The Chickadees' "The Froggy Hop"
The Chickadees: "The Tadpole Wiggle and the Froggy Hop"
The Chickadees have graduated from music for preschoolers to music for primary-school-age children with their new “The Froggy Hop,” which follows the Milwaukee-based quartet’s younger-skewing debut, “Songs From the Great Outdoors.”
Fronted by Mary Karlzen, the all-woman band aims to educate with lessons that will especially resonate with environment-mindful parents (who might learn a few things themselves).
Of course it’s all for nothing if the Chickadees don’t also entertain, and that’s where Karlzen, an established singer-songwriter apart from childrens music, and her gang succeed.
The Chickadees deal 11 tracks employing variations and combinations of indie-pop, folk and country, even swinging through a bit of jazz. They use other tricks to distinguish each song (a crucial factor for childrens music), ranging from periodic cartoonish spoken voices; a call-and-response chorus and oompah-esque arrangement on “The Hiking Song”; and a “Reduce, Recycle & Reuse” that plays out like campy radio theater.
The Chickadees celebrate amazing transformations (on the twangy “Tadpole Wiggle and the Froggy Hop” and the sweet ditty “Tiny Little Caterpillar”) and tap into the exotic world of night critters on the humming “Nocturnal.” And befitting their name, the Chickadees have two tributes to yard birds, “Goldfinches” and “The Cardinal Song.”
Meanwhile, the group encourages us to cherish and protect nature throughout the release, most pointedly on the superhero-theme-sounding closer “Planet Protectors.”
Listeners of all ages might drift away from time to time — some of the hooks are a little soft, and the songs average about four minutes in length, which defies convention for childrens music. But “Froggy Hop’s” uplifting spirit and valuable lessons ultimately win out.
Rating: 3 stars (out of five)
© 2012, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
Want to use this article? Click here for options!
- |
Comments » 0
Be the first to post a comment!
Share your thoughts
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.