With a name like Papa Crow, and a title like Things That Roar, you might be expecting some sort of gloomy, harvest-themed death metal record, but the truth is that this record doesn’t do much roaring at all — and what little you do hear is of the decidedly adorable variety.
What we have here is 14 tracks of bucolic, sun-kissed kindie folk, gathered together in a sprightly 32-minute album that rolls along with relaxed, gentle energy.
It’s full of acoustic guitars, ukulele, and warm, honeyed vocals, plus the odd kazoo, toddler duet, or baby’s laugh — just the sort of thing you want playing during a driving singalong or impromptu kitchen waltz.
It’s as beautifully, elegantly simple as this video:
This isn’t a pushy album. Papa Crow’s music isn’t bright and flashy, and Things That Roar doesn’t come with any sort of multimedia edutainment hook. But if you’re looking for a record that feels like a contented sigh between the bursts of frantic activity that fill our family lives, this will do the trick quite nicely.
More, please.