Thursday, October 20, 2016

Loeb and Behold: Feels Like Teeny Spirit

If there was ever a singer/songwriter who seemed always to teeter on the precipice of the kindie music scene, it was Lisa Loeb. First, there's the natural recording style of most of her compositions. Next, there's her college music partner Elizabeth Mitchell, who has spent the past decade-plus building quite a catalog and reputation. Lisa dipped her toe (with a little encouragement) and finally jumped into the Web stream with the birth of her own children.

As the marquee artist of the Amazon Prime Music label for kids, Lisa's second Amazon exclusive release, FEEL WHAT U FEEL, is now available for download. It's a dozen songs to make your kids happy and get them to sing along in the back seat, without making you want to bite through the steering wheel.

The title track (featuring comic actor Craig Robinson) is an upbeat "I'm okay/you're okay" message/dance song. It serves as the flip side for the other duet with Robinson, a cover of the '70s classic "It's All Right To Cry." There's generally only slow dancing associated with that tune. Film and TV star Ed Helms lends his bluegrass banjo twang to the jaunty "Wanna Do Day," chronicling a plethora of kid activities that comprise a typical child's schedule, which is not necessarily what one particular kid sees as optimal.

Remembering experiences – both positive and negative – is the theme of "I Was Here," which describes a child dealing with allergic reactions, playing in the rain, and staying home with a cold, as well as walking home with mom and having ice cream. "Wiggle" is a girl-group tune straight from the Brill Building. "Let's Keep the Band Together" is written from the perspective of a girl having so much fun playing music that she doesn't want it to end:

Let's keep the band together
Why should we break it up
We've always known each other
Why should we interrupt what we've got goin' on
Let's write another song and play.

Lisa and her collaborators, Rich Jacques and Kyler England, are not looking to re-invent the Big Wheel. FEEL WHAT U FEEL may make you nostalgic for the 70s but it doesn't feel like an anachronism. Which is good, since their target audience has no idea what an anachronism is. They just feel what they feel.

FEEL WHAT U FEEL is available exclusively for streaming on Amazon Music – both Amazon Music Unlimited and Prime Music, and for digital download or physical purchase through Amazon Music.

Here's the video for "Mary Had a Little Lamb" from last year's NURSERY RHYME PARADE collection:

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