Wednesday, September 06, 2006

***Elizabeth Mitchell***

You know you're doin' somethin' right when Smithsonian Folkways comes a-knockin'. And I'm pretty sure this label is well aware they have the next Ella Jenkins on their hands.

Anyone who is familiar with Elizabeth Mitchell's work wouldn't expect anything less than brilliance on her newest CD, You Are My Little Bird, and she certainly delivers. Your hipster buddies will perk up their ears when they hear covers of the Velvet Underground, Bob Marley, and Neil Young, and find out that John Sebastian helped out a little bit musically. My only complaint is that the CD comes with such thorough liner notes, it took some of the fun out of researching the song sources! So instead of having to read my boring descriptions, just play the CD and dig her minimalist version of "Three Little Birds", the a cappella "Little Liza Jane" and "Grassy Grass Grass", the acoustic rock and roll of "What Goes On", and her beautifully ethereal "If You Listen", a song originally recorded by Francoise Hardy and written by a pre-Foreigner Mick Jones (!).

Having become as adept as the aforementioned Ms. Jenkins at song collecting and interpretation, Elizabeth Mitchell is certainly in a position to become one of America's great music voices. This album is the aural equivalent of gauzy curtains billowing in the summer breeze, so, put it on, enjoy the vibe, and be happy about the fact that together you and your kids can listen to wonderfully performed music penned by writers as disparate as Woody Guthrie, Lou Reed, and Vashti Bunyan. Beautiful, beautiful stuff.

4 comments:

Misha said...

I just bought this cd yesterday! As a fan of Ida, a former Children's librarian (I specialize in Fiction now), and a Mom to be, I cannot praise Elizabeth Mitchell enough! She and Dan Littleton are making some of the sweetest children's music around--music that kids AND adults can enjoy! I can't wait to sing these songs, and the ones from her previous albums, to my little bean--and to be able to sing them together years from now!
Misha

Anonymous said...

Thanks for posting this and introducing me to this wonderful artist. I've been looking for quality children's music for a while and this is exactly what I had in mind.

Anonymous said...

I have a two yr old and received this CD for Christmas. It's really beautiful and makes us happy. Especially "Peace Like a River". My son already dances around when he hears the CD. Thanks!

Cerita Dewasa said...

Thanks, nice post cerita dewasa