Susie Tallman & Friends: “Let’s All Sing!” (2023) CD Review

When we were kids, some of the music that was played for us was material specifically written for children, and some of it was folk and traditional tunes, helping to give us an early appreciation of artists like Woody Guthrie and Tom Paxton and Pete Seeger. Susie Tallman & Friends also do a bit of both on their new album Let’s All Sing!, mixing traditional numbers with original material. Children join them on each of the album’s tracks, providing some of the vocals.

The album opens with an original number, “Garden Of Sounds,” which was written by Greg O’Connor and Susie Tallman. As the track begins, we hear some sounds of nature, which are in contrast to the electronic beat that soon comes in. This is a playful and fun song with a dance rhythm, in part about the different sounds that animals make. It provides the album with its title in the lines “Let’s all sing/In our garden of sounds.” And I like the bit about the worm: “Hey, there’s a worm/He makes no sound/It’s okay, I can dig it.” This is a cheerful number. There is a break in the second half, with a sweeter sound. “If you listen real close, you can hear the stars twinkle tonight.” And then the dance beat returns. Yes, the kids can have their own dance club in their play room.

“The Crawdad Song” is a traditional number. I believe the first version I heard was by Woody Guthrie. This track has a folk sound, and includes banjo and mandolin. Gregg Daigle plays both of those instruments, as well as bass, guitar and dobro. And like the first track, this one mentions some different animals and the sounds they make. This is a sweet and bright rendition. Scott K. Durbin joins Susie Tallman on vocals. The fun continues with “King Kong Kitchie Kitchie Ki Me O,” here titled “King Kong Kitchie,” a track featuring some wonderful work on fiddle, making you want to swing your partner around. That’s EJ Ouellette (of EJ Ouellette & Crazy Maggy) on fiddle. There is also more good stuff on banjo by Gregg Daigle. This is music that makes the world seem like a happy place.

“Pizza Pasta Opera” is an original composition by Susie Tallman and Greg O’Connor. And yes, it does feel like something from a musical. I don’t attend very many musicals, but if there were one about pizza, well, I would probably go. Pizza is one of my favorite foods (because apparently I haven’t managed to grow up yet). At certain points, this track borrows the vocal line from “La Donna E Mobile.” It includes cooking instructions, and is another playful number. I can’t help but love it. Susie Tallman & Friends then return to folk music with a delightful rendition of “Little Liza Jane,” here titled “Liza Jane.” This is a song I’ve loved for years. Josh Lederman often performs it with his Cambridge-Somerville All-Stars. This version has a sweet, gentle vibe, and the children’s voices are pretty.

“Gotta Give Love” is an original number about spreading love. “When you’re starting your day/Give a smile away/When you’re walking around/Help someone who’s down/A little goes a long way.” Sure, this album is aimed at children, but it seems that adults need to hear this message at least as much as kids do. Suzi Shelton (who has put out her own children’s albums) joins Susie Tallman on vocals. That’s followed by “This Land Is Your Land.” I still believe this song should be our national anthem. It is so much better than “The Star-Spangled Banner.” This is one of those folks songs we were taught when we were kids, though not the full song. It wasn’t until I was a teenager that I learned about those other verses, like that great verse about the “No Trespassing” sign (“Private Property” in some versions). Those verses are not included here, and I get it. Still, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for children to hear the whole thing. At one point in the middle of the track, the children start naming the different states, contributing to its lively feel, and reminding us that the whole country is for us.

Susie Tallman & Friends deliver a fun rendition of “The Green Grass Grows All Around,” which is similar to “Rattlin’ Bog.” It was “Rattlin’ Bog” that I learned when I was a kid, and it was always a challenge to see how fast you could deliver the lyrics. This one works in the same way, with many of the same lyrics, with the children echoing many of the lines. “My Aunt Came Back” is another traditional number. I don’t remember hearing this during my childhood, and I have to say it still seems wrong to pronounce “aunt” like “ant.” I mean, hey, there’s a “u” in there, so it should rhyme with “haunt” and “taunt” and “flaunt.” That’s followed by “Life Cycle,” an original composition by Shelly Ley and Susie Tallman. Shelly Ley joins Susie Tallman on vocals on this song about growing. It is a delightful song, and that chorus is catchy.

“Take Me Out To The Ballgame” played an important part in my childhood, and I love that it’s included here. I saw my first game at Fenway when I was six, and that certainly helped shape me. Usually we just hear the chorus, but Susie Tallman & Friends include the verses. “Katie Casey was baseball mad/Had the fever and had it bad.” And yes, while listening to this track, I can’t help but shout, “Root, root, root for the Red Sox!” This rendition adds the sound of an announcer at different points. Michael Reilly Burke plays the announcer. That’s followed by “Over The River And Through The Woods.” This is a children’s song we all heard as kids. Susie Tallman offers a lively rendition that has a strong movement forward. Then “Peace Lie A River” is a gentle, pretty traditional song, with a bit of a gospel bent. Bianca Sings joins Susie Tallman on vocals for this wonderful and uplifting rendition. This is one of my favorite tracks.

“Little Red Caboose” begins with a train whistle, and then vocals imitate the sound of a train starting and picking up speed. It’s kind of an adorable way to get the song going, though not quite as adorable as Susie Tallman’s vocal performance. Brady Rymer joins her on vocals and guitar for this one. This is another of the disc’s highlights. It’s followed by “Catch A Falling Star,” a song I associate with Love Actually, though I must have heard it in my childhood. The album then concludes with an interesting and cool choice, “Che Che Koolay (Kye Kye Kule),” a West African number, in which the children echo each line, all to a totally delicious rhythm. G. Kobiana Nakigan and Shelly Ley join Susie Tallman on vocals.

CD Track List

1. Garden Of Sounds
2. The Crawdad Song
3. King Kong Kitchie
4. Pizza Pasta Opera
5. Liza Jane
6. Gotta Give Love
7. This Land Is Your Land
8. The Green Grass Grows All Around
9. My Aunt Came Back
10. Life Cycle
11. Take Me Out To The Ballgame
12. Over The River And Through The Woods
13. Peace Like A River
14. Little Red Caboose
15. Catch A Falling Star
16. Che Che Koolay (Kye Kye Kule)

Let’s All Sing! was released on November 3, 2023 on Rock Me Baby Records.