Alvin & The Chipmunks - The Squeakquel CD Review (Rhino)

STREAM: The Chipettes - "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)"

My five year old thought I was the coolest Dad in the world after I was sent a review copy of the soundtrack to Alvin and the Chipmunks - The Squeakquel. Strangely enough, he never got this excited over any of the Southern Lord or Metal Blade CDs that I've recently reviewed.

This fifteen track - 50 minute - disc has The Chipmunks and Chipettes covering an eclectic mix of current pop hits, 70's disco songs, recent R&B hits and there are even a couple of classic rock tunes thrown in for good measure. Most of the songs are reinterpreted as pulsing, high energy dance mixes that feature the voices of The Chipmunks / The Chipettes but musicians Honor Society, Queensberry and Charice Pempengco add guest vocals on three of the tracks.

Here is the track list:

"You Really Got Me" feat. Honor Society (Kinks Cover)
"Hot N Cold" -(Katy Perry Cover)
"So What" - (Pink Cover)
"You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" - (Dead or Alive Cover)
"Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" - (Beyonce Cover)
"Bring It On" - (Ali Dee Cover)
"Stayin' Alive" - (Bee Gees Cover)
"The Song" feat. Queensberry - (Unknown)
"It's Okay" - (Unknown)
"Shake Your Groove Thing" - (Peaches & Herb Cover)
"Put Your Records On" - (Corrine Baily Rae Cover)
"I Want to Know What Love Is" - (Foreigner Cover)
"We Are Family" - (Sister Sledge Cover)
"No One" feat. Charice Pempengco - (Alicia Keys Cover)
"I Gotta Feeling" - (The Black Eyed Peas Cover)

Even though my son is five, he is already starting to embrace the whole iPod/mix tape culture and he skips around on this CD so that he can listen to his favorite songs over and over. His favorite songs to sing along with are "You Really Got Me", Stayin' Alive", "Shake Your Groove Thing" and "I Gotta Feeling".

All-in-all, Alvin & The Chipmunks - The Squeakquel is a cute disc. It also meets my key criteria for kids music as it doesn't annoy me after the 100th play. While this disc isn't anything that I would play while by myself, if it keeps the kids interested in music and playing an instrument, more power to The Chipmunks.



Links:
Alvin & the Chipmunks - The Squeakquel

Wizards of Waverly Place Soundtrack CD Released Today (Disney) / Live Webchat with Selena Gomez on Friday

It is hard to keep up the heavy metal image when you have kids - especially kids who think the world rises and falls on Disney Channel stars. I've tried taking the older one to punk and metal shows but, outside of Hazen Street and Madball, it just hasn't stuck.

As a marketer, you have to hand it to the Disney 'machine' as it seems like every one of these Disney stars is a household name and tween heart throb. There is something to be said for imprinting your brand on the kids - let's not kid ourselves that the adults are the real decision makers or that they have more than a glimmer of an idea as to what goes on in this world. My daughter thinks this CD is a real big deal so I've asked her write a CD review sometime over the next few days. She understands this genre more than I ever will.

To get back on topic - this disc is the soundtrack to "Wizards of Waverly Place The Movie”, which premieres on Disney Channel on August 28. The tracks on the disc are a mix of 60's - 80's covers along with a few original numbers.

Here is the complete track listing:
1. Disappear, Selena Gomez
2. Magical, Selena Gomez
3. Magic, (Pilot) Selena Gomez
4. Strange Magic (ELO), Steve Rushton
5. Magic, (The Cars) Honor Society
6. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic, (The Police) Mitchel Musso
7. Magic Carpet Ride, (Steppenwolf) KSM
8. Magic, (Olivia Newton-John) Meaghan Martin
9. You Can Do Magic, Drew Seeley
10. Some Call It Magic, Raven-Symoné
11. Do You Believe in Magic, (Lovin' Spoonful) Aly & AJ
12. Everything Is Not As It Seems, Selena Gomez

In support of this release, show star Selena Gomez will be taking part in a Facebook live webcast chat on Friday August 7th at 7PM EST.

There is also a contest running where fans are invited to submit their videos for the song "Magic". Check out this video for more detail.