Album Details

• Artist: The Rockdoves
• Album: From The Birds
• Label: Heart Rise Records
• Year of Release: 2011
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: mark_morton on 2011-11-23

There is a genre of music out there that, unless you subscribe to parent magazines, you might not know even exists - kid-friendly folk rock. Sure, come Grammy Award-time, names like Raffi, Trout Fishing in America, and John Lithgow (yes, that John Lithgow) get tossed around as though the masses care, but as a whole, only They Might Be Giants incidentally gets tagged as the dominant force in the genre.

However, NY-based duo The Rockdoves have emerged to break that chain. Like the subtext in Looney Tunes or Animaniacs cartoons, The Rockdoves have created a sound blending rock, blues and folk that can appeal to both children and adults.

All too often, music designed for children bears little weight outside of that industry. Even those Disney pop "artists" like Hannah Montana and Selena Gomez went under the radar until they started breaking into the Billboard Top 20 charts. Thankfully, The Rockdoves are ignoring trends and making music on their terms.

Of course, the lyrics are simplistic and easy for a child to sing-along with; but the music itself is dead-on serious. With more sophisticated lyrics, the band could easily play alongside Paul Simon and the best of the folk rock world.

That said, Kim West's vocals seem more sincere and age-transcending than do Daniel Cole's dimple-cheeked balladry. However, the essence of the band really shines when both sing together, especially on the title track, which rings like a picnic on a perfect day in the park.

So, do the lyrics actually hold the band back? Not really; for while targeting children and embracing values, the band's incredibly gifted songwriting tact will have people of any age humming along. And that is where the band's defined charm lies, in its ability to entrance children and allow parents to be less embarrassed for listening along.

But all things considered, they are absolutely correct in that it is fun to make animal sounds!

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