I strongly feel that Various Artist compilations are both fun and useful but it's always good to have some kind of underlying theme. This one succeeds in concept, and a fantastic concept it is, but the contents end up taking it down a few notches.
I found this while flipping through a various artists section at a record store. I was surprised I hadn't even heard of this collection but picked it up seeing some names I liked and some I was interested in hearing. (More specifically, my initial reaction was "wow, I finally get a recording of Low's "Be Nice to People With Lice.") Artists like Mark Kozelek, Rosie Thomas, Junior Boys, and Hot Chip grace this disc, which conceptually would make a great present from any of us music nerds to friends/family we have who have kids. I'd rather be influencing young kids to get into some modern rock music than give them nonsense from Teletubbies or something.
What works on this collection is songs like "24 Robbers" by Apostle of Hustle and the title track by the Great Lake Swimmers. The former is a rope jumping song refitted with some big bumping beats while the latter is an original song about growing up to be a veterinarian, astronaut, or farmer. These are happy songs that "kids of all ages" can truly enjoy. (I actually now am inspired to try and gather a collection of camp songs or rope skipping songs by modern acts so lookout!) The title track is a positive message with plenty of "moo moo moo"s and "meow meow meow"s that people can sing along to and learn quickly and easily. Unfortunately, there's a few more stinkers on the disc.
Sufjan Stevens is talented, yes, but this depressing Jesus crap that he shat out for this comp is not only mopey and slow, but it effectively rules out any kids who aren't Christians, or, more specifically, Christians who give a rat's ass about the birth. Broken Social Scene has taken an already bleak kids song "Puff the Magic Dragon" and made it slower and more sad. Thanks guys. Rosie Thomas is talented and has a gorgeous voice, but kids I know just don't like sleepy folk music - they want to be singing along, dancing and clapping! Hot Chip and Kid Koala don't even do much for the cause, either, and the disc pretty much slips into a coma without any more uplifting stuff.
I'd like to see another collection like this at some point, but a little more focused. Pick a function or a theme: are they songs for babies trying to get them to sleep or for toddlers to clap along to on car rides? For now, the people who will get the most pleasure out of this collection, sadly remains adults.
samples:
- Great Lake Swimmers - See You On the Moon
- Apostle of Hustle - 24 Robbers
- Broken Social Scene - Puff the Magic Dragon
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