YellowKat

Clap Your Hands is a really cute CD, which reminds me a little of Peter Coombe. There’s an originality and quirkiness which you don’t often find here. My first listening left me thinking that this was music ideally suited to the very young – simple, repeated lyrics, and funny action songs, but as soon as I played it for my rather sophisticated critics at home, they all began roaring with laughter. The biggest hit on the CD is “Brush Your Teeth”, a song which is, as the title makes clear, about the importance of dental hygiene. Somehow or other, the idea of blue, red, green and yellow teeth had even my ten year old laughing, and my four year old began singing it to daddy after he finished his dinner (he promptly did what he was told).

None of the songs are lyrically complicated, and most are relatively simple musically too, but Sonia Hardie’s strong vocals sit in the forefront, and when you listen carefully some of the music is actually rather complex. For example, one song, “Pumpkin Soup” is supported by some pretty spicy drum and guitar music which I found myself enjoying very much. Although there are familiar elements used in songs like “The Incy Wincy Spider”, “Clap Your Hands”, and “Go to Sleep”, there’s much that’s original such as “the hairy lairy spider”. Children will enjoy that they recognise the songs and the fun surprise of the variations. Some of the songs like “Clap Your Hands” will encourage children to join in, while others like “Blue Pyjamas” or “The Baby Said” will have they laughing hard as they recognise the real voice of a naughty baby or the concept of animals walking over pyjamas. My children also loved the young child singing “Skinnamarink” and made me put it on again and again.

This is definitely a child focused CD which will have children dancing, joining in, and laughing. I was surprised at how well it went down with older children, but younger children will certainly see it as something designed specifically for them. - Preschool Entertainment.com