To misquote Paul Simon on Graceland, every generation throws a chipmunk up the children's charts. That's what Hampton the Hampster is, an updated, dancing, cyber chipmunk that came to life as a Web site bet and has flouris... more »hed as an unlikely children's music pop star. His songs, like the Chipmunks' fare from their vintage 1950s days, are marked by a pinched vocal delivery that's cute, if a bit tiresome after long exposure. Hampsterdance, the Album shows off Hampton's one-upping of the Chipmunks with an irresistible panoply of dance-club beats. The music shuffles and kicks as Hampton goes from his own nonsense lyrics to the likes of "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" and a pair of bonus holiday tracks, "Jingle Bells" and "Deck the Halls." Sure, Hampton's shtick is a mite one-dimensional--thumpety dance beats and all--but the kids love this stuff. --Andrew Bartlett« less
To misquote Paul Simon on Graceland, every generation throws a chipmunk up the children's charts. That's what Hampton the Hampster is, an updated, dancing, cyber chipmunk that came to life as a Web site bet and has flourished as an unlikely children's music pop star. His songs, like the Chipmunks' fare from their vintage 1950s days, are marked by a pinched vocal delivery that's cute, if a bit tiresome after long exposure. Hampsterdance, the Album shows off Hampton's one-upping of the Chipmunks with an irresistible panoply of dance-club beats. The music shuffles and kicks as Hampton goes from his own nonsense lyrics to the likes of "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" and a pair of bonus holiday tracks, "Jingle Bells" and "Deck the Halls." Sure, Hampton's shtick is a mite one-dimensional--thumpety dance beats and all--but the kids love this stuff. --Andrew Bartlett
"I am a 12-year old buyer and this CD rules!!!!! Not only do these hampsters sing their own songs such as "Hampster Party", "Even Hampsters Fall In Love", and the ever-popular single "The Hampsterdance Song", they sing other people's songs, such as "Thank God I'm A Country Boy", and "The Birdie Song". SInce some songs are better than others, I have decided to give a full review for every song below. Please read on.1. The Hampsterdance Song--Very cool, the hampsters' voices are perfect in the song. 5 out of 5.2. Hampster Party--This song has an awesome electric guitar in the background and wicked lyrics. 4 1/2 out of 5.3. Even Hampsters Fall In Love--This song is one of the best on the album. It combines folk music with cool, break-it-down boogie music. 6 out of 5.4. Thank God I'm A Country Boy--Awesome redo of John Denver's song. 4 out of 5.5. Hampster's Life--This is not one of the best songs. It has a neat piano in the background but some of the lyrics are weird. 3 out of 5.6. Dance To The Music--This is a cool disco-ish song that has a very cool chorus and at one point the hampsters start doing a little "doo-doo, doo-doo" thing. Cooool. 5 out of 5.7. Dreaming--I don't really like this song. It has a whisperish kind of chorus so that you can barely hear it and it has an ugly electric piano in the background. 1 out of 5.8. Birdie Song--This is a great redo of the Birdie Song. The only problem is that the hampsters don't sing the "Do a little bit o' this, do a little bit o' that", there's just the music. 3 out of 5.9. Spin the Wheel--This is an awesome Britney Spears-ish song sung by hampsters. Oh yeah. 5 out of 5.10. Hampsters Get The Blues--This song is not that good. It's not really a blues song. 2 out of 5.11. Round and Round--This song stinks. Enough said. 0 out of 5.12. Everybody Feel the Groove--This is a rap song but the chorus gets all sweety-like and ruins the whole song. 1 out of 5.13 & 14. Jingle Bells and Deck The Halls--Right on. Who would've thought hampsters singing classic holiday favorites could be so amusing? 5 out of 5.Overall, this CD rules. Definitely not a waste of money."
A future classic for the contemplative intellectual
Bert Whetstone | New Smyrna Beach | 12/14/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
""Hampsterdance: The Album" raises the bar for all genres of music. The opening title, "Hampsterdance Song", begins a thread which binds the disparate whole of the album together. "Thank God I'm A Country Boy" is an emotionally powerful tribute to John Denver. "A Hamster's Life" reveals the trials and tribulations of daily existence from the viewpoint of this most reflective family of rodentia. "Spin the Wheel" questions the ultimate meaning of life using the running wheel as a metaphor for the unending desire to find our place in the eternal now. Bing Crosby steps aside with the Hampsters' rendition of the Christmas classic "Jingle Bells" while "Deck The Halls" reminds us that even if your hall is loaded with dung droppings and bits of pellet food, the Holiday spirit is alive and well. Truly a mantlepiece that you and your children will cherish for years to come."
Not for all
Richard Engelhardt | Boca Raton, FL United States | 12/20/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This CD is definetly for a certain niche of people. When I first heard "The Hampsterdance Song" on the radio I was beside myself. I loved it! I bought the single immediatly.The full album is even better. It's all electronic music and fun to listen to. I always end up dancing in some way whenever I put this CD on. If you loved the website then you'll love this CD.But as I said, this CD is not for everyone. I love dance music and anything unique and this CD is both. But there are a lot of people that will only do what their friends do and buying this CD would certainily be a risk for them. Seeing as how I don't care what people think of me, I can't wait to bring this CD to my next party.Also, if you read the "thank you " section of the booklet you'll learn how this hampstar-craze came to life."
Under 10 Group???
Rob | 11/12/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Hey! I enjoy this CD and I'm older than ten. . . much older than 10 actually. . . This is such a funny CD anyone and everyone can enjoy it!"
Non-Stop Hampster Party!
Justin Waters | Los Angeles, CA United States | 04/07/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Before you listen to this, don't go into it expecting "The White Album." I don't believe that everybody who goes into the recording studio necessarily needs to come out with music that's going to alter the world as we know it. There's nothing wrong with a little ear candy now and then, and that is exactly what this album offers. "The Hampsterdance Song" (which borrows the main melody from the song during the opening credits of the Disney cartoon "Robin Hood" - check it out; it's pretty wild to hear where this came from!), "A Hampster's Life" and "Even Hampsters Fall In Love" all contain melodies that are impossible to forget (and I mean that in a good way). "Hampster Party" with its harsh guitars and record-scratching, and "Everybody Feel The Groove" with its 'guy hampster doing a smooth rap/girl hampster singing the chorus' are both excellent party songs. "Dreaming", although mostly instrumental, comes a few years too late to capitalize on the "Robert Miles" style of dance music, but it's still good. And "Hampsters Get The Blues" along with my favorite song, "Spin The Wheel", could actually be genuine dance songs, but it would be difficult to take them seriously because of the hampster references and high-pitched singers. And heaven forbid there would be a dance song that wasn't serious, but instead was actually fun.
"Round And Round" took me the longest amount of time to get into. But since I was so universally taken with every other song on the album, it was only a matter of time for me to get on board with it.
The cover songs ("Birdie Song", "Thank God I'm A Country Boy" and "Dance To The Music") are all great ("Birdie Song" being my 2nd favorite song). And the tracks "Jingle Bells" and "Deck The Halls" are fine when the Yuletide season rolls around, but the problem is that you don't want to hear Christmas songs in, say, July.
The Executive Producers of this album are The Boomtang Boys, who put out their own album which included a few great dance songs of their own, including "Pictures Of You" and a nice cover of Billy Idol's "Dancing With Myself." If you like this album, you may want to check out theirs. However, I give this album 5 out of 5 stars because it's been a while since I've had an album that I've wanted to sit and listen to over and over again. Also it's a refreshing distraction from what actually gets played on the radio nowadays. I feel that this is a timeless album which is destined to become a classic. Why timeless? It's simple, every song is catchy and memorable, and more than anything else, it's just plain, good ol' harmless fun. And that never gets old."