Video: "Gotta Be You" - Secret Agent 23 Skidoo

We don't talk about "star quality" much in kids music -- the giants of the genre like Ella Jenkins or Raffi command the stage more with quiet presence rather than loudness.  But Secret Agent 23 Skidoo has that other kind of "star quality," which suggests he's supremely confident in what he's singing and rapping about.

Watch this video for "Gotta Be You," a track off of his new album Make Believers, and tell me that he -- and DJ Fireworks and Adam Strange, who also contribute -- doesn't have some star quality. (Hat tip: Dadnabbit)

Secret Agent 23 Skidoo - "Gotta Be You" [YouTube]

Video: "Happy Place" - Mista Cookie Jar & the Chocolate Chips

To call this video from Mista Cookie Jar and the Chocolate Chips sun-drenched understates the amount of sunshine that went into its making -- if it could convert the solar energy inside into electricity, it'd be a big enough carbon offset for an entire town.  It's for "Happy Place," the leadoff single from their new album Ultramagnetic Universal Love Revolution, out May 8th.  A lovely summer jam with a fun California-beach video to match.

Mista Cookie Jar & the Chocolate Chips - "Happy Place" [YouTube]

Video: "Yellow" - Renee & Jeremy

Renee & Jeremy's new album of covers A Little Love is out in a couple weeks.  It's good.  Really good.  (Stream some long-form samples at their website.)  But I can hear some hipsters saying, "Coldplay? Really?"

I'm sorry -- the LA duo (and Kindiefest showcaser's) cover of "Yellow" is gorgeous.  And their new video for the song, created by Jon Izen?  Just as much so.  If you don't like this, I feel sorry for you.

Renee & Jeremy - "Yellow" [YouTube via Huffington Post]

Video: "Swim Like the Dolphin" - Rolie Polie Guacamole

This video for "Swim Like the Dolphin" from Rolie Polie Guacamole's latest album Houses of the Moly second album Hummus is a lot like the song -- pretty simple but very effective.  81 seconds of a sweet little stop-motion animation video from Miriam Rayevsky.

Rolie Polie Guacamole - "Swim Like the Dolphin" [YouTube]

Video: "My Dog Steve" - The Hipwaders (World Premiere)

Short, sharp, and to the point, that's "My Dog Steve," the leadoff track from the Hipwaders' most-excellent latest release, The Golden State.

As a recent initiate into the world of dog-owner-dom, this song makes even more sense now than it did last summer when I first heard it.  But even cat people will like it, I promise.

I'm proud to be world-premiering the new video for the song.  The occasionally retro-styled video featuring assorted canine hijinks is from the fine folks at Planet Sunday.  Make sure you stick around to the end of the video for, yes, the twist ending.

The Hipwaders - "My Dog Steve" [YouTube]

Video: "There's a Band in My Head" - Dog on Fleas

Invisible Friends album coverDean Jones is a busy man -- producing albums for folks like Recess Monkey and Story Laurie while putting the finishing touches on a BRAND NEW DOG ON FLEAS ALBUM!  (Yes, I'm shouting, because that's great news, people.)

On top of all that, there's a new video to go along with a track from the new album, Invisible Friends, out in June (or April 24 via teh Internets).  The video for the song "There's a Band in My Head" is homemade, lo-fi, weird -- a little delirious, even -- and in its collage is greater than the sum of its parts.  Sorta like the song -- and band -- itself.

Dog on Fleas - "There's a Band in My Head" [YouTube]