Since its original publication in 1927, Carl Sandburg's The American Songbag has probably introduced more people to the glories of American folk music than any other book. On Parades and Panoramas, Dan Zanes performs 25 of his favorites from the 280 songs Sandburg published all those years ago. Zanes sings and plays guitar and mandolin in a style he aptly describes as "rough and instinctual," which is perfectly suited to these songs of sailors, hobos, cowboys, and railway workers. As on his previous recordings, Zanes is joined by a motley crew of musicians playing guitars, banjos, tubas, bouzoukis, drums, fiddles, and accordions. When this crowd launches into songs like "Titanic," which was composed not long after the ship went down in 1912, the downright silly "The Monkey's Wedding," or the naughty tale of "Willy the Weeper," they create a joyous racket that's hard to resist. Sandburg would be proud. --Michael John Simmons