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"The debut offering from the husband and wife team of Ellen and Matt offers 10 lively original songs that feature a full sound including guitars, drums, percussion, and piano. Kids and caregivers will enjoy singing and dancing along, while parents and teachers will appreciate the positive messages." -Maren Ostergard, School Library Journal |
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"The debut release from West Coast couple Ellen and Matt Kennedy, written and recorded while Ellen was pregnant with twins, sounds surprisingly polished for a selfproduced indie. Taking equal inspiration from today's jangly indie-rock and 1960s British Invasion bands like The Kinks, Best Friends is a combination of Matt's nimble guitar playing and Ellen's supple, winning voice, which ranges from slightly husky to sweetly clear." -Evan Narcisse, Time Out New York Kids |
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"Ellen & Matt's bright and energetic debut CD of original tunes captures clearly the joys, hopes and dreams of childhood and reinforces just how important it is to have a best friend or two." -John Wood, Kidzmusic.com |
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"The writing is excellent - lyrically clever and musically complex. Overall, the album is kid-friendly, and...it could easily appeal to toddlers and pre-schoolers on up through third or fourth graders. Best Friends is fun for adults, too, and the sounds will resonate especially well with those of us in our 30's or early 40's." -Amy Davis, "The Lovely Mrs. Davis Tells You What to Think." |
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***Children's Music That Rocks 2006 Top Twenty Albums*** "The surprises never end on this CD, and that's one of the things I love about it. The Kennedys' empathetic lyrics about kid concerns like friendship, courage, bicycles, bedtime, dreams, zoos, and, of course, juice boxes, show a great talent for writing from and relating to a child's perspective. Musically, the songs on Best Friends are shaded with light brushstrokes of George Harrison, Sloan, the Sundays, the Byrds, Fleetwood Mac, Smashing Pumpkins, Blondie, the Ramones, and, yes, (even their website admits it) the Carpenters...Great tunes, great production (especially the drums), great debut CD." - Warren Truitt, Children's Music That Rocks |
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"Who slipped that new indie rock album into my car's CD player? Oh wait, that's no indie rock album, that's kids' music. From a duo called Ellen and Matt. Who knew? Best Friends makes fantastic car music - upbeat enough to keep the attention of your back seat passengers, but without making mommy want to drive into the nearest tree." |
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"Original tunes with catchy melodies matched with witty lyrics. A variety of tunes that range from high energy rock to gentle tunes on children's concerns from friendship, courage, dreams, and bedtime." -AtoZkidstuff.com |
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"Bringing fun to everyday occurrences and occasional disappointments is a great way to please a young audience. Ellen's low-range vocals and friendly delivery open the CD strongly. I hope Ellen and Matt's busy family life inspires a lot more great music!" -Kathy O'Connell, MetroKids Magazine |
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"Best Friends is an album worthy of your attention. Whether it is the bouncy, 70's punk rock vibe captured on "Bounce" and "Juicebox Rock" or the Karen Carpenter-esque, piano driven ballads like "Fly Away" and the fantastic title track, you and your family will benefit by adding Ellen and Matt's debut release to your collection." -Jeff Bogle, Out with the Kids |