These reviews by Fred Koch appeared in the November, 2000 issue of “Chicago Parent Magazine.” Reviewed in this column:
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If you have a budding rock 'n' roller in your family, or if you just want to find some fun, topical music for the 8 and older crowd, have I got some recommendations for you! What makes these recordings so inviting is that they are not just for kids--they're by kids, too. Marea Goodman wrote the songs on We're Next! (Earthbound Farm, 1999) when she was about 8 (she's probably 10 now). Because they were written by a child (and not some adult with only memories of childhood to call upon), these songs sound honest and real. Kids love them because the themes concern their issues ("Homework Machine," "Messiest Room In Town," "Kids Rule") and the lyrics are right on target, backed by a clean, retro-sounding rock band of guitars, bass and drums. One of my favorite songs is "Up On My Bookshelf," a lazy, almost-hypnotic reggae groove about the magic of reading a good book. Sung in the first person by a young reader, the song really hits home. Other standouts include "Responsibilities," "Freedom," and "Wild Child." In the liner notes, Marea writes: "I wrote these songs with my music teacher, Heather Secord, during my guitar lessons. She taught me to play guitar by making up songs and then figuring out how to play them." We're Next! was produced by Earthbound Farm, an organic produce business. All profits from this recording are distributed to charities that benefit children. What a great collaboration; I hope they plan to cultivate another project! Go Back to Top Now for our next young sensation: The Moss Brothers. Reuben, 10, plays electric guitar; Evan, 13, is the drummer. Their 1999 debut CD On The North Side Of The Tree (where moss grows...). is garnering lots of good press and will surely be enjoyed by kids ages 10 and up. Dubbed "rec-room rockers," these brothers perform everything you hear; no studio studs filling in here. And all the songs are original except for two traditional blues numbers, "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" and Robert Johnson's classic "Ramblin' On My Mind." Kids will relate to themes such as "Guitar and Drums," "Football All The Way," "Baseball," "Hot Water" and "It's Just Too Bad." "Flying Today" is the most poignant of the bunch. In this tune, Reuben sings of his wish to fly away from his fears, decisions and choices: "I wish I could/ but I can't go flying today." Adults also will enjoy "Grandpa Turns 80," which shows that children can understand and appreciate the power of a great relationship. The Moss Brothers sound like a neighborhood garage band of young rock musicians cranking it out. There is a raw, unpolished quality to the production that I find refreshingly honest and sincere. It would have been easy to get some musicians to be the band for the brothers, but I like the decision the producer made to "let the kids play." Go Back to Top This month I've also got a couple of adult-performed children's CDs to recommend: A Child's Celebration of Soul (Music For Little People, 2000) and Woody's Roundup (Walt Disney Records, 2000). The charm of A Child's Celebration of Soul is that the songs are performed by the original artists. The producers have picked some gems. The term "soul" describes black popular music as it evolved from the '50s to the early '70s--a close relative to rhythm and blues. This celebration kicks off with Ike and Tina Turner singing their version of "Proud Mary," followed by James Brown ("Get On The Good Foot"), the Jackson 5 ("Rockin' Robin"), and one of my faves, "Tighten Up" by Archie Bell & The Drells. There's also "Friendship Train" (Gladys Knight), "Respect" (Aretha Franklin), "Soul Man" (Sam and Dave) and "It's A Beautiful Morning" (by The Rascals). Go Back to Top Woody's Roundup (Walt Disney Records, 2000) is a rootin'-tootin' collection of Woody's favorite songs inspired by the "Woody's Roundup" TV show as featured in the Disney/Pixar film Toy Story 2. Spotlighting the talents of Riders In The Sky, each song gallops along in '50s cowboy-music style. Riders In The Sky are the real thing (they even show up at the recording session in full cowboy regalia). This is the second album based on Toy Story 2 and includes some new songs for Bullseye, Jessie and Prospector as well as "You've Got A Friend In Me," "Act Naturally" (the song Ringo Starr made famous), and a great version of "Home On The Range," performed to perfection, in the cowboy way. Go Back to Top It's getting harder and harder to locate all but the most commercial children's music in the retail outlets. You should have no problem finding Woody's Roundup and you might even find A Child's Celebration of Soul. But for ordering information about We're Next!, I suggest that you contact Earthbound Farm at 888/EAT-ORGANIC or visit them online at www.ebfarm.com, where you can hear audio samples, read song lyrics, and even learn about organic farming. To order The Moss Brothers CD, visit www.mossbrothers.com. Please feel free to drop me a note with your thoughts and recommendations. Send e-mail to fred@bestchildrensmusic.com or write to me in care of Chicago Parent. Fred Koch is an award-winning music educator and a nationally recognized children's musician. His new children's music website, www.BestChildrensMusic.com, provides recommendations and information about selecting quality children's music, as well as access to past Chicago Parent reviews. Koch lives in Lake Bluff with his wife and son. Go Back to Top |
