Vinyl Cafe Unplugged

October 26, 2009
This latest installment to Canadian radio host McLean's Vinyl Cafe series continues the agreeable story of record shop owner Dave; his wife, Morley; their dog, Arthur; and their kids Sam and Stephanie. The lovable Canadian clan wobbles its way through family life and life at the record store, ranging from a gentle yarn of homemade Christmas gifts to the near hysteria of a school play gone wrong; even a false fire alarm can't douse the warm fuzzies. A host of wacky characters orbits Dave's family, including a British aunt who harangues them into making a suitable cup of tea and later disappears when she climbs into a boat on the back of a trailer and is driven off, and Morley's ramrod-straight former roommate, who watches, horrified, as Morley's wild children influence her own. McLean has a talent for describing the little details that reveal our neuroses and folly, but also our generosity and love. These quirky vignettes are as sweet as they are funny, a well-timed holiday treat from a Canadian Garrison Keillor.