Listen To This: "Skip To My Lou" - Dan Zanes feat. Chuck D & Memphis Jelks

Lead Belly, Baby! album cover

If the sound of Dan Zanes singing "Skip To My Lou" with Chuck D and Memphis Jelks throwing in some (new) lyrics doesn't put a smile on your face (and whet your appetite for Lead Belly, Baby!, Zanes' upcoming Smithsonian Folkways album featuring his takes on the family-friendly music the blues musician recorded for the label decades ago), then... listen again.  Really good stuff, reminiscent of Zanes' best work.  Lead Belly, Baby! is out August 25.

Dan Zanes feat. Chuck D & Memphis Jelks - "Skip To My Lou" [YouTube]

Listen To This: "Colander Sun" - Lard Dog & The Band of Shy

"Colander Sun" single cover

So there's song about colanders and... well, that's all I really need to say, because, c'mon, do you really need to hear yet another song about puppies or holidays or friendship when you can hear an ode to colanders?  The number of kids' artists I figure as being up for a song featuring colanders is pretty small, and Lard Dog & The Band of Shy is definitely amongst them.

"Colander Sun" is part of the band's "Song-of-the-Month" project where they're releasing one song each month, given for free for the price of an e-mail address.  The song is, according to the band "in honor of Lard Dog's ancestry and in appreciation for this shiny, often over-looked option for a hat choice."  Yes, that's weird, but that's par for the course for the band, prepping its next full length album, Dreamers, out September 22.  Even ignoring the lyrical subject matter, it's got a nifty, blues riff on the guitar, and some fabulous vocals in the second half of the song from Sharaé Moultrie.  It's good for your spleen, or, at least, will cause no damage whatsoever.

Lard Dog & The Band of Shy - "Colander Sun" [Soundcloud]

Song for Mother's Day: "Mother's Day 1976 (The Worst Smell in the World)" - Baron Von Rumblebuss

Mother's Day cover

It's been awhile since I've put together a list of songs for moms -- the list was long 7 years ago, and I have no doubt that there are dozens if not more I could add.  In lieu of quantity, this year I'm going for quality.  The song is "Mother's Day 1976 (The Worst Smell in the World)," and it's a last-minute entry from North Carolina poptimists Baron Von Rumblebuss.  The Baron himself, Tray Batson, notes that he "aimed for a 70’s pop vibe in the vein of ELO, with a dash of Pure Prairie League, maybe," wrapped around a sweet story about boy making a last-minute Mother's Day gift.  There's a bit of bathroom humor, but I think the song absolutely nails the tone.  Give it a spin below.

Baron Von Rumblebuss - "Mother Day 1976 (The Worst Smell in the World)" [Reverbnation]

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!