Listen To This: "Hey Matt" - Walter Martin (with Matt Berninger)

My Kinda Music album cover

It's been nearly three years since the kids music world had a family music album from Walter Martin.  We're All Young Together was an appealingly shaggy collection of songs inspired by Martin's memories of growing up in a family with lots of music playing, both at home and on road trips.  While "appealingly shaggy" applies to a not insignificant percentage of favorite kindie albums at Zooglobble HQ, We're All Young Together also featured something more unusual among kids music albums -- serious indie cred.  When you can get Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Alec Ounsworth from Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, among others, to play on your album,  then you definitely have some sway.

Those weren't the only artists on the album -- Martin also roped in Matt Berninger from The National on "We Like the Zoo," which received one of the more unique videos in recent kids music video memory.

Well, news this morning that Martin has a brand new album coming out called My Kinda Music, and in addition to a duet with Laura Gibson, Martin also duets once more with Berninger.  It's for the song "Hey Matt," a celebration of unique voices in music.  It's goofy, and features a second verse plot twist (for lack of a better phrase) that might confuse the kiddos but will greatly amuse the older music fans in the audience.

My Kinda Music is out May 5th.  Can't wait.

Walter Martin (with Matt Berninger) - "Hey Matt" [YouTube]

Listen To This: "The Cardoons" - Pointed Man Band (World Premiere!)

As the drabness of winter hangs on, the thoughts of kids (and their parents) turn to sunshine and outdoor explorations.  As an unofficial theme song to this run-up to spring, might I suggest "The Cardoons"?  It's the first single from Portland's Pointed Man Band forthcoming album Between the Waves and the Cardoons, and the track is a particularly joyful celebration of enjoying youth, not only from the perspective of the young ones themselves, but also their parents.  For this, the album's closing track, PMB mastermind Dan Elliott also brought along Jack Forman (Recess Monkey) and Josh Shriber (Josh and the Jamtones) to sing along on the chorus.

"From the firewood / To the neighborhood."  Indeed.

I'm pleased as punch to offer up the world premiere of "The Cardoons" today (along with that sweet GIF).  Between the Waves and the Cardoons is released on March 3, and you can pre-order the album here.  Enjoy the song!

Listen To This: Super Deluxe Action Figures - Todd & Cookie (World Premiere!)

Super Deluxe Action Figures cover

Yay, brand new music from Todd & Cookie!

Wait -- you don't know who Todd & Cookie are?  Well, I can't blame you if you're not familiar with them as it's been 3 years since their last and only EP -- the Epic 3-Song Starter Park.  they're the awesome duo of Todd McHatton (aka Todd) and Mista Cookie Jar (aka Cookie -- this isn't a terribly complicated naming system here).

But, yes, they've been thinking about more music since the first EP.  Cartoons and videos are on the way.  And most importantly for our purposes, they've got a brand new 3-song EP, Super Deluxe Action Figures.  The new music is every bit the blend of psychedelia and multicultural hip-hop you'd expect from the duo, both sonically and lyrically (those titles! "eMutt," "In the Backyard," and my favorite "Ice Cream Time Machine.")   Like ice cream swirls?  You'll love this.

You can, of course, buy the EP (less than $3) below, but here's something you can do if all or your kids you do is press that big triangle below, click that "share" link and spread the love.

The album officially drops today -- thanks to the boys for world premiering it here!

Listen To This: "Washington, DC" - The Not-Its! (World Premiere / Free Download!)

The Not-Its - Washington, DC single cover

Sure, some of you may be thinking about Valentine's Day, but the more politically minded among us have already moved on to my favorite holiday in February: Presidents' Day.

It celebrates Presidents Washington and Lincoln, and I guess every president, and besides the 3-day weekend it gives many workers, it's also an opportunity to think about the nation's political process, leaders, and the people's role in self-governance.

The Not-Its! brand new album Are You Listening? is released this Friday, February 19th, and their latest single is titled "Washington, DC."  And while it starts out as a travelogue, it segues into about as nuanced a discussion of the political process as you'd expect from a pop-punk song targeted at 6-year-olds.  Are you listening?  Well, I'm making it as easy as I can -- for a limited time you can not only stream but also download the track below.

(Art by Not-Its! drummer Michael Welke)

The Not-Its - "Washington, DC" [Soundcloud]

Listen To This: "Pretty Little World" - Michael and The Rockness Monsters (World Premiere!)

Pretty Little World single cover

There will always be a need for simple pop songs for pure pop kids, and I've got one such song for you today.

The song's called "Pretty Little World," and it's a single from the upcoming 2016 debut album from Michael and the Rockness Monsters titled, well, Michael and the Rockness Monsters.  Which is just a long way of saying that it's the first album meant for the general public from Michael Napolitano, founder of the Preschool of Rock.  The New Jersey/New York-based program provides music classes and birthday parties for, um, preschoolers (and younger ones).

In any case, this song is gentle with a spirit of wonder.  Also, it features bells.  I love the bells.  If you want to grab a copy of the single for your very own, you can do so on iTunes and Amazon.  Or just stream the rainbow goodness below.

Michael and the Rockness Monsters - "Pretty Little World" [Soundcloud]

Listen To This: "Trees Are the Hair of the Earth" - Mr. Steve, the Music Man

I have been a longtime fan of Steve Lee, the Nashville-by-way-of-Arkansas musician -- his 2006 album What Did You Today, Stephen Scott Lee? was an out-of-left-field day-in-the-life slice of occasional pop perfection whose shiny brilliance blinded me and completely overwhelmed whatever resistance I usually have to songs that have messages.

It's been a looooong time for the follow-up, but Steve Lee, who in the kids music world now bills himself as Mr. Steve, the Music Man, is ready.  This Friday sees the official release of Earth Party!, the brand-new album from Lee, and I, for one, am very happy about that.  I reviewed Earth Party earlier this year, and here's a selection of adjectives I used about the album that encourages greater consideration of environmental needs: "earth-friendly," "rousing," and "joyful."  It's brief, but it shows every bit of the brilliance the 2006 album did.

So, I'm very happy to premiere "Trees Are the Hair of the Earth," a track that, as I noted in that review, "packs wordplay, a plea against deforestation, and a plaintive melody into less than 4 minutes of pop goodness."  Lee is joined by Street Corner Symphony, Gabe Dixon, Jason Eskridge, and Alyssa Bonagura.  Stream it below, and if you can't wait 'til the official release date, you can pick it up on iTunes here.  Enjoy!