Listen To This: Vol. 4 (La Educación) - minimúsica (Various Artists)

I've been a long-time admirer of the fine folks at minimúsica, the young-person's offshoot of Spanish/Catalan label Sonos.  They've previously released 3 albums of first-rate, mostly Spanish-language indie-pop for the kiddos about food, transportation, and animals, and now, after a successful crowd-funding campaign, they've released their fourth album, La Educación.

Even if you're not proficient in Spanish (or Catalan -- L'Educació), I think you can understand the theme of this latest venture -- it's all about education.

Because Spanish is not my second language, I can't vouch for the educational nature of most of the songs, but even the English-speaking among you will recognize the energy of the opening track, Joan Colomo's "A, e, i, o, u" and its follow-up, Christina Rosenvinge's take on "Do, Re, Mi."  There are 3 other tracks in English, though they're not my favorites.  Stream the album below, and if the songs move you, 5 Euros is less than $7 for a download.

Listen To This: Follow Me - Little Miss Ann

Oh, look, it's a new album from Chicago's Little Miss Ann.  It's Follow Me, and although it's officially released May 1, she's put it up for the world to stream.  The album, pushed out into the world courtesy of a Kickstarter campaign, features some sprightly originals like the title track and "Can You Make a Circle?," not to mention the classic "Bushel and a Peck" from Guys and Dolls.  Worth some time to check out.

Little Miss Ann - Follow Me [Bandcamp]

Listen To This: We're a Club in the Woods - Bears and Lions

I've already talked about how Florida's Bears and Lions strode into Kindiefest 2013 and knocked us all over with their slightly anarchic energy.

Well, it's taken nearly a year, but their debut album We're a Club in the Woods can now be streamed so everyone can hear for themselves their gloriously goofy stories about pancakes and dogs and much more.  (Official album release is in mid-May.)

At the very least, give "Pancakes" (the first track) a spin with your kids and tell me at least one of you isn't shouting "PAN-CAKE SWEEP-STAKES" by the end.

Listen To This: The Kingdom of Heaven Is Like This - Rain for Roots

Now, I realize that there is probably a not insubstantial portion of my readership with a distinctly secular/humanist/athiest worldview, and probably another insubstantial portion of the Jewish faith.  If you find yourself in either of those categories, you can probably move on, check out the site tomorrow.

But if you have a Christian faith background, and you're reading a kindie music site, then you should probably know about Rain for Roots, a Nashville-based quartet of women writing and performing thoughtful songs from that Christian faith background.  (It includes Katy Bowser from the still-wonderful, and secular, kids' jazz group Coal Train Railroad.)  Their first album Big Stories for Little Ones was everything their teaser sampler suggested, and their forthcoming album The Kingdom of Heaven Is Like This is another collection of lovingly-arranged folk-rock for the Sunday School set.  This is for fans of Justin Roberts' Why Not Sea Monsters? disks and Elizabeth Mitchell's more mystical/religious sounds.  Many of the songs, however, explicitly reference God and Jesus, so your taste in this music will be bound by your religious preference.

Listen To This: "Fireflies" - Laurie Berkner

Laurie Berkner Lullabies, the Kickstarter-funded lullaby album from Laurie Berkner, is set to be released on April 8, and we're finally getting to hear some of the music from the album.  It's the song "Fireflies," and if the rest of the album is as delightful as this one, we're in for a sleepy treat.  A simple a cappella melody just as sweet as "Moon Moon Moon," one of my all-time Berkner favorites.

Laurie Berkner - "Fireflies" [Soundcloud]

Listen To This: "Sing To Me" - Walter Martin feat. Karen O

Very geeked to hear the news that Walter Martin, the organist for the band The Walkmen (now on "extreme hiatus") is coming out with a new album of family-friendly music We're All Young Together.

When you hear the whole thing, I think you'll be geeked to hear the actual album, too.

But for the moment, you'll have to limit your excitement to enjoying this gentle lullaby from the album -- "Sing To Me" features the Yeah Yeah Yeah's Karen O.  If in fact you're allowed to be excited by a lullaby, seems to miss the point, right?

Anyway, besides Karen O, who appears on a couple tracks, there are a number of other guest stars -- Matt Beringer from the National, Kat Edmonson, and Alex Ounsworth from Clap Your Hands Say Yeah.  We're All Young Together will be released on May 13.