Els Animals (Animals) - Various Artists (Minimúsica)

Artist: Various Artists (Minimúsica)

Album: Els Animals (Animals)

Description:  You don't have to speak Spanish or Catalan to figure out that the third collection of kid-friendly indie-pop from Barcelona-based label Sones and their Minimúsica offshoot has an animal-based theme.  As I noted in my review of the 2012 album, the fact that this album is a Spanish album means that the lyrics are a little more subtle and not so focused on teaching Spanish.  (That may be a positive or a negative depending on your point of view.  It's mostly positive from mine.)  Continued fun from Spain.

Source: Bandcamp

"Doggy in the Diner" - Jesse Olsen Bay

Artist: Jesse Olsen Bay

Song: "Doggy in the Diner"

Album: N/A

Description: A delightful little single from the Bay Area-based, er, Bay.  Animals in places they probably shouldn't be, doing things they probably shouldn't be doing, with lo-fi ("mason jar percussion") accompaniment.  (The "explicit" version is 99% a joke, by the way -- it earns it for using the word "cigarette.")  It's a name your price download, if you'd like...

Source: Bandcamp

Marsh Mud Madness - Roger Day

Artist: Roger Day 

Album: Marsh Mud Madness 

Description: This album started out as a DVD -- OK, it actually started out as a glimmer in somebody's eye, then a live show, and then a DVD, but now it's an album.  They're songs inspired by a visit to the University of Georgia Marine Institute.  They're pretty educational in nature, and so I'm not sure there are going to be too many families spinning the entire album on repeat (except maybe those families headed by two marine biologists), but it'll do well in classroom settings and (for some songs) scattered through mixtapes.

Source: Bandcamp 

Birdbrain - Fatcat & Fishface

Artist:  Fatcat & Fishface

Album:  Birdbrain 

Description:  The seventh album from the New Zealand anarcho-kindie musicians, 2013's Birdbrain  is an avian-inspired set of songs (NZ's Department of Conservation even provided support).  Maybe because of that overarching theme, it's slightly less cheeky, but not too much so.  Give "Kingfisher" a spin, for example -- it's not a Disneyfied take on birds.  (For a sillier song, try the title track.)

Source: Bandcamp 

Move Like An Animal - Birdie's Playhouse

Artist: Birdie's Playhouse 

Album: Move Like An Animal

Description:  Latin-inflected grooves backing up stories about the natural world.  If you listen to just one song, make it "Snail Cha Cha," featuring some kindie guest stars.  Oh, and if you'd rather go all the way in listening in Spanish, the Los Angeles-based Birdie has you covered with Muévete Como Los Animales.

Source: Bandcamp