Video: "Sloop John B" - Josh and the Jamtones

As the release of the brand new Josh and the Jamtones album ROCKSTEADY grows ever closer, they're continuing to release videos for maximum entertainment.

Their latest video is for "Sloop John B," and I know this may surprise you, but it's energetic.  (And with Jesse Wagner from the Aggrolites sitting in, why wouldn't it be?)

Now, it's not energetic as in LOOK AT ALL THE COLORS (waves hello at "Tailfeather" video), rather it's more energetic as in BATTLEBOT MONSTERS (waves hello at "Snow Day" video).

Pirates!  Monsters!  Flying escapes!  (And not a single Apple text message tone.)

Josh and the Jamtones - "Sloop John B" [YouTube]

Video: "C Is for Cat" - The Pop Ups

The wonderful duo The Pop Ups are continuing their video series, and their latest, Episode 4, features a BRAND NEW SONG.  The song is called "C Is for Cat," and while I can't say that it reaches the level of bonkers that their video for "Robot Dance" did, it's still pretty darn good as it outlines feline preferences (cars and carp, among other things).  And that robot dance video didn't instruct you or your kids on how to draw a cat.  This one?  Nailed it.

The Pop Ups - "C Is for Cat" [YouTube]

Video: "Omnicorn" - They Might Be Giants

I know, I just posted last week about "Walking My Cat Named Dog," the nearly 50-year-old Norma Tanega song They Might Be Giants covered last week as part of their Dial-A-Song project.  Fans have been speculating as to which songs TMBG has been releasing weekly via DAS will end up on the new kids' album (which the band announced last month would be titled Why?), but if this latest song and video doesn't end up on it, well, it doesn't matter -- you're going to play this for your kids anyway.

It's "Omnicorn," and if that still from the video, directed by Paul Sahre, doesn't intrigue you, how about this lyrical couplet: "Omnicorn.  Leaping over someone's Mobius strip / Left behind from a vactioning trip."  I have no idea what that means, but it's such a rip-roarin' song, it'll leave your family with a fuzzy feeling, crazy string everywhere.

They Might Be Giants - "Omnicorn" [YouTube]

Photo via They Might Be Giants

Video: "Walking My Cat Named Dog" - They Might Be Giants

We here at Zooglobble HQ (which, to be clear, is my house) are looking forward to the forthcoming kids music album from They Might Be Giants.  The as-yet-untitled (to the public) album would be the first kids album from the band since 2009's Here Comes Science.

I don't have much inside information, but back in April as part of their Dial-A-Song project they released a song and video for "Thinking Machine," and its trippy, animated video and meta-silly lyrics were widely interpreted as being perfect for the upcoming kids album.

And last week they released another song that most folks are thinking is definitely going on that kids album, too -- "Walking My Cat Named Dog," a remake of a song written and released by Norma Tanega back in 1966.  (The song hit #22 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.)  With its species-bending premise (the spiritual precursor, I suppose, of Trout Fishing in America's "Chicken Joe," about a cat named, well, you know), it seems like a swell fit for the band.

It's a mellow romp, with some witty animation from Mixtape Club.  Even if it's not on the next album, definitely one for the kiddos.

They Might Be Giants - "Walking My Cat Named Dog" [YouTube]

Video: "Tailfeather" - Josh and the Jamtones

Josh and the Jamtones Rocksteady cover

Anyone who's seen Josh and the Jamtones' live show knows they are ten-ton bundle of energy.  The Boston-based ska-punk-pop band's latest album, Rocksteady, is formally released August 21, but I can say that the album very much captures that live energy in the studio setting.

One of the most revved up songs from that album gets the honor of lead single and a brand-new video to go with it.  It's for "Tailfeather," and I feel like there should be a seizure warning before it because MAN, is there a lot going on.

But the song's a bunch of fun, and the video, which basically animates a bunch of clips of the band performing in concert, pretty much nails their live energy.  I think it's great.

Josh and the Jamtones - "Tailfeather" [YouTube]

Video: "Groove" - Lori Henriques (World Premiere!)

Summertime... and sometimes all you want to do is relax with a cold beverage and a bit of shade from the sun.

Your kids, of course, often have an entirely different idea.

For the latest video from Lori Henriques' excellent How Great Can This Day Be album, Henriques melds the two concepts.  In the video for "Groove," a very jazzy dance song, her brother (and director here) Joel Henriques slows down the juvenile dancers and puts a filter on them so it seems all so... relaxed.  Very apropos for this world premiere video.

Lori Henriques - "Groove" [YouTube]