Zooglobble

Many months ago, I exchanged e-mails with Gregory Hollow Tree of the L.A.-based the Hollow Trees -- known to his kin as Greg McIlvaine -- about what lay ahead for the band. He said what lay ahead was "the Hollow Trees v. 2.0."

He wasn't kidding. What used to be a pretty small band has now morphed into the kids' music equivalent of the Polyphonic Spree or We're From Barcelona -- I'd checked out their new lineup 3 or 4 weeks ago and was shocked to see all the names listed there.

Well, since I last visited their website they've announced their new CD -- Welcome to Nelsonville -- and posted 3 mp3s: go here to listen to the fun traditional "Ain't Gonna Rain No More" (a sequel in spirit to their first album's "Jack Was Every Inch a Sailor"), a shuffling Hollow Tree original "Hootenanny", and a zippity cover of "Skoodle Um Skoo." All three tracks just sound good. The band may have swelled to indie-pop size, but they're still making a great Americana roots and folk sound. (Hat tip to Gwyneth for the heads up.)

Posted by SAShepherd at 08:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If your family at all liked the title track from Renee and Jeremy's fine album "It's A Big World" or the album's cover art by illustrator Hsinping Pan, you will love this video, in which two very good things combine to make something...

Gorgeous.

Posted by SAShepherd at 02:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Austin's Biscuit Brothers are best seen on TV or live. There's a definite theatrical sensibility in the episodes you can watch on selected PBS stations or on DVD, and they've been performing live even longer. (The live shows were the inspiration for the TV show, in fact.)

As good as those shows are, though, trying to capture the essential Biscuit nature on CD is a little tougher. Their previous disk, Old MacDonald's EIEI Radio, sounded a little bit like a (long) TV episode, with a little emphasis on the educational component of the TV show. It usually worked OK, but there were points where it seemed like there were some visuals missing and it wasn't as entertaining as watching the show.

Now, with their just-released Family Favorites, they're taking a slightly different approach, essentially forgoing attempts at direct education and an episodic structure, and putting together an album of fun songs, some of which were originally recorded for the TV show, some of which are new for this album. While the result is definitely not like the show in its overall structure, the album does a fine job of capturing the Biscuit Brothers spirit, energy, and humor.

The album starts off with a great version of the "Wabash Cannonball" -- its soaring chorus is a high point of the album -- and proceeds to wander through some time-tested tunes. Irving Berlin ("Alexander's Ragtime Band) and George M. Cohan ("Grand Old Flag" and "Yankee Doodle Scarecrow" -- OK, that last one has been modified a bit from the original) help the 20th century make an appearance, while "Old Dan Tucker" gets a smooth, polished performance from the band. Indeed, one of the pleasures of the CD is listening to the Brothers' fine voices and Allen Robertson's musical arrangements in song after song. And while the Biscuit Brothers' primary musical approach is renditions of folk songs, they're talented enough to make the alphabet song sound a bit like the Fifth Dimension on "Alphabet!"

And, yeah, Tiny Scarecrow, one of my favorite kids' show characters of all time (and one who gets high marks from my kids, too), gets his share of air time -- he's appropriately goofy on the "World's Shortest Dance Break," he negotiates the rapid-fire lyrics on "Tiger Rag" -- so that pleased me. In the let's-make-a-silly-rhyme "Schnitzelbank," he makes a Rene Magritte reference about floating apples -- high and low in the same song.

These songs are really an all-ages setlist, but given a couple of the titles, let's put the target range at kids ages 2 through 9. You can hear clips from the 34-minute album at its CDBaby page.

If you're already a Biscuit Brothers fan, you've probably picked up Family Favorites by now -- and if you haven't, you should. For those of you who aren't sure about the Brothers, I think this is a fun album you can enjoy even if you've never seen the show -- it's the best audio introduction to the Biscuit Brothers. Recommended.

Posted by SAShepherd at 07:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I hear about a bunch of benefit albums. And a benefit album with tracks from Elizabeth Mitchell, Dog on Fleas, and Medeski Martin & Wood definitely piques my interest.

But any benefit album which includes songs like "True True Friend" from Dog on Fleas collaborator Debbie Lan with this description -- "This song was written for our musical last year (a collaborative piece, interpreted and adapted by Allison Uzzle and the 7th/ 8th graders – the challenge was to take the epic poem ‘Beouwolf’ and make it into a musical comedy!) and we needed a sweet song for four of our sweet girls, and so I wrote this for them. They did a sterling job. Thanks girls!! (Isabelle Lacedonia, Rebekah Underhill-Hval, Corin Mosack and Zoe Saridakis.)" -- well, I'm well beyond piqued.

Proceeds from High Meadow Songs benefits High Meadow Arts, Inc. a Hudson Valley non-profit organization "dedicated to providing excellent arts education to local children and families." Listen to 3 tracks -- Debbie Lan's soulful "I'm On Your Side," Dog on Fleas' typically Fleasian (that is, eclectic and fun) "Buffalo Gals," and the nifty "Hudson River Girl" from Abby Hollander, Lilly Morganstern & the Hudson River Girls -- here. The record release party is Sunday, Dec. 2 at 6 PM.

Posted by SAShepherd at 08:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you've read this website over the past five or six months, you know how big a fan I (and the rest of my family) have become of Austin's Biscuit Brothers. They've recorded four CDs and make the not-infrequent concert appearance in the Austin area with their top-notch, often rootsy versions of American classics and originals, packed with not a small amount of wit for both kids and parents.

But it's their PBS TV show in which they really shine. Each episode of the show typically tackles a different musical concept -- tempo, harmony, folk songs, emotion in music -- and illustrates that concept through a variety of ways. The two brothers Dusty (Jerome Schoolar, the executive producer) and Buford (Allen Robertson, the musical director) are the genial guides; sister Buttermilk (Jill Leberknight, jack-of-all-trades) reads from "The Big Book of Music" (it's a really big book); and Tiny Scarecrow (a puppet voiced by Damon Brown, the director) often plays the fool, demonstrating a concept via exaggeration or general silliness.

It sounds dry on paper (or, er, the screen), but it's anything but. Just watch Go Make Music! Volume 2, a collection of 4 episodes from the show's second season (2006-2007) released this summer, and tell me you and your family members a) don't learn something, and b) don't enjoy it. It's explicitly educational, to be sure, but there's such joy and fun on the screen that you don't mind learning (or re-learning) even the most basic of concepts. In the episode titled "Dynamics," all about how loud and soft music is, Tiny Scarecrow and Buttermilk share a duet where Tiny doesn't quite get the concept of loud and soft at first. It's funny to hear Tiny singing "I am singing softly, softly, softly" at the top of his nasally voice, but it gets the point across to the young'uns quite clearly. Or in "Conduct Yourself," the Brothers go on a "Conducting Adventure" illustrating exactly how important conductors are to drawing good or bad musical performances out of people (or how confusing it can be to having two conductors). If there's a base musical style used for illustrating concepts, it might classical music, but the show employs a whole host of styles, particularly folk and roots music when just playing music.

By this, the second season, the show has certainly settled into its routines for each episode, and so the favorite segments -- "Instrument of the Day," Crazy Classics," the end-of-show song in Symphony Barn -- all make their appearances here. The production is, once again, first-class. To artists who think they can just put together a DVD without much effort, I encourage you to watch these shows and look at how many people it takes (or how much effort it takes) to put one of these disks together.

A few technical notes -- the disk contains four 27-minute episodes from the season's second (13-episode) season. It also includes all 12 "Instrument of the Day" segments from Season 2. Strung together, I found listening to the segment theme a dozen times in about 24 minutes a little tiring, but individually (either option is available), I think they're great little 2-minute lessons about, say, the clarinet. There's also a brief DVD "Easter egg" that's worth finding.

The shows are going to be of most interest to kids 3 through 8. Unfortunately, there's nothing showing the Biscuit Brothers in action on Youtube or anywhere else on the web (a segment or three from "The Best of Symphony Barn" episode would be perfect uploaded there, hint hint, guys). But trust me. You can buy all sorts of Biscuit Brothers stuff here.

We watch the two DVDs from the show quite a bit. I watch Go Make Music! Volume 2 and can't help but think that this show a) could be huge, and b) should be huge. They have just the right mix of educational goodness, entertaining productions, and musical talent that make the show a real treasure. Definitely recommended.

Posted by SAShepherd at 07:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

OK, perhaps mentions on an Esquire blog and a local television aren't quite the equivalent of, say, American Idol, but baby steps, man, baby steps.

Brooklyn's rockin' Deedle Deedle Dees have pulled off the unusual double-header.

First off, Esquire's Matt Marinovich's writes of his day as a children's band roadie. It's from a show the Dees did a couple weeks ago. It's an amusing read (plus a good description of a Dees show). My favorite part (and not just because there's a hint of my own life in there)?

A woman puts her hand on my shoulder. I turn around, expecting that I’m about to be offered my first sexual favor. Instead, it’s Beth, a friend of my wife’s. She’s there with her two kids.

“What are you doing here?” she says.

“I’m the band’s “roadie,” I says, putting quotes around “roadie” with my fingers to indicate mature, cynical detachment. This doesn’t seem to help matters. I turn around and hear her whispering something to the mom next to her. Feeling an urge to clarify things, I turn around and smile at her.

“I should have called my wife,” I say, as if the thought had just occurred to me. “Had her bring down the kids.”

“That would have been a good idea,” Beth says, looking at me warily. “It’s a kids’ concert, right?”

Posted by SAShepherd at 12:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

... because I'm gonna be writing a lot about the Biscuit Brothers, the awesome PBS show out of Austin, Texas, this week. If I really had my act together, I'd have the interview I did with them back in September, but that'll have to wait and you'll just have to live with some reviews.

According to their Wikipedia entry, in addition to appearing on a bunch of Texas stations, they are airing (or have aired) in North Carolina, New York, Oklahoma, Florida, Utah, Georgia, and California. If you live in an area that gets the Biscuit Brothers, and you're not already watching them, you (and your kids) are missing a great little show. (And if your local PBS station isn't showing them, write them and tell them the show is free. Free. Isn't America great?)

Posted by SAShepherd at 03:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ask anyone who attends a Dan Zanes concert and they'll tell you that the most energetic point in the show is the entrance of longtime Zanes collaborator Father Goose. When he strides onstage, Father Goose (known to others as Rankin' Don or even Wayne Rhoden) works to bring the whole crowd to their feet.

Now, with the recent release of his first album for Zanes' Festival Five Records, It's A Bam Bam Diddly!, one of 2007's best kids and family music albums as judged by this year's Fids & Kamily Poll Father Goose has started to carve out a name as a family music ringleader in his own right.

Father Goose recently answered a few questions about his musical upbringing and approach on his latest CD. Read on for what music he listened to growing up ("The Gambler?"), how he put together his latest album, and what exactly he does while waiting to go on stage at a Dan Zanes show.

Oh, and read on for a free download from the latest CD, courtesy of Festival Five Records. (It's for a limited time, so grab it while you can.)

Thanks to Father Goose for taking the time to answer the questions...

Photo courtesy Arthur Elgort

**********

Zooglobble: What music do you remember listening to or singing growing up?
Father Goose: Growing up in Jamaica, which is known as the birthplace of reggae music, you would be surprised of the many other genres of music that are played on the island. I sang along to our superstars Bob Marley, Toots & The Maytals, Lee "Scratch" Perry and out of the USA I listened to Tom Jones, Kenny Rogers, James Brown and numerous others, even some from Europe.

Who (artists, parents, etc.) were your biggest musical influences?
My parents were great in that they did not set any limits as to the type of music I would listen to. That in itself was a blessing because without them my musical voyage would not have begun.

When did you decide you wanted to become a performer?

The need to do something music related started at an early age. I began playing instruments at five and by my early teens I was performing for friends and family.

How did you pick what songs you wanted to record for this CD?
The songs on the CD showcased my life’s journey from Jamaica to the United States. The folk tunes, nursery rhymes, r&b sound and reggae were music I loved as a child so when it came to selecting the songs for the CD I went with what I know.

How did you pick the artists who appear with you on the record?
When I started singing and performing in the U.S., Coolie Ranx and Screechy Dan were also performers and we all became good friends. When the time arrived for me to record this CD I knew I wanted to record with friends, Sister Carol because her lyrics are awesome and others that I have admired. I love Sheryl Crow’s music; she and Dan Zanes have collaborated in the past so I was honored when she agreed to sing on “Flying Machine.”

The CD sounds a little bit like a Dan Zanes CD in that the guest artists sometimes have the lead role while you (or Dan) are in the background -- more of a ringmaster than a leader. Was that by design?
I believe this CD differs somewhat from a Dan Zanes CD in that the main objective for the guests on the CD, metaphorically speaking, was that they were the ingredients and I came along as the seasoning that added flavor to the music.

What else did you learn these past few years from working with Dan?
Traveling with Dan these past few years around the globe has shown or highlighted the fact that the world truly wants and needs family music.

I'm just curious -- your appearance at a Dan Zanes concert is usually near the end of the show -- what do you do while waiting to go on stage?
Basically, I meditate and get in the zone prior to going onstage and the only way to achieve this is by separating oneself from the sounds, commotions and sometimes confusions that come with the production of a concert event.

What do you hope listeners (kids or adults) get out of the CD?
For them to take a look into my world and realize that my musical, spiritual and physical journey is never ending, there’s always a party going on… “it’s a bam, bam diddly!”

What's next for you?
Discovering the many other components to “Father Goose”; evaluate several new projects which have come my way that I have to take into consideration, and sooner rather than later put pen to paper on the tunes that are already hammering in my head for the next CD.

****************

Thanks to Father Goose and Festival Five for offering this limited-time free download to you, Zooglobble readers --the laid-back yet infectious "Chi Chi Buddo" Thanks, y'all!

Father Goose - "Chi Chi Buddo" (Time expired)

Posted by SAShepherd at 08:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Buck Howdy is the most-polished-sounding of the small but growing kids' country music subgenre. Howdy has a twangy but appealingly melodic voice and his tracks bear the sound of stellar production you'd hear on the best of Nashville's releases.

Buck Howdy's latest album, Chickens, showcases these strengths and adds another one -- BB, Howdy's co-singer at many live shows, just about gets co-billing. BB's sweet voice, which appears on almost every track, blends quite nicely with Howdy's. The old nugget "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens" is a great example of his approach, melding western swing with a bit of big band. Nice vocals from Howdy and his co-singer BB, a couple horns, and a sweet fiddle solo, all making for a fun and nifty three minutes. "You Are My Sunshine" doesn't have the horns, but the rendition has pep and swing.

There really aren't any bad tracks here -- either the Buck Howdy originals (7 of which are co-written with BB) or the 6 covers. I should note that Howdy is sort of a country-fied version of Dan Zanes, sometimes not so interested in making music for kids as much as making family-friendly music (or even just music that interests him). While the album is stronger as a whole than its predecessor, Giddyup!, there's nothing as immediately appealing for the kids as "Baked Beans" off that album. "Are You Havin' Any Fun?" is a great little chestnut (once recorded by Tony Bennett and Count Basie and ably covered here), but its theme of avoiding overwork will probably (hopefully) be over the heads of your kindergartner. As a result, if you're looking for an album that is laser-focused on kids' interests, this won't be your best bet.

Kids ages from 4 through 8 will most enjoy the specifically kid-focused songs here (though as I've noted, it's not kid-focused all the time). You can hear samples of the 41-minute album at Howdy's music page or the album's CDBaby page.

While Chickens might not be an album that speaks directly to kids at all times, it never underestimates them -- the production is top-notch and whoever isn't the main lyrical target of each song (be it the parents or the kids) will find enough other things going on musically that they'll enjoy the track. It's a fun little album -- recommended.

Posted by SAShepherd at 12:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm really more of a Shirt.Woot! guy, but if you're looking for some cool t-shirt designs in kids' (and perhaps adult) sizes, you need look no further than the results of the Hilltown Families Variety Show T-Shirt Review. Lots of t-shirts and lots of thoughts from tots and, uh, OK, I can't think of another word rhyming with "tots" that makes sense there.

Posted by SAShepherd at 03:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Sometimes people hear kids' music and think, "Hey, I could do that!" Sometimes those people decide they'll try their hand at writing and recording kids music of their own. At which point they find out it's lot harder than it looks. (No, I'm not speaking from personal recording experience, just lots of personal listening experience.)

Occasionally, though, somebody makes it look, well, if not easy, at least not incredibly difficult, either.

Case in point: Bakersfield, California's Mr. Oscat and their debut CD, Mr. Oscat Says.... Inspired by watching Noggin and thinking "I can write songs like that," and by kiddie new wave artists like Dan Zanes and Farmer Jason, Olen Taylor went ahead and did just that. The resulting is a pleasing new CD by a family band in the best sense of the word. The name of the band reflects the initials of the first names of the Taylor family (Olen, his wife Susan, and kids Caitlin and Alison) plus "T" for Taylor, and all four contribute to the disk. Olen does the lion's share of the work, writing or co-writing all but one track, but Susan co-wrote some tracks, and the kids lend their vocals.

Olen Taylor used to lead a roots-rock band called the Wichitas, and that roots-rock sound certainly makes an appearance on the disk ("Ducks in a Row," the vaguely Key Wilde-esque "Big Dog," and the Bakersfieldian country swing of "All You Wanna Do Is Play"), but the best tracks have a more pop-rock sound. "Mama Wants You To Dress Up (But You Don't Want To)" has a great singalong chorus ("'Cuz everybody knooooowwwws / what mama says, goes!"). "What's That Smell?" is Postal Service-style techno for kids ("Maybe Daddy's cooking chicken / Maybe he'll let us sample some...") And the best track, "Mr. Oscat Says," melds power-pop, techno, and Americana. The 9 originals here are all well-written songs.

The downside of a home-produced CD, though, can be a less-than-fully-realized sound, and there are points here where I was left wishing that Taylor had left the midi samples and Garageband tinkering by the wayside and instead called in some of his old bandmates. In particular, the album's songs reminded me a little bit of Turn It Up, Mommy! from the DC-based band the RTTs, and I was left longing for how that album took a bunch of solidly-crafted songs and added the RTTs bar-band sound to great effect. The album sounds OK, and the vocals are good all around (really, this is one of the better albums out there for effective use of kids and friends), but could have sounded great with a few more instruments in the mix.

The songs here are going to be most pleasing to kids ages 3 through 8. You can hear samples at the album's CDBaby page or at the band's website.

For an album whose genesis, according to the liner notes, was that "two people challenged us to do this recording," Mr. Oscat Says... is going to be a pretty hard to top. ("We did it. And now we challenge back. Your turn. Make family music.") And while I wish the home-produced aspect of the recording hadn't been so apparent, that's just because the songs here are lots of fun and I think the CD could've approached something near awesome territory. Oh, well, there's always next time. I sure hope there's a next time, in any case, because this first time was pretty good. Recommended.

Posted by SAShepherd at 07:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

That's right -- now everybody knows about the best kids and family music of the year. Head over to the Fids and Kamily website for all the details, plus a nice essay from Cynical Dad. Amy and Bill and I discussed on this morning's Spare the Rock broadcast. For even more ramblings from the three of us, listen to the latest Jumping Monkeys podcast later today (thanks, y'all, for having us on!)

I'll have my own list posted soon, I promise.

Finally, big big thanks to Bill, Amy, and all 19 judges (including, well, me, so thanks, me!) and hearty congratulations to all the award-winning artists!

Posted by SAShepherd at 08:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

News from Dan Zanes' newsletter last night that he's started a blog called The Welcome Table. Given that his first major post is about his trip to Tucson this past spring to visit organizations doing work along the U.S.-Mexico border (and it's translated into Spanish, too), methinks it won't be like a lot of other kids' music blogs. I knew he'd done some work when he came down for his concert in Tucson, so the background is nice.

Oh, and the presale for his Arizona shows has started. Go, people, go!

Posted by SAShepherd at 08:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Fids and Kamily 2007 Awards. Announced on Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child Saturday morning, or read the website for blurbs for the winners and a special guest essay.

Don't miss it.

(And I promise I'll post more next week.)

Posted by SAShepherd at 12:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Not for me -- not even for music.

If you're a fan of children's books (or, as those in the know call it, "kidlit") -- and I suspect many of you are -- the get yourself over to The Cybils, which does for children's literature what Fids and Kamily does for kids music -- picks the best of the year.

Except you can help nominate the books -- until November 21, that is.

So, go, go now and nominate. Winners will be announced on Valentine's Day 2008.

Posted by SAShepherd at 12:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I've been trying without much luck to come up with an interesting hook for this review of Lucy's Parade, the debut CD from the LA-based band Jambo. Which really isn't fair to the band or this album, because both are pretty good.

The album is a straight-forward roots-rock album geared at the preschool/kindergarten set. Bandleader Steve Pierson, a blues guitarist, has a knack for writing the happiest blues-inflected tunes you'll ever hear. The standout track here is "Lady Bug Boogie," an infectious and rollicking boogie with ever-so-slightly silly lines like "I like all kinds of corn / But my favorite kind of corn / Is the candy corn." Other fun songs here are the "Where Do They Go?" (a bluesy and slightly fanciful song from the point of view of the preschool-aged child wondering what his parents do during the day) and the strutting title track. "Five Butterflies" is a slow track that doesn't sound a lot like the rest of the upbeat album, but it's a sweet counting song.

I should note that the band sounds really good. Pierson's got an appealing voice and plays a mean guitar. Pierson's wife Melinda McGraw deserves special mention here as her harmony vocals add a lot to the songs throughout the album, but the whole band just sounds like they're having fun.

Given its lyrical focus, the 38-minute album is targeted at kids ages 3 through 6. You can hear samples from the disk at its CDBaby page or listen/download a few track from their Myspace page.

So in the end, I still don't have a hook for this review, which maybe reflects that this Jambo's not breaking any new ground here. But what they've done is put together a solid group of songs, and that's enough for most of us (including me). Lucy's Parade is a well-done CD that's firmly for kids but with a rootsy musical approach that will appeal to a lot of parents. Recommended.

Posted by SAShepherd at 07:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In the comparatively small world of kids music, I'm not sure there's been an album that has shook up the genre recently as much as the Jellydots' debut CD Hey You Kids!. At time it rocked, other times it was gently sweet, but it seemed to resonate with parents who might never have given the genre a second thought.

So how exactly does one follow up such a standout release? You pretty much have two choices -- follow the template exactly, or throw away the mold. For Doug Snyder, chief Jellydot, the answer was more the latter than the former and you can hear the results on Changing Skies, the followup CD currently available in digital formats and available on physical CDs in the not-too-distant future for old fogeys like me.

How is it different? Well, the primary difference is that the subject matter is definitely geared towards older kids. It's not that Hey You Kids! was necessarily a perfect album for a 3-year-old -- it was definitely more for 6-year-olds and older. But songs about dropped cookies and going to camp, and treating each other with respect were definitely for kids. On the new album, though, Snyder often writes songs about 14-year-olds, or even their older siblings. "Remember Me" is a beautiful song which conjures up every memory you never had about a tenth-grade romance with a girl who moved away. "Art School Girl" is a dryly humorous reggae-tinged track about a young woman who moves away from Austin because she thinks life will be more exciting elsewhere and ends up working in Starbucks. Your 3-year-old might bop her head to the tune, but won't really care about the lyrics.

The album isn't totally a missing My So-Called Life soundtrack -- "Big Swingset," for example, is about, well, a swingset and moves briskly in 7/4 time (a meter which, I assure you, is not found on most pop-rock albums), while "Sad Robot" is a slower track about a robot who'd much rather be zooming through space. And for those of you who loved the lullabies at the end of the first CD, Snyder doesn't disappoint here, either -- "When You Were Born" and "Pretty Little Baby" evoke Paul Simon and Elliott Smith in tenderness. So, yeah, there are some songs for the youngsters, but the overall vibe is for kids older than them.

I'm going to peg the primary audience here at ages 9 and up. You can listen to samples and purchase the CD at CDBaby or hear a couple songs at the Jellydots' Myspace page. (Order it at iTunes here.)

In its own way, Changing Skies an experiment in creating a different path for family music, one that attempts to include all family members in the musical journey. Dan Zanes has blazed this trail most successfully, but with this album, deliberately or not, Doug Snyder is seeing whether or not a more rock-based approach might also work. I'm not sure everybody in a family will like all the tracks equally, but I'm pretty sure at least somebody will like each track in turn. And I definitely think the adults who liked Hey You Kids! will like this new one, too. Recommended.

Posted by SAShepherd at 07:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Uncle Rock -- AKA Robert Burke Warren -- comes from the roots-rock wing of the Kids New Wave, a wing which has a strong New York contingent -- Dan Zanes, Brady Rymer, Dog on Fleas. Released last month, Uncle Rock U is the third and most recent album from the New York-based artist. He's distinguished himself in a couple ways from these other musicians. First, his recordings have a very home-recorded feel, even looser than those artists who aren't polishing things to a pop sheen themselves. This is not necessarily a bad thing in that I think part of the Uncle Rock charm is the slightly rough-hewn lo-fi sound, accompanied by friends and family.

Second, Warren is a lot more willing to vary his approach -- taking on different characters and sounds in a way that many artists just don't attempt. It's not that they're not tackling different musical styles or song-narrative approaches -- just that they don't try it all at once. Here, Warren does.

At his best, Uncle Rock combines an understanding of a kids' viewpoint and sense of humor with catchy melodies and fun instrumentation. "The Elephant in the Room" is a mid-tempo folk-rocker that actually explains what that metaphor means, with, of course, a trumpet joining in. It's a great, great song. Other highlights are the James-Brown-meets-public-safety-announcement "It's Hot! (Don't Touch It!)," the roots-rocker "Play Outside Today" and the pun-filled "Polar Bear Over There."

There are points where Warren chooses to take different personas, which succeeds to varying degrees ("Predator Dinosaur," good; "Hippie Harvest Kitchen," not so good). And I'm not sure what sense the grumpity "Grumpy Gus" makes stuck between two lovely songs ("The Season of Light" and "Baby Loves the Moon") at the end of the album. It's not that these character songs are really bad -- some are pretty good -- just that they don't blend well with the other tracks. (I suspect they work better mixed into a live show.) It's like 14 extra minutes crammed into a really good 30-minute album.

I think kids ages 3 through 7 are going to enjoy the songs and characters here the most. You can hear full songs at the Uncle Rock Myspace page or samples at the album's CDBaby page.

On listening over and over to Uncle Rock U, I started to think of Uncle Rock as kids music's Ryan Adams, blessed with many song ideas, many of them wonderful, but maybe with need of an editor. This is a really good album and another album -- maybe even two really good albums -- mixed together with decent results. It's recommended, but your mileage may vary depending on how much you and your like your kids' CDs to be of a more unified whole.

Posted by SAShepherd at 09:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I try not to get too provincial here at Zooglobble HQ. Physically we're in Arizona, but, hey, I've got readers all over this wonderful country of ours, the world even -- no need to spend so many electrons on my own little corner of the world.

But I noticed that Dan Zanes had announced some new tour dates including... three whole concerts in Arizona. That's right, on Friday, Feb. 8, Zanes and friends will hit Phoenix's Orpheum Theatre, then will head two hours south for a concert at Tucson's Rialto Theatre on Saturday the 9th, then back four hours north to Flagstaff's Orpheum Theatre for a concert on Sunday the 10th. (Yeah, I can't figure out that order, either.)

Needless to say, I'm excited about this, for a couple reasons, actually. First, obviously, is because it means another chance to see Zanes in concert without having to travel down to Tucson. If we go, I guess the question is whether our son, less than two years old back in April, would join us at a 7 PM Friday night show... Hmmm....

The other reason I'm excited is that it's really the first time that a major kids' musician (excluding the Wiggles, who are in their own category) is making multiple Arizona stops. Heck, it's really the first time that a major kids' musician is coming to Phoenix. (For those of you who want to list their own musician who has, in fact, played the Phoenix area, I'm sorry, "major" includes maybe five or six artists.)

So, if you live anywhere near Phoenix, please, please, please make it to this show. If you can't, tell your friends to make it to this show. I think Phoenix is on the verge of no longer being stupidly ignored by kids' music bookers (I hear rumors of other artists looking into the area), but the reluctance of artists to book shows here won't appear so stupid if Zanes plays to a half-full house.

Posted by SAShepherd at 12:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I should note that the folks with the Children's Music Web have announced their 2007 Awards. These awards for the best kids music of the year are notable for the fact that the kids make the final award decisions. Some familiar names there, some unfamiliar ones, too.

Now, I don't think the kids voted on this next award, but this very website got an award from them for "Best Musical Website for Kids." (Just in case, I'll be sure to refrain from swearing. Or continue to refrain from swearing.) I'm not sure whether or not I'll get the roll of stickers they give to winners. That would look kinda cool on business cards.

In any case, thanks a bunch for the nice award. 'Tis an honor.

Posted by SAShepherd at 04:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

You may have heard about this elsewhere, but, yes, the Fids and Kamily Awards are indeed back for a second year with even more judges to give you a grand overview of the best in this year's kids and family music.

I can't say I agonized over my ballot, because "agonized" should be used, you know, for things that might cause actual long-term physical and/or emotional pain. But having finished my ballot today, it sure wasn't easy picking just 10 albums. A lot of really good stuff came out this year.

I'll be appearing with Bill and Amy on the Spare the Rock radio show Saturday morning the 17th to announce the list. Tune in, or check out the website to find out the whole list of top-ranked albums from the past 12 months or so.

Posted by SAShepherd at 03:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In case you haven't checked out Offsprung's forums, cheekily called The Playground, it might be worth a little time. For example, this thread (noted by loyal reader Katy) unearthed a video on YouTube for "My Children, Be Joyful," by the Canadian band Rock Plaza Central. (Well, if "unearthed" is the verb for a video featured on YouTube's front page and with nearly 300,000 views.)

The video takes entirely unrelated footage from the Canadian television show Nanalan, which, I gotta say, looks suspiciously like a little show called Jack's Big Music Show. Or vice versa. Anyway, the song builds up to a frenzy (la la la's, violins, and, like, a dozen horns) and the frenetic puppets somehow fit perfectly. And, yeah, it's joyful.

Not bad for a song from an album (Are We Not Horses, released in the States this year) that is "all about robotic horses. Robotic horses who think they are real horses. For real. Caught in a battle between good and evil. Between angels and humans. And after eradicating the world of the angels, wondering if they fought for the right side." Yeah, that might not be so much for the kids. Or maybe. I don't know. I kinda want to find out, though.

By the way, if you want to get the track for free, head on over to the band's Myspace page to download it and three others.

What songs are bringing you and your family more joy?

Posted by SAShepherd at 03:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

It's taken me a little long to get around to this, but Nashville's Steve Lee announced 2-3 weeks ago that he's completing work on a new album. In Lee's own words:

"The whole record will not be a "kids" cd. But I will be taking the kid songs from the record and making a remix ep for the kidz babyyyyyy."

Aside from the extra "y"s in that sentence, I'm down with that...

Really, go to his Myspace page and give his tunes from 2007's What Did You Do Today, Stephen Scott Lee? (particularly "Grab A Balloon") a spin. (Or listen to the whole thing here.)

And, if you want to watch a do-it-yourself from the funky traffic-rule-discussing "Green Means Go," then Lee's got ya covered, too:

Posted by SAShepherd at 04:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

News from Elizabeth Mitchell that she's spending the rest of 2007 finishing her next children's music album. "If you have any song suggestions, now is the time to let us know," Mitchell says. (For the lazy among you, that address is: mail AT youaremyflower DOT org.) If it's half as good as any in her You Are My... trilogy, it should be great.

And for those of you around New York City next weekend, Mitchell is playing Symphony Space November 10. How is that different from any of her other shows? Well, Mitchell's Catch the Moon compatriot Lisa Loeb and Laurie Berkner partner-in-crime Susie Lampert will be joining in on the fun. Admit it, those harmonies might be sweet.

Posted by SAShepherd at 04:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I have been a fan of Rhode Island-based Keith Munslow since hearing his fun 2005 album Accidentally (on purpose) (review here). But I hadn't heard any of his storytelling until giving his recently-released Dressed Up For the Party a spin.

I should have known his storytelling would be every bit as fun (and funny) as his music. There are just 4 tracks here stretching out over the album's 47-minute runtime, nicely sequenced. The opener, "Five Second Rule," is storytelling with some strutting blues bookending Munslow's observations on the eternal food/floor conundrum. It's an amusing appetizer to the main two stories here. The 18-minute "No Token, No Milk" tells the story of a school-aged Munslow losing the token he needs to get his carton of milk. It's the funniest story here.

It's followed up by "Marfa the Barfa," a more dramatic story (though not without funny points) with no music about a 13-year-old girl whose fondest wish of going out to sea with her fisherman father is thwarted by her throwing up over the side of her father's boat (repeatedly). At nearly 20 minutes long, you might think that it would drag or fail to keep the kids attention, but my kids (especially the 6-year-old) hang on to every word. I could see where both stories were going (or at least the major plot points), but in storytelling it's the details and the execution (listen to the squeak of Martha's brother's tricycle and its use), and Munslow's got those down pat.

The disk wraps up with the title track, an amusing musical number about a kid who doesn't want to, uh, get dressed up for the party. It's a light dessert to the disk. It shows off Munslow's musical chops, along with that of his co-producer, Bill Harley (a talented singer/storyteller in his own right, and a Grammy-winner to boot). With the exception of "Marfa," music is important to the tracks, and even in the comparatively non-musical "No Token," Munslow's use of the African box drum the cajon made my two-year-old dance like crazy.

The stories will be of most interest to kids ages 4 through 10. You can read the liner notes and lyrics at Munslow's page for the album or listen to samples at its CDBaby page.

Dressed Up For the Party is a solid album of storytelling with some sweet musical accompaniment. In pajamas at home, or in school clothes in the car, your kids will enjoy the disk and you will, too. Recommended.

Posted by SAShepherd at 08:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

This has been available for awhile, but I wanted to point out that Brady Rymer has three new songs available for download as part of his Children's Dimetapp Breathe & Boogie Tour. Go here to download "Healthy Livin'" and "Even the Animals Sneeze," a couple mid-tempo folk-rockers that would've sounded fine on his recent Every Day is a Birthday CD.

Also available for download is "We are the Sniffles," which also has a video on the site. I'm sorta bummed because it's the best of the three tracks -- propulsive, great harmonies -- but it's got a couple shout-outs to Dimetapp (both in the song and on the video). It's worth a spin, though, because aside from the commercial reference (which kinda kills any repeat-listening value for me), it shows Rymer and his band at their best.

Rymer, incidentally, will be releasing his latest album, Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could, on March 4. You can hear one of the songs from the upcoming CD, "Road Trip" by attending one of his final shows on this tour in Rochester (NY), Houston, Dallas, and Madison, New Jersey (details here) and picking up the free six-song Rymer CD they're distributing.

So, yeah, I'm just waiting for the edited version...

Posted by SAShepherd at 01:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)