What a Ride

Review

Common Sense Media says

Offbeat, heartwarming CD from veteran kids' performer.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this CD's lyrics are quirky and silly, but perfectly appropriate -- and enjoyable -- for any age to giggle at.

  • Positive messages4
    Encourages listeners to keep moving forward despite obstacles: "Life can take you down lonely highways, life can take you down stormy seas, but even when it isn't going my way....I'll hold on tight and say, 'Hey what a ride!'"
  • Positive role models0
    Not applicable.
  • Violence0
    Not applicable.
  • Sex0
    Not applicable.
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What's the story?

WHAT A RIDE is Eric Herman's fifth album, and continues his high-energy line-up of kids' music with 11 new, original tracks about funny monsters, colorful carseat snacks, and the standard "Ants in Your Pants" kiddie tune to get everyone movin'. The album features several guest artists, including Gwendolyn Sanford of Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang and Chris Wiser of the Sugar Free Allstars, indie favorites on the rise.

Is it any good?

 

The good thing about Herman's music is that it's music you can appreciate and actually enjoy listening to, while pleasing your kids at the same time. Most of the songs aren't necessarily your typical young kid-appeal, the music rolls along with lyrics and words like "hygenic" and "aroma" that might leave preschoolers saying, "Huh?" But "Ants in Your Pants" and "Stink Bug," however, will surely be a favorite for any youngster who likes to say "P-yoooo," and what kid doesn't? The lyrics are fun and heartwarming for older kids and especially parents, who can relate to a lint-covered cheeseball in the carseat or a child begging you to "Come Play" at 2 o'clock in the morning. Bottom line: What a Ride is a ride worth taking.

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What families can talk about

  • Everyone knows there is a lot of music and media out there that isn't appropriate for kids. What about the good stuff? How can you teach yourself and your kids about appropriate media for their age?

  • From Lisa Loeb to They Might be Giants, it seems there has been an influx of children's pop music over the last few years. Why do you think that is? Do you think there is a need for children, even young ones, to have a musical outlet of their own that doesn't require a big, purple dinosaur or dancing puppets?

  • This artist has a popular song that became a YouTube sensation. How do you feel about the presence of YouTube and the ease with which it enables individuals to be exploited or thrown into the public eye?

This review was written by Jessica Dawson
Parent of 6 and 8 year old
July 31, 2009
AGE
4
 
Good broad family music...
A great variety of musical styles. Ranges from funny to sweet, and has a really good ebb and flow of observational points that any kid or adult can really appreciate. The humor is geared in the 5-10 range, but everything is perfectly safe and appropriate for the ears of a toddler or preschooler. Great album for the whole family... Road trip!
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This review was written by Jessica Dawson
Artist:Eric Herman
Release date:June 16, 2009
Genre:Children's Music
Parental advisory:No
This review was written by Jessica Dawson
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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