Musically digging into the crates of records from her past, Moona Luna bandleader Sandra Velasquez finds the sound of 50 years ago on the second Moona Luna album, Let's Go!.
It's not so surprising that "Do You Remember? (¿Te Acuerdas?)" has a girl-group sound given that song title, but Velasquez also turns lots of other basic preschooler and early-elementary school topics -- writing letters, telling time, the seasons -- into tightly-written songs that mimic the distinctive keyboards, rhythms, and vocal harmonies of post-Bill Haley rock-n-roll. (If you're like me, you'll probably spend not a small amount of time playing "spot the musical reference.")
Of course, this is Moona Luna, so this is all done with a Latin spin. The songs are strictly bilingual, giving English and Spanish lyrics equal weight, and I think Velasquez is getting better at integrating the two in her songs. Songs like "What Time Is It? (¿Que Hora Es?)" and "One of Those Days (Uno De Esos Dias)" have a distinct Latin sound thanks to the use of the accordion, and of course you can't reference rock and roll from the late 1950s without sounding a bit like Ritchie Valens.
The 26-minute album is most appropriate for kids ages 3 through 6. You can stream the whole album here.
Despite the surge in interest in bilingual music for wee ones, Moona Luna is one of the few bands making music your family might conceivably listen to for pure enjoyment's sake. And, if mixed in amongst your Recess Monkeys and Laurie Berkners these songs pop up and happen to give your family an appreciation for a different musical sound and language, so much the better. Definitely recommended.
[Note: I was given a copy of the album for possible review.]
