tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75643722011-11-27T16:53:54.417-08:00Children and Family Music Reviews -- Music for the kids that parents won't hate!Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.comBlogger2361100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1165447126620834572006-12-06T15:16:00.000-08:002006-12-06T15:18:46.646-08:00

Did you hear my interview with NPR's Melissa Block on Wednesday? Then head on over to the new website -- Zooglobble.com -- for all the links to the music featured on the interview, plus a whole lot more. Do stop by. Thanks!

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1160191463068803602006-10-06T20:19:00.000-07:002006-10-06T20:25:37.150-07:00

Did you get here looking for more info on Elizabeth Mitchell and her music for kids and families? Well, you came to the right place (sort of, at least after you check out Elizabeth's site). If you head to the new Zooglobble site you can read my review of You Are My Little Bird there as well as find out a lot more Elizabeth Mitchell-related stuff. Thanks for stopping by!

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1157576423300319522006-09-06T17:56:00.000-07:002006-09-06T14:05:57.956-07:00

We've moved to the new website. If you haven't visited, you've missed the interview with Dan Zanes, the review of Elizabeth Mitchell's latest album, You Are My Little Bird, and the review of the Hoodwinked soundtrack. And that's just in the past two weeks. Slowly but surely, the rest of the posts here are being copied over there. Do stop by.

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1156871933110874412006-08-29T10:15:00.000-07:002006-08-29T10:20:27.786-07:00

Really, over here. I've had a Blogger-ectomy and now I have a place of my own. Come on over and read the review of the new Elizabeth Mitchell album.

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1156565851093477082006-08-25T21:09:00.000-07:002006-08-25T21:17:31.113-07:00

This weekend...New York? Brady Rymer's Family Jamboree on Sunday, with Brady Rymer, Elizabeth Mitchell, and Hayes Greenfield, on Long Island.Los Angeles? Getty Concerts for Kids on Saturday and Sunday, with Charity and the JAMband, at the incredibly lovely Getty Center.Chicago? Jammin' at the Zoo tonight, with Tally Hall, the Bad Examples, and They Might Be Giants at the very nice Lincoln Park

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1156563911744639422006-08-25T20:05:00.000-07:002006-08-25T20:45:18.400-07:00

Let me begin by saying that I had heard "Marvelous Day!" the song long before I heard Marvelous Day! the album. And the song... well, it just sounded like one of those pull-out-all-the-stops attempts at a hit that just, well, didn't work. Too forcibly goofy, too many kids in the chorus, too much or too little of something -- whatever the case, I didn't like it. So I approached the SteveSongs'

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1156479589567968082006-08-24T20:48:00.000-07:002006-08-24T21:19:49.733-07:00

Johnny Cash's most famous songs are his most tormented -- "I shot a man in Reno / Just to watch him die," sings the prisoner in his "Folsom Prison Blues" -- which means he's not exactly at the top of the list of artists who scream out "children's music" to the public. (We're still waiting for the Metallica and Smashing Pumpkins kids' CDs, too.) But contrary to the legend that surrounded the Man

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1156391971843252982006-08-23T20:46:00.000-07:002006-09-26T09:12:52.050-07:00

I cannot stop Belle and Sebastian's relentless assault on me, I can only hope to contain it.Despite attempting to keep my expectations low for their upcoming children's compilation, entitled Colours Are Brighter, all evidence suggests that it may turn out to be quite good. The latest evidence can be found on the newly-established website for Colours Are Brighter. A decent track from Snow Patrol,

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1156307106285130452006-08-22T20:52:00.000-07:002006-08-22T21:25:06.306-07:00

I'm not usually one to be swayed by the cause behind an album, but when the first sentence of an album's press release includes a statement that "kids need to know they can be creators and not just consumers," that can exert a strong pull on me. With his Kid Pan Alley program, Musician Paul Reisler has gone into schools around the country to create songs with more than 10,000 schoolchildren.

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1156277343396659212006-08-22T13:05:00.000-07:002006-08-22T13:09:03.450-07:00

... but today was our daughter's first full day of kindergarten. And it was raining. At 8 AM. This never happens in Phoenix, and as a result traffic was all a-kerfuffle, and I missed Justin Roberts' Today show appearance.Luckily, the magic of this here interweb thingy steps in: Justin Roberts and the Not Ready for Naptime Players perform "Meltdown!"(And, yeah, maybe some other day I'll talk

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1156220148182595522006-08-21T21:04:00.000-07:002006-08-21T21:15:48.203-07:00

... don't mean they're not after you.Or, as Nirvana might say, had they turned their attention to a kids' music blog instead, just because information is in a ever-so-slightly-over-hyped press release or newsletter, doesn't mean that it's not actually news.Here, then, some recent PR news. For each artist, you decide which statements are true and which are false.Justin Roberts: With a spiffy new

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1156206589252819392006-08-21T18:20:00.000-07:002006-08-21T17:29:49.253-07:00

#453 - Welcome to Ralph's World CD/DVD available for pre-order.Set to be released October 3, Amazon has the track listing as follows...Disc: 11. Fee Fi Fo Fum2. Puppy Dog3. Dance Around4. The Coffee Song5. The Mighty Worm6. Things That I Like7. With A Friend (The Pooh Song)8. Dinosaur Rumble9. Peggy’s Pie Parlor Polka10. All I Want To Do Is Play11. At The Bottom Of The Sea12. Animal Friends13.

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1156206041321898312006-08-21T18:16:00.000-07:002006-08-21T17:20:41.346-07:00

Back from family, friends, and fish.Back from lovely sounds: the crash of ocean waves, Raul Malo's voice in concert, my wife's voice uninterrupted by our kids' voices.Back to: school, work, and friends.If you've been away for a while, make sure you scan through the archives -- don't miss the reviews, interviews, and stories.

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1156098206095605962006-08-20T10:57:00.000-07:002006-08-20T11:55:51.226-07:00

One of my main purposes in applying for the show was to have it be an adventure with Ella... It's nice that it's taken off as it seems to have, but my goal was, and remains, to have fun with Ella.Bill Childs' first words to me (electronically speaking) were, "I think you may be me." That comment was based on our similar musical tastes (across all ranges of music), but we soon found out that our

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1155943537936549582006-08-19T16:24:00.000-07:002006-08-19T15:40:35.583-07:00

It’s hard work reinterpreting classic kids’ tunes -- it takes imagination and a little bit of brazenness. Originally released in 2004, Erin Flynn’s debut Dreamers of Dreamshas enough of both. Flynn, who now teaches at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago (and appeared on their Wiggleworms Love You album), recorded the album in Philadelphia with a large and talented Co-Op Band, giving

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1155768879669525552006-08-16T15:44:00.000-07:002006-08-16T15:56:23.526-07:00

But a decent one, with substantial comments from Dan Zanes and Ralph Covert of Ralph's World. Paste Magazine (which I've subscribed to for a couple years now -- it's a good read and has reviewed a few kids' music CDs in its pages), has finally posted online their article on the wave of artists entering the kids' music business. (I've had the magazine for about 3 weeks now, and was about to post

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1155011756025648082006-08-07T21:32:00.000-07:002006-08-08T06:11:15.346-07:00

It's a Monty Python reference, having to do an "ex-parrot." (Go ahead and Google it.) The blog's not dead -- I'm off for some (mostly) R&R and (a little) business. Expect more posts later next week. In case you missed it, make sure you read the ScribbleMonster report from Kidzapalooza and the report from Jackie Schimmel (from Justin Roberts' band) below that. I got pictures of the musicians,

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1155011282589487102006-08-07T21:21:00.000-07:002006-09-11T09:09:45.860-07:00

When the cold, hard truth that I wouldn't be attending Kidzapalooza/Lollapalooza sunk in, I thought about who could write an interesting summary of their experiences there. And the first person that came to mind was Jim Dague aka ScribbleJim, whose newsletters (and few e-mails to me) have been generous and amusing. Jim's summary below -- covering both Friday and Saturday -- does not disappoint.

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1155010803520930112006-08-07T21:05:00.000-07:002006-08-23T11:38:43.383-07:00

[Looking for Justin Roberts' Today show appearance? Go here for the link and check out the Justin Roberts links on the right for more Justin reviews.]Since I couldn't actually attend Kidzapalooza/Lollapalooza, I thought I'd do the next best thing -- have somebody else file a report for me. The first of the two reports comes from Jackie Schimmel, who plays bass for Justin Roberts. Jackie's been

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1154969451285818942006-08-07T09:43:00.000-07:002006-08-07T09:50:51.316-07:00

Thanks to Devon, who points out a whole bunch of Washington Post kids' arts-related articles, including an interview with and recommendations from Dan Zanes. I've got a Jose-Luis Orozco CD -- I've listened to it a few times, but I'll have to go back and listen with fresh ears.

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1154736192682381452006-08-05T08:49:00.000-07:002006-08-05T09:43:32.340-07:00

If I had a dollar for every time my name was spelled incorrectly, we'd have replaced the flooring in our house long ago. So I understand the decision by Los Angeles-based musician Melissa Szilagyi to drop her surname and perform simply as Melissa. It's also very pop-star-like. Her debut kids' music album Here We Go (2006), to be released next week, is 29 minutes of preschooler-friendly

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1154707889118708602006-08-04T08:01:00.000-07:002006-08-04T09:11:29.173-07:00

Kidzapalooza and Lollapalooza, that is. Weather looks to be a little warm in Chicago, but nothing like last week, luckily.I hope to have a couple artists posting "on-the-scene" reports. No, I did not copy the idea from Bill. (Think of it as a case of "great minds think alike.") I'm not gonna get your hopes too high because I don't know exactly when the reports will get posted. By Labor Day,

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1154665396165007462006-08-03T20:49:00.000-07:002006-08-03T21:24:19.960-07:00

Sometimes it's easy to review kids' music -- a little of bit of this, sounds like that, there are songs about food. Then an album like The Great Adventures of Mr. David (2006) comes along, making the task much more difficult. Whatever it is (and it's many things, sometimes all at once), this is not a typical kids' album.The second album for kids from San Jose-based musician David Alexandrou,

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1154625261604915782006-08-03T08:06:00.000-07:002006-08-03T13:49:43.703-07:00

No, actually, they will. Bill at Spare the Rock tells the story of They Might Be Giants wanting to record a song for his broadcast. That is beyond cool, that's like, I don't Bill-and-Ella Lee Supertaster-cool, or something.And in other They Might Be Giants news, their Dial-A-Song website has been relaunched with news that they're recording "adults" and "kids" albums back-to-back, with both

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1154578346769534062006-08-02T20:45:00.000-07:002006-08-02T21:12:26.796-07:00

The great risk in going back and listening to an artist's early work is that you won't like it as much as the later work that drew you to the artist in the first place, thereby also diminishing your original enthusiasm. Thankfully, that didn't happen for me when I listened to Justin Roberts' 1997 kids' music debut, Great Big Sun. It is, however, a different animal from Roberts' later

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1154533868078053852006-08-02T07:43:00.000-07:002006-08-02T08:51:08.176-07:00

The baseball trading deadline ended on Monday, but a major swap will happen in the children's music biz this fall. About when the Wiggles start their Fall US tour, Dan Zanes and Friends will be wrapping up a week's worth of shows in Melbourne, Australia.I knew about the Melbourne shows earlier this week, but what I didn't know until Zanes' most recent newsletter (and, really, go to his homepage

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1154492741053452092006-08-01T20:39:00.000-07:002006-08-01T21:25:41.173-07:00

Dan Zanes' 2004 album Parades and Panoramas: 25 Songs Collected by Carl Sandburg is not, strictly speaking, a "kids music" album. This collection of songs from The American Songbag, compiled and published by the poet Carl Sandburg in 1927 does not always have the friendly vibe found on Zanes' five kids-related CDs. But it is a "family music" album in the best way -- it encourages families to

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1154460817581531412006-08-01T17:25:00.000-07:002006-08-01T12:33:37.606-07:00

I'm a big Wilco fan, but Clea, she's a huuuge Jeff Tweedy (and, by extension, Wilco) fan. In the hospital recently for some medical issues, she's back at (Sm)all Ages with posts on (mostly) adult music for kids and (occasionally) kids music for adults. If you don't stop by on a regular basis, you should -- Clea's always a fun read. And if you are a regular reader, make sure you stop by and

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1154404621957460712006-07-31T20:45:00.000-07:002006-07-31T21:30:07.276-07:00

The creation of music industry veteran Andy Hurwitz, the supergroup Baby Loves Jazz is just one part of the Baby Loves Music empire. With Baby Loves Disco well-established and Baby Loves Reggae and Hip-Hop yet to come, who knows if Baby Loves Grime and Baby Loves Trip-Hop are next on the list. Released tomorrow, Go Baby Go! (2006) is the first of the Baby Loves... genres to make it to disk and

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1154376800375338662006-07-31T17:27:00.000-07:002006-07-31T13:14:58.006-07:00

So Lollapalooza and Kidzapalooza happen this weekend in Chicago. Like a few others, I was offered press passes, but I couldn't take advantage of them. Something about my son getting baptized this weekend. Sorry, Perry, maybe next year.But that doesn't mean I can't plot who I'd see were I actually there. (Which I'd really, really, like to be.)Now, if I were going on press passes for Kidzapalooza,

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1154320000716523022006-07-30T20:52:00.000-07:002006-07-30T21:26:41.123-07:00

Scene: Two guys proceed through a Las Vegas buffet line. Let's call them, for sake of comprehension, Larry and Darryl.Larry: So, uh, what are you getting there?Darryl: I thought I might get that -- erp! -- new Yosi CD.Larry: In a buffet line? Since when do they have kids' CDs in a Vegas buffet line?Darryl: Haven't you heard? Kids' music is all the rage now. And Vegas is never one to miss out

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1154229462923014642006-07-29T19:51:00.000-07:002006-07-29T20:17:42.940-07:00

I've previously mentioned Brady Rymer's blog, which, though updated only sporadically, is a fun read. There are a few other musician-authored blogs I've been reading for weeks if not months now, and I've been failing in my kids-music-news duties by not mentioning them before.The best kids' musician-penned blog I know of is Monty Harper's blog, which includes links to his podcasts and gives some

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1154145431101138642006-07-28T20:18:00.000-07:002006-07-28T20:57:11.170-07:00

Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer have been nominated for 11 GRAMMY awards (winning two of them) and are talented musicians and songwriters in both kids' and non-kids fields. So how come I didn't adore Scat Like That!, their 2005 GRAMMY-nominated kids' album? There's nothing wrong with the album's execution -- the musicianship and production are strong -- and the concept is intriguing, focusing on

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1154107213844122912006-07-28T10:03:00.000-07:002006-07-28T21:24:17.943-07:00

I skipped July, didn't I? Slacker. Well, it would've been a short list (at the time, anyway). But August? August is shaping up as a little more crowded...August 1: Go Baby Go - Baby Loves Jazz (Various Artists)August 1: If I Could Be... - Meredith BrooksAugust 8: A World of Music - Toucan JamAugust 8: What's Eatin' Yosi? - Yosi (national release)August 22: Marvelous Day - Stevesongs (

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1153972185113010692006-07-26T20:42:00.000-07:002006-07-27T16:09:12.746-07:00

Our kids are a huge part of everything we do with the band. We took all the JAMband kids on tour (9 total) with us down to LA and they were exposed to all the pieces of what it means to have a band. There’s a Behind the Music series waiting to happen here. I’ll say no more.Charity Kahn, founder and leader of the Bay Area-based funk/soul/whatever kids' group Charity and the JAMband, is a mother,

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1153610255696891592006-07-22T16:16:00.000-07:002006-07-22T16:17:35.716-07:00

It's time for a little break from blogging. Read through the reviews you missed, click through on the links you skipped, and go back and listen to some albums you haven't heard for a long time, kids-related or otherwise. Back in the middle of the week with lots of new stuff.

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1153608744720496302006-07-22T15:04:00.000-07:002006-07-22T15:52:24.803-07:00

It took several months and several listenings to Jim Gill's 2006 album Jim Gill Sings Moving Rhymes for Modern Times before I fully appreciated the disk's strengths. In the meantime I'd listened to scores of CDs lacking some of the qualities Gill brings. To begin with, Gill's good humor shines through, not so much in wacky lyrics or zany vocals, but in simple vocal expressions. Listen to

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1153496915176173752006-07-21T07:38:00.000-07:002006-07-21T09:21:02.320-07:00

Did you know you can get every Dan Zanes family album at the iTunes Music Store? Including audio for his All Around the Kitchen DVD? Even a bonus track from Parades and Panoramas?And that now he's just the second kids' artist to get their own "Essentials" list, which is an iTunes Music Store-endorsed collection of, well, essential tracks from an artist's catalog? The Wiggles, meet Dan Zanes. Dan

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1153454776826781382006-07-20T20:41:00.000-07:002006-07-20T21:06:16.846-07:00

For those of you who adore Sandra Boynton's comically plaintive drawings of pets and her whimsical sense of humor, but found the Broadway show stylings of Philadelphia Chickens a little too, well, Broadway show-stylish, her 2005 album/book Dog Train really brings the rock. Or, well, as much as any album that features three separate episodes entitled "Cow Planet" can bring said rock. Boynton and

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1153281507234943632006-07-18T20:30:00.000-07:002006-07-18T20:58:27.263-07:00

The 2006 Cooperative Summer Library Program may be winding down, but here's another pet-themed CD in case librarians reading here are looking for a CD to tide them over these last few days of summer. (I'm guessing throwing up one's hands and feeding the kids animal crackers is an insufficient response.) Kids' music artists Campfire Kev and Mary Lafleur have teamed up to record The Pet Project (

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1153255641121003932006-07-18T17:44:00.000-07:002006-08-24T10:30:06.780-07:00

Pitchfork picks up a NME story updating the Belle and Sebastian-curated children's music compilation, Zooglobble goes nuts. (You know, for someone who's a little bit skeptical about this whole endeavor, I'm certainly spending a lot of time talking about it. Maybe I'm talking myself into thinking it might just work.)First, the actual news -- the compilation on Rough Trade Records is now scheduled

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1153196233774643852006-07-17T20:45:00.000-07:002006-07-17T21:17:13.796-07:00

I would call Owen Duggan the "next Raffi," but the problem is, I already did that with someone else. And even if I no longer believed it (which I do), it would look pretty foolish of me to recant scant weeks later. So let me put it this way -- Owen Duggan is Raffi.Or, to put it another way, Duggan's late 2005 debut album An Elephant Never Forgets is the album that Raffi could've recorded after

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1153108260218052942006-07-16T20:31:00.000-07:002006-07-16T20:51:00.243-07:00

Trinidad-born and Bay Area-based, Asheba released his third kids music album, Children Are the Sunshine (2006), earlier this month. Asheba's music draws on his Caribbean heritage, employing reggae and calypso styles on kids' standards and his originals. The strong points of the CD? There are some tracks I enjoyed -- the reggae-fied version of "All Around the Kitchen," for example, or an

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1152973344131113312006-07-15T07:21:00.000-07:002006-07-28T21:02:38.946-07:00

Before I get to the Purple Stripes, a quick story:Shortly after the NPR interview, I got an e-mail from an Australian comic who was looking for a review I'd done of his CD here on the website. He'd apparently sold some of his albums at CDBaby from people who were referred there from here.Here's the thing: I'd never even heard of him or the CD, let alone reviewed it.I told him that if he got me a

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1152886935719083552006-07-14T20:51:00.000-07:002006-07-14T20:28:05.746-07:00

Long before Laurie Berkner, long before Raffi even, there was Pete Seeger. His stepmother spent a lot of time recovering folk songs from historical neglect, and her stepson put many of those on record. He was incredibly productive in doing this for Folkways Records, recording 54 albums for them. One of those albums, originally released in 1960, Seeger's Song and Play Time, received a new

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1152892424747535422006-07-14T07:48:00.000-07:002006-07-14T08:53:44.770-07:00

Or, at least, this sounds like it'll be cool. The first of many guest DJ sets at Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child can be heard this weekend from Andy Ure of The Quiet Ones. (Didja read the review?)At some point I'll have a guest DJ slot myself... I just need to figure out how to cram an entire musical philosophy into about 45 minutes. (Or maybe I should just play They Might Be Giants repeatedly.

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1152850335327106092006-07-13T20:35:00.000-07:002006-07-13T21:12:15.366-07:00

You don't often get a second chance to make a first impression, the cliche goes, and that's especially true in children's music. A cheesy song is enough to make the parent quickly hit the eject button lest the children get too attached to music that drives the parent absolutely nuts; a poor album cover will doom the CD before it even reaches the player. So it was with Uncle Rock's 2nd CD, Plays

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1152760329699719302006-07-12T20:09:00.000-07:002006-07-12T20:12:09.716-07:00

Dear Honey/Daddy/[unintelligible]:You can't blog about everything. Sometimes other people will have the same idea you do, and occasionally they'll post something about it before you can. Deal with it.Besides, they'll still want to read your review of that new artist they haven't heard of tomorrow.Love,Your Family

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1152676268623730992006-07-11T20:16:00.000-07:002006-07-11T20:51:08.716-07:00

Unfortunately for New York band The Quiet Ones, their 2005 debut Make Some Noise didn't, er, make some noise, or at least not as much as it should have. And while I can't answer the question of how in the name of They Might Be Giants did this album fly under the radar, I can do my best to explain why it shouldn't have.The Quiet Ones are Chrstopher Anderson and Andrew Ure, 2/3rds of the band

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1152646621057187322006-07-11T12:21:00.000-07:002006-07-11T12:37:01.136-07:00

Brady Rymer. Elizabeth Mitchell. Hayes Greenfield. I doubt another lineup will top this, the best one-day-only concert of 2006. Heck, it can even give those multi-day festivals in Chicago and Austin a run for their money. Pity our family has no plans to beanywhere near Long Island on August 27.Oh, and Brady, you really should blog more often. That Clearwater Folk Festival entry was fun to read.

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1152560980015481172006-07-10T19:30:00.000-07:002006-07-10T19:29:05.470-07:00

So the family, or 75% of us, went to see Pixar's movie Cars this weekend. I was struck by two things during my time at one of our local metroplexes:1. Yes, Northern Arizona really does look like that. OK, the buttes really aren't that car-shaped, and I'm pretty sure parts of Northern Arizona have "dark skies" ordinances that would pretty much rule out the bevy of neon in one scene, but other than

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1152464926459865252006-07-09T09:07:00.000-07:002006-07-09T10:08:46.550-07:00

We really have Meg Ryan and the diner scene to thank for this. Jazz musician and erstwhile Broadway star Harry Connick, Jr. got his big break when he was asked to record the soundtrack to the movie When Harry Met Sally. The soundtrack was good, but the massive success of the movie was what pushed Connick into the national consciousness. More than ten years later, Connick repaid the favor --

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1152246496707537302006-07-06T21:19:00.000-07:002006-07-06T21:28:16.706-07:00

I thought he was great in Lord of the Rings too... What's that? It's the Orlando Sentinel who's linked here? Oh, well then, welcome to you readers as well. (And thanks, Mary Ann, for the link.)We're in the midst of a jazz week at the moment, but you'll find all kinds of kids' music here -- a lot of rock, some folk, even some classical buried around here. There are some links there on the

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1152245846041880752006-07-06T20:47:00.000-07:002006-07-06T21:17:26.076-07:00

Why are there not more great jazz albums for kids? You have wonderful melodies infinitely adaptable to the improvisational technique that is one of jazz's trademarks, and yet the number of really good jazz albums geared for kids is small. Hayes Greenfield's 2002 release, Jazz-A-Ma-Tazz, is one of those few albums, great for introducing kids to jazz.The vocals, unsurprisingly for an album of

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1152160036234913212006-07-05T21:04:00.000-07:002006-07-05T21:27:16.260-07:00

With its stylized cover photo of San Francisco, little about the packaging of George Winston's 1996 album Linus & Lucy: The Music of Vince Guaraldi suggests "kids music." Indeed, we had this in our own family long before we had any idea what a Baby Bjorn was, let alone struggled to make those snaps, well, snap. But through his scores for 15 Peanuts television specials and one movie, Guaraldi's

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1151984987706446222006-07-03T20:21:00.000-07:002006-07-07T16:20:02.573-07:00

With its Giselle Potter-illustrated cover, the inattentive adult might be fooled into thinking that this is another Ralph's World CD. Clearly, Verve put some thought into how to market this compilation. But with Lionel Hampton, Oscar Peterson, and Ella Fitzgerald (twice!) among those heard on the disk, somebody also put at least a little thought into the music itself. The 11-track, 28-minute

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1151971551591884662006-07-03T18:01:00.000-07:002006-07-03T17:07:45.056-07:00

It's the Fourth of July week here in the United States, and I thought I'd spend all week celebrating the country's founding by looking at that most American of art forms, jazz. Not to get all Ken Burns on you, of course, but it's a great musical form that's been a little overlooked, kid-wise. Good stuff. (And for those of you who turn a tin ear to Ella Fitzgerald and the alto sax, don't worry,

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1151771279893962052006-07-03T05:17:00.000-07:002006-07-04T21:04:31.063-07:00

Longtime FOZ (Friend of Zooglobble) Eric Herman released his third kids' music album, Snow Day! (2006), a couple weeks ago. It's taken me awhile -- three albums' worth -- to put my finger on how to describe his music, but I think I've got it -- it's a mixture of Shel Silverstein and the Beatles. Now, before Eric uses that as the pull-quote to end all pull-quotes, I should explain further.Herman

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1151770123292723692006-07-01T08:39:00.000-07:002006-08-03T11:43:55.796-07:00

[Here because Robbie sent you? Welcome! If you dig this album, there's plenty more great music here at the website (but few carp). Explore and thanks for stopping by!]If you're an adult, and you title your debut kids' music CD Songs For Kids Like Us, you've implied a certain level of (im)maturity to the prospective listener. On his 2006 kids' music debut, Virginia-based Robbie Schaefer (

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1151692471617532062006-06-30T10:53:00.000-07:002006-07-01T11:15:18.710-07:00

With her third studio album, Tall and Small (2006), set to be released next week, Rebecca Frezza and her band Big Truck make a bid for kids' music stardom. The New Jersey-based singer/songwriter has had videos on Noggin, but this album seems one of those CDs designed to attract even wider attention.Take, for example, what would be considered the lead single off the album, "It Wasn't Me," about

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1151598818995350372006-06-29T06:29:00.000-07:002006-06-29T09:33:39.013-07:00

Liked my interview with Justin Roberts? Want more of that plus a picture of Roberts' dog Udo? Then get thee to this Apple profile on Roberts. (Thanks to the Justin Roberts Newsletter for the heads up on that and a bunch more. Why haven't you signed up yet?)

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1151551198762150702006-06-28T20:09:00.000-07:002006-06-29T09:03:49.063-07:00

Review: A Play in One ActWith three characters: Dude 1, Dude 2, and Mr. Roommate:Dude 1: Whoa, dude, that Sippy Cups song is deep!Dude 2: Totally, dude!Dude 1: I mean, it's about, like, life.Dude 2: Totally.Dude 1: It's like... a... uh... simile!Dude 2: Simile? It is so not a simile, dude.Dude 1: No, dude?Dude 2: No, dude. It's a metaphor.Dude 1: I'm not sure I agree with you, there, dudeDude 2:

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1151499733457718852006-06-28T17:49:00.000-07:002006-06-28T14:44:34.480-07:00

I didn't start playing guitar seriously till I was 16... I remember bringing my guitar out to the living room and playing it for my mom. She said "That's great, but why do you stick your tongue out when you play?" Now I notice that my son sticks his tongue out when he's concentrating.One of the more unexpected discoveries for me thus far this year was the self-titled debut album by the Los

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1151448751629731022006-06-27T18:46:00.000-07:002006-06-27T17:03:21.676-07:00

Justin Roberts might not be very adept at performing magic or telling jokes, but he is one heckuva songwriter. Thanks to the Land of Nod, you can hear the proof.In a 15-minute (or so) podcast, Roberts inaugurates the "Land of Nod Nodcast Podcast" by crafting one catchy theme ditty, playing some of his stuff from Meltdown!, Not Naptime, and Great Big Sun, and displaying a very self-deprecating

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1151381922167626812006-06-26T20:52:00.000-07:002006-06-26T21:18:42.190-07:00

How best to describe the San Francisco-based The Sippy Cups? Perhaps they're what would happen if your favorite '70s cover band decided they just wanted to play for preschoolers. And added puppets and jugglers. On their 2005 debut album Kids Rock For Peas!, the seven-member ensemble (recorded live at the Rickshaw Stop in San Francisco) cover a wide range of '60s and '70s songs on the 47-minute

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1151117228516075492006-06-23T19:30:00.000-07:002006-06-24T06:35:30.760-07:00

Welcome to those of you finding us because of the Salon article on "kindie rockers". (Welcome also, as always, to people looking for downloads of and lyrics to "Great Big World," from Hoodwinked. I still can't help you with those, despite your insistent pleas.) Thanks, Salon, for the link, and for posting some fabulous mp3s from said rockers. (Scott Lamb's article is worth sitting through the

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1151170272091022012006-06-23T18:25:00.000-07:002006-06-24T11:18:31.370-07:00

It's hard to think about a time before "children's music" was even a genre, back before, well, if we weren't walking to school in the snow uphill both ways, at least before satellite and internet radio offered people thousands of listening choices. But there were a few artists that recorded songs for kids (if not exclusively) a half-century ago and for their continued presence on CD, we have the

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1151032953393558822006-06-22T20:00:00.000-07:002006-06-23T08:15:17.486-07:00

Our family celebrates an inordinate number of holidays in June. We have no less than 5 birthdays, plus (at the moment) a couple Father's Days. There are entire countries with fewer holidays than our family. Most celebrations in June overlap partially, if not completely, with somebody else's celebration. I've pretty much reconciled myself to the fact that Father's Day will always play second

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1150948578347098502006-06-21T20:22:00.000-07:002006-06-22T20:24:56.466-07:00

Pity the preschool children's musician. Forced to play the same set of familiar songs at least some of the time, yet Raffi (and before him, Ella Jenkins, Pete Seeger, Lead Belly, and Woody Guthrie) got there first and staked their claim. Few artists have managed to make a career out of playing the songs that the above artists perfected. (And believe me, many have tried. And failed.) Laurie

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1150933430854153162006-06-21T18:28:00.000-07:002006-06-21T16:43:50.873-07:00

Because what's with all the Kidzapalooza love? Didn't I already mention this oh, about, seven weeks ago? (Not that I'm counting. OK, I'm counting.) Will there be an Austin City Limits Festival flurry two weeks from now?But the posts do highlight some of the additions since my original post along with Clea's thoughts on Perry's lineup.

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1150861981517811172006-06-20T20:29:00.000-07:002006-06-20T20:55:03.220-07:00

Kaleidoscope Songs Volumes 1 and 2, released in 2004 and 2006 by Alex and the Kaleidoscope Band would seem to have all the elements of a successful children's music album. Lyrics that target kids and their experiences, a large cast of musicians playing an even larger set of real instruments, and a fine, soulful voice in lead singer Alex Mitnick -- what's not to like? Well, despite all those

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1150832398430468082006-06-20T12:16:00.000-07:002006-06-20T12:39:58.526-07:00

Via the New York Times, a story about how many NYC schoolkids celebrate spring by dancing on the playground.No one is quite sure when New York City children began celebrating spring by dancing in schoolyards, their teachers leading them, often awkwardly, through the steps, their proud parents gathered round, snapping pictures and clapping along. It is a peculiar urban rite — called Dance Festival

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1150732975301101492006-06-19T06:47:00.000-07:002006-06-19T09:02:55.336-07:00

More cool stuff coming up this week -- reviews, interviews, and the like -- but no coherent theme, except perhaps a broadening of the site's scope to look at albums released before, say, seven minutes ago.If you missed my reviews of Keith Munslow's Accidentally (on purpose) and Josephine Cameron's Close Your Eyes, check 'em out. The latter is the first "Review in Brief" here on the site,

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1150666791662390602006-06-18T13:59:00.000-07:002006-06-18T14:40:10.283-07:00

I doubt Lester Bangs used the word "gentle" to describe music in his reviews, but he probably didn't write reviews of kids music too often. There's no better word, however, to describe Timmy Abell's 2005 album Little Red Wagon.On his fourth music album (he has recorded albums of stories as well), the North Carolina-based Abell blends modern folk songs of his own with traditional folk songs

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1150594256437404432006-06-17T18:21:00.000-07:002006-06-17T21:52:07.503-07:00

A few links to toss out the day before Father's Day. See if you can guess the common theme.Bill, father of two, has SteveSongs in studio and has pictures of them and Milkshake to prove it. (Yeah, yeah, SteveSongs was prerecorded...)Chag, father of two, has an amusing dadblog at Cynical Dad. In the all-important sports-world scoreboard, his affinity for the Yankees (a negative for me) is far

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1150328862003940212006-06-15T20:29:00.000-07:002006-06-15T20:18:13.223-07:00

After years of listening to, carting around, losing, and, if need be, "misplacing" children's music albums, I have a few suggestions for those of you out there producing music for kids and families. No matter if you're doing theatrical productions, indie rock, or glossy children's pop, here are four things we can use more of, four things we can use less of.More real instruments, fewer kids: I

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1150335344470619562006-06-14T20:00:00.000-07:002006-06-14T19:00:05.786-07:00

Josephine Cameron's 2005 release Close Your Eyes isn't really a kids' music album, but at its core it's an album of lullabies both traditional and original, and that's enough to a merit a review here. Based in Maine, singer-songwriter Cameron has a winsome voice reminiscent of Susanna Hoffs -- it's not my perfect voice for lullabies, but Cameron's phrasing and the understated jazzy instrumentals

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1150291018493601892006-06-14T06:03:00.000-07:002006-06-16T16:34:26.910-07:00

(Revised June 16, 2006)While there are a few songs for moms, the list of songs for fathers is pretty short. So short, I considered putting Rankin' Don's "Father Goose" songs from Dan Zanes & Friends albums on the list. While fathers are sometimes characters in kids' music (the RTTs' "April 14th," Keith Munslow's "Accidentally"), they're rarely the subject. Here, then, is the short list -- if you

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1150255668994096792006-06-13T19:52:00.000-07:002006-06-14T06:19:10.076-07:00

The Rhode Island School of Design may be known for many things, but musically it may be most known nationally for being the incubator of the Talking Heads. On a smaller scale, however, perhaps it should also be known for Keith Munslow. Munslow, who has taught in RISD's Young Artist Program, released his third album for kids, Accidentally (on purpose), in 2005, and while there's nothing remotely

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1150230484564828262006-06-13T13:17:00.000-07:002006-06-13T13:49:52.140-07:00

Wow, you go from reading Dan Zanes' newsletters to finding yourself quoted (or at least linked) in Dan Zanes newsletters. It's enough to make you a little dizzy. (Thanks to the fine folks at Festival Five for the mention.)If you're one of those newsletter readers, and you're new to the site, welcome. You'll find a lot of other artists here who are making a career out of making family-friendly (or

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1150171721350332272006-06-12T20:52:00.000-07:002006-06-12T21:08:41.353-07:00

One of Zooglobble's West Coast readers, Katy, was inspired by my review of the two Why Not Sea Monsters? albums (featuring Justin Roberts and Liam Davis) to provide her own view of the albums. Her spiritual background (much stronger than mine, as you'll see) makes for a slightly different perspective on the disks. And while I don't envision making reader reviews a common occurrence here (though

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1150129169062209112006-06-12T07:04:00.000-07:002006-06-12T09:19:29.076-07:00

If I have no theme for the week other than "no theme," does that mean I have no theme?While I'm pondering that conundrum, do check out my reviews of disks from Duplex and Captain Bogg & Salty if you missed 'em. (And, yes, there will be plenty more this week.)And thanks as always to everyone who reads, comments, and e-mails. Keep 'em all coming!

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1150048047215083402006-06-11T10:15:00.000-07:002006-06-11T10:47:27.233-07:00

Let's see... rock songs with not a little bit of theatricality. Lots of nautical themes. Band out of Portland, Oregon. We're talking about the Decemberists, right?Well, not exactly. Pegleg Tango, released in 2005, is the second album from the Portland-based group Captain Bogg & Salty. Captain Bogg & Salty has been playing pirate-themed rock and pop for kids and adults since 1999. Unlike

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1149867321545755712006-06-09T06:14:00.000-07:002006-06-09T08:43:12.983-07:00

I don't have many power tools, and unless guided by somebody more adept, my puttering around the house is typically limited to replacing light bulbs or fixing [insert name of minor house failure -- and we have a lot of them -- here].But I do putter around with my sidebar, and so I wanted to draw your attention to a couple additions there on the right.First, Troy at Songstreet is a compatriot of

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1149724932151283952006-06-07T21:00:00.000-07:002006-06-07T21:13:40.320-07:00

Presented with a band that includes 3-, 11-, and 12-year-old kids as members, plus an album cover that makes it look very much like the 3-year-old was the artistic director for the album, Ablum (2005), by the Vancouver-based Duplex!, had a couple strikes going against it according to my general bias against kids in bands and bad album cover art.Thank goodness I have no idea what I'm talking about

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1149653441944206512006-06-06T20:39:00.000-07:002006-06-11T20:49:10.240-07:00

There must be a scientific study out there verifying what a lot of parents already know through personal experience -- your child's endurance when it comes to dancing outpaces yours. Sure, you go to the gym three times a week, but your kid, he's Lance Armstrong with the stereo on.If this sounds at all familiar to you, then the third release from the Bay Area-based Charity and the JAMband, Rock

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1149567596698261712006-06-05T21:01:00.000-07:002006-06-05T21:20:26.266-07:00

A quick one... Joe McDermott is an Austin, Texas-based kids' musician. "Baby Kangaroo" is off his third album, entitled Everywhere You Go. It's a catchy little ditty about the joys of owning a baby kangaroo. Near the beginning, McDermott sings..."I think you should get a baby kangarooIt might just be the perfect pet for youThey bounce (16x)And they also hop"And so it's this cute and cuddly

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1149522977844059672006-06-05T06:51:00.000-07:002006-06-05T08:56:17.860-07:00

So long, Chicago -- this week on Zooglobble it's West Coast-related artists. That's right, we'll have reviews of new albums by Ice Cube and Pearl Jam and... [whisper, whisper]... oh, you're probably right. OK, scratch that, we've got some other artists to talk about.And if you missed the interview with Justin Roberts or the review of his Why Not Sea Monsters? albums with Liam Davis, check 'em

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1149455882033245932006-06-04T13:31:00.000-07:002006-06-04T14:18:02.050-07:00

In college, I had a friend who occasionally entertained crowds by doing rock classics in the one-and-only voice of Ethel Merman. You've not lived 'til you've heard an Ethel Merman impersonator doing performing "Black Dog" by Led Zeppelin. ("Hey hey mama, said the way you move...") The incongruity of rock lyric and near-cartoonish voice rarely failed to bring down the house. Nobody could take

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1149308795315637492006-06-02T20:51:00.000-07:002006-06-14T14:13:14.813-07:00

Listening to The Amazing Adventures of Kid Astro (2004), Ralph Covert's fifth album as Ralph's World, one can't help shake the feeling that Covert spent a lot of time listening to AM radio growing up. Because the album sounds like what kid might hearing moving up and down the AM side of the dial (and occasionally flipping over to FM).Take one of the strongest cuts on the album -- "Fee Fi Fo Fum,"

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1149125215194223412006-06-01T18:13:00.000-07:002006-06-01T16:35:12.253-07:00

The list of June 2006 children's music-related releases is pretty slim, at least compared to May 2006. So now that all the kids (except those in those newfangled "year-round" schools) are on summer vacation, the labels are, too? Ah, well...June 6 - Cars Soundtrack -- Hey, it's got Sheryl Crow, James Taylor, and Randy Newman. That's enough to at least be worth further investigation. (To listen to

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1149124175597429702006-05-31T20:56:00.000-07:002006-06-12T20:59:38.563-07:00

For many artists, children's music is a side project. If you're Justin Roberts, however, you're already a children's music artist, so what's your side project? It's recording as Why Not Sea Monsters? with frequent collaborator Liam Davis.In late 2005, Roberts and Davis released two Why Not Sea Monsters CDs -- Songs from the Hebrew Scriptures and Songs from the New Testament. Most of you will

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1149081831508478972006-05-31T06:00:00.000-07:002006-05-31T09:22:47.663-07:00

The one thing I discovered from teaching preschool is you shouldn't have a preconceived notion of what kids will respond to. So I don't try to guess. -- Justin RobertsWith three CD releases in the past six months (the highly acclaimed Meltdown! and two "Why Not Sea Monsters?" scripture-related CDs with collaborator Liam Davis) and a very active 2006 touring schedule, Justin Roberts has been a

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1148961216579503182006-05-29T20:49:00.000-07:002006-05-29T20:53:36.593-07:00

Doesn't quite have the ring of Second City Television, but it's pretty good stuff, anyway. Justin Roberts, Ralph's World, and more, all this week.If you haven't seen it, read the review of The Terrible Twos' If You Ever See An Owl below. Great stuff. And if you missed my interview with Brady Rymer, it's worth your time.Thanks as always for reading.

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1148938003536890332006-05-29T13:44:00.000-07:002006-05-30T12:32:38.046-07:00

The Terrible Twos are a side project once removed. Singer-songwriter Matt Pryor, of the emo band the Get Up Kids, formed the New Amsterdams as a side project with a more alt-country sound. With The Terrible Twos (the New Amsterdams to a man), Pryor has shifted his subject matter back maybe 15 years, targeting the young nieces and nephews of the New Amsterdams fans.And with If You Ever See An Owl,

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1148673324608270852006-05-26T17:32:00.000-07:002006-05-26T14:21:06.163-07:00

David Byrne recently posted a few thoughts on the past, present, and future of album art. Byrne's main point? We shouldn't necessarily mourn the loss of album art (which was often designed without the artist's input) with the rise of the iPod et al. Bryne posits a future in which recorded music is free while graphic designers develop ways to entice those listeners to pay for other stuff (

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1148525778540342492006-05-24T20:59:00.000-07:002006-05-24T20:30:07.013-07:00

We at Zooglobble love librarians. We especially love children's librarians. Turning on kids to the excitement of reading (and listening) -- way cool.If you're a children's librarian and you're not aware of Monty Harper, you should be. Harper has carved himself out a niche writing albums filled with library-friendly children's music. His latest album, 2006's Paws Claws Scales and Tales, is another

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1148504284565116542006-05-24T18:16:00.000-07:002006-05-24T14:36:03.580-07:00

Google has introduced a beta version of Google Trends, which tracks the popularity of certain search terms. What can this tell us about the popularity of children's music? A lot (though it means nothing to me in terms of what our family actually listens to).Here's Dan Zanes. A spike in mid-2005 -- I'm guessing there must've been some Noggin-related activity around then. The graph only appears to

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1148476885942088702006-05-24T06:07:00.000-07:002006-05-24T08:44:28.350-07:00

"Lately, I’m becoming more focused on this idea that the songs and the music within them can be for the whole family."Brady Rymer's fifth album Every Day Is A Birthday is a fun mix of songs dealing not only with the experience of childhood but also with the experience of parenthood. Rymer recently was kind enough to answer a few questions about his latest album, what it's like to be a kids'

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7564372.post-1148418050145537232006-05-23T18:53:00.000-07:002006-05-23T14:00:50.166-07:00

I've updated the album submission policy to reflect a few weeks of receiving requests to review assorted kids' music CDs. I tried to make the policy a little less flippant and a little more understanding of the children's music recording industry. I don't think I've said anything substantially new, but if for some reason you read the policy before and didn't think you "qualified" (a very loose

Stefanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01380092056977325525noreply@blogger.com0