Reviewed by Ian Phillips.
By Amber Lawrence, Universal Music 2020.
It’s getting to that time of the year when the Christmas albums start to appear and although this offering from Amber Lawrence isn’t one of them its timing suits a stocking filler.
The Kids Gone Country II is a follow-up to her first album of the same title and follows the successful formula developed for that album.
It’s an album designed for younger children full of catchy tunes, humour, and lots of farmyard noises, and like the best albums in the genre there’s something in it for the adults as well.
As any parent with young children will tell you, kids can get fixated on certain songs and insist on playing them continually until, resisting the temptation to heave the CD out the car window, you desperately search for any other distraction to regain some sanity, like stopping off at certain roadside cafés that have playgrounds.
The Wiggles and most other players in the genre have been careful to account for the parents as well the kids and Amber’s efforts are no different.
Tracks like Boot Scoot, while ideal for teaching kids to dance, are equally suitable for the adults as well.
The other important aspect of these albums is not to talk down children either in the song lyrics or the musical sophistication.
Amber strikes the perfect balance and there are delightful little wordplays throughout the album to discover with the multiple listens you’re sure to get.
All the songs are short, the longest being just over 2.30 minutes in length.
There are some lovely songs that would sit comfortably on any of Amber’s albums – Dance The Rain Down From The Sky is a perfect example, it works well for any audience.
As the album title suggests this is a country album so the melodies, tempos and instrumentation follow the genre expectations.
