Review: Campfire Sing-Along: Orange Sherbet & Hot Buttered Rum

Two is better than one. Or, in this particular case, fifty-one is better than two.

Fifty-one is, as best as I can tell, the total number of people singing or playing on Campfire Sing-Along, the recently-released fourth album by the Bay Area duo Orange Sherbet. You might be thinking, last time I checked, "duo" meant, well, two people. And, yes, Jill Pierce and Tamsen Fynn are indeed a duo. But they've pulled in a whole host of family and friends to sing a collection of campfire sing-along favorites. Sometimes the friends are older (such as Charity Kahn from Charity and the JAMband, who makes an appearance on "Sippin' Cider"), sometimes they're younger (the chorus of kids who appear on old chestnuts like "Make New Friends" or "Down by the Bay"). Most are fun, or at least an excellent reminder of songs you can sing at your own campfire.

What turns this album into more than a very enjoyable version of a "Wee Sing" CD is the presence of the Northern California roots/bluegrass band Hot Buttered Rum, who join forces with Orange Sherbet and, occasionally, the rest of the 51 for great versions of traditional sing-alongs -- "Down By the Riverside," "She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain," "Frog Went A Courtin'," among others. Making the CD stand out, however, are the originals, contributed by members of both bands -- "Bit By Bit" is an awesome song about how little things make a difference, while "Marshmallow" is a fun sing-along that could've been written 70 years ago. It's in the originals most especially that the combination sounds very much like a West Coast version of Dog on Fleas. It's a wholly winning sound.

(Oh, and I almost forgot. All this plus Dan Zanes. Yep -- Zanes makes an appearance on an original called "One Man Band," revealing a heretofore unknown skill in humorous spoken-word poetry. It's hardly a Zanes-ian essential, but it's amusing listening.)

The 48-minute album is appropriate for all ages, though kids able to sing along, ages 3 through 9, are probably more likely to enjoy the CD. You can listen to samples or at the album's CDBaby page (at which you can hear some of "Bit By Bit").

The best parts of Campfire Sing-Along are where Orange Sherbet and Hot Buttered Rum combine to make timeless songs sound fresh and new songs sound like they've been part of the canon forever. (Who would've thought orange sherbet and hot buttered rum would taste so good together?) There are enough such moments here to make this recommended, even if you don't plan to get any closer to the great outdoors than your local park.

Comments

[Jo Hadley]

No joke! This album makes everyone in the family happy campers. I throw it in the car stereo for all long roadtrips and the kids (ages 2 and 4) sing along gleefully, as do us parents. The original tunes are fantastic and the oldies are just really fun to hear. This CD is a must have!

[Erin Glassman]

I absolutely LOVE this CD and so does my 3 year old! We sing-along to this one every day and I hear my son singing and humming the songs constantly. Both Orange Sherbert and Hot Buttered Rum have distinct sounds that meld together perfectly and they are all stellar musicians. This CD is a great find for young and old alike! Go out and buy it NOW!!!!

[Lindsey Campbell]

I love this CD!! Thank you so much! My daughter laughs and laughs! She especially loves the kissing song! And that version of Shenendoah has got to be the most beautiful I've ever heard! When I get enough money I am going to buy all your CD's!

[Cat Curtis]

I was actually introduced to these artists as sampler music on a toddler MP3 player that I purchased for my son. I was going to delete the existing songs on it, but he LOVED them! He's only 2, but he can sing along with Bit by Bit and makes the appropriate sound effects. I actually have cut it and set it as the ringer on my cell phone. Be cautioned. These songs are fun, cheerful and get stuck in your head! Totally enjoyable and lightly positive music!