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Catch the Moon

by

Lisa Loeb and Elizabeth Mitchell

 
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Catch the Moon
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Avg: 4.0 (91 ratings)

  • We Say...

    Folk-rocker Lisa Loeb reunited with her old Brown University roommate Elizabeth Mitchell, now a member of the indie rock band Ida, to create an album of mostly traditional, kid-friendly tunes on Catch the Moon. The album is simple; a guitar and sweet, clear voices are all that's necessary to delight on classic children's favorites like "Big Rock Candy Mountain" and "Little Red Caboose"; Loeb and Mitchell's bluegrassy take on "Oh, Susannah" adds mandolin and banjo to the mix. The women's breathy vocals on the slow-paced "Butterfly" are as gentle as a fawn chasing butterflies in a field, and they make even a song like Bob Dylan's "New Morning" friendly to young ears.

    The straightforward production means little ones who won't have to strain to understand the lyrics; it's also a fine way to introduce young ears to harmony — Loeb's and Mitchell's voices combine beautifully, especially on the Japanese folk tune "Donguri," performed as a round. Other nods to our diverse world include the Cajun classic "Fais Do Do" and the Spanish tune "La Manita."

    Catch the Moon is heavy on the folkiness, but that works well for an album that introduces a toddler to a lifetime of songs like "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."

  • They Say...

    Folkie Lisa Loeb has followed the lead of other adult-music artists (including Kenny Loggins and her co-pilot on this album, Elizabeth Mitchell) in making a disc of children's music that can be enjoyed by all ages. Some of the songs are lyrically pitched exclusively to the toddlers (e.g., the traditional number "Little Red Caboose" and the traditional adaptation of "Big Rock Candy Mountain") while others are a tad more sophisticated (a nicely revamped version of "Oh Susanna" and a lovely take on Bob Dylan's "New Morning"). Then there is the laudable ethnic content: "La Manita" (Spanish traditional), "Donguri/Rolling Acorn" (Japanese traditional), and "Fais Do Do" (French traditional). The original song "Stop and Go" is a "rocky" participation number and tons of fun, while "Catch the Moon" (also original) is dreamily poetic. And there's never been a more tender version of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" than the one found here. The songs are rendered in a folk/country acoustic minimalism that is, in a word, enchanting. And the CD comes encased in a children's board book written by Erin Courtney and illustrated by Bonnie Brooke Mitchell. Catch the Moon is a record that the young ones can enjoy (or go to sleep to) while also being entertaining for the rest of the family, even after many plays.

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