Recess Monkey posts the first of 4 videos they'll be debuting from their upcoming album The Final Funktier (with more possibly on their way later this summer). This one is for the leadoff track to the disk, and recounts the band's trip to the moon. You can tell what kind of trip it'll be when the suits clearly were the most expensive part of the shoot. Way more entertaining than Capricorn One.
Recess Monkey - "Moon Boots" [YouTube]
Share: "My Name is No" / "The StarFish Stomp" - StarFish
Not one, but two free songs from the New Jersey band StarFish, both designed to develop your child's classic rocker. "My Name is No," featured on their new album Enter Sandbox (out June 1), is more of an early '90s metal/funk affair (for kids) with 2 seconds of a 45-year-old song thrown in the mix at the end. This track'll cost you an e-mail address and zip code here.
"The StarFish Stomp" is on the new disk as well, but also on the next disk from Putumayo Kids, Rock & Roll Playground, out June 29. This is a little bit Bruce Springsteen and a little bit Tom Cochrane (mixed in with some preschool-oriented music and movement dance styling). I could change it to the "Stefan Stomp," but I don't think that'd be a big enough change to merit co-writing credit. Plus it would be utterly mystifying to your kids. Go here to download...Video: "Pizza Moon" - Earthworm Ensemble
I can't say that "Pizza Moon" is on my list of favorite songs on Earthworm Ensemble's self-titled debut. But on video, some of the things that seemed a little over the top (e.g., Zachariah's rapping) play just fine. I dig the way that Zachariah gets into it here. A nice 3 1/2-minute diversion...
Earthworm Ensemble - "Pizza Moon" [YouTube]
Please Release Me: May 2010 Edition
An update of last month's list of upcoming family music releases...
Hullabaloo: A Mighty Good Day (May 30)
StarFish: Enter Sandbox (June 1): Still my favorite album title of the year thus far...
Justin Roberts: Jungle Gym (June 8)
Recess Monkey: The Final Funktier (June 15)
Laurie Berkner Band: The Best of the Laurie Berkner Band
Putumayo Kids (Various Artists): Rock 'n' Roll Playground (June 29): Features Dan Zanes, Peter Himmelman, Uncle Rock, and Charity and the JAMband, among others.
Billy Kelly: Is This Some Kind of Joke? (early July?)
Dream Jam Band: Leave It In The Soup (July 13)
The Not-Its: Time Out To Rock (July 20)
Pete Seeger: Tomorrow's Children (July 27)
Various Artists: Many Hands: Family Music for Haiti (Aug. 10)
The Okee Dokee Brothers: Take It Outside (August)
Secret Agent 23 Skidoo: Title TBA (very late summer)
Jim Cosgrove: Title TBA (Fall?)
Elizabeth Mitchell: Sunny Day (Oct. 5)
Flannery Brothers The New Explorers Club (Oct. 5)
Jamie Broza: I Wanna Dog (October)
David Weinstone: Title TBA (October)
Frances England: Mind of My Own (Fall?)
Caspar Babypants: This Is Fun! (Nov. 2)
Others working on albums with potential 2010 releases? Lunch Money, Ella Jenkins, Conductor Jack and the Zinghoppers
Do It Yourself: Play Renee & Jeremy's "Night Mantra"
I know that Renee and Jeremy aren't the first family musicians to do the "music lessons via YouTube" thing (hi, Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer!), but their instruction on the oh-so-sweet "Night Mantra" is short and to the point. (Need lyrics or to hear the tune? Go here.)
Wonder if that translates to the ukulele?
Renee & Jeremy - "Night Mantra (How To)" [YouTube]
Listen To This: "Zora" (Live) - The Deedle Deedle Dees
I mentioned Lloyd Miller's thoughts on the "business" of kids music yesterday, but didn't want to leave it there, especially when there's new Deedle Deedle Dees music out there to listen to.
One of the interesting things the Dees did this spring was put on a monthly variety show at Brooklyn's famed Knitting Factory. It wrapped up a couple weeks ago with a show inspired by famed afrobeat musician Fela Kuti. (They performed Kuti's "Zombie" with preschoolers and also did an afrobeat original called "No Animal," which you can watch after the jump.) They also performed a new song called "Zora," inspired, you will not be surprised to hear, by author Zora Neale Hurston. Short and insistent, you'll be hearing this song later this summer, I can almost guarantee it...
The Deedle Deedle Dees - "Zora" [YouTube]
Two more new songs (including that afrobeat one) after the jump...
