Sing Me to Sleep

PreS—Fourteen indie rock acts contribute a track apiece for this collection of lullabies for kids. American Laundromat Records (best known for producing tribute compilations) is donating all profits to The Valerie Fund, a non-profit group that benefits children with cancer and blood disorders. All the songs were made famous by others, and there are some surprises. Ballads such as "Pure Imagination" (from the Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory soundtrack, covered by The Rest), "Dream a Little Dream of Me" (the Andre/Schwandt/Kahn standard, covered by Dala), "Moon River" (the Academy Award-winning song, covered by Tanya Donelly), "Rainbow Connection" (from "The Muppet Movie," covered by Trespassers William), and "Inchworm" (covered by The Leisure Society) are fairly predictable. What is out of the ordinary as lullabies are covers of The Beatles' "Dear Prudence" (Casey Maceja), the Electric Light Orchestra's "Can't Get It Out of My Head" (Telekinesis), and Kate Bush's "Cloudbusting" (Neil Halstead). The vocals are simple, unadorned, and very folksy in nature. Largely acoustic, most of the arrangements include harmonies, with a guitar, piano, cello, or violin often playing in the background. Each track is a gem in its own right. A sure-fire hit.—Stephanie Bange, Wright State University, Dayton, OH