound like every other band you've ever heard, which doesn't happen too often on this album, they give in to the monotony of "alternative" only for a little while before their incredible jazz section kicks in and pulls them back.

This means you'll be spared the inevitable comparisons to earlier albums and analysis of how much they've improved or declined. Regardless of their previous work, I think "Kids on the Street" is a great CD.

The title track starts the album off on the right foot with a fast-paced, snappy song about the indignities that mall rats endure. This more or less sets the tone for the rest of the CD. Most of the songs concern adversity, and perseverence in spite of it.

Song titles read like a list of gritty, low budget, black-and-white documentaries: "Luther Lane," "Say It To My Face," "Irish Whiskey" and "The Enemy Within."

Even with such topics, the collection remains stubbornly optimistic. Look at the lyrics from "Millionaire": "But the soul out here is much too strong/And I'll carry it with my for my whole life/The face of human dignity/I don't have to be the boy with the most cake."

The Daddies' vocalist and guitarist, Steve Perry, is well-suited for the no-nonsense verse. His voice fortunately has not the silky-smooth polish of Boyz II Men nor the fierce abandon of Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor. Perry is a very strong singer, articulate and authentic; he seems to really feel what he sings.

Of course, the Daddies are more than one man with a message. Perry is backed by a multitude of talented musicians. Guitars, bass, keyboards, horns and drums mesh into an intense sound of jazz/blues/rock/funk that alternates between fast and hard-hitting and strong and mellow.

The album is suitable for just hanging out and doing homework; also a good choice for long, boring car trips. Check this album out if you get a chance; you won't be disappointed.