Music Review: A Laurie Berkner Christmas

I know, I know, Christmas was a week ago. I've been meaning to review this CD with the little one for weeks, but we were too busy listening to it (and of course, doing all the other wonderful, crazy holiday stuff).

Laurie Berkner is much-beloved by the preschool crowd. We've reviewed one of her albums here and she is a favorite in our house. In fact, my four-year-old often requests Berkner (one name, like Cher), so we were happy to get her Christmas CD. There is a lovely combination of original songs and traditional songs performed in a new way. Your kids will definitely be happy to sing along, but it won't drive you crazy if you have to listen to it for 25 days straight.

Becca's Thoughts: It's awesome. Berkner is really good and I like her. When I was a baby, I loved Berkner so much and I needed Berkner songs. The Christmas songs are awesomest because they are all about these Christmas guys and they are so awesome! Sing with Becca and Berkner all across the world!

Song Most Likely To Cause A Small Concert In the Backseat: Christmas Lights
Song Clearly Meant For A Christmas Dance Party: Santa's Coming to My House Tonight
Song That Still Makes Me Cry (every time): Silent Night
Song I Had Never Heard Before: Christmas Is Coming
Becca's Favorite Songs: Candy Cane Jane and Jingle Bells

A Laurie Berkner Christmas
October 2012
15 songs
Received for review

Music Review: Laurie Berkner's Favorite Classic Kids' Songs

Twice a week, I make a long trek to work with BG in tow. She loves spending time with her Grammy while I work, but the hour long drive is not her favorite thing. It gets a little easier when we have great music to listen to on the way. We had listened to Laurie Berkner Lullabies before bedtime and when I wrote about how much we were enjoying The Best of the Laurie Berkner Band in the car, her publicist kindly sent us the newest CD.

I have to confess I was a little hesitant about this newest CD. Laurie Berkner writes really fun and inventive songs for kids, and I was worried that this album would be tired retreads of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and the ABCs. But this album has more than 50 tracks on it. Some of them are songs you already know, but there are so many that were new to me.

Children's music can be repetitive and simple. It's easy to groan when your little one asks for the same songs again and again. But we've had this album on in the car for a few weeks now and I'm still happily humming along when BG asks to play it again. As someone who sings myself, I love the new arrangements of classics songs and the beautiful harmonies that are on almost every song.

It's also obvious on every track that Laurie and her fellow musicians are having a lot of fun. When singing There's a Hole in the Bucket, you can practically hear Laurie and Brady cracking up over suggesting to small children that they use an axe to cut a straw to fix their broken bucket.

Laurie Berkner's Favorite Classic Kids' Songs is a great album, full of new interpretations of old favorites and new songs for your little ones to love. BG's favorites are Wheels on the Bus and The Ants Go Marching (because she sings them in her class too) and Victor Vito. She often asks for "My Berkener! My Berkener!" Your little ones would be happy to find it under the Christmas tree and it is certain to become a favorite in your house.

Thank you to Laurie Berkner and her publicist Elizabeth for sending us a copy of the CD!