Search - Tom Chapin :: Family Tree

Family Tree ranks as singer/songwriter Tom Chapin's best overall children's release. Chapin applies a grand musical scheme, integrating horns, well-recorded large ensembles, and more, which results in a mix that will wow parents and kids alike. He prefers narrative-oriented songs, and here does a wonderful job on a father-son relationship in "Shovelling" and includes a touching lullaby-like farewell to friends on "Together Tomorrow." Unlike lots of children's music, in which a simple vibe is struck and then stuck with throughout, this collection varies with each song, often using humor to ease kids into a realm where they can grasp some kernel of truth about themselves and their parents. His take on the "Big Rock Candy Mountain" is inventive (and shrewdly avoids the liquor-guzzling references in the original), and there's a politically progressive angle to the entire recording. --Andrew Bartlett