Review: Rockabye Baby Lullaby Renditions of Journey

When it's time for my 19-month old to go "night-night", there's no better way to set the mellow mood than with some lullabies. Thankfully, we only had to invest in two mediocre discs before discovering the greatness that is Rockabye Baby.

In case you've been living in a bubble, let me break it down for you:

Rockabye Baby transforms timeless rock songs into beautiful instrumental lullabies. Guitars and drums are traded for soothing mellotrons, vibraphones and bells, and the volume is turned down from an eleven to a two. Rockabye Baby is the perfect way to share the music you love with the littlest rocker in your life.

For your itty bitty, the Rockabye Baby series is like a music box, filled with soothing, sleepytime melodies. But for parents, it's like classical karaoke featuring your favorite rock songs. It's almost impossible not to hum along to the reborn rock records. The masterminds behind Rockabye Baby have covered everything from classic rock (Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin), pop rock (Beatles, Beach Boys), heavy metal (Metallica, Tool) and punk rock (The Cure, The Ramones) to grunge rock (Nirvana), alt-rock (Smashing Pumpkins, Coldplay, Green Day) and even reggae (Bob Marley). They bring a whole new meaning to "rock you to sleep"!

I've had the pleasure of reviewing both the Queen and Guns N' Roses renditions in the past. So, when they contacted me about their newest release, featuring none other than Journey - one of my favorite bands - I knew I had to have it.

Track Listing:

1. Open Arms
2. Any Way You Want It
3. Wheel In the Sky
4. Faithfully
5. Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)
6. Who's Cryin' Now?
7. Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'
8. Send Her My Love
9. Stone In Love
10. Only The Young
11. Lights
12. Don't Stop Believin'

As I expected, this album became my new favorite from the series. Not only did I know almost all of the hits included (save for #9), but the melodies were spot on. I could recognize each track without even looking at its title. The croaking frogs, tweeting birds, chirping crickets and hand cranks scattered in the background added yet another layer of relaxation on top of the tender clinks of the xylophone. If your baby is comforted by the sounds of nature, they will love this special touch.

My favorite tracks were "Wheel In The Sky", "Send Her My Love" and, without a doubt, "Don't Stop Believin'". The latter has endured decades of popularity and resonates with people of every age. Hence, why it is the #1 most downloaded catalog song on iTunes. And with its message of freedom and fervor, what a perfect choice to conclude the album.

Bottom line: You'll want to welcome this CD with open arms (pun intended!). Rockabye Baby just gets better and better with each release. If you love the music of Journey, you will love sharing this version with your child. This would also make a great baby shower gift for that special mom-to-be that will have all the guests talking!

BUY IT: You can purchase Rockabye Baby: Lullaby Renditions of Journey or view their other selections online at Amazon or www.rockabyebabymusic.com (ARV $13.99). Right now, if you head on over to their website, you can listen to samples and vote for the next band to be lullab-ized!

You can also stay up-to-date by following Rockabye Baby on Twitter, becoming a fan on Facebook or following their blog.

Disclaimer: I recevied a free copy of this album from Taylor at Rockabye Baby to facilitate my candid review. I was not compensated in any other way for this review.