Radio Playlist: New Music November 2013

It's fall, always a time filled with new album releases, so it's again time to post another Spotify update (see the October playlist here).  As always, it's limited in that if an artist hasn't chosen to post a song on Spotify, I can't put it on the list, nor can I feature songs from as-yet-unreleased albums.  But I'm always keeping stuff in reserve for the next Spotify playlist.

Check out the list here or go right here if you're in Spotify.

**** New Music November 2013 (November 2013 Kindie Playlist) ****

The Zing Zangs – Super Speed (feat. Mista Cookie Jar)
Martha Wainwright – I've a New Friend
Frederica von Stade – Je porte ma lanterne jolie
Debi Smith – Keep On the Sunny Side (feat. Doc Watson, The Smith Sisters & Mark O'Connor)
Cary Kanno – Home Is Where the Heart Is
Marc Imboden – Wodden Spoon
The Dirty Sock Funtime Band (w/ Laurie Berkner) – We're in Love
The Buzztown Band – In My Arms
Andy Mason – The Pirate Song
Lolly & YoYo – Rainy Day
Charlie Hope – Harmony (feat. Elizabeth Mitchell)
Luscious Jackson – Hula Hoop

Itty-Bitty Review: Introducing: Jelly of the Month Club - Jelly of the Month Club

Another day, another album by a collection of artists best known for their music for adults.

Yes, it's possible to be a kids music reviewer jaded by news that members of Southern California-area bands like Sublime, the Ziggens, and more came together to record as Jelly of the Month Club.  Been there, done that, right?

But as I am constantly reminded in this neck of the musical woods, it's possible to be surprised by people, and their debut album Introducing: Jelly of the Month Club is a blast of energy from beginning to end.  There's a ska-punk feeling to a lot of the songs, of course (Exhibit A: "The English Language," which is Schoolhouse Rock by way of the Clash perhaps), but there are more diverse sounds, such as the mellower album opener, the strumming "Brand New Friend."  Some songs like "Tell Someone" contain lessons of a sort, but that's a song that namechecks Cheryl Ladd and Chaka Khan, to name a few, so clearly there's a playfulness that cuts through any overt "Learn. This." approach.   There are points at which I wondered who the songs were for (I sort of feel sorry for any kid who understands the CSNY reference on "Gone Squatchin'"), so it's possible that some kids might not care. On the other hand, I don't know if "Girlfriend" is really a kids' song (it was originally recorded by the Ziggens), but there's such gleeful joy, especially in the chorus, that kids'll probably hook into it immediately.  And there's a fart song, too ("Timmy Turtle Head"), so it's got that.

The album is probably most appropriate for kids ages 3 through 9.  You can stream some of the songs from the 35-minute album here.  Introducing: Jelly of the Month Club won't be for every family -- it all depends on how energetic and inner-7-year-old boy your family likes their music.  But there's a lot here to enjoy and dance along with.  Definitely recommended.

Weekly Summary (11/11/13 - 11/17/13)

Reminder: I Podcast. Quite A Bit, Actually

Do you know I spend some time talking into a microphone?

No, not just an NPR microphone -- a much cheaper one.  It's the microphone I use to record 3 different podcasts, and if you haven't checked them out, now is the perfect time as new episodes of each have gone up in the past 48 hours.

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For My Other Other Gig, I just posted an interview with Molly Ledford from the band Lunch Money about the space puppet musical Planet Hopping she's helped create with the South Carolina puppet duo Belle et Bête.  The 33-minute conversation is lots of fun and, as always, gets into issues of stretching yourself creatively.  (Subscribe to the feed here: iTunes / http://zooglobble.com/my-other-other-gig?format=rss)

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For Bake Sale, I posted an interview I conducted last week with Brady Rymer.  He was prepping his Kickstarter campaign to produce his seventh album for families, Just Say Hi!.  That project went live this week, and so did the interview. It's an 18-minute conversation about Kickstarter and community.  (Subscribe to the feed here: iTunes / http://zooglobble.com/bakesale?format=rss)

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Finally, just about every week I give you the Kindie Week in Review -- "all that's news in the world of kids music and beyond," and do it in less than 10 minutes -- maybe 5 if you're listen on double speed.  Tons of news in this week's review -- album releases, Kickstarters, and chart news, plus more.  (Subscribe to the feed here: iTunes / http://zooglobble.com/kindie-week-in-review?format=rss).

If you're interested in kids music, I think you'll find at least one of these podcasts worth your time.  Thanks for listening.

 

Itty-Bitty Review: Color This Album: Chris Doud, Willy Tea Taylor, and More

Saying that Color This Album came out of nowhere is an insult to Oakdale, California (east of the Bay Area), but it's also sort of true.  One doesn't usually receive music as good as this from folks entirely removed from kids music hotspots.

But here we are anyway.  The album is 19 tracks of Americana goodness from the Heckabad record label, home to Chris Doud, (his band) The Good Luck Thrift Store Outfit, Willy Tea Taylor, and Joey No Knows.  There's the country bluegrass of "Larry the Frog," the Woody Guthrie absurdity of "Hop in the Car," and the bluesy lament "Lullaby to Stellaouise."  Or perhaps you'd prefer Bob Dylan-in-silly-mode "Crayons," the bluegrass raveup "Thirteen Bears" (it's the number of bears on the shirt, in case you're wondering), and the stone-cold classic of parental frustration/unconditional love "Take You Into My Arms."  If the 58-minute album runs a bit long and features a couple story-like tracks ("Elf Outta Work" and "The Ballad of Scruffers the Circus Dog") that bring the album to a halt, I guess that's what the fast-forward button is for.

Color This Album is most appropriate for kids ages 3 through 8.  (Listen to the whole album here.)  It's a romp through a world of animals and imagination, and the long-awaited (spiritual) sequel to the classic Bloodshot Records album The Bottle Let Me Down.  Here's to continued surprises (and hoping that these guys get a few gigs in the Bay Area if they want 'em.  Definitely recommended.

Itty-Bitty Review: Fun Food Songs - Raffi

It has been too long since Raffi gave us a whole album of original music for kids (2002 was the last time, with Let's Play ).  But even though the Canadian kids music legend still has an incredible voice and delights listeners in concert, he's more interested in tweeting and writing than recording new music.  And with a back catalog stretching back 25+ years and more than 10 albums, there's plenty of opportunity for his label to repackage his output in new ways for a new generation.  (See here an example from more than 7 years ago.)

This week sees the release of Fun Food Songs, a collection of songs associated (to varying degrees) with food.  Ranking high on the food association (and enjoyability) scale are Raffi classics like "Peanut Butter Sandwich" and "The Corner Grocery Store."  More of a stretch for the collection (but no less enjoyable) are songs like "Down By the Bay" and "Brush Your Teeth."  These songs are, for the most part, fun, in part because few of them were written or recorded with the idea of Making Food Fun.

The 15-song,  30-minute album is most appropriate for kids ages 2 through 6.  Because I consider a lot of Raffi's work essential, collections of previously-recorded such as these aren't.  But it's a solid collection of songs from a wide range of his albums, and if you don't have any Raffi songs, or if you're looking for an instantaneous food-themed CD for a classroom or daycare setting, this'll be great.  Recommended.

Note: I was provided an advance stream of the album for poss