I'm just about ready to post a review of the self-titled debut album from Robbert Bobbert and the Bubble Machine, but before I do, I thought the clip below (from ABC News' "Amplified" program) was a decent enough interview with Robbert Bobbert himself, Robert Schneider. It starts out focusing a little bit on recording tracks for the next Apples in Stereo album, but then moves into talking about the kids CD.
Schneider is an animated man, but I've seen just enough of him to realize that's just the way he is. "Spastic," he self-deprecatingly calls himself before modifying that to "enthusiastic." Props, too, to Schneider for calling "Pop Goes the Weasel" a great pop song.
(Note: minor ad prior to piece. Ad seems to change from time to time. Will it turn into the 2009 version of the great Laurie-Berkner-hair-debate, who knows?)
Key Wilde, Mr. Clarke, and a Greasy Little Monster
One of the cool parts of doing the kids music website thing is that folks let slip all sorts of interesting news via Facebook or in e-mails to me. News about shows, albums, collaborations, etc.
Of course, unless somebody specifically says, "run with that" I don't actually mention it on the site. If I don't have something public to cite, then, well, I don't post.
So I'm glad that I finally -- finally! -- get to announce, like, three different bits of news I've known for a some time now. Four, maybe -- depends how you're counting.
First, and most importantly, the great duo Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke have signed with Little Monster Records. That's the cover for the album -- Rise and Shine! -- that'll be coming out later this spring at the top. If you haven't heard their stuff, I highly recommend that you get on over to their site and listen to some older versions of the tracks on the CD (all the tracks have been subsequently modified in some way for the album).
But that's not all...Video: "Monkey River" - Caspar Babypants
This isn't quite as good as "The Island Hop," perhaps, but it's still somewhat amusing, even if you keep waiting for the Statue of Liberty to appear, half-buried. From Caspar Babypants' debut CD (and maybe albums before that) Here I Am!
Caspar Babypants - "Monkey River"
This One Doesn't Surprise Me So Much
Jewel's recording a children's album, a lullaby album specifically:
The lullabies are "just very pretty and sung very softly and sort of in my falsetto voice. So it should just be lolling and soothing. But the lyrics are smart, interesting for adults. If you don't have kids, I made it for adults who just want to have a certain mood record to put on - take a bath or drink a cup of tea or have a glass of wine at night and just chill."I gotta tell you, sometimes these YAKMAFAAs surprise me, but this one doesn't, really. I mean, I have no particular like or dislike for Jewel, so I have no trepidation or excitement for the album, but it's really nothing more than a momentary feeling of "huh." We shall see how good it is. The album of all original material is due out later this year. (Hat tip: Conductor Jack)
Friday Night Laziness
Been swamped with stuff and so haven't been able to get to a few larger-scale items (reviews and the like). So I'll resort to the lazy blogger's friend -- YouTube!
Here, another new song from Rocknoceros, captured live. Woo!
Rocknoceros - "Can You Tell Time?" (plus Rocknoceros Theme)
All Of You Who Thought Ziggy Marley Would Duet With Laurie Berkner, Raise Your Hands
That's what I thought.
You know an album is a big deal when Laurie Berkner issues a press release notifying folks she's going to be on somebody else's album. So I think we can officially call Ziggy Marley's upcoming Family Time album a Big Deal. Berkner's singing "Future Man, Future Lady" with Marley, and since Berkner's got one of the nicest voices in the kids music genre, that's definitely worth looking forward to.
Also on the album - Paul Simon, Jack Johnson, Willie Nelson, Toots Hibbert, lots of Marley family members, and Elizabeth Mitchell (who already gave the album her two thumbs up).
So, yeah, Big Deal. Family Time is out on Tuff Gong Records May 5.
