Search - Christianne Tisdale :: Just a Map-a Lullaby to the World

A wonderful way to ease the little ones off to dreamland

Durling Heath | Cohoes, NY | 12/15/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's a shame that the very good quality and entertaining Indie projects, whether film, literature, or music, do not get the recognition that their commercially produced counterparts do. (I suppose if Indies got as much attention as the commercially produced works did, well, they would not really be Indies for long, would they?) Anyway, "Just A Map: A Lullaby To The World" is just one of those very good quality, entertaining Indie projects.



Bookended by the title track, "Just A Map," a song that laments that the world is not always as pleasant as are the map's pretty colors which represent the world's nations, the CD includes some classic and some obscure lullabies sung to children throughout the world. The countries from which these lullabies were borrowed include Brazil, Ireland, England, France, Spain, Germany, South Africa, Russia, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Australia, and, of course, the United States. A few recognizable songs, at least in the United States, include, "That's An Irish Lullaby (Toora-Loora-Loora)," "Twinkle, Twinkle," and "Fete Francaise (Frere Jacques)," but the listener finds some of the true gems are among the deeper cuts. For example, "Wales Tales" is almost shamefully beautiful, both in its melody and in its performance. There is also a little bedtime tune for mommies and daddies in a cover of "Dream A Little Dream of Me," which Cass Elliot, among others, have also recorded.



The presentation of "Just A Map: A Lullaby To The World" is fairly simple; a listener would not expect the sort of engineering for a collection of lullabies as one would for, say, a Beach Boys album. In most cases, it just the artist's lovely, light, and melodic voice and a single accompanying instrument. As nicely as the songs are produced, however, the fact that the artist sings each lullaby in the language of its native land is remarkable. I don't speak Gaelic or Portuguese, but it's not hard to appreciate their brilliance in music.



Finally, "Just A Map: A Lullaby To The World" also passes the all-important focus group test; children love it. After reading a story or singing your own lullaby to the kiddies, (if you are like me, you can't carry a tune if it had a handle), "Just A Map" is a wonderful way to ease the little ones off to dreamland."

Peace as a Concept Album

Josephine March | New York, NY | 10/15/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This debut CD by Christianne Tisdale is everything one would expect...delightful, delicious and dreamy. Spanning more than three octaves and 13 languages, she takes listeners on a relaxing, armchair tour of the world...peace as a reality. Do yourself and the world a favor...according to the artist's website, ten percent of the profits go to charities promoting peace and human rights awareness. She puts her money where her message is...and what a great message it is."