Review: Barnyard Dance & Bayou Boogie

I'll tell you a secret.  When I receive a children's CD, I take it with me to work and listen to it on the way to work.  I do this just in case it's music I never want to hear again!  If I don't like the CD, I never have to share it with my kids.

So, when I received copies of Barnyard Dance: Jug Band Music for Kids and Buckwheat Zydeco's Bayou Boogie, I slipped them both in my work bag with the intention of listening to them on my commute.

As it turns out, I didn't need to worry.  Both CDs have toe-tapping music that's easy to listen to and not grating to my ears. 

Now, that it passed the "Mom Test," it needed to pass the "Kid Test."  As I sat at my desk one day while the boys did homework at the kitchen table, I started playing the music.  Nate spoke up and asked "Hey, what is that?"  Colin tried to discern what instruments were being played and Lydia began dancing around.  Ok, it's easy to get Lydia dancing, but in any event all 3 kids enjoyed the music and gave these CDs their seal of approval. 

You can find them at Amazon, or other major retailers.


*Disclosure: I received copies of each CD to facilitate my review.  No additional compensation was provided.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Review: Acoustic Dreamland (Putumayo Kids)

I have been a fan of Putumayo CDs for as long as I can remember -- and I especially love the Putumayo Kids compilations.  I know that I've shared our love for them before, (here and here), and they are often heard playing in our house. 

I was excited to open an envelope last week and find an advance copy of Putumayo Kids Acoustic Dreamland.  All of my kids fall asleep to music, and while we definitely have some favorites in our house, we also like to find new music to add to the rotation.  Nate especially likes to fall asleep to music, so I gave him the CD the night it arrived so that he could test it out.

The next morning, he informed me that I should put it on his iPod and that it only took 3 songs before he was "out cold!" 

I listened to the CD and agreed that it was a wonderfully relaxing CD.  It starts with a cover of Mary Chapin Carpenter's "Dreamland" and continues from there with sweet music.  I'm hard-pressed to choose a favorite, but I really liked "You Can Close Your Eyes."

I've yet to be disappointed by a Putumayo compilation, and this one didn't disappoint either.  I'm happy to add it to our collection, and expect to listen to it for years to come! 

The CD releases on February 22, 2011, but is available for pre-order on Amazon.


*Disclosure: I received a copy of this CD for review.  No additional compensation was provided. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*