Artist: Lolly and YoYo
Album: An Adventurous Day
Age Range: 3 through 7
Description: Unlike America, whose kindie streams tend to have strong rock or folk influences, sounding a lot like music made for adults, but with kid-friendly subject matter, kids music in modern-day Canada has a much larger Raffi strain. By that I mean many albums are sealed away in a gentle pop/folk world that does not recognize the influence of gaming consoles, distortion pedals, and irony.
For some readers, that's going to sound perfect for their families, while others will find it perfectly annoying. This 43-minute album from the Pennsylvania duo could totally have been recorded in Canada, it could have been recorded 35 years ago (albeit sounding a little more sonically punched-up). Don't be misled by the emphasis on fitness and health on the website or the album packaging -- while the songs definitely encourage that, your kids will be just fine playing LEGOs while listening. And songs like the fiddle-based "Row Down the River," the samba "Snowflakes," and "Honey Bee" wouldn't sound out of place on those Elizabeth Mitchell albums on your shelf.
As I've suggested above, some readers will find this album not the right fit for their families (though I think those songs I've listed above would appeal to just about everyone). But if your family loves the comfort from those albums in the Raffi family tree, you will find An Adventurous Day an excellent example of the form. Recommended.
