A Family Album

Returning to action after an eight-year hiatus, the Verve Pipe shrewdly follow the lead of other aging alt-rockers by turning in a collection of songs for kids. It’s a smart move for two reasons: it gives them a marketing hook a run of the mill comeback would not, and it allows them to dabble in more musical styles than any of their previous albums did. Here, they’re allowing themselves to indulge in soft-shoe shuffles, psychedelia in the vein of Dukes of Stratosphear, country-rock, punchy power pop and, of course, lullabies, all in the guise of entertaining kids. It will surely bring a smile to many a child’s face, but the thing of it is, this is way looser than any other Verve Pipe album and much more fun, too. If they wound up patterning a full-fledged comeback after this Family Album, retaining the same spirit of fun and adventure yet turning to mature topics, they’d be cutting a distinctive path, but as it stands their record for kids is one of the best albums they’ve ever made.