Various Artists - Putumayo Kids Presents: Acoustic Dreamland

Putumayo Kids are never at a loss for finding great tunes when it comes to putting together their excellent kids’ music compilations. Their latest lullaby release, Putumayo Kids Presents: Acoustic Dreamland, the fifth in Putumayo’s “Dreamland” series, culls 11 tracks from a variety of performers from both the grownup and family music arenas. The mostly acoustic guitar-based tracks on Acoustic Dreamland are so thoughtfully chosen that the album sounds like a seamless performance by various members of the same band, making the CD one of the Best Kids’ Music albums of 2011.

Since Acoustic Dreamland is a compilation of many different performers that may never cross paths on the concert circuit, I have included a little additional information about each musician so that the listener can follow up on the artists that particularly grab their ears. After each performer’s name, I have listed one of their most recent albums and its year of release, as well as included a link to each performer’s website.

Folk musician Lucy Kaplansky (Over the Hills; 2007) begins the album with a lilting rendition of Mary Chapin Carpenter’s “Dreamland,” which first appeared on the Parents’ Choice Award- NAPPA Gold Award-winning Down at the Sea Hotel CD/book combo, and was originally performed by Chapin Carpenter for the 1992 lullaby compilation ‘Till Their Eyes Shine. Victor Johnson (Country Blues for Kids; 2003) follows with the reassuring “Everything is Going to Be Alright,” which first appeared on his 2007 Parent’s Choice Award- and NAPPA Honors-winning album of music for families, Dreamtime.

Kids’ music superstar Elizabeth Mitchell (Sunny Day; 2010) then delivers the warmest, most tender version of The Allman Brothers Band’s “Blue Sky” you’ll ever hear, a tune that was first heard on The Allman Brothers’ 1972 double album Eat a Peach, while Pennsylvania-based multi-instrumentalist William Fitzsimmons (Gold in the Shadow; 2011) turns in a beautiful performance of James Taylor’s “You Can Close Your Eyes,” originally appearing on Taylor’s 1975 album Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon. Fitzsimmon’s rendition was also featured on the 2008 compilation Before the Gold Rush: The Covers Project. Woodstock native Kesang Marstrand (Our Myth; 2011) then follows with “In the Land of Dreams,” a tune from her amazing lullaby album Hello Night, which made our list of Best New Lullaby Albums, and was included as one of the Top 10 Best Kids’ Music CD of 2009.

San Francisco’s Frances England (Mind of My Own; 2010) performs “Here with Me,” written and recorded especially for the Putumayo Kids’ Acoustic Dreamland compilation, while North East-based Mark Erelli (Little Vigils; 2010) provides a warm and tender cover of Wilco’s “My Darling,” a tune that originally appeared on Wilco’s 1999 album Summerteeth. Rosie Thomas (All the Way from Michigan Not Mars; 2009) performs “Tomorrow,” a song that is backed by a very light string arrangement. The tune first showed up on her 2005 CD If Songs Could Be Held.

“The Hour of Sleep” is a preciously heart tugging tune performed by Cold Spring, Kentucky native Daniel Martin Moore (In the Cool of the Day; 2011) that features great chord changes and a distant piano, and first appeared on Moore’s 2008 album Stray Age. New York-based folk rock band Hem (Twelfth Night, 2009) perform “My Father’s Waltz,” featuring light strings and piano. The tune was originally released on the band’s 2004 CD Eveningland, and sounds as if it could have been written in the late 1800’s. Acoustic Dreamland comes to a quiet, reflective close with “Next Time,” performed by Canadian-based Rick Scott (Making Faces; 2000). The harmony-filled, drone-like mantra of “Next Time,” which first appeared on Scott’s 2006 album Snooze Music, assures all that we shall be together again.

Putumayo Kids Presents: Acoustic Dreamland is a wonderful addition to the Putumayo label’s “Dreamland” collection, and would make a great gift for new parents or for lovers of quietly acoustic chill out tunes. And make sure to explore all of the above artists’ back catalogues of music: I’m sure you’ll hear something that will make you an immediate fan. Acoustic Dreamland deservedly finds a place on our list of Best Kids’ Music of 2011.

Released February 22, 2011; Putumayo World Music