Parents Choice Silver Award-Brighter Than Fireflies

Review:

Lowe's strong, melodic voice narrates her songs of vignettes and slices of everyday life. She tells tales of a very rhythmic rabbit in the jazzy “Miles BeBoppin Hoppin,” while she employs some lovely marimba on the light, island reggae of “If I Were I Bird.” Lowe offers consistently intelligently themed songs, which will capture and charm children's imaginations.

Amy Lowe's contemporary folk-style music will remind many adults of songs by artists such as Amy Rigby, The Indigo Girls, and Dar Williams.

Lahri Bond   ©2005 Parents' Choice    Lahri Bond is a father, a writer and the art director for Dirty Linen: The Magazine of Folk and World Music. His published books include Spinning Tales Weaving Hope (with the Stories For World Change Network) for New Society Press and People of the Earth (coauthored with Ellen Evert Hopman) for Destiny Books. 

Review: BRIGHTER THAN FIRE FLIES

Brighter Than Fireflies. 1 CD. 37:38 min. Prod. by Jewel-Eye Music/BMI/July Records. Dist. by Emphasis Entertainment.

K-Gr 3–Amy Lowe, multi-award winning singer, songwriter, and storyteller, delivers a bang-up fifth album for children. The recipient of Parents' Choice Gold and Silver awards, Lowe presents 11 original songs in musical styles including country, jazz, rock, and calypso. Her vocal talent is wide ranging, and she varies her voice to fit the style of music. Several talented musicians perform on guitar, bass, harmonica, percussion, drums, piano, saxophone, marimba, organ, mandolin, and dobro. Tiny alien robots who demand to see the President have "Shiny Blue Eyes." "New Shoes" explores outdoor activities in summer and winter. "Miles Beboppin Hoppin" is a rabbit who jazzes up his hop-hop. "Chocolate Is Good" and so is cocoa. "If I Were a Bird" imagines what it would be like to be a bird, fish, sail, and sand. "Body Parts" lists most of the body functions. The three-toed sloth is described in "Sloth." Bernie and Boris, the brontosauruses, are "Two of a Kind." "Ghost" explains how to call a ghost. "Planets" teaches about the solar system. "When I Grow Up" expresses a wish to live in a peaceful world. An excellent choice for most libraries.–Beverly Bixler, San Antonio Public Library, TX

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 Every now and then, along comes an entirely unexpected treat. Who would have thought that a recounting of the story of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 could be so enthralling? In their recording aimed at age 8 and up, Lowe and Wells skillfully combine commentary, theatrics, music and history in an eloquent portrait of a city’s devastation, hope and renewal. By Lynne Dalton Heffley

PARENTS CHOICE GOLD AWARD

Review:   A sterling mix of music, commentary, theater and history as Amy Lowe and Megan Wells recount the story of The Great Chicago Fire of 1871. First, they dispatch the legend, captured in that catchy song ("One Dark Night") that vilified Mrs. O'Leary and her lantern-kicking cow for the raging inferno that destroyed an entire city. They paint a vivid picture of a city that grew far too fast, with far too little planning and they sing chillingly of the "Mud, Wood, Drought, Blunder & Wind," conditions that led to the devastation. Most poignantly, Lowe and Wells interweave their haunting song, "Listen to the Wind," with eloquent testimony from actual eyewitnesses to the tragedy. The pair wind up this well-researched, beautifully performed piece of historical, musical theater on an uplift, commemorating the losses and the hardy souls who survived to rebuild their lives and their city.