I'm So Glad

By Kaleidoscope Songs
Price $11.98
Age 0 - 9 Yrs.

There are so many things this music CD does well, and one of them is to make the listener smile. Repeatedly. The songs are so upbeat, the pulses so rhythmic and danceable, you'd be hard put to stay in a bad mood even if you tried. Alex Mitnick's strong, rich vocals infuse the lyrics with warmth and personality. The excellent background singers provide dynamic harmonies and a depth of interplay that makes the songs especially engaging. The lyrics are playful and positive (while the descriptor 'feel-good' is oft over-used, in this case it would be spot on). The CD has a decidedly 'world music' feel to it, with strong compositions in a range of styles. The band incorporates rock (including sprinklings of folk-rock and country-rock) reggae, funk, and zydeco in a cohesive way, with its own unique sound evident throughout. Thematically, there's a focus on nature, including bodies, both human and animal. Kangaroos jump. Crocodiles devour. The song 'Tyrannosaurus' extends appreciation ('as a monster, you're glorious') to even that terrible king of beasts, while 'The Tongue Song' sings the praises of an essential body part. In fact, appreciation seems to be the letter of the day with this CD - of ourselves, of creatures great and small, of the world we live in, of life! What could be better than that?