Indies Rec.
V.A. : Havet Vselijaka 2 (CZ,2007)***°
Because I pretty much enjoyed volume one, I was curious enough to try part 2. Also this album clearly sounds like a commission of songs for children, possibly around a similar subject, with 27 participants, who nearly all were capable to put themselves into the mind of children, in how and what they would like to hear. Some of them are singer-songwriters, others are with a band. I Am not sure how many real children songs or poems were used (just one English song, “Mary had a little lamb”, was included). It does not really matter for foreigners not to understand the words, because also the words themselves sound funny and often musical on its own (just listen to “U Zatce” for instance from J.Dedecek, or the songs after that). I recognised just some words like crocodile, pipi, and chocolate amongst other food and animals. And even when the songs and performance becomes silly and deliberately foolish, this is so child-friendly I think this is also enjoyable internationally. And while the concept sounds like that of a school theatre play commission, the performances and arrangements are professional. Twice there’s a old time jazz band involved, of which J.Voskovoc & J.Werich track reminded me of 30s Berlin (what did they have in Prague in those days ?). Only I.Frühlinghová/N.Orffové’s pop song approach, in its professional form, takes a bit more studio-comfort distance from the play and mind of the children. A great second chapter.
