Austin's Jellydots have posted a new tour date on their Myspace page -- the mysteriously-named and possibly-incorrectly-spelled "Greasypaloosa" in Portland, Oregon on March 11, 2007.
Hmmmm.... could our friends Belinda and Hova have anything to do with this?
(And I think "Palooza" has now officially entered the lexicon as the arts' world's "-Gate.")
By the way, for those of you wanting to strum along at home to the fabulous songs on Hey You Kids!, song charts are now available here. Kinda appropriate, seeing how the songs were originally created to, uh, help teach kids how to play guitar. (Hey, how would they sound on ukelele?...)
Too Cool For Pre-School?
One of the comments I really liked from the Dan Zanes interview was the following:
As long as you know that it might feel a little funny at first, the main thing is that everybody throw themselves into it in any way they can and that they shed their inhibitions. That's easier said than done, but the reason I love being in the world of new parents is because they're really doing that every day. They're doing things they've never done before every day, they're in semi-embarrassing situations...Which makes the attitude of Jon Glaser in this New York Times article a little depressing. If you're not willing to buy the soundtrack for Garfield: The Movie to get a song you really like (not your kid, you) because you're afraid of how it might look in the future, you've got a long parenthood ahead of you. (Yes, I realize attitudes are exaggerated for comic effect, but still.) Chris Ott's article for the Village Voice at least is honest about his attempt to influence his kid's musical tastes. He realizes that he's "programming his kid," but at least he seems not to be doing it because it's cool, but because he likes the music. (And at least he recognizes that "Puff the Magic Dragon" will play a role in his kid's musical experience, too.)
Time for a Break... How 'Bout a Ukelele Song?
OK, time for me to take a break and enjoy time with my family listening to and making music. I'll be back before the New Year with a review or two, another installment of the "Top 50" songs, and one or two other things.
And I've got a few surprises up my sleeve for 2007.
Thanks to everyone for reading. Happy Holidays!
P.S. -- There's one wrapped for me that'll go under the tree on Sunday, but if you didn't get yours last time, Dan Zanes has got a new shipment of ukeleles. You'll have to wait 'til January, though...
New Music from Hoodwinked Co-Director Todd Edwards
I've been meaning to mention this for awhile now, but if you grooved to the music of Hoodwinked, there's some new music from Todd Edwards, the co-director of the movie, and the man responsible for much of the movie's awesome soundtrack.
Edwards' creation, Blick Van Glory has its own website and Myspace page. The Myspace page has 4 songs streaming, and while they're not really kids-related, they are some great power-pop and alt-pop tunes with a very '80s vibe. "The Sophomores" has the video, but my favorite is "Eskimo Love Song." Or maybe "Odyssey John." I don't know. They're all good. The album is due for a spring 2007 release.
By the way, co-directors Todd and Cory Edwards both explained in notes to me or comments here why you can't buy the Hoodwinked soundtrack except on eBay. As Cory stated in the comments on my review of the album, "is due to contract disputes between the movie's investor and the record company. As the director, I can tell you that it was completely out of the hands of the filmmakers... and it absolutely KILLS us that no one can easily buy this product now. It is a fantastic disc and booklet that Ryko did a great job on and we're very proud of it. I have faith that it will resurface someday."
You Are My Little Print
By the way, it's too late for Christmas, but the awesome cover to Liz Mitchell's awesome You Are My Little Bird CD is now available in a limited edition run of 250. It's autographed and comes with a copy of the CD. (Which, since you probably have the CD, you can give away to some other person who'll be blown away by the album.)
You can get the print through the cover artist Ida Pearle's website.
Review: Not Naptime - Justin Roberts
Not Naptime, the title of the 2003 album from Chicago-based Justin Roberts is somewhat misleading. This album, Roberts' third for kids, is probably his most down-tempo, the one most I'd most likely play, well, not at naptime, but at least at quiet time.
To be honest, I've always thought Roberts' rave-ups and alt-pop were his best tunes -- think "Yellow Bus," "Our Imaginary Rhino," or "Day Camp." And so I think the best tracks here are similar -- the furiously played "D-O-G," or "Billy the Bully," an alt-poppy story-song about taking on bullies with a tension-filled bridge, released with a chorus of "one-by-one-by-one-by-one." The gentler songs, sometimes they work (the now slightly anachronistic "Nine Planets") and some are just OK ("Nightlight"). I should note, however, that Roberts is one of the best at writing the album-closing slow song that just about every kids' album seems to have. Here, he's so good that he's written two fine closers, "Dad Caught Stars" and "Last Night the Moon was Full."
With a couple of songs about school on the disk, the target audience here is probably ages 4 through 8. You can hear some samples here (or a full version of "Billy the Bully") at Roberts' website's radio player.
Roberts' oeuvre is broad enough that each of his five CDs is probably the favorite of several families. Not Naptime is certainly a good album, and recommended. Whether this most mellow of Roberts' CDs is your family's favorite depends on how you and your family like your Justin Roberts -- faster or slower.
