Various
Artists | High Meadow Songs: benefit CD for High Meadow Arts
Independent
Generally,
these well-meaning benefit CDs tend to get bought in a moment
of lowbudget philanthropy, spun once or maybe twice, and consigned
to a pile of discs in the corner, on the verge of disposal,
but saved by a vague sense of karmic guilt. And so they sit
there, another thing you’re not dusting. So, why pick
up this one, other than it being for a very good cause? Why
not just give them the money and keep that pile from getting
any higher?
Because
this one is actually pretty doggone good.
I
should qualify that somewhat by saying that it is definitely
pointed to the very young (feel free to define that as you
would), so it plays well to the family crowd, but that doesn’t
mean there aren’t numerous charms available here for
all. Hudson Valley favorite Dog On Fleas represents on four
of the 22 tracks, with their They Might Be Giants-meets-Tom
Waits charm (there’s that indefatigable Dean Jones again).
Jay Ungar and Molly Mason deliver a spot-on duet rendition
of “I Had An Old Coat,” and Medeski, Martin &
Wood accompany a feisty crew on a culinary rampage on “All
Around The Kitchen.” Mechanical Bulls’ Chase Pierson
puts his good ol’ boy schtick to good use on “’Fridgerator
Box,” and Julie Last turns in the beautifully sung (and
impeccably recorded) “Nightingale Lullaby,” appropriately
placed at the end of the CD.
While
one would rightfully expect that the aforementioned artists
would bring enough quality to carry a compilation like this,
it’s the lesser known that make this a real keeper.
Debbie Lan’s “I’m On Your Side,” the
opening song, stays positive without getting corny, while
Kristen Jacobsen (moonlighting from her day-gig as an ER doctor)
delivers the sweetly engaging “Blue Mountain Moon.”
Singer-songwriters Amy Poux, Elizabeth Mitchell, Mimi Paturel,
Abby Hollander, and Barbara Dempsey (with Dewitt Nelson) maintain
the quality level, and instrumental diversions from Fode Sissoko
& Toby Stover,..CONTINUE...
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