In case you're one of those Dan-naysayers, let me just get this out in the open—ptfffhpt on you. I mean, I think he's great. Better than great. I think he fills that old-fashioned familytime singalong hulabaloo void that, at least when I was a kid, was satisfied by listening to Pete Seeger or Woody Guthrie or even that Leadbelly kids record. All good times and the whole fam enjoyed. I don't think it's great instead of say Wilco (my personal favorite band, you can insert your personal favorite band in here), I think it's in addition to. There are times when my daughter wants to mellow out, there are times when she wants to rock out, there are times when she wants a singalong. The latter is ideal for Mr. Zanes. And he is leaps and bounds above all the other neo-family-folksters in my mind and that is in part to his assured mostly deadpan delivery, his vegan Brooklyn idealism and his funked up hair. And he truly puts on a great show, one that has brought me to tears more than once. It makes you feel a part of something bigger, and that something has your little one so hopped up on a good feeling you can't help but smile till the tears eke out.The new CD is here, out today, and it's pretty lovely. We've listened to it twice through and Tuesday gives it the thumbs up (oh, literally, that's her favorite thing of late, throwing the thumbs up when she likey-likeys.) They do the Louis Jordin 40s classic, "Ch-Ch-Ch-Boogie." The Scottish folk song "Loch Lomond" with Natalie Merchant, a southern spiritual, a Miriam Makeba song and a tune I know as a Leadbelly standard. There is a lovely Barabra Brousal tune, "Mariposa Ole," a South African tune that's lovely and a handful of Zanes originals. And the big guest star this time? Um, Nick Cave. No, really.
I have to post the track "Walkin' the Dog" since yesterday, coincidently, I posted about Rufus Thomas. Plus, it's possibly my fave of the CD. (No quick judgments just yet, I have only listened to it twice.) I'm not gonna post anymore because I want you to go out and buy this CD. You can download it on eMusic.com too, but then you don't get the lovely packaging and he switched it up a bit this time, it's a fold out thing instead of a book. My husband, the package designer, told me to say that. But he's right.
Dan Zanes and Friends, "Walking the Dog"
As a side note, when I was younger, I loved Asleep at the Wheel's version of "Ch-Ch-Ch-Boogie." I could have posted that song, since I only posted one song today, but instead I'm following my non-linear mind's eye and am gonna post my most favorite Asleep at the Wheel song from my childhood and that is this Death Row ditty:
Asleep at the Wheel, "Last Meal"
More about: Dan Zanes, buy "Catch That Train!", Asleep at the Wheel
3 comments:
I can't download that Dan Zanes song... My kids don't like dogs. And when I say "don't like dogs" I mean they rabidly hate and fear them. I don't know why. I had a dog growing up. But my kids are growing up with cats, and to them it's one or the other but not both.
So, no dog songs allowed in our house.
Except Scooby-Doo, my son loves Scooby-Doo. I pointed out that Scooby is a dog, but he said, "He's a cartoon dog, it's different!!"
Oh many that's a crack up. When you're walking down the street and they see a dog do they make you cross to the other side of street? Hey, I'm deathly afraid of mice, even the littlest whitest pet-like ones. So there.
YEARS ago I saw him play in his rock a billy band; The Del Fuegos back in Massachusetts. I heard they even played at Walpole State Prison. Whatta change...
Brian
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