Splish Splash, the Big Red Boat! (by The Wiggles, Children's Music)

On the SPLISH SPLASH, THE BIG RED BOAT! album, The Wiggles take their wholesome, good-time sound out on the big red boat this time around, with a 22-track CD that includes a number of songs with a nautical theme. A couple of songs in Spanish add a friendly international feel to the proceedings, and all of the songs are well produced and expertly arranged. The high points are the songs that stick to the water: "Big Red Boat," "Henry's Underwater Big Band," "Having Fun at the Beach," and "Take a Trip Out on the Sea," which make for perfect background music at bath time. The lyrics are easy to hear and understand, and are also printed in the CD insert for sing-along fun.

With easy-to-understand lyrics and skillfully played instrumentals, the band manages to stay resolutely toddler-friendly without grating too badly on parents' nerves. As usual with the Wiggles (and many other CDs by popular children's artists), there are a lot of retreads, as well as a lot of songs that seem included arbitrarily, as they have nothing to do with the big red boat thing. Doesn't seem like it'd be that difficult for a group as successful and talented as the Wiggles to create a true theme album, not that toddlers necessarily notice such things.

Released on: June 27, 2006
Label: Koch Records
Genre: Children's Music