San Diego-area band Hullabaloo has been particularly prolific over the past few years, releasing 3 albums in about 3 years, plus a DVD. Now they're prepping they're latest disk, High Roller, and they've posted the title track at their music page. It's an appealing 2-minute country/folk track with a hint of blues thrown in that includes the phrase "rolling on 3-point-5 inch wheels," which made me laugh.
Besides the track itself, you also have the chance to have your wee one's face grace the new album cover. Go here for instructions on how to enter, but the gist of it is that you'll submit a picture of your kid to the band's Facebook page. Then I, along with Warren and Ryan Loyko (Rattle-N-Roll birth announcements), will each pick a semi-finalist face from all the entries, leading to an online vote to pick the winner. Entries are due May 15th. Will it be as iconic as Paul Simonon slamming his guitar on the London Calling cover? We shall see....
The Barry Louis Polisar Tribute Album: Potentially Awesome
No, that's not the name -- it's my verdict.
I've known for awhile of the tribute album consisting of Barry Louis Polisar covers, produced by Polisar's son Evan Aaron Cohen of the Radioactive Chicken Heads. But now it's got a name -- We're Not Kidding -- and, more importantly for the purposes of this website, songs for your listening pleasure.
I use that phrase "listening pleasure" advisedly, because the songs I've spun thus far have been uniformly winning. I started out with the familiar names -- Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke, Elizabeth Street, Tor Hyams, Ham & Burger, The Boogers -- and all of those tunes worth the time. (Check out the electric guitar on Key Wilde and Mr. Clarke track.) And then I moved to the unfamliar, the top of the page. After 4 songs, some fabulous, none less than interesting, that's when I realized that this could be, well, potentially awesome.
A 2-CD set could be too much Barry Lou, but the combination of Polisar's songwriting with the varied musical approaches and high quality production (never Polisar's strength) make me very eager to hear the final product, set to be released this year.
Listen To This: Tres Leches
The wave of lullaby albums that swept over us last year has receded, but there are still a few albums coming out. One that I have hopes for is the upcoming debut kids' CD from New York a capella trio Tres Leches, Tres Leches: Songs, Chants & Lullabies for All Our Relations.
I prefer the album's alternate (older) title -- Zzzz: Lullabies and Music to Wind Down To -- the name (if not the music) is zippier and gives a better indication of why you and your family might give it a spin. The music on their myspace page features English-language and non-English-language tracks and for those of you who are looking to add to their collection of Ellipsis Arts and Planet Sleeps lullaby disks, I think you'll want to keep your eyes open (or closed) for this.
Dogs and Butterflies: New Stuff (sort of) from Mr. David
It's been awhile since I've talked about California-based musician Mr. David -- too long methinks -- but that doesn't mean he hasn't been busy. He's just posted "Rainbow of Butterflies," a mellow groove originally recorded last year as a fundraiser for a Bay Area preschool. It features a chorus of kids, some nifty guitar work, and if you like Mr. David at all, it's worth your time to check it out -- the track is at his Myspace page.
Mr. David, who recently relocated to the Los Angeles area, also released a video for "She's a Good Dog," off his excellent Jump in the Jumpy House disk from '06. Pretty simple -- Mr. David, and a dog, and not much else -- but I think the song is one of the more idiosyncratic and affectionate portraits in song of a canine friend. (Tip: view the video in high quality -- "normal quality" looks a little chunky.)
Mr. David - "She's a Good Dog"
New Dog on Fleas Music, Video (With Bonus Elizabeth Mitchell!)
My Dog on Fleas cup runneth over this evening.
First, head on over to the band's Facebook page to give their new bonus track "Love" a spin. The word "love" makes up maybe 80% of the total lyrics, so it'll probably fit well on your kid's mix CDs they're making for their 2nd grade class for Valentine's Day. (What, they're not making mix CDs?)
Second, head on over to Jitterbug to watch a new video for "Cranberry Sauce Flotilla", the super-fun title track from the album of the same name. Lots of men in hats. But not Men In Hats.
Finally, I told you about the High Meadow Songs album about a year ago, and in January 2008, there was a benefit concert.
Luckily, someone captured Dog on Fleas, Elizabeth Mitchell, and Daniel Littleton doing "Jenny Jenkins" live. (Sadly, it took me a year to discover it.) Great version.
Stream The New Robbert Bobbert Albbum
Normally, I'd (attempt to) write something witty, but I'm crazy busy this week.
ABC News' Amplified, their weekly indie rock show (who knew?) is streaming the upcoming self-titled debut from Robert Schneider's Robbert Bobbert and the Bubble Machine.
Go here. Make sure you check out "We R Super Heroes" if nothing else.
Robbert Bobbert and the Bubble Machine is out Feb. 17 on Little Monster Records.
