Kids' Music that Rocks

Dean Jones

2010-06-15T06:00:00.003-04:00

I've been a die-hard follower of Dog On Fleas since I found Cranberry Sauce Flotilla over four years ago. Became a bigger fan after getting to see them live at the Donnell Central Children's Room when I worked there. Got to the point of obsessive stalkerism when Dean Jones released Napper's Delight in 2007. Now Jones has upped the ante on his second solo disc by getting The Felice Brothers involved, resulting in one of the best family albums of 2010.

Check out a full review of Dean Jones' Rock Paper Scissors over at About.com!

Roy Handy and The Moonshot

2010-06-08T06:00:00.002-04:00

Ever wonder what it would sound like if Neil Young and Crazy Horse made a kids' album? Think on it no more, music lovers, Roy Handy and The Moonshot are here! The "group" is actually Gerry Stanek doin' the solo thing, and his debut CD, (I'm Gonna Be) Your Best Friend, borrows heavily from the loud, loping sound created by Young and his legendary backing band.

Stanek says that the entire album was conceived and recorded in a mere three weeks. This, and the fact that half the songs are under two minutes long gives the album an immediate, shambolic, but not messy, sound and feel ... kinda like your uncle's band playing in the garage. Amusing side note: all the song titles are followed by three exclamation points, except, of course, the lone tender-hearted (but still pretty loud) tune "Sometimes You Need to Be Cuddled."

The album kicks off with a song from the canine's point of view, "I Am a Dog!!!" complete with guitar solo and howls, followed by the Who-like chordfest, and second single from (I'm Gonna Be) Your Best Friend, "Crayon Man!!!" And the loping "That's a Great Idea!!!" which includes a few suggestions that are sarcastically categorized as "great," would give Atlanta kindie rocker Daddy A Go Go a run for his money.

Stanek dips into Jason and The Scorchers' amped-up version of country rock to declare that "Socks are Overrated!!!" while the Crazy Horse influence resurfaces on Stanek's ode to his comforting "Blanket!!!" Some big ol' chunky chords, a la Bachman Turner Overdrive, describe the awesomeness of the "Playground!!!" and a great T. Rex boogie celebrates the "Hotdog!!!"

The lighter-hoisting "Sometimes You Need to Be Cuddled" slows down the pace a little with some Teenage Fanclub-inspired chord changes and the admission that we all need a hug every once in a while. But then the breakneck speed of "Pancakes!!!" wakes everyone up again, highlighted by a ridiculous solo that'll have yer budding juke box heroes air guitaring all over the living room.

The straight-ahead rocker "Shopping List!!!" details a trip to the grocery store, while "Space Kitty!!!" the first single from the album, would be a perfect theme song for a Saturday morning cartoon. The album ends with "Moonshot!!!" a raging tribute to space travel that would make Alabama garage rockers The Quadrajets proud. If you dig the rowdy, grungy, guitar-driven rock and roll of, say, Ragged Glory or Rust Never Sleeps, Roy Handy is right down your alley. Play this one LOUD!

Heidi Swedberg

2010-06-01T06:00:00.002-04:00

Gotta admit, this CD had three things going against it from the start: kids' music by a famous person (Swedberg played George's fiance on Seinfeld), children's voices in the songs (tends to make tunes too cutesy), and venturing into classic folk territory (beloved material often gets too modernized or shined up to within an inch of its life). Not so with Heidi Swedberg's PLAY!

Swedberg and The Sukey Jump Band run through a veritable greatest hits of classic folk tunes on the L.A.-based ukulele teacher/enthusiast's debut album PLAY! From long-lost classics like "Paw Paw Patch," "Japanese Umbrella Song," and "Cricket's Lullaby" to well-known tunes like "Muffin Man," "Buckeye Jim," and "Dream a Little Dream," Swedberg infuses each song on PLAY! with warmth, joy, playfulness, and, most importantly, ukuleles!

PLAY! includes a couple of medleys: "Skip to My Shoo" joins "Skip to My Lou" and "Shoo Fly," while "Train Medley" ties together folk favorites "I've Been Working on the Railroad," "Rock Island Line," and "Freight Train." Swedberg also performs a nice cover Chubby Parker's version of "Froggy Went A-Courtin'" (remember that "King Kong Kitchie Kitchie Ki-Me-O" refrain?).

The most unique tune on PLAY!, though, has to be the Frank Zappa-meets-Spike Jones and His City Slickers version of "Pop Goes the Weasel," as a simple ukulele verse of the familiar rhyme is followed by a discordant, percussion-filled middle section.

Don't forget to check out the booklet insert, where you'll find a short background story for each song, as well as ukulele chords and finger placements. If you're a fan of Laura Doherty or Elizabeth Mitchell, you'll dig Heidi's quiet but fun-loving, sweet but not syrupy style on PLAY!

Top 10 Best Sesame Street Songs

2010-05-31T06:00:00.001-04:00

It wasn't that difficult to come up with my Top 10 Sesame Street songs of all time. In fact, most of them instantly popped into my head...then were stuck there for the next few days!

Check out my faves over at KidsMusic.About.com, and let me know what you would include on your list of best Sesame Street songs.

Wayne Potash

2010-05-27T06:00:00.001-04:00

Already one of my faves of 2010...a rock opera about a typical kid's day from sunup to sundown! Wayne Potash's A Day in the Life takes musical cues from classic rock and country, but maintains a cohesive sound throughout.

Read a full review of A Day in the Life over at KidsMusic.About.com, and make sure to check out the tunes "Snack Time," "I Wanna Take a Nap," and "After My Bath," just to name a few.

Happy 30th Birthday, PAC-MAN!

2010-05-21T06:00:00.000-04:00

Know what's awesome? Wasting time playing PAC-MAN on Google! The game is 30 years old today, so celebrate by dropping a few quarters in your PC and listening to Buckner & Garcia's re-recorded version of "PAC-MAN Fever" on your Walkman.

New Lullabies for Babies

2010-05-20T06:00:00.001-04:00

Sure, there are tons of lullaby albums out there. On one end of the spectrum you have classical music instrumentals performed either by humans or synthesizers, and on the other end you have traditional and original tunes sung by anyone from Rick Springfield to Nicolette Larson, from Jewel to Linda Ronstadt.

Over at KidsMusic.About.com, I compiled a short list of some of the best new lullabies for babies, a list that will be expanded, I'm sure. But for now, these few CDs are great examples of the new wave of music for sleepy babies (and for adults who just want to chill). Check 'em out.

read more about New Lullabies for Babies

Best Kids' Music of 2009: #1 Here I Am! by Caspar Babypants

2010-01-29T05:00:00.001-05:00

This is modern folk music at its best, and some of these tunes are destined to become classics. Chris Ballew, formerly of the indie rock band The Presidents of the United States of America, delivers a debut children's album that's full of witty, wordy, silly, gentle, quietly acoustic new traditional tunes. Here I Am!, recorded under the guise of Caspar Babypants, is an endless string of catchy, quiet, and imaginative songs that'll put a smile on your face. It's easy to see that Ballew didn't force the songs, that he didn't set out to write a "children's album:" these are images, tunes, and thoughts that might pop into a real kid's head, making Caspar Babypants' Here I Am! the best kids' music CD of 2009.

Number 1: Here I Am! by Caspar Babypants

Best Kids' Music of 2009: # 2 Family Time by Ziggy Marley

2010-01-28T05:00:00.000-05:00

The fact that this album begins with the lines "Lift up your hearts with a smile, Lift up your feet with a dance, Lift up your spirits with a song, It's family time," speaks volumes about the tremendously warm vibes emanating from every tune on Family Time, easily landing it near the top of the list of best kids' music of 2009. Some well-known friends (Paul Simon, Toots Hibbert, Elizabeth Mitchell, and several family members) dropped by to help Ziggy, resulting in an album of loving, fun tunes backed by rootsy, poppy Reggae. Family Time is a great introduction to contemporary Reggae for kids, and Ziggy Marley's message of love and family just can't be beat.

Number 2: Family Time by Ziggy Marley

Best Kids' Music of 2009: # 3 Thank You for Joining the Happy Club by Billy Kelly

2010-01-27T05:00:00.001-05:00

Billy Kelly and The Blah Blah Blahs present a super set of indie rock songs for kids on their debut CD Thank You For Joining the Happy Club. Their musical mix will remind you of Jonathan Richman, They Might Be Giants, R.E.M., and Wilco, and those influences perfectly compliment the band's breezy, slyly humorous tunes. Billy Kelly is definitely a new force to be reckoned with in the kids' music field, delivering a 1-2-3 punch of catchy tunes, witty lyrics, and songs that are fun for the whole family, easily landing Thank You For Joining The Happy Club on the list of best kids' music of 2009.

Number 3: Thank You for Joining the Happy Club by Billy Kelly

Best Kids' Music of 2009: # 4 Get Fruity!! by Apple Brains

2010-01-26T05:00:00.000-05:00

Best Kids' Music of 2009: # 5 Here Comes Science by They Might Be Giants

2010-01-25T05:00:00.002-05:00

They Might Be Giants' previous two albums for kids, Here Come the ABCs and Here Come the 123s, were fun romps through the concepts of letters and numbers, but few hard facts were presented. Not so on Here Comes Science, a CD chock full of some of the best kids' music of 2009. The band's trademark quirky, catchy musical style and witty word play meld perfectly with concrete concepts like states of matter, paleontology, the planets, and photosynthesis.

Number 5: Here Comes Science by They Might Be Giants

Best Kids' Music of 2009: # 6 Hello Night by Kesang Marstrand

2010-01-22T05:00:00.001-05:00

Kesang Marstrand's kids' music debut is touching and playful, mysterious and warm, and is certainly one of the most beautiful lullaby albums you'll ever hear. Full of pastoral scenes of water and wind, flowers and insects, setting suns and rising moons, Hello Night is an aural testament to the power of simplicity, and deservedly finds a place amongst the best kids' music of 2009.

Number 6: Hello Night by Kesang Marstrand

Best Kids' Music of 2009: # 7 Field Trip by Recess Monkey

2010-01-21T05:00:00.002-05:00

The fifth album by these three elementary school teachers from Seattle is full of ridiculously catchy songs, witty and silly lyrics, and a smidgen of fascinating scientific facts, all combining to make Field Trip some of the best kids' music of 2009.

Number 7: Field Trip by Recess Monkey

Best Kids' Music of 2009: # 8 Family Photograph by The Dreyer Family Band

2010-01-20T05:00:00.000-05:00

Family Photograph is a remarkable collaboration between East and West Coast members of the Dreyer family, who pull together musical influences from across time and around the world to create their impressive kids' music debut, some of the best kids' music of 2009.

Number 8: Family Photograph by The Dreyer Family Band

Best Kids' Music of 2009: # 9 Beautiful World by Dog On Fleas

2010-01-19T05:00:00.000-05:00

This week and next, we're looking at some of the best kids' music of 2009, and the ninth spot is occupied by Hudson Valley musical ensemble Dog On Fleas. Eclectic Americana at its best.

Number 9: Beautiful World by Dog On Fleas

Best Kids' Music of 2009: # 10 Dizzy by Lunch Money

2010-01-18T05:00:00.000-05:00

This week begins a rundown of my picks of the Top 10 Best Kids' Music Albums of 2009. Now, this list is, of course, subjective and totally biased, but these are the platters that stayed on my turntable the longest this past year. Plus, I really believe that these 10 CDs provide kids, and their families, with a great starting point for further musical exploration, no matter what genre.

Number 10: Dizzy by Lunch Money

Steambot

2010-01-11T05:00:00.000-05:00

Learning all the chords to Robot Dance...

Friday Free-for-All # 24

2010-01-08T05:00:00.000-05:00

Ross King - Words that Rhyme with Orange

On Words that Rhyme with Orange, it's clear that Ross King's strength is pop tune composition, much in the fashion of musicians like Chris Von Sneidern or kids' music star Justin Roberts. Check out "Happy to Be Me" and "I Like to Play Outside" for evidence of King's radio-ready style. King has released several modern worship albums over the past 15 years, but Words is his first CD for kids. Words is a cute, well-produced collection of tunes, but based on his witty wordplay and songwriting chops I really think King's future is in television, so listen for a King-penned children's tv show theme song in the future.

Earthworm Ensemble - Earthworm Ensemble

Eclectic roots music by members of the Los Angeles-based Americana band I See Hawks In L.A. The band bring along The Chapin Sisters to round out their blend of country, garage schlock rock, bluegrass, and folk. The Ensemble's self-titled kids' album is full of songs about trains, the extraterrestrial planet-saving duo Bear and Dog, a hip hop jam about pizza, the rhythm workout "Bang a Drum," the weepy lap steel-flavored "We are Birds," the Muppets-meet New Orleans tune "Little Willy Buffalo," and the sweetly trippy "Goodnight, Little Spaceship." Lots of musical influences, yeah, but Earthworm Ensemble is a cohesive grab bag of great tunes for the whole family.

New Americana Music for Kids

2010-01-06T05:00:00.000-05:00

The sub-genres in Kids' Music are constantly growing and improving, including the Americana field. I've reviewed five of the best examples of new Americana music for kids over at About.com, and I have room to expand the list, so please feel free to send recommendations or make comments.

Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem

2010-01-04T05:00:00.000-05:00

This here's what gives credence to the fact that music for kids and their families is a force to be reckoned with: kids' bands are now playing tunes by other kids' bands. Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem cover not one but two family favorites on their latest CD, Billy Jonas' "Bear to the Left" from his 2002 album What Kind of Cat Are You?!, and the title track from Renee & Jeremy's 2007 album It's a Big World. But I digress...let's take a listen at Ranky Tanky.

Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem have been making "new roots music" together for a decade, with three previous CDs of fiddle-driven, harmony-filled tunes under their belt. The Middletown, CT-based quartet are adept at their frontporch, old time, loose-jointed but tightly-played style, no matter what song they attempt, and that's what makes Ranky Tanky work. Most of the album consists of covers, including "Tennessee Wig Walk," made famous by Bonnie Lou (Mary Joe Kath), also covered by Dan Zanes on House Party; "Kee-mo, Ky-mo," found on June Christy's "kids' album" The Cool School; New Folk artist John Gorka's "Branching Out;" Malvina Reynolds' "Morningtown Ride," one of The Seekers biggets hits; and "Bushel and a Peck" from the Broadway musical Guys and Dolls.

But despite the wide range of sources, all the songs sound like daisy mayhem tunes. Lots and lots of kids' musicians and bands attempt a "stylistic showcase" of sorts, especially on debut albums. Rather than attempt a rockabilly style here and a folk style there, followed by the obligatory reggae misstep, Rani Arbo and band maintain their own unique, cohesive sound, even on covers of well-known tunes like Cat Steven's "If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out", The Meters' "They All Ask'd For You", Sheb Wooley's "Purple People Eater", and Tom Petty's "Wildflowers."

Great organic Americana music for the whole family. Let's hope we hear more from Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem in the future.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T05:00:00.000-05:00

2009 gave us lots of great albums for kids and their families, and it was really hard to narrow down my choices to a mere ten. So, without further adoooooo, here's my Top 10 List of the best kids' music of 2009. Enjoy, discuss, and comment!

That's one jolly little elf!

2009-12-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

Friday Free-for-All # 23

2009-12-11T06:00:00.000-05:00

Rebecca Frezza & Big Truck - Rockin', Rollin' and Ridin'

Frezza and band power through six new tunes and two remixes on their new EP Rockin', Rollin and Ridin'. From the powerpop of "Rock Like This" to the 5/4 funk rock of "Rocketship," Big Truck's new set of songs is full-on fun. Roscoe Orman (Sesame Street's Gordon) joins in on the movement/call-and-response song "Hey-O," while "Robot Dancer" provides kids with an electrodance workout. Things slow down only for the naptime ballad "Smiling Moon." The CD also comes with a video of "Big Truck."

Music Together - Lullabies

The staff of the Music Together program have produced several CDs of tunes they use in their classes, and Lullabies compiles the quietest of those. From popular standards like "My Bonnie," "Shenandoah," "Brahms' Lullaby," and "All the Pretty Little Horses" to lesser-known gems like "Raisins and Almonds," "Duermete Nino Bonito," "The Water is Wide," and "Shady Grove" the 18 covers and originals on Lullabies will softly soothe your little ones. Comes with a booklet that gives a short history of the songs, along with performance suggestions.

Hanukkah Music for Kids

2009-11-29T06:00:00.001-05:00

Did you know that Hanukkah begins at sundown on Friday, December 11 this year? That's right, the Eight Nights of Light are approaching, so I've compiled a list of great Hanukkah music for kids over at About.com to help celebrate the season, from klezmer to pop, from traditional to silly remakes. Let us know if any other children's artists have released a Hanukkah CD and we'll add it to the list!

Thanksgiving Fun

2009-11-28T08:19:00.003-05:00

Hope everybody had a great Thanksgiving! We had a blast trying to explain football to a three-year-old.

Friday Free-for-All # 22

2009-11-27T06:00:00.004-05:00

After a brief respite, we're back with our weekly Friday Free-for-All!

King Pajama - Something Sweet

Brooklyn's Jason Blechman (piano) and Nina Zeitlin (vocals) team up as King Pajama to lay down some loungy jazz tunes tinged with blues, with help from Daniel Gould, Gerard Egan, and Tomas Cataldo on drums and guitar. Think The Brand New Heavies but with more coffee house swing than dance floor groove. Hey, Something Sweet made Jeff's OWTK Top 10 list for 2009!

John Jeffrey Hodges - Kiddy Dittys (A Kids' Album for Adults)

Straight outta Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan comes John Jeffrey Hodges, a musician with a long history of songwriting credits. His first family CD, Kiddy Dittys, will remind you stylistically of Bruce Cockburn or Peter Himmelman, but the thoughtful lyrics are about kids' stuff like bikes, parents (and parenting), imagination, feelings, and family time.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T06:00:00.001-05:00

Looking for an alternative to a turkey-full Turkey Day? Check out Todd McHatton's "The Happy Vegan Thanksgiving Song."

You might remember Todd from his popliciously psychedelic kids' album Grass Stained Twilight. Well, his Thanksgiving tune, sounding kinda like a Meat Puppets outtake, falls right in line with Twilight's cosmic pop vibe, and boasts a really cool lyric. Dig:

"The Happy Vegan Thanksgiving Song"
Animals gathered round the table / Singin' songs and holdin' hands

This is a decree for all the species / This is a celebration!

Wishing you all a Happy Vegan Thanksgiving

It's a celebration / With bears and birds and turtles and girls and boys and so much more

Celabrating the joy of living / It's what we're all here for

This is a decree for all the species / This is a celebration!

Wishing you all a Happy Vegan Thanksgiving

Please pass the yams! / Please pass the stuffing too / Please pass the garlic mashed potatoes / You say you never ate those? / Oh they're so good too!

Please pass the greens! / Please pass the pearl onions / You gotta try some / Pass some green beans and corn and rolls / Please pass the squash and cranberry sauce

Oh no, I'm already way too full!

Where the Wild Things Are Soundtrack

2009-09-29T09:55:00.002-04:00

A great soundtrack to what should be a great movie...check out this full review of the Where the Wild Things Are Soundtrack.

Oh, and you can stream the entire album over at imeem.com.

New Addition to 'Halloween Songs for Kids' List

2009-09-26T07:00:00.000-04:00

Here's another album of Halloween songs for kids to add to your collection, and boy, is it a good one. Think Goosebumps, Lemony Snicket, or Alvin Schwartz' Scary Stories to Tell In the Dark series, 'cept in musical form...check it out over at About.com.

The Circular Nature of Life

2009-09-23T06:00:00.001-04:00

This was cool: recently we had lunch at a pub in the college town where we now live. My friends and I used to play awesome music in the most ridiculous manner imaginable at this very place, and lots of fun was had by all. On this day, my son and I took the stage in front of an imaginary, screaming crowd, and sang "My Bonnie," "You Are My Sunshine," and "She'll Be Comin' 'Round the Mountain" into a kick drum mic. Rock and Roll.

New Video from Rebecca Frezza

2009-09-20T06:44:00.001-04:00

Here's a new video from Rebecca Frezza and Big Truck called, appropriately, "Big Truck," in which the band ride around in, yep, a big truck! This cool little rock&roll tune for kids would be perfect for, say, Sesame Street, and appears on the band's new album Rockin', Rollin' and Ridin'.

Rebecca Frezza - "Big Truck"

My Morning Jacket Dude Takes on Harrison

2009-09-17T07:43:00.000-04:00

Jim James of My Morning Jacket, and lately of Monsters of Folk, recorded a handful of George Harrison covers several years ago, and just got around to releasing them. This sparse, kinda echo-y collection only has six songs on it, and four are from All Things Must Pass, but it's interesting, nonetheless. And hey, it's only $.99! Dig it...

Boo! Cool Halloween Songs for Kids

2009-09-14T07:53:00.004-04:00

Sure, lots of performers have a Halloween song or two on their CDs, but I was looking for albums of nothing but spooky, silly tunes for the holiday. After searching around for full albums of Halloween songs for kids, I found a few awesome choices. Check 'em out over at About.com...

Oh, and stay tuned, there are a couple more Halloween CDs that sound great that I'll post veeeery soon...

Free Jazz

2009-09-11T07:55:00.001-04:00

Free Jazz from Warren Truitt on Vimeo.

Take this, brother, may it serve you well...

2009-09-09T09:09:00.004-04:00

In celebration of this Number 9 Day, check out the Top 10 Beatles Lullaby Albums, as well as the Best Beatles Sing-Alongs from their newly-refurbished catalog.

Happy Labor Day!

2009-09-07T06:33:00.000-04:00

Since this holiday was originated by America's labor movement in the late 1800's, let's commemorate the date with a review of Ella Jenkins and a Union of Friends Pulling Together. This 1999 Smithsonian Folkways album, nominated for the 2000 GRAMMY Award for Best Musical Album for Children, is one of the best, if not only, true "concept albums" for kids.

Jenkins skillfully weaves songs, spoken word pieces, and call and response tunes about labor unions into an overall theme of togetherness, including songs about family, friends, and our nation. Kids will recognize favorites like "The More We Work Together," "If I Had a Hammer," and "Skip to My Lou," while historically significant songs like "Solidarity Forever," "Which Side Are You On?" and the powerful "Keep Your Hands on the Plow" are great discussion starters for families and schools. And compare this album's version of the Populist song "The Farmer is the Man" with the more rockin' version on Dog On Fleas' Cranberry Sauce Flotilla.

Check out this great collection of historical singalongs, perfect for both the classroom and the living room.

Phil Rosenthal

2009-09-06T07:15:00.005-04:00

Phil Rosenthal, along with wife Beth, daughter Naomi, and son Daniel, created a great collection of old-time music, classic folk songs, traditional tunes, songwriter favorites, and Rosenthal originals for his 1995 album, The Green Grass Grew All Around. The project was produced and engineered expertly by Rosenthal, giving the songs a warm and inviting sound, neither overdone nor underdone.

Rosenthal takes care of most of the instrumentation himself, with a little help from his family. Also pitching in musically are Kate O’Brien on violin, Stacey Phillips on dobro, Walter Wakeman on harmonica, and Jeff and Synia McQuillan on percussion and harmony vocals.

On The Green Grass Grew All Around, Rosenthal performs traditional tunes like the story song “Frog Went A-Courtin’,” the call-and-response “What’ll I Do with the Baby-O?” the swaying shanty “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean,” and the nursery rhyme-like “I Had a Little Nut Tree.” On the original LP, Side 1 came to a rousing end with the cumulative folk favorite “The Green Grass Grew All Around,” and Side 2 finished up with the equally upbeat “Hey Lolly.”

Other highlights include Woody Guthrie’s nonsense song “Jig Along Home,” a simple banjo/vocals version of Stephen Foster’s “Oh! Susanna,” and Lydia Maria Child’s Thanksgiving classic “Over the River and Through the Wood.” Rosenthal also performed several original songs like “Neighbors,” a throwback to the call-to-unity vibe of the ‘70s; the cheerful “Sleepy Eyes,” which encourages the listener to wake up and see what the new day will bring; and the warm and cozy “The Train Song.”

Fans of Dan Zanes, The Dreyer Family Band, or folk songs in general will really dig this easy-to-sing-along-with classic from Phil Rosenthal and Family, originally released on, and still available from, Rosenthal's own American Melody Records label.

Drum Practice

2009-09-03T06:58:00.001-04:00

All right, guys. Start off with "Black Dog," then "Rock and Roll," and finish up with "Misty Mountain Hop."

Laura Doherty

2009-09-02T06:52:00.001-04:00

Dig this new CD from Laura Doherty, the Early Childhood Music Program Director at Chicago's famed Old Town School of Folk Music. Kids in the City is full of breezy urban folk tunes featuring the Natalie Merchant-like vibe of Doherty's vocals. She had musical help from Scott Besaw on drums, Amalie Smith on upright bass, Rob Newhouse on lead guitar, Susan Marques on banjo, Barb Burlingame on trumpet, Skip Landt on harmonica, and Rick Rankin on percussion and melodica, who also produced, recorded, and mixed Kids in the City.

Doherty's album is a musical tribute of sorts to The Windy City: elevators and escalators, the zoo, public transportation, the farmer’s market, traffic, and hot dog stands all get a shout out on Kids in the City. "I Spy" references Lake Michigan and taxis, "Hot Dog" celebrates sport peppers and celery salt, the a cappella "Wheels in the City" catalogs things that roll around big city sidewalks, and "El Train" is a self-explanatory tune about Chicago's famous clickety clackin' mode of transportation.

Kids in the City is full of the sights and sounds of preschoolers' lives: "I Spy" explores the colors all around us, "Farmer's Market," with its simple vocals and banjo arrangement, has fun with names of fruits and vegetables, while "Rockin' at the Zoo" catalogs the animals you might see and hear there. And check out the wonderful melodies of "Hello Hippopotamus," "I Spy," and "Kitty Cat" (which is vaguely reminiscent of The Chordettes' "Lollipop").

Doherty's album contains a couple of future kids' classics, too. "Uncle Ukulele's Band" has instruments represent members of the family, and sounds as if it could have been featured on The Muppet Show, while the very Ella Jenkins-like “Wheels in the City” is a call-and-response, a cappella tune, with overlapping melodies and vocal lines.

And Kids in the City includes two covers I’ve never heard on a children’s album before: a quiet and tender rendition of Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head,” and a chooglin’ version of Robert Johnson’s “Sweet Home Chicago."

Laura Doherty's Kids in the City is a great example of modern urban folk. Now I gotta go get a Chicago dog and a chocolate malt.

Life

2009-08-31T07:03:00.006-04:00

Oh, hi! Haven't seen you in a while. We've been goin' through some big ol' life changes, and I haven't had time to post any reviews of rockin' new music lately.

Basically, my wife and I and our 3-year-old son moved back to my home state, where I'm getting my PhD in Human Development and Family Studies. There were several factors that influenced our decision, one of them being that we wanted to see if the MUCH slower pace of life in southeast Alabama appealed to us after living across the Hudson from Manhattan for eight years.

So far, things are good. We've done stuff like:

Look at turtles in a pond,

hang out on campus,

and take time to stop and smell, well, whatever flowering vine this is...

New reviews are coming very soon, as well as reports on Bill's No Nap Happy Hour series, Austin Kiddie Limits, and next year's SXSW Music Festival and the Kindiefest Conference. Stay tuned!

Summer Breeze, Makes Me Feel Fine...

2009-07-20T06:00:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago over at About.com, I mentioned the Summer Playlist that HYP Radio's Amy Trulock created for Small Magazine. Her compilation inspired me ... oh, who am I kidding ... I totally yoinked her idea and came up with my own list of Summer Songs for Kids, tunes about sun and surf, good books and good food, and laid-back days in the shade.

My 12-song list highlights children's performers exclusively, bands like Dog On Fleas, The Dreamtree Shakers, and The Baby Grands, so this is a great way to shine the spotlight on the huge amount of talent out there in the Kids' Music world. Here's my list of Summer Songs for Kids.

This.Kid.Rocks.

2009-07-17T06:00:00.000-04:00

No Nap Happy Hour Rocks the Iron Horse

2009-07-14T06:00:00.003-04:00

Hey, live music lovers: the newest "gotta see" kids' concert series is Northampton, Massachusetts' No Nap Happy Hour, produced by Spare the Rock's Bill Childs. Kids' bands and performers, from the legendary Bill Harley to new-stars-on-the-block Lunch Money, will be rockin' the reknowned Iron Horse Music Hall once a month 'till the end of the year, beginning this Sunday.

For at least some of the dates (including Lunch Money), it's the only New England appearance for the band, so fans should check into making the trip to western Massachusetts. Northampton is less than an hour from Hartford and a couple of hours from Boston.

All shows will be held at the Iron Horse Music Hall at 2:00pm. Tickets are $10 in advance, $13 at the door, and are available through the Iron Horse website.

Here's the 2009 No Nap Happy Hour lineup:

July 26 - Lunch Money
August 23 - Justin Roberts & the Not Ready for Naptime Trio
September 20 - Deedle Deedle Dees
October 18 - Uncle Rock & the Playthings
November 8 - Brady Rymer & the Little Band That Could
December 6 - Bill Harley

Caspar Babypants

2009-07-11T06:00:00.002-04:00

Wait, who is Caspar Babypants?

I Never Get Enough of that Wonderful Stuff

2009-07-08T06:00:00.000-04:00

So, Johnny Bregar's a big-time video star now! Check out his version of the classic "Shoo Fly Pie," a tune from his Dragonfly album that's also on the new Putumayo Kids' CD Picnic Playground.

Johnny Bregar - "Shoo Fly Pie"

TMBG get all scientific and stuff...

2009-07-05T06:00:00.000-04:00

They Might Be Giants are your new lab teachers as Here Comes Science gets ready for a September 1 release. The full track listing is over here at About.com...............

Max's Family Band

2009-06-29T06:00:00.001-04:00

When you first pop Max's Family Band into the CD player, the first thing you think is, "Man, this is like Broadway music for kids!" Well, it's not a coincidence: Gary and Yvette Negbaur have years of musical theater experience as both composers and performers, and they translate their talents into their kids' music debut album Max's Family Band. Inspired by the antics and day-to-day life of their son Max, the Negbaurs composed 15 songs for and about him that all parents can relate to, and some tunes will even get a giggle out of the grownups.

"Gobbledygookster Baby" is full of fun words, "One Sock Octopus" is entertainingly silly (hey, made me laugh!), and when it's "Haircut Time," what better style to sing about it than barbershop quartet? Dig how the swingin' verse of "Grandma Time" jumps to a doo-wop chorus, then try to follow the piano/vocal runs on "Picky," and dance to the hand jive boogie of "Rockin' Zebra."

Check out "The Color Medley," a four-song mini epic that utilizes Magical Mystery Tour-era Beatles psychedelia, some Chicago blues, a little New Orleans shuffle, and a taste of hot Salsa to musically describe yellow, blue, green, and red. And on the songs "I'm Glad that You've Discovered M" and "Hello Mr. Diaper Hello" you can practically feel the heat from the footlights! Both songs would make perfect preschool stage productions, complete with tiny dancers and singers.

Max's Family Band is cute, catchy sing-along entertainment for your youngest music lover.

It's a shame...

2009-06-27T06:00:00.003-04:00

...that a bland product like The Jonas Brothers' Lines, Vines and Trying Times has massive advertising dollars behind it and hits #1 on the Billboard Charts, while a brilliant effort like Cathy Heller's Say Hello to the Sun remains relatively unknown. Both albums are aimed at the pop music-lovin' preteen crowd, but Heller beats the big label machine at their own game, hands down. Get the word out, people: there's awesome music out there for kids!

Read a full review of Cathy Heller's Say Hello to the Sun
Read a full review of The Jonas Brothers' Lines, Vines and Trying Times

Yo MJ

2009-06-25T18:20:00.001-04:00

I've always been kinda cynical. I mean, nothing just blew my mind, ya know? Well, when I watched this live in 1983, this.blew.my.mind. It was truly one of the few times in my life that I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Crank up the volume and try to dance along at home.

This is for my friend Brad Breath.

Best Kids' Music of 2009...

2009-06-23T06:00:00.002-04:00

...so far! There are *lots* of great kids' CDs out this year, and I've pulled together a few of my favorites that have already hit the record store shelves. You can check out my list of Best Kids' Music of 2009 over at About.com, and then let me know who you think should be included on the year-end list.

Nuff Said...

2009-06-21T17:05:00.002-04:00

Apple Brains

2009-06-17T06:00:00.000-04:00

With the innocent enthusiasm of Jonathan Richman, the eclectic inventiveness of Mr. David, and the general kookiness of The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, Apple Brains bursts upon the kids' music scene with their debut album Get Fruity!!

L.A.-based Allen Bleyle is the brainy apple behind Apple Brains, and his free-for-all, lo-fi, indie rock style is a refreshing addition to the children's music world. Get Fruity!! is a concept album of sorts, with every track highlighting fruits, vegetables, water, and healthy eating in general. But this isn't a preachy, stick-in-the-mud, instructional album by any means: Peanut Butter and Jelly show up as characters who tell the story of how they met; a little girl carries around a mango like a baby; a little boy weeps at the wonderfulness of tomatoes. Far Out!

Get Fruity!! kicks off with the sunny anthem "Apple x3," which begins as a cheerful ode and ends as a manic scream-along, followed by the awesomely weird story tune "Peanut Butter and Jelly How They Met Song." A wobbly melody line carries "Water the Loveliest Beverage," a tune that's half informational and half tribute, then comes the ridiculously catchy (and informative!) rave-up "Ba-na-nas."

The hyper-enthusiastic sing-along "Lots of Different Colors" describes the many hues of fruits and vegetables, while "The Stone Fruit Salute" celebrates peaches, plums, cherries, and apricots with a waltzing carnival-like sound of pump organs and slide whistles. The indie pop "Growing Like Crazy" features a kazoo/keyboard sound effects solo while describing the things that help us grow, and a laid-back island groove carries the mango-worshiping tune "A Mango is a Precious Egg to be Cherished."

The bilingual "Frutero" describes looking for something good to eat while walking around Los Angeles, while the brilliantly Ween-like "Tomatoes are So Wonderful That They Make Me Want to Cry" is pretty much what the title tells you, a tune that definitely needs to find its way onto The Dr. Demento Show. The entire album features guitar work by Kyle Thomas, highlighted by the goofy acid rock of "Wonder Worm," while the key-shifting "Each and Every," a song about seeds and plants, ends the album with a laugh-out-loud verse courtesy Lucia Turino.

Now, all these songs might seem a little silly, but Bleyle is serious about his enthusiasm for good eating. Check out his gushing blog post about Adam Leith Gollner's book The Fruit Hunters, and find out how it was the inspiration for one of the Apple Brains songs. And Bleyle gets indie cred with the roster of musicians used on Get Fruity!!: members of The Devil Makes Three, Feathers, Pretend You're Happy, and Witch (Dinosaur Jr.'s J. Mascis' side project) help sing and play on the album.

Bottom line: in a perfect world Get Fruity!! would be a massive hit on college radio stations, with its dadaist lyrics, overdriven vocal recording, stick-in-your-head melodies, lo-fi aesthetic, and generally earthy vibe. And I think our similarly musically open-minded little listeners will dig it, as well. One of the best kids' albums of 2009, and definitely one of the most unique!

The Sippy Cups

2009-06-15T06:00:00.001-04:00

Psychedelic rock and roll for kids? Look no further, just jump into The Sippy Cups' Time Machine!

Check out a full review of The Time Machine by The Sippy Cups over at About.com.

Bob Marley

2009-06-13T06:00:00.001-04:00

Ziggy's kids' album? Tops!! Dad Bob's, with Ziggy in the executive producer's chair? Meh, and here's why...

Full review of Bob Marley's B is for Bob

Pixar-mania!

2009-06-11T06:00:00.001-04:00

So, do you like your Disney Pixar Soundtracks underwater, on the ground, in the air, or in outer space?

Tangerine Tambourine

2009-06-09T06:00:00.002-04:00

There aren't many high-profile kids' groups from Alabama, so it's extraspecially exciting when a Bama band bursts onto the children's music scene with such a solid debut CD. Tangerine Tambourine release their self-titled kids' album today on the Science Fair label, and indie rock lovers everywhere will love their mix of powerpop, country rock, and R&B influences.

Jump on over to About.com for a full review of Tangerine Tambourine.

How 'Bout Some Tangerine Tambourine First Thing In The Morning?

2009-06-08T06:00:00.005-04:00

Here's the first single from Tangerine Tambourine, Alabama's premiere kids' band. Their self-titled debut CD drops tomorrow, so look for a full album review then.

Tangerine Tambourine - "In the Morning"

Tangerine Animation from Tangerine Tambourine on Vimeo.

Spiral Up Kids

2009-06-06T06:00:00.000-04:00

Spiral Up Kids took the jam band ensemble playing of Phish, the nouveau country rock of Son Volt, and the earthy funk of The Band to create their groovy, harmony-filled, kids' music debut Spiral Up Kids.

Georgia Weinmann, Darren Cohen, and Tim Whalen, three Hudson Valley, NY parents, decided to document the lives of their toddlers through song. They got musical help from friends and fellow Hudson Valley musicians Jason Sarubbi on bass and background vocals, Ross Rice on piano and organ, Larry Packer on fiddle and mandolin, and Robin Baker on background vocals, while Darren handled guitar duty and background vocals, with Tim on drums and lead vocals.

Highlights of Spiral Up Kids include the jam band groove of "Friends," the New Orleans shuffle of "Sugar," and the electric bluegrass of "In the Fiddle is a Song," a tune based on Durga Bernhard's picture book (she also designed the CD package). The group really channel the spirit of The Band on the vocal phrasing of "My Kitty and Me," while the sound of late-70s Crosby, Stills & Nash is revived on "Rainy Day Play."

If the H.O.R.D.E. tour was still on the road, Spiral Up Kids would be the most likely children's band to be up on stage. Solid, earthy, fun kids' music debut.

Andy Mason

2009-06-04T06:00:00.001-04:00

Andy Mason's sophomore kids' album continues where Everybody Likes Pizza! left off, but with more instruments in the mix. Play It Again! is a solid collection of Americana tunes, slyly instructional songs, ridiculous sing-alongs, and eclectic covers. Everybody Like Pizza! was pretty much a solo acoustic affair, but this time around, Portales, New Mexico's favorite kids' musician utilizes jangly piano, a taste of accordion, twangy guitar, and the occasional standup bass.

Play It Again! kicks off with the honky tonk sing-along "My Cat's Got Fleas!" and the energetic tribute to swashbucklers everywhere, "The Pirate Song." Boogie woogie while you "Wash Your Hands," then follow along with the Simon Says-like "Monkey See, Monkey Do," a tune that sounds like a tinkling piano version of John Mellencamp's "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A."

Mason lets his southwestern musical influences show on the cantina canción "The Toilet Training Dance," the bilingual "Los Colores," and the Spanish-language ballad "A Mi Madre" and counting song "Los Numeros." And the country-flavored, perfect-for-Summer-Reading tune "Everybody Likes to Read" declares that ... well ... everybody likes to read!

What's interesting is Mason's choice of cover tunes: his barroom story-song version of the traditional "Hagdelina Magdelina;" his cajun-spiced version of Trout Fishing In America's great song "My Hair Had a Party Last Night," which fits in perfectly with Mason's Americana sound; his faithful cover of William Hargreaves' "Delaney's Donkey," made popular by Irish singer Val Doonican in the late '60s; and his breezy cover of The Housemartins' "Sheep," from their 1986 album London 0 Hull 4. Mason reworks the lyrics to turn "Sheep" into a song about trying to get to sleep, rather than The Housemartins' original sunny tirade against the easily-led masses.

Play It Again! ends with a live version of the crowd participation summer camp song "Bubble Gum," and the epic lullaby instrumental "Lalabye." And note that two tunes, "Kewsong," a waltzing country & western tune about Mason's daughter, and the aforementioned "A Mi Madre," were originally included on Mason's recently-released grownup album Lost Cowboy, which goes to show that the line between kids' music and grownup music is disappearing.

Andy Mason turns in a fun album of southwestern Americana tunes for the whole family!

If The Flaming Lips Made a Kids' Album...

2009-06-03T06:00:00.001-04:00

Dig this new song by Todd McHatton, "Call Me They."

If Poison and KISS Started a Kids' Band...

2009-05-31T06:00:00.001-04:00

Straight outta the C.C. DeVille/Paul Stanley book of theatrical stage presence, John Carlin and The Kids' Music Underground present "Air Guitar," their tribute to the budding rock star in everyone's family.

John Carlin and The Kids' Music Underground - "Air Guitar"

To Infinity and Beyond!

2009-05-25T06:00:00.002-04:00

What's your favorite Disney Pixar tune? To celebrate their tenth animated film, Disney Pixar recently released the Disney Pixar Greatest Soundtrack, which includes music and songs from all 10 movies, from 1995's Toy Story to this year's Up. It's interesting to see both what was included and what was left off...

You can check out a full review of the Disney Pixar Greatest Soundtrack over at About.com.

Let There Be Rock....

2009-05-23T06:00:00.000-04:00

Sedaka is back!

2009-05-21T06:00:00.005-04:00

At the very least, this is a cute distraction. At the most, it's a fun, super catchy introduction for the whole family to the talents of Neil Sedaka. Hopefully, Sedaka's kids' debut, Waking Up is Hard to Do, will lead to further exploration of his poptacular back catalog of hits. And I can pretty much guarantee that the line "Lunch, lunch will keep us together" will get stuck in your head for days!

Get Fruity!

2009-05-19T06:00:00.000-04:00

If Jonathan Richman or The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band made kids' music ... well, I guess they kinda did ... anyway, I think Apple Brains' "Apple x3" would feel right at home amongst such company. This tune is from Apple Brains' debut kids' album Get Fruity!

Apple Brains - "Apple x3"

Guilty pleasure of the week...

2009-05-17T06:00:00.000-04:00

... the Top 10 High School Musical songs! Ok, everybody knows the High School Musical Soundtracks aren't beginning-to-end masterpieces, particularly High School Musical 2, but each album does contain a nice slice or two of tween pop. Check out the Top 10 High School Musical songs from the first three soundtracks, and let us know which was your favorite.

You learn something new every day...

2009-05-15T06:00:00.004-04:00

Hmmm, I had no idea that Los Lobos, They Might Be Giants, indie rockers Tally Hall, composer Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Wicked) and Andy Sturmer from Jellyfish all had a hand in making music for the Playhouse Disney Music Play Date CD ...

Piano Pop Par Excellence

2009-05-13T06:00:00.006-04:00

Remember those Billy Joel / Elton John solo piano concerts? Dude, I'd totally go see a kids' show with David Tobocman and Michael Rachap rockin' the keys. Dig it:

Readeez - "Tonight and Every Night"
{Pictures by Michael Rachap}

David Tobocman - "Home"
{Pictures by Valerie Walsh}

Springtime!

2009-05-11T06:00:00.004-04:00

Here's the debut video from kids' music newcomer Billy Kelly and his band of Blah Blah Blas, from their album Thank You for Joining the Happy Club:

Billy Kelly and The Blah Blah Blahs - "Springtime: It's My Favorite"

The Dreamtree Shakers

2009-05-09T06:00:00.003-04:00

Chicago's Little Miss Ann tipped us off to a kids' band with one of the best names I've heard in a while, The Dreamtree Shakers. This Windy City ensemble's debut kids' album, Dream and You Will See, is actually a soundtrack of sorts of their live puppetry and movement show, featuring characters and landscapes of the forest.

Call it poppy folk, folky pop, or indie alt country americana, Jeremy Babcock and gang lay down some righteous, jangly tunes, the kind of airy, loping rock and roll that America and Neil Young were so good at. Babcock is the go-to guy in The Dreamtree Shakers, and he and fellow Shakers Shawn Schlag and Michael Doty play in the similar-sounding grownup band Third Wheel.

With song titles like "Her Sound is Sunshine," "Dream and You Will See," and "Watching the Leaves Fall," you can see at first glance where The Dreamtree Shakers are coming from. Very cool indie pop for kids, awesome kindie rock for adults, great CD for the whole family. But first and foremost, check out The Dreamtree Shakers' live show ... then you'll see what they're all about.

Mary Poppins Soundtrack

2009-05-07T06:00:00.001-04:00

Hey, remember when soundtracks were more than just rehashed Top 40 songs or poorly-composed wannabe Broadway ditties? Yeah, me too. So, here's what may be the best example of how to make a family movie album: Mary Poppins.

The Mary Poppins Soundtrack was released in 1964 and spent 14 weeks at #1 on the Billboard charts! And why not, with tunes like "A Spoonful of Sugar," "I Love to Laugh," "Chim Chim Cher-ee," "Let's Go Fly a Kite," and "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious." You have brothers Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman to thank for those classics, along with other memorable songs like "Feed the Birds," "The Life I Lead," "Sister Suffragette," "Fidelity Fiduciary Bank," and the absolutely raucous "Step in Time."

Make sure to check out the 40th Anniversary edition that contains fascinating conversations with the Sherman Brothers about their songwriting process. Julie Andrews' voice, super songs by the Shermans, and Dick Van Dyke's ridiculous Cockney accent make for a classic kids' movie soundtrack.

Peter, Paul and Mary

2009-05-05T06:00:00.003-04:00

Let's revisit a classic today! Peter, Paul and Mary's 1969 kids' album Peter, Paul and Mommy was a groundbreaker of sorts, because it was the first instance of a major pop star or band making an album specifically for children. The trio covered Tom Paxton's "The Marvelous Toy" and "Going to the Zoo," Shel Silverstein's short and silly "Boa Constrictor," and Gilbert & Sullivan's "I Have a Song to Sing, O!" from Yeoman of the Guard.

The album included performances of the traditional tunes "Leatherwing Bat," "All Through the Night," and "Mockingbird," as well as Peter Yarrow's amusing "Make-Believe Town." Peter, Paul and Mary also covered themselves on "It's Raining," originally peformed on their 1962 debut album Peter, Paul and Mary, and, of course, their classic "Puff the Magic Dragon," a re-recording of a tune first heard on their 1963 album (Moving). Peter, Paul and Mommy also introduced two new PP&M gems, Peter Yarrow's "Day is Done" and Paul Stookey's "Christmas Dinner."

Peter, Paul and Mommy is, for the most part, a subdued acoustic affair, so the album would make a perfect backdrop to a rainy afternoon or a summer sundown.

Happy Birthday, Pete!

2009-05-03T06:00:00.000-04:00

Pete Seeger is 90 years young today, and he's as full of vim and vigor as ever. You can get a quick overview of Pete Seeger's biography over at About.com, or check out a review of American Folk Songs for Children, Seeger's first album for kids and one of the Top 5 Classic Children's Albums of all time.

photo copyright Christopher Felver

Listening and Dancing to Music is AWESOME!

2009-05-02T06:00:00.001-04:00

So, who's your favorite Yo Gabba Gabba! musical guest from Season 1? Season 2 brought some bigger and better names, and I've heard crazy rumors about the third season, but let's look at Yo Gabba Gabba!'s first year on the tube. Here are my picks for Top 10 Yo Gabba Gabba! musical guests from Season 1.

When I'm Five...I'm Gonna Rock!

2009-04-30T06:00:00.000-04:00

Live music is where it's at, and if you're able to drop by a Not-Its concert, your toddler's gonna get the rock and roll bug, for sure.

The Not-Its - "When I'm Five"

Billy Kelly

2009-04-29T06:00:00.002-04:00

Billy Kelly and The Blah Blah Blahs (Bruce W. Derr, guitar; Bob Albin, bass; Jake Kline, drums; and Billy Kelly, everything else) present a super set of indie rock songs for kids on their debut CD Thank You For Joining the Happy Club. Their musical mix will remind you of Jonathan Richman, They Might Be Giants, R.E.M., and Wilco, and those influences perfectly compliment the band's breezy, slyly humorous tunes.

The extremely literal "This Is the First Song" is the funniest deconstruction of song structure you'll ever hear, while the title tune is a superb pop song about universal inclusion. Dig the cosmic kid logic of yet another awesome pop composition, "I Can't Get Away From Myself," as well as an ode to the soothing, exhilarating powers of the "Mindless Pop Song." And a cover of Talking Heads' "Don't Worry About the Government" isn't something you'd expect to hear on a kids' record, but it fits in perfectly with the other tunes on Thank You.

Super duper children's music debut from Billy Kelly and gang. More, please!

Dreyer Family Band*

2009-04-27T06:00:00.002-04:00

Even reviewers have favorite bands, and Dog On Fleas are definitely one of my faves. One reason is because of their uniqueness: very few bands, even grownup bands, draw from such an eclectic grab bag of influences to develop their sound. Well, I think they've met their match ... dig Family Photograph by the Dreyer Family Band.

Two families from opposite coasts combined to make an album "not FOR kids, but includes them ... from the perspective of all family members." And, I must say, they successfuly achieved their goal. Parents will amen the lyrics of "You Get What You Get," a song that sounds like Dr. John playing on The Muppet Show; "How To Be Happy" could be a companion to It's A Beautiful Day's "White Bird;" "Photograph" sounds like one of those great tunes Richard Manuel used to write for The Band; and "Imagination" is just a great pop song about the awesome power of a kid's mind.

Earthy, funny, sincere, silly, knowing, and musically right on, the tunes on Family Photograph'll find an audience with at least one, and probably every, member of your own family.

"Three Pigs and a Wolf"

2009-04-24T06:00:00.002-04:00

Here's the latest video from Debbie Cavalier, an animated version of Debbie and Friends' "Three Pigs and a Wolf." Planet Sunday took care of the animation, while the images are by Robert Heath of Barkley Studios.

Debbie and Friends - "Three Pigs and a Wolf"

Professor Banjo

2009-04-23T06:00:00.001-04:00

Straight out of Portland, Oregon comes the Dean of Five Strings, the Chancellor of Claw Hammer ... that's right, folks, it's Professor Banjo, and he's here to teach you a few things about Old Time music.

Paul Silveria, aka Prof. Banjo, teaches music at Portland's Village Free School by day, and spreads the joys of banjo playing and square dance calling by night. Old Familiar Tunes is his first CD for kids, and, true to the title's word, it's full of ancient songs you swear you've heard in movies, on TV, or floating through the breeze.

Old Familiar Tunes features well-known oldies like "Old Joe Clark," "Arkansas Traveler," "Black Eyed Suzie," and "John Henry," along with long-lost treasures like "I Wish I Was a Mole in the Ground," "Polly Put the Kettle On," "Soldier's Joy," and the instrumental "Salt River/Flatfoot in the Ashes." But two of the highlights have to be "Cripple Creek/Square Dance" and "Reuben's Train": the former highlights Silveria's square dance calling skills, while the latter shows off his one-man-band prowess, as he plays banjo, washboard, tambourine, spoons, bike bell, kazoo, and suitcase all at once!

"So, why don't you just listen to an album of banjo tunes by, say, Dock Boggs or Roscoe Holcomb?" Well, the fact that Professor Banjo performs regularly in the Oregon/Washington area gives kids and families a chance to experience this style of Old Time music first hand, and then they have a CD of Old Familiar Tunes to make the connection. Class dismissed!

It's Family Time!

2009-04-22T06:00:00.000-04:00

Awesome song and video from Ziggy Marley's upcoming children's album, Family Time.
Ziggy Marley - "Family Time"

Barenaked Ladies Make Music News

2009-04-21T06:00:00.000-04:00

Barenaked Ladies' debut kids' CD made the headlines twice this week over at About.com: Snack Time! won the 2009 JUNO Award for Children's Album of the Year, and, on the strength of that win, hit the top of the Children's Music Charts, surpassing Playhouse Disney: Music Playdate.

New Americana Music for Kids

2009-04-15T06:00:00.001-04:00

Steamboat ... the next Peter Frampton?

2009-04-12T06:00:00.000-04:00

You be the judge...

StinkFest 2009: Update

2009-04-09T06:00:00.000-04:00

Wow! StinkFest 2009 is already off to a rousing success: initial registration is completely filled, and a waiting list has been started. Everybody's eager to hear who won the final music showcase spot through SonicBids, so in the meantime, here's the complete performance lineup as well as the panel discussion themes:

Panel Discussions:
12:00pm-12:45pm - Promotion
12:50pm-1:35pm - Booking
2:30pm-3:15pm - Distribution
3:20pm-4:00pm - TV, Books & Beyond

Industry-Only Showcase:
5:00pm-11:00pm
Jambo
Sonicbids contest winner
Brady Rymer
The Jimmies
School of Rock
AudraRox
Secret Agent 23 Skidoo
Lunch Money
Ralph’s World

For full details, visit the StinkFest 2009 website.

Songs of the South

2009-04-06T06:00:00.011-04:00

Several great new kids' albums have come from the southern states over the past few weeks, and I've posted short reviews of each over at About.com.

The Baby Grands are a trio based in Atlanta whose self-titled children's debut is as witty as They Might Be Giants or Barenaked Ladies, and as laid-back as Jack Johnson or The Dave Matthews Band. Their CD, by the way, has received more user reviews by far than any other on the Kidsmusic.About.com site!

Daddy A Go Go, another Atlanta-based artist, has been rockin' the kids' music scene for 10 years. His first retrospective, Come On, Get Happy! The Best of Daddy A Go Go, Vol. 1, compiles some of the best tunes from his six albums for kids.

Trout Fishing In America, Arkansas' favorite kids' band, have been at it for 30 years, but have never released a true "best of" album. My Name is Chicken Joe, illustrated by Stephane Jorisch, is a picture book version of the Trout's tune of the same name. The book comes with an 11-song CD of the duo's greatest hits, a solid collection of songs for fans and new listeners alike.

Michael Charles Smith

2009-04-04T06:00:00.004-04:00

Now, this is not your typical kiddie album! Michael Charles Smith is a marimba master based in Portland, OR, and he's created an instrumental concept album designed to be the soundtrack to an imaginary picture book. Melodies for Wooden Children is a series of 20 original marimba-only tunes that, along with Micalah Wilson's album art, "tell" the story of Noni, Babo, and Ani's adventures in a land of make-believe.

Song titles like "Noni and the Tickle Bugs," "Dark Water Mapping," "Nyht the Fire Fairy Queen," and "Re-inventing the Spirits of Good and Evil" are meant to spark the imaginations of children, as well as introduce them to the sounds and nuances of the marimba. Plunk this one down on the turntable and have your little ones draw their own musically-inspired pictures.

StinkFest 2009

2009-04-01T06:00:00.002-04:00

Hey, kids' musicians! Interested in getting inside info about the industry and trading thoughts with label owners, PR people, and booking agents? Welcome to StinkFest! Bill Childs, Tor Hyams, and Stephanie Mayers have put together what may be the world's first family music conference that fully explores the diversity of today's children's music market.

StinkFest will include panel discussions on promotion, booking, distribution, and diversification, followed by a music showcase headlined by Ralph's World. The conference will be held Saturday, May 2, 2009 in Brooklyn, NY, so if you're interested in attending or would like to win a performance spot in the music showcase, check out the official StinkFest website for full details.

John Carlin & the Kids' Music Underground

2009-03-28T06:00:00.002-04:00

A few years ago, Brooklyn's John Carlin started his own program of interactive music classes for kids, and called it "The Kids' Music Underground." About the same time, he released his first CD for kids, First Time for Everything, a one-man project of covers and originals. This January, Carlin and his band released Welcome to the Kids' Music Underground!, an album that's more in keeping with his personal worldview and musical ideals exemplified by his programs for children.

Carlin and band roll through some rootsy rock on "Meet You at the Playground," "A Dinosaur Named Fred," "Air Guitar," and the title track, while world music and the blues are featured on "Jambalaya Road" and "Big Bed Now." Carlin includes a full-band remake of "Eliza" from First Time, sounding that much better with vocal harmonies and additional instruments added to the mix.

The activity songs "I'm Flyin'" and "Tag Song" are perfect for live concerts, while the band sound a bit like Wet Willie on the mostly-vocals tune "Everybody's Rollin'." But I gotta admit, I like the the slower songs on Welcome better, with exceptional tunes like "Extraordinary Day," "One Family," "My Front Door," and "Goodbye Song" sounding like they could be included on a new version of Sesame Street.

Kids' music nowadays is a kind of underground movement, as bands and performers like John Carlin make albums that are flying under the mainstream radar. Support your local children's music scene and get kid rockers like Carlin, and his album Welcome to the Kids' Music Underground!, on the radar.

Joe West

2009-03-25T06:00:00.005-04:00

Santa Fe, NM-based singer, songwriter, performance artist, and all-around musical experimentationalist Joe West just dropped his first CD for children, If the World was Upside Down, an album of classic country Americana flavored with a smidgen of southwestern spice. West is a highly-respected figure in the Santa Fe / Albuquerque music world, having released several CDs on the Frogville Records label.

If the World was Upside Down kicks off with the title tune, a philosophical, Johnny Paycheck-like bar room singalong, followed by the jaunty, loving tribute to "My Grandma," who has her quirks but is still our favorite person in the world. Then comes West's accordion/mandolin cover/remake of Michelle Shocked's "The Ballad of Patch Eye and Meg," from her 1986 album The Texas Campfire Tapes.

"Dump Trucks and Tractors" is a full-on hardcore honky tonk hit that oughta be blasting out of every juke box in west Texas, and the band is given a chance to stretch out instrumentally on the tune. Sounding very much like Willie Nelson, West turns in a beautiful old west song, "On the Banks of the Rio Grande," a tune destined to become a new classic (and dig the dobro solo). And the sunny "Anita Pita" tells the story of a single mom supporting herself and her teenage daughter by vacuuming art galleries.

"Veronica Rose the Flying Unicorn" is a swaying love ballad, while the gorgeous "Robots of Rayleen" tells the story of dance floor-lovin' automatons who adore the band because they have a smoke machine. And West's semi-instrumental cantina rocker "Don't Forget to Brush Your Teeth" is kinda his version of "Tequila." The album ends with the melancholy epic "Homemade Rocket to the Moon" and an instrumental version of "Patch Eye" called, appropriately, "The End."

The coolest thing about this project is that it's a real band playing real music, not some goofy grownups twiddlin' through some kiddie tune cast-offs: West's band of crack musicians from the Santa Fe area don't hold back on their performances one single bit. This stuff is intelligent, funny, and musically right on. Awesome Americana for the whole family.

Shāna Barry

2009-03-20T06:00:00.004-04:00

Somewhere between Kimya Dawson's wordy stream-of-consciousness songs and Nick Drake's whispery dream fever tunes lies Shāna Barry's first album for kids, A Pink Whale and a Very Tall Tree.

The Frances England-sounding eight-song EP contains a group of very visual songs: close your eyes and let the lyrics tell you stories about the special secret island of fōf, described in great detail on "Around the Island" and "The Great Mystery;" and about the adventures of a curious fōfer named Otamo who encounters and befriends "The Pink Whale" named Guinivere and climbs a very tall tree to "Cloudland."

Like any normal kid, Otamo loves to talk about "The Day I Learned to Ride My Bike," but then gets philosophical with "Some are Green," an ode to diversity and acceptance. The short album is rounded off with a lullaby and an instrumental. Barry performs the songs with just her voice and guitar, and an occasional ukulele. The stark musical background is a perfect palate for lines like "I hop from rock to rock and peer into tide pools," and "The rogue wave passed us by," and "Who wants a humdrum earth when it can be vibrant and grand," and words like chicory, anemones, cumulonimbus, and centripetal.

A beautiful, quiet, mysterious album that honors kids by challenging their perceptions and vocabularies. Kudos to Shāna Barry.

Here We Go

2009-03-18T06:00:00.003-04:00

How often does one get to write a music review in which the band name, the album title, and the lead song are all the same? The debut kids' record by Here We Go is called Here We Go, and the first song on the CD is, yep, you guessed it, "Here We Go." That sort of cheekiness informs Here We Go's music: carefree and sunny, but with a wink-yer-eye awareness.

Here We Go is basically Mississippi-based Australian expat Phil Ulrich doin' it all. His production skills are part of what makes Here We Go so listenable: subtle drum machine tracks are smoothly mixed with the sounds of a pedal steel guitar or, say, a ukulele. In fact, the project sounds like a cross between Jason Kleinberg's kids' band, me 3, and Beck.

Highlights of Here We Go's Here We Go include "All Hungry Babies," a hand-wavin' shout-out to tiny tots everywhere; the DEVO beats and 8-bit bleeps of "One to Eight," a tune that would feel right at home on an episode of Yo Gabba Gabba; the slippery bass, wiggly slide guitar, and dusty drum loop of "Down Home," a Beck-like tune about a homesick chicken; and lines like this from "Baby Food:" 'You may say that it's very, very strange / But there's a little sign that hangs inside the corner of my brain / It says, "Don't make your body do more than it can do." / Baby food is good because you do not have to chew.'

Danceable kids' music from the Deep South via the Southern Hemisphere. Dig it.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2009-03-17T06:00:00.003-04:00

Celebrate the holiday with Irish music for kids! I've compiled a list of some of the best traditional children's tunes from Ireland over at About.com, so give 'em a listen and have the whole family sing along. Here are the best albums of Irish music for kids.

Rockin' the Oldies: Five Classic Children's Albums

2009-03-13T06:00:00.003-04:00

Sixty years ago, Columbia Records released Burl Ives' Animal Fair: Songs for Children, one of the first widely-distributed collections of songs recorded specifically for kids. In recognition of that milestone, over at About.com I put together a list of the Top Five Classic Children's Albums, all recorded and released in the 1940s and 1950s.

Glaring omissions? Let me know. Suggestions? Make your voice heard. Check out the Top Five Classic Children's Albums.

Uncle Mike and his Polka Band

2009-03-11T06:00:00.003-04:00

You want happy? You got it! In this uncertain economic climate, everyone needs to slow down, take a cleansing breath, and crank up a polka album! And Uncle Mike has just the one for you and your family: Pint Size Polkas gets the party started and doesn't let up until the accordions come home.

The Mike Schneider Band have recorded five albums of polka music for grownups, and Pint Size Polkas is their first CD for kids. The album includes familiar tunes like "The Happy Wanderer," "The Chicken Dance," a re-written "Tiny Bubbles in the Tub," and "I've Been Working on the Railroad," as well as a couple of classics by Polka King Frankie Yankovic.

But the fun doesn't stop there: check out the can't-be-missed "Teach Me How to Yodel," the awesome sing-along "Hey Baba Reba," and the bottle-hoisting "Ein Milch," which may be the best drinking song for kids ever recorded. You can also get in some letter and number practice with "Alphabet Polka" and "Numbers Schottische," then enjoy the "Jolly Lumberjack Polka," already a hit on YouTube.

Tons of fun for young and old!

Sesame Street Numbers: Five

2009-03-09T06:00:00.001-04:00

Here's a very silly song about some very silly animals on a very silly farm, and it's all about the number five.

Sesame Street - "Country 5"

#1 Amazon Kids' Music Download!

2009-03-07T06:00:00.001-05:00

Guess who's sitting atop the mp3 Children's Album Chart over at Amazon.com? Lunch Money, with their latest CD Dizzy! Stefan, I'm sure your piece on NPR the other day had a little something to do with it, too ... besides the album being *awesome*.

Johnny Bregar

2009-03-06T06:00:00.005-05:00

Yet another warm, comfy CD of country/folk/Americana from Seattleite Johnny Bregar! His first, Stomp Yer Feet!, is one of the best albums for the 2-to-6 year old set you'll ever hear, and his second, Hootenanny, features a balance of originals and traditional tunes. It would have been difficult for anyone to follow up those two solid collections, but Bregar does it with his third CD for kids, Dragonfly.

Check out the nifty artwork by Kelly Angelovic, and Bregar's can't-miss covers of John Brim's "Ice Cream Man," Guy Wood & Sammy Gallop's post-WW II hit "Shoo-Fly Pie," and Sanford Faulkner's hillbilly Vaudeville fiddle tune "Arkansas Traveller." Other highlights include the pro-Maine bluegrass jam "Christmas Cove," the feel-the-sun-on-your-face feel good vibe of "Two Thumbs Up," the sweet pop of the title tune (already a hit on XM Radio's Kids Place Live), the banjo waltz/science lesson of "Honey Bees," the Memphis groove of "What Do You Do?" and the absolutely beautiful "Blue Canoe" (hey, pair this with Frances England's "Blue Canoe" from Fascinating Creatures!).

Seattle is fast becoming a hotbed of high-quality kids' music, and Johnny Bregar is one of the reasons why. The fact that his albums keep getting better is an indicator that he's here to stay, and that we should expect even greater things from him in the future. Dragonfly soars.

Groovy Ruby is Strong, Lovin', and Fun!

2009-03-04T06:00:00.003-05:00

Got a High School Musical or Camp Rock fan at home, and you wanna give 'em an alternative, something not so overproduced and formulaic? Dig all-girl singing group Groovy Ruby's sophomore album Strong, Lovin',and Fun. Band leader Dean Laterra says it all with this description: "The Monkees and The Beach Boys collide with The Go-Gos...in middle school!"

I posted a full review of Groovy Ruby's Strong, Lovin', and Fun over at the About.com site, so check it out and see what you think.

Sesame Street Numbers: One

2009-03-02T06:00:00.001-05:00

Here's another Sesame Street short about the number one, called "Hortense One Drum."

Sesame Street - "Hortense One Drum"

Kids' Music that Rocks

***Dean Jones***

***Roy Handy and The Moonshot***

***Heidi Swedberg***

Top 10 Best Sesame Street Songs

***Wayne Potash***

Happy 30th Birthday, PAC-MAN!

New Lullabies for Babies

Best Kids' Music of 2009: #1 Here I Am! by Caspar Babypants

Best Kids' Music of 2009: # 2 Family Time by Ziggy Marley

Best Kids' Music of 2009: # 3 Thank You for Joining the Happy Club by Billy Kelly

Best Kids' Music of 2009: # 4 Get Fruity!! by Apple Brains

Best Kids' Music of 2009: # 5 Here Comes Science by They Might Be Giants

Best Kids' Music of 2009: # 6 Hello Night by Kesang Marstrand

Best Kids' Music of 2009: # 7 Field Trip by Recess Monkey

Best Kids' Music of 2009: # 8 Family Photograph by The Dreyer Family Band

Best Kids' Music of 2009: # 9 Beautiful World by Dog On Fleas

Best Kids' Music of 2009: # 10 Dizzy by Lunch Money

Steambot

Friday Free-for-All # 24

New Americana Music for Kids

***Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem***

Happy New Year!

That's one jolly little elf!

Friday Free-for-All # 23

Hanukkah Music for Kids

Thanksgiving Fun

Friday Free-for-All # 22

Happy Thanksgiving!

Where the Wild Things Are Soundtrack

New Addition to 'Halloween Songs for Kids' List

The Circular Nature of Life

New Video from Rebecca Frezza

My Morning Jacket Dude Takes on Harrison

Boo! Cool Halloween Songs for Kids

Free Jazz

Take this, brother, may it serve you well...

Happy Labor Day!

***Phil Rosenthal***

Drum Practice

***Laura Doherty***

Life

Summer Breeze, Makes Me Feel Fine...

This.Kid.Rocks.

No Nap Happy Hour Rocks the Iron Horse

***Caspar Babypants***

I Never Get Enough of that Wonderful Stuff

TMBG get all scientific and stuff...

***Max's Family Band***

It's a shame...

Yo MJ

Best Kids' Music of 2009...

Nuff Said...

***Apple Brains***

***The Sippy Cups***

***Bob Marley***

Pixar-mania!

***Tangerine Tambourine***

How 'Bout Some Tangerine Tambourine First Thing In The Morning?

***Spiral Up Kids***

***Andy Mason***

If The Flaming Lips Made a Kids' Album...

If Poison and KISS Started a Kids' Band...

To Infinity and Beyond!

Let There Be Rock....

Sedaka is back!

Get Fruity!

Guilty pleasure of the week...

You learn something new every day...

Piano Pop Par Excellence

Springtime!

***The Dreamtree Shakers***

***Mary Poppins Soundtrack***

***Peter, Paul and Mary***

Happy Birthday, Pete!

Listening and Dancing to Music is AWESOME!

When I'm Five...I'm Gonna Rock!

***Billy Kelly***

**Dreyer Family Band***

"Three Pigs and a Wolf"

Dean Jones

Roy Handy and The Moonshot

Heidi Swedberg

Wayne Potash

Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem

Phil Rosenthal

Laura Doherty

Caspar Babypants

Max's Family Band

Apple Brains

The Sippy Cups

Bob Marley

Tangerine Tambourine

Spiral Up Kids

Andy Mason

The Dreamtree Shakers

Mary Poppins Soundtrack

Peter, Paul and Mary

Billy Kelly

Dreyer Family Band*

Professor Banjo

Michael Charles Smith

John Carlin & the Kids' Music Underground

Joe West

Shāna Barry

Here We Go

Uncle Mike and his Polka Band

Johnny Bregar