When I Was Young: Children's Songs From Ireland
Vocalists Len Graham and Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin are accompanied by a number of musicians and the multitalented player and producer Garry Ó Briain on a collection of songs that kids will appreciate and love and that parents will both remember on occasion, and enjoy throughout. It's never cutesy or cloying and offers both the repetitive songs that younger children love and some clever (and once or twice scary) songs that grab the older kids' attention. Throughout the album the musicianship is high, with a special nod to accordion work of Mairtin O'Conner that's quite impressive.When I Was Youngis a step above the current bumper crop of preachy or New Age children's records that masquerade as "Celtic." This one will actually have them clamoring for some of the real (adult) thing in a few years.--Louis Gibson