What people search:
 | Title : Rocket Ship Beach
Author : Zanes, Dan
Release Date : 20001010
Binding : Audio CD
Regular Price : $
Amazon.com Price : $15.98
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Editorial Reviews :
Dan Zanes, lead singer of the 1980s roots-rock band the Del Fuegos, didn't need to enlist the high-profile help of pals Sheryl Crow and Suzanne Vega to produce a crowd-pleasing kids' record, but he got it anyway. On Rocket Ship Beach, where traditional tunes such as 'Polly Wolly Doodle' (with Crow) and 'Erie Canal' (with Vega) mingle in loosey-goosey, just-for-the-fun-of-it fashion with originals such as the plucky 'All My Friends Live in the Woods' (written by Bad Company buddy Simon Kirke), Zanes exhibits the same plugged-in exuberance that gave his former band its unpredictable zing. Besides the no-amateurs instrumentation, which includes Zanes on guitar, lap steel, banjo-mandolin, and studiophone, and G.E. Smith on banjo-mandolin and guitar as part of a kickin' string band that performs the classic 'King Kong Kitchie,' plus a cluster of others, what stands out most about this 17-track funfest is its draw-you-in friendliness. Pitching in with the pros (who also include dancehall rapper Rankin' Don--he delivers the gruff stuff on 'Father Goose' and 'Sunny Side of the Street') are family friends such as the gang of West Indian babysitters turned vocal group the Sandy Girls, who give it up to impressive, get-you-boogying effect on 'Emmanuel Road,' and a kindergarten class that contributes, adorably, to 'Sidewalks of New York.' All told, this is way hipper than most kids' records and it also razzle-dazzles with its packaging--Rocket Ship Beach arrives in a chunky, colorful board-book illustrated with sweet, fantasy-fueled beachside scenes by banjo player and Zanes's brother-in-law, Donald Saaf.
Buyer Reviews :
The best clue that this is my 1 year old son's favorite CD is that he starts dancing when he sees the CD jacket (cleverly disguised as a board book). Dan Zanes' Rocket Ship Beach exemplifies what music is all about: A good rythym, a good tune, a good tale and lots of FUN. The vocalizations set the mood perfectly in each song. Mr.Zanes and friends have a knack for writing and selecting songs with an automatic sing-a-long character that will set your whole family to howling together with the music. For children, this is a perfect introduction to songs they will remember all their lives. As for adults like me, its refreshing to finally hear these familiar songs sung by someone who can carry a tune. Mr. Zanes' selections cross barriers of time and space that may give children a taste of growing up in past eras; but Father Goose crosses cultural barriers with a hilariously groovin' fusion of old nursery rhymes, reggae, and a little hip-hop. Singing the ABC's will never be as much fun sung any other way. I have space reserved on my shelf for any new releases they may be working on.
(by Paul Draeger)
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