While the impact of the chattering classes versus that of the actual creative community should be viewed as minimal, I'd like to think that I'm at the maximum end of that minimal impact for Billy Kelly's brilliant "People Really Like Milk." (See here.) So I feel a bit proud and a bit protective of the song. I'm its helicopter parent.
So when Kelly himself notices that a high school choir has adapted the song for its own use, I am naturally drawn to it like a moth to a flame. The sound quality is poor, the crowd screams at odd places, and the camera operator is clearly related to the guitarist, but, hey:
A high school choir just performed a kindie rock classic.
We should all be so lucky. What's next? Raffi on Glee?
PS -- if you have any detail which one of the dozens of Wilson High Schools across the country is actually responsible, please drop me a line...
Wilson High School Chorale - "People Really Like Milk" [YouTube]
The Ketchup Report, Vol. 1
Lots of interesting stuff crosses my (virtual) desk. Sometimes it grabs my attention and feels worthy of a full post all by itself and I have time and I write a post. Boom.
But sometimes it's just interesting, or I don't get to it immediately, or I don't have time to write something long and witty. (Or at least long.)
So I'm going to start what I'm calling "The Ketchup Report." Why ketchup? It's because it's for things you (or I) should catch up on. Get it? (I could have also called it, all apologies to Justin Roberts, the Mustard Report for things that must be heard. Ach, I'm having a meltdown.) Expect it semi-regularly.
-- Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer are celebrating more than 25 years in the family music business with a new 3-song EP, Triple Play -- preview and buy it here. They also have their 25th Annual Family Music Party -- when Ella Jenkins chooses to show up for a party, you know you've got it made.
-- Jamie Broza has a new album out soon -- I Want a Dog! -- and he's also got a Halloween-themed single "Trick or Treat" which, until Halloween 2010 can be downloaded here for free.
-- Matt Clark joined the illustrious group of musicians who've submitted their music to Click and Clack's "Dean of Auto-Music and heard their tune on Car Talk. A snippet from "Car Seat Blues," a song from his first album, was included on last weekend's show.
-- Finally, this video (and song) from DidiPop is the best bagel-related video since, well, this one.
-- Jamie Broza has a new album out soon -- I Want a Dog! -- and he's also got a Halloween-themed single "Trick or Treat" which, until Halloween 2010 can be downloaded here for free.
-- Matt Clark joined the illustrious group of musicians who've submitted their music to Click and Clack's "Dean of Auto-Music and heard their tune on Car Talk. A snippet from "Car Seat Blues," a song from his first album, was included on last weekend's show.
-- Finally, this video (and song) from DidiPop is the best bagel-related video since, well, this one.
Austin Kiddie Limits (ACL Music Festival) 2010: Day 1 Report
Much of the anticipation regarding the 2010 Austin City Limits Music Festival revolved around the weather. After years of dust storms, high heat and humidity, and last year's mudbath, the forecast was for clear weather in the mid-80s. Gradually moving the festival back into the month of October paid off as the forecast was dead-on. I personally would've been glad to see it 10 degrees cooler and with a few clouds (I loved 2009's Friday), but it was pretty nice...
So here we were, set to make a fourth visit to the ACL Festival, and the Austin Kiddie Limits stage in particular. The first clue that things would be a little more crowded this year was that by the time we got to "our" parking lot northwest of Republic Square in downtown, it was already full by 11 AM. But after finding a spot a couple blocks away, catching the bus to Zilker Park, checking in (including fortifying myself, Miss Mary Mack, and Little Boy Blue with snacks of various sorts), we finally made our way to the secluded nook of the AKL area.
One of the problems, of course, with ACL is that you're bound to walk past something that piques your interest while being unable to stop. I would've gladly hung around the Honda stage right next to AKL to catch more of GIVERS' set, but my kids, so close to the AKL area, just wanted to go in. I needed to save parental vetoes, so in we went. First up? The Jellydots. This particular iteration of Doug Snyder's band was more muscular-sounding than the last time I caught them here 3 years ago. (Or maybe all those acoustic Snyder solo sets are clouding my memory.) Anyway, it was a nice selection of tunes as Doug bounced from lead singer to guitarist/singer to (even) backup singer/drummer.
One of the problems, of course, with ACL is that you're bound to walk past something that piques your interest while being unable to stop. I would've gladly hung around the Honda stage right next to AKL to catch more of GIVERS' set, but my kids, so close to the AKL area, just wanted to go in. I needed to save parental vetoes, so in we went. First up? The Jellydots. This particular iteration of Doug Snyder's band was more muscular-sounding than the last time I caught them here 3 years ago. (Or maybe all those acoustic Snyder solo sets are clouding my memory.) Anyway, it was a nice selection of tunes as Doug bounced from lead singer to guitarist/singer to (even) backup singer/drummer.Monday Morning Smile: "Thinking 'Bout Somethin'" - Hanson
Y'know, I've always thought that "MMMBop" was one of the great pop hits of the '90s. The Hanson tune was seemingly everywhere when it was first released, and more than a decade later, it still holds up -- it's one of the most hummable meditations on change and mortality ever released. Anyway, they released a new album this summer called Shout It Out. The lead single "Thinkin 'Bout Somethin'" isn't a kids' tune (the singer's girlfriend has done him wrong) but it's not inappropriate, it is catchy, and the video, well, the video is a bunch of fun. (And if it all just looks vaguely familiar, you're right.)
What I'm thinking about is why they decided that they wanted to apostrophize 2 but not 3 of the words in the song title.
Hanson - "Thinking 'Bout Somethin'" [YouTube]
(After the jump, the song that kicked it all off. You know you want to hear it again.)
Video: "Fits Right In" - Robbie Schaefer
It's been a long time since Robbie Schaefer released new music for families. I mean, he gives us the goofy (and fun) Songs For Kids Like Us more than four years ago, and then what happens? He goes and gets himself a radio show on Sirius-XM's Kids Place Live. Apparently being a music director for a radio station means you don't get to record new carp-related family music.
But Schaefer's finally gotten around to recording "Fits Right In," which he's been playing at live shows for a little while now. It's a catch little piece of kids folk-pop -- fans of Justin Roberts will quite enjoy it, I think. You can download it here and on iTunes. I don't think it's going to take 4+ years before the next Schaefer release. Listen to Schaefer play the song solo (and acoustic), captured live by Gwyneth.
Robbie Schaefer - "Fits Right In" (Live @ Eddie's Attic, Atlanta) [YouTube]
Stream Frances England's "Mind of My Own"
San Francisco's Frances England may be a pro at making lovely handmade art, but she's also good at that newfangled electronic stuff. As I noted this summer, England's signed up with the folks at Topspin to get her music heard far and wide.
And so it is that her new, not-even-yet-released album Mind of My Own is available for your streaming pleasure. Just click away below. Might I suggest the leadoff title track, or #6 ("Place in Your Heart," with Mates of State), or perhaps #9 ("Cookies and Milk," featuring the Jellydots' Doug Snyder)? Or perhaps just the whole thing. And once you've done that go here and give her other albums a spin. Mind of My Own is released Nov. 9th.
