Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur CD - $16
This John Lennon tribute CD was left out of our gift guide on a technicality; it's not really intended for families. But we like it anyway, especially since profits go to benefit a fantastic cause: the Amnesty International campaign to end the violence in Darfur. How's the music, you might ask? Well, the short answer is: take a look at the track list, and if you like the musician, you'll probably like that track. Our favorites are the low-key ballads: Corrine Bailey Rae's "I'm Losing You," Postal Service's "Grow Old With Me," Jackson Browne's "Oh My Love," Ben Harper's "Beautiful Boy" (one of the best parent-child love songs ever) and Regina Spektor's "Real Love." We also give props to Matisyahu's inventive cover of "Watching the Wheels." Yes, there are some crappy tracks (cough Xtina cough Avril cough), but at the 2-CDS-for-the-price-of-1 cost, you can download one disc's worth and consider it money well spent. — Gwynne Watkins
To see what made it into the Babble Gift Guide, go here!
