iDrool opens up A Curious Children’s Album, and it immediately shows listeners that childrens’ music can actually be well-written and performed. The track swells and morphs into something considerably greater than its constituent parts. Of particular note during iDrool has to be the absolutely sizzling horns, which are played with an intensity that is a constant presence during the album. Don’t Forget has a solid two-part harmony that further varies the sounds crafted on this album. I feel the complexity that marks tracks like Get Nothin’ Done and Just Wait showcases that the tracks created ostensibly for children have a much larger fan base than one would expect.
You Light Up My World is a hard-rocking track, tying bits and pieces of Dire Straits and Boston to strong female vocals. The track blasts past the five-minute mark, but the vigor and momentum brought by the aforementioned vocals and instrumentation will have listeners clamoring for more. This continues nicely during You Make My Heart Sing, which is a track that showcases a decidedly different facet to Wakefield.
The album stands up through repeat listens, meaning that cuts like You Make My Heart Sing and It’s My Time can be enjoyed no matter how many times a child wishes to hear them.
Here’s to hoping that Wakefield is able to craft further expansions to his sound. I would personally like to hear Wakefield try his hand at classic childrens’ songs or go further out and do tracks for the adult et. Regardless, A Curious Children’s Album is one of the best childrens’ albums that we have heard this year; we strongly recommend it to any parent of children from 1-8.
Top Tracks: You Light Up My World, Here Comes Chubby
Rating: 8.7/10
John Wakefield – A Curious Children’s Album (CD) / 2012 Self / 12 Tracks / http://curiouschildrensalbum.com/?page_id=104