Delightful Portland, Oregon singer-songwriter Laura Veirs has finally, after years of fan and friend suggestion, released an album of children’s folk songs. Working alongside Grammy-nominated producer Tucker Martine the duo spent the early part of this year leafing through hundreds of folk songs composed by the likes of Jimmie Rodgers to Woody Guthrie as well as a cover of Harry Belafonte’s ‘Jump Down Spin Around’, and set about compiling and recording a modern-day anthology of little ditties, lullabies and nonsense rhymes to appeal to both children and adults alike.

Unlike Kimya Dawson’s kid-pop Veirs’ dose of elementary musical entertainment is endearing and engaging for both her elder and younger audiences; in fact it is never explicitly presented as a children’s record, merely a joyous piece of collaborative work as appearances from talents Jim James, Basia Bulat and members of Blind Pilot all chip in. Certainly it begins wistfully with woozy, yodelling lullabies on ‘Prairie Lullaby’ on to ‘All the Pretty Horses’ with mournful violin accompaniment, yet Veirs’ complimentary musical counterparts allow Tumble Bee to remain a thoughtful, at times poignant listen for its elders.

With a series of furry and feathered characters making cameos throughout; from horsies and lap-dogs, to blue birds and mice; there is no doubt this recording contains all the typical staples of nursery-rhyme chants. There are the expected handclaps, feet stompings and vocal exchanges aplenty packed in on toe tapping numbers such as ‘The Fox’ and ‘Soldier’s Joy’, on which the Decemberists’ Colin Meloy assists in the campfire singalong, while countrified fiddle and mouth organ keep the knees up beat galloping along…and for all these delights it’s near impossible not to involuntarily break into a grin.

Her often playful musical style, honeyed vocals and now motherly insight, have allowed Veirs to create a recording which is at one and the same time a progression of her musical palate and a regression back to childhood daydreams, tall tales and fables; creating here something nostalgic, heartfelt and fun all the while managing to bridge that gap from infancy to old age. Steeped in experimentation with intriguing percussive arrangements and instruments from dulcimer to mouthbow, glockenspiel and toy piano, Veirs’ trademark visual description keeps this recording in ordered footing with her previous work, while allowing it to stand alone as an easily accessible listen for those looking for something new.

Sufjan Stevens’ has summed it up nicely: “Laura’s folk songs for children prove that the best children’s music never gets old”. In the days of abundant technology and artificial entertainment Veirs and Martine have beautifully resurrected that old tradition of storytelling: “Many of these songs have been forgotten throughout the years,” Martine stated, we wanted to bring to a new generation with an instrumentation that both honors their traditions and creates something unique.”

Tumble Bee is a delight of an album and one that you’ll be humming along to long after it’s come to a close.