The first collection of music from
the Fresh Beat Band introduced a precocious quartet of teenagers (although the show is aimed at a younger audience), and though the songs were simplistic, they were better than the average for preteen pop. The second volume includes 25 songs, and while show creators Scott Kraft and Nadine van der Velde are still found among the writing credits, the sound is a little more varied than before. The usual simple singalongs are still around -- and still dangerously close to annoying anyone right out of the room if they're over the age of 12 -- but slightly more interesting songwriting, along with nods to fizzy synth pop of the
Katy Perry variety, gets aired more than usual. Highlights are harder to find here than on the surprisingly strong first edition, but the lone guest star feature, for
Jason Mraz on "I'm Yours," is definitely one, as are the covers "We Got the Beat," "Let's Get Loud," "Twist and Shout," and on the deluxe edition (featuring stickers!), even "Jai Ho" (an
A.R. Rahman song from Slumdog Millionaire). ~ John Bush