Audio of the Week: Blast Off!
RSSFrom SLJ October 2004
B. Allison Gray, John Jermain Memorial Library, Sag Harbor, NY -- School Library Journal, 09/27/2004
1 CD. approx. 40 min. with lyrics. Ben Rudnick (www.benrudnickandfriends.com). 2004. $14.99.
PreS-Gr 3-Ben Rudnick's talented band returns for another bouncy, fun album with superb instrumentation. While the space theme is only carried through several songs, there seems to be a natural progression from topic to topic. "I Got a New Friend" is a great, silly song about a kid with several friends who just happen to be aliens. "Juicy Black Fly" is sung from the fly's perspective with lots of humor and a chorus consisting entirely of the singing of the word "buzz" over and over again. "Reading a Book" exhorts kids to read, giving examples of all the places they'll be able to visit via books. "Why'd the Chicken Cross the Road" features an amusing homage to Dr. Seuss and is sung at an increasingly fast pace. "Sons & Daughters" closes the set in a lovely way, with beautiful sentiments and music. The songs mostly have a bluegrass feel, and the band is uniformly excellent. There's a blend of traditional and new songs that is sure to please most audiences. The lyrics are humorous, touching, or just plain silly. Jeff Bird from the Cowboy Junkies continues his involvement with Rudnick's recordings, amongst many other fine musicians. It is a pleasant change to have fathers' perspectives represented in children's music, as Rudnick manages to do so skillfully.
