I gave you a chance before to download a track from the upcoming Central Services kids' project. If you missed it, well, too late, because I've taken it down.
But the band's let me put another track up, and I thought it'd be appropriate to post the companion track, the slower "Heading Home," which captures how my daughter feels when she comes home on the bus after a long day at school. Though in a good way, musically.
Anyway, Central Services Presents The Board of Education (I think I've got that name right) will be available for the whole world to hear in just a week or two. Until then, you can enjoy this track for a limited time.
Central Services Board of Education - "Heading Home" (Too late!)
Listen To This: "Everything That Happens..." - David Byrne and Brian Eno
OK, that's a long album title. Not quite Fiona Apple territory, but still.
Anyway, a couple years after David Byrne posted his thoughts on music's financial model and album art, we're about to see whether his ideas (in a post-In Rainbows world) will make him some money.
Everything That Happens Will Happen Today is available for streaming today, and based on one listen, I'm really enjoying it. That set of his at Austin City Limits Festival is gonna be waaaaay packed. Go to the website to stream it, or stream it here, after the jump.
No, it doesn't have anything to do with kids music. That album cover isn't gonna keep their interested, either.
YouTwobe: The Terrible Twos on Video
So you're aware, of course, that the Terrible Twos are playing in Phoenix on Wednesday (at Modified Arts, 6 PM, $5 adults/$3 kids, hint hint). Hopefully I'll be able to add to the small collection of Terrible Twos performances currently available on YouTube. At least we'll get some songs from their new album up there.
"We Can All Get Along With Dinosaurs"
I hope the audience on Wednesday is as bouncy... a couple more videos after the jump.
Because You Can't Record Kids Music with Justin Roberts All the Time...
One of the many pleasures of listening to Justin Roberts albums is the production. Roberts' albums inevitably just sound great, full of life. That's thanks, of course, to Liam Davis, who produces Roberts' albums.
But Davis also has a musical career of his own, and like countless other kids' musicians (Laurie Berkner Band's bassist Adam Bernstein for example, or Central Services minus the Board of Education) he's not giving that up. Davis has just posted some new demos from his 2009 album on his Myspace page, and they're worth a listen (though your kids will probably find them a bit boring).
They're demos, so they're not the most sonically lush recordings, but they're appealing, especially "Hymn," which sounds like the Jayhawks (or at least Gary Louris) should be calling Davis into the studio, pronto.
Real Simple? Really?
Well, I don't think the issue hits newsstands until Monday the 18th, and I haven't actually seen the copy myself, but I've from subscribers that Real Simple Family 2008, Real Simple's yearly family issue has reached mailboxes, and it includes an article from yours truly.
Unsurprisingly, it's on kids music.
I'll have more details whenever I, you know, actually see the article (and, presumably, can link to it), but for those of you who have read it and want more details on the artists and albums listed (as I understand 'em), here's your handy Zooglobble guide. Thanks for stopping by, and feel free to poke around and find more great kids music worth sharing.
-- Dan Zanes - Nueva York! (review, archives)
-- They Might Be Giants - Here Come the 123s (review, archives)
-- Frances England - Family Tree (review, archives)
-- Elizabeth Mitchell - You Are My Little Bird (review, archives)
-- Recess Monkey - Tabby Road (review, archives)
-- Lunch Money - Silly Reflection (review, archives)
-- Barenaked Ladies - Snacktime (review, archives)
-- The Terrible Twos - Jerzy the Giant (review, archives)
-- Rockabye Baby - Lullaby Renditions of Songs by AC/DC (sorry, no review, archives)
-- Keith Munslow - Dressed Up for the Party (review, archives)
The Story Behind "Colors": Kira Willey and That Dell Ad
Over the past month or so, I noticed a few hits on Kira Willey and related terms, but it wasn't enough for me to research further.
Well, now I wish I had earlier, because I just realized that Willey's song "Colors" (off her fine CD Dance For the Sun: Yoga Songs For Kids) has been used in a major ad campaign for Dell Computers.
Seeing as this is the most surprising usage of kids music since Barry Louis Polisar and the Juno soundtrack, I thought I'd drop Willey a line to get her thoughts on the matter. Those thoughts, along with the ad in question and other YouTube-ry, are after the jump...
