Since I started doing these music reviews, I’ve turned Miss 5 to kid-test the tunes for me. This month’s album, however, has been all about my Little Miss 1 Year Old and me. Benny Time’s Beyond the Little Star is made for our very littlest people – 0 – 2 year olds, in particular.
Actually, you might say that this album is for the little ones and their parents, since we grown ups are the ones trying to think of something to sing to them. Benny Time knows that we are maybe just a little bit tired of relying on “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” as the only darn song we can think of to sing (hence, “Beyond the Little Star”), and has recorded 16 short songs, plus two poems, all around one minute each. They are easy to remember and as simple to sing as a classic nursery song.
The opening song, “Sausages,” is a counting down song with a funky, electronic sound. It’s a bit of a stylistic outlier from the rest of the album, but good fun for starting out with a bouncey groove. Things then slow down with the ambling duet with Angie Who, “What Can You See,” and, good gracious, do their voices sound gorgeous together. Benny, Angie – has anyone suggested a duet album to you, yet?
I’m a sucker for a great fiddle, so the foot-stomper “Sleeping Bunnies” is one of the highlights for me. My baby is a little small to be jumping around the room, but it definitely gets her bouncing in her high chair. A couple of the other tunes, “Two Little Bees in a Beehive” and “Tiny Little Worm” also follow the theme of cheeky animals, which is surely a winner with most toddlers.
“All the Grapes,” with its simple instrumentals, reminds me of the sort of folk songs that I grew up on, and perfectly points up what is particularly special about this album. Benny’s voice is so kind and welcoming, and the lyrics don’t pull any tricks, they just invite you to join in and sing along. “To the Shop” is another perfect little tune in this same vein. I had it memorized in two listens, changed the names to our family’s, and have been singing the baby to sleep with it.
Most of the songs are original, but the classic singalong songs, “Ram Sam Sam,” with an intricate percussion treatment and a jazzy “Skidamadink” also appear. And, speaking of jazzy, the very cool jazz “I’m a Witch” is a fun change of pace, just the tiniest bit spooky.
And, lest I neglect to mention “Boats,” which is actually sung by a full men’s a cappella choir. You will be singing “boats, boats, boats…” the next time your kid sees a boat.
“Beyond the Little Star” is gentle and inviting. Several of the songs have children singing along, and all of them speak to little ones. It feels like the musical equivalent of getting down on your child’s level and talking to them in their terms, in a genuine, non-condescending way. I’m the sort of mother who walks around all day singing everything to my young children, though my lyrics and tunes tend to be pretty uninspired! This album is a new bag of tricks – songs to suit different moods and occasions, and ones that I can easily remember and sing all the way through.
Read more about Benny Time (including his fantastic podcast series with other children’s music artists) and purchase his music on his website.
This review is self-funded and independent.
This is the 5th in the Listening Ears On! series of children and family music reviews. Read the other reviews:
Littlefolk by Angie Who
Little Steps, Big Adventures by Tiptoe Giants
Hey Hey, Let’s Play by Nay Nay
Helpful Songs for Little People by the Teeny Tiny Stevies