To those of you who've e-mailed or commented this week, either first-timers or long-timers, thanks a bunch. I'm trying to get to the e-mails, listen to the CDs constantly appearing in our mailbox, and, you know, post stuff here.
I've also got more interesting things in the works, which you will learn about in hopefully the not-too-distant future.
(Kids') Rock 'n' Roll T-Shirt
Clearing off the decks, the first in hopefully a few posts today...
Sienna at Hilltown Families and the Hilltown Families Variety Show dropped me a line letting me know that she's helping to coordinate the 1st Annual T-Shirt Review, which will, uh, review t-shirts this fall.
That way, when you kids want to prove they were there, that they heard of them first, they'll know exactly which t-shirts to spend their newly-established allowance on. (Because, hey, they don't make Spoon t-shirts for kiddos.)
Anyway, if you're a kids' musician with branded swag, head over there for the details on getting your stuff included.
Because NPR Hasn't Given Me My Own Show. Yet.
My talk with NPR's Melissa Block yesterday was only 9 minutes long, not nearly enough time to cover all the great music that's been released recently. If you're new here, a very brief guide is below, but if you're looking for more music for kids and families, here are some suggestions:
-- The Deedle Deedle Dees - Freedom in a Box: I do wish that I'd had a couple more minutes to talk about this band, a group of history obsessives who marry historical narratives (and some non-historical narratives) to fabulous, rollicking songs. (Review, interview with songwriter Lloyd Miller)
-- The Nields - All Together Singing in the Kitchen: A personal collection of family favorites (and a few originals) sung by a female folk duo recorded in an appealing ragged, lo-fi manner. (Review)
-- Gustafer Yellowgold's Wide Wild World (DVD/CD): This DVD about a yellow alien now living on earth has some great pop tunes (found also on the accompanying CD) and simple but arresting animation. (Review)
-- Sugar Free Allstars - Dos Ninos: Funky keyboard-and-drums duo lays down grooves set to songs about taking a bath, going to the zoo, and banana pudding. A bunch of fun. (Review)
-- Rocknoceros - Dark Side of the Moon Bounce: For the young'uns, to be sure, but sharp, simple arrangements and a sense of humor make this a great CD for the preschool set and their families. (Review)
-- Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang - Get Up and Dance!: Another CD mostly for preschoolers, Gwendolyn's enthusiasm and the musicianship of the Good Time Gang make multiple listens easy on the ears. (Review)
-- Asylum Street Spankers - Mommy Says No!: Some of the songs and humor will go right over the kids' heads (I hope), but there's a big heart here, too, and the Americana and roots playing is killer. (Review)
Kids Music? NPR? Yeah, That's Me.
Hey there to all of you visiting thanks to my discussion on kids music with NPR's Melissa Block on All Things Considered this afternoon. I really didn't expect you over here today, just look, the place is a mess. Dusty and everything.
Oh, well, always glad to have friends over.
Just in case you're new 'round these parts, in addition to writing here (I've got interviews, news, and well over 200 reviews here), my writing can also be found at Offsprung, the Land of Nod music store, and assorted other places on the web and print.
I'm also proud to be a co-creator of the Fids and Kamily awards, which determines the best of the year's music for kids and families by polling a number of critics and others involved with the kids' music business. My co-creators, Bill Childs of Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child and Amy Davis of the Lovely Mrs. Davis Tells You What to Think, are good resources if you're interested in this stuff -- Bill and his daughter Ella have got a great radio show and Amy covers not only music but other kids' pop cultural stuff.
Don't ignore the other links in the sidebar to the right -- more radio shows, websites, and links to my posts here organized by artist or category, or even by age-appropriateness of the CD.
Thanks for stopping by. More great stuff appears weekly from places that continue to surprise me. For links to my reviews of the CDs discussed on the program, click below...
Review Two-Fer: My Best Friend is a Salamander / My Lemonade Stand - Peter Himmelman
In reviewing music here, I've tried not only to cover the latest releases from musicians familiar and not, but also filling in gaps from albums released - gasp! - more than a couple years ago, especially from significant artists. Consider this the missing pieces of my Peter Himmelman coverage, the other two albums for families I've not yet reviewed here.
My Best Friend is a Salamander, released in 1997, was Himmelman's first album for kids and families, and the first thing you might be struck by in listening to it is how it could have been released this year. Ten years later, and Himmelman's still taking socially exciting trips. What is different is just how... odd those first songs were. While on his excellent 2007 release My Green Kite he's singing about kites or feet --fairly recognizable subjects treated in mostly recognizable ways -- early on he had a much more skewed, Shel Silverstein-esque approach. He sings about his best friend... who's a salamander. In "Larry's a Sunflower Now," a dreamy adult-sounding pop tune, the narrator (who poured water all around the subject to help him grow) tells Larry's worried mom," Look at the bright side / There's nothing you can do / Larry's gettin' lots of fresh air / The sun is on his faces and / Birds are in his hair today." Himmelman's fascination with rhyming wordplay -- which continues today -- is most evident here on the gentle "An Ant Named Jane," though a number of other songs have the touch of spoken-word.
Seven years later and one album in the meantime...
My Best Friend is a Salamander, released in 1997, was Himmelman's first album for kids and families, and the first thing you might be struck by in listening to it is how it could have been released this year. Ten years later, and Himmelman's still taking socially exciting trips. What is different is just how... odd those first songs were. While on his excellent 2007 release My Green Kite he's singing about kites or feet --fairly recognizable subjects treated in mostly recognizable ways -- early on he had a much more skewed, Shel Silverstein-esque approach. He sings about his best friend... who's a salamander. In "Larry's a Sunflower Now," a dreamy adult-sounding pop tune, the narrator (who poured water all around the subject to help him grow) tells Larry's worried mom," Look at the bright side / There's nothing you can do / Larry's gettin' lots of fresh air / The sun is on his faces and / Birds are in his hair today." Himmelman's fascination with rhyming wordplay -- which continues today -- is most evident here on the gentle "An Ant Named Jane," though a number of other songs have the touch of spoken-word.
Seven years later and one album in the meantime...Music Criticism and a Nice Kids' Desk
Sharp-eyed readers of this website will notice a new button in the sidebar, one for the Land of Nod Music Store. In part of my plan to take over the world spread quality kids' music criticism, Zooglobble music reviews will now appear at the Land of Nod's newly relaunched music store. If you go over there (really, go, check it out), you'll see that all their CDs are priced at $13.98 or less, with free shipping to boot.
Why the Land of Nod? Well, I think they're a kids' retailer who definitely "gets it," musically. Their selection is broad (rock, classical, folk, the whole gamut), but definitely hand-picked. They've been doing kids' music in their stores for some time. (When I first talked with them, I suggested a number of CDs they should pick up, including Lunch Money's Silly Reflection. They said, "Yeah, we've carried that for awhile.") And Scott Eirinberg, one of the co-founders, is a big music fan, dating back to his college music journalism days (and before, no doubt).
Finally, a couple notes for those worried about conflict of interest issues. First, I am not getting paid in any way based on sales from this site. I'll link to Land of Nod pages if applicable and/or if I remember, but there's no quid pro quo involved. Second, the reviews are unedited. Well, they've edited out links to other stores (fair enough) and cleaned up spelling and grammar (thank you!), but other than that, they've left the reviews intact, warts and criticisms and all. (See their page for Woody Guthrie's Songs To Grow On For Mother and Child for an example of a less-than-stellar review.)
So I'm proud to be associated with the store and hope my reviews there help some more people discover music for their family.
