Various Artists – Rescue Me! A Cause for Paws

This is kind of a difficult review for me to do in terms of rating. If I had to rate it in terms of how the music grabbed me, this would get a much lower number. This just isn’t really my kind of music for the most part. In terms of how well the music is done, gets it a higher rating. Then when you add in the fact that this is a charity album to raise money for animals, I find myself compelled to raise that number higher. So, I ultimately did a combination of all those things.

The first song is from Mary Ann Kennedy and entitled “Barn Cat.” While not really my kind of thing musically, this is fun stuff. It’s the kind of thing that get toes tapping and voices singing along.” Possum and Pearl” by Kathy Chiavola really wanders out of my comfort zone. It’s an old school bluegrass styled piece. You have to admire the spirit and energy of the cut, even if it’s not your kind of music.

There is not too much that can be said about Cindy Mangsen’s “Our Cats.” There is no real music here, at least if you think of music as instruments. It’s singing only. It’s a fun little thing, but a little odd. I like “Get a Dog” (Annie Lalley) better than some of the rest. It has a solid rhythmic texture. It’s more of a reggae song than it is anything else. It’s a highlight.

“My Old Cat” (Heidi Muller) seems like something Joan Baez might do. It’s definitely not my kind of music, but it is rather fun. It’s also entertaining. A song from a dog to its human companion, “My Best Friend” from Mark Weems is a pretty ballad. It’s one of my favorite pieces of the whole disc.

The vocal performance on Ashley Jo Farmer’s “Kitty, Kitty” is sultry and fun. The music has a sound like Squirrel Nut Zippers. It is definitely a change and definitely fun. There are some hints of country on Friction Farm’s “Why, Why, Why.” There are both male and female vocals on the song. It’s a solid tune, but not one of my favorites.

I like the sarcastic tone of “Cattitude,” Effron White’s contribution to the album. The raspy vocals are good, too. It’s a fun piece of music. If you like country music that’s about as downhome as you can get, you’ll probably like “I Miss the Dog” by Jamie Anderson. It’s a goofy little number that’s funny. It’s just not my thing.

Next comes “The Best Dog” by Amy White. Again, I’m not a big fan of this. It’s a bit predictable. This is the kind of soft folk music that was such a big thing in the early 1970s. It’s okay, but nothing all that special. I can see people having fun with “The Kitty Ditty” from Joel Mabus. It really doesn’t do much for me, though. Well, let me rephrase that. The music doesn’t do much for me. The lyrics are funny.

Steve Rafferty