Muppet Beach Party

AMG Review of Muppet Beach Party

Peter Fawthrop
All Music Guide

The first full-length muppet album to feature Steve Whitmire as Kermit the Frog's new voice, Muppet Beach Party is charming, though expected, simply because The Muppets are singing classic beach songs. Gonzo and Rizzo's take on "Sugar Shack" is winning and Kermit sings a charming version of "Kokomo." The most fun is listening to Miss Piggy uproot her dignity by squeezing into an "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka-Dot Bikini," for Kermie. Like the Muppet show albums from the late '70s, this one divides song tracks with Muppet dialogue (though more centered on entertaining and less on the Henson wit) and even credits "Giant Clams" and "Surf Rats." Unlike the precious albums, this one is not derived from any outside source like The Muppet Show. There was no video from which these songs sprouted; it is simply a gift from Henson Records in an attempt to keep the Muppets alive and in the spotlight. Or in this case, on the sand.