I posted this on my own Facebook page a couple weeks ago, and I certainly wasn't the only one -- when Roger Ebert calls your video the "Greatest Music Video of All Time," that tends to drive some views. If you haven't seen it, the back story behind the video isn't that important, except to say that Grand Rapids, Michigan felt a little slighted. But instead of cursing or complaining, they channeled their voice into action, leading to the use of helicopters, fireworks, and football teams as part of the "lip dub" to Don McLean's "American Pie." It's pretty awesome. And inspiring.
Grand Rapids Lip Dub ("American Pie" by Don McLean) [YouTube]
Newborn: The Thinkers
After I heard Oh Zoooty!, the debut from The Thinkers, a couple times, I e-mailed the band, of which I knew very little, and said, "I hope you won't take this wrong way, but who the hell are you guys?"
Because what they've created is one of those utterly imaginative works that ten minutes in, you'll either have turned it off or -- more likely -- be totally smitten. So who they are is this: Bo (Bo Moore) and Moy (Matt Saporito), or as they replied in my e-mail, "two best buddies in our mid 20s from Boston & New York." They've actually been working on their album for more than a year now, but are only recently unleashing it upon the world. Listen to the album, I implore you, here. My favorites -- for the moment -- include "Chocolate Milk & Ice Cream Cake," "Froggy Hop," and "Mushy Berry Pie." It's a pretty unique sound, sometimes sea chanty, sometimes British Invasion, but if you miss the sounds of The Quiet Two or the Telephone Company (OK, they're still around), you won't want to miss this.
They'll also be making their way across the country this summer, starting in Boston in about a couple weeks, making their way to Sacramento by the beginning of August. Check out their tour schedule and if you see some gaps near where you live (like I have in Arizona in mid-July), I think you know what to do...Video: "The Wheels on the Bus" - Readeez
Michael Rachap has been working on a bunch of Readeez that tackle nursery rhymeez (er, rhymes). I personally prefer his take on "The Wheels on the Bus," which sounds very "wheels-on-the-bus"-ish while not sounding quite like most other takes you've heard. Simple but effective.
The Wheels On The Bus from Readeez on Vimeo.
Radio Playlist: New Music June 2011
It has been way too long since I updated the Zooglobble radio station. (Ahem.) This playlist airs in the mid-afternoons (West Coast time), but if you can't listen in the afternoon, the tracks are scattered throughout the day, too. As always, the listing below is alphabetical, but the play order on air is random due to Internet music restrictions.
Stinkerbelle (Timeout Mix) - Alex The Seal (Kids' Club)
Metaphor - The Alphabeticians (Rock)
Skywriter - Baron Von Rumblebuss (Agreeably Loud!!)
House On Wheels - Caroline Herring (The Little House Songs)
Tired Eyes - Mark Erelli (Innocent When You Dream)
All I Wanna Do Is Dance - Fuzzy Lollipop (Sweet!)
The Alphabet Song - Groove Kid Nation (Wheels On The Bus)
Wisconsin Poncho - Gustafer Yellowgold (Gustafer Yellowgold's Infinity Sock)
10-4 Good Buddy - Hullabaloo (Road Trip)
Waters of March - Jamie Broza (I Want a Dog!)
Froggie Went A Courtin' (Featuring Secret Agent 23 Skidoo) - Joanie Leeds And The Nightlights (What A Zoo!)
1 2 3 4 - Kurt Gallagher (1 2 3 4)
I Love The Mountains - The Learning Station (#1 Best Kid's Songs!)
It's Hard To Wait For Your Birthday - Lori Henriques (Outside My Door)
Bluebonnet Time - Lucas Miller (I <3 Earth)
Let's Dance - Lucky Diaz And The Family Jam Band (Oh Lucky Day!)
Magic Pony - Miss Amy & Her Big Kids Band (Fitness Rock & Roll)
Gonna Take My Hat - Mister G (Bugs)
Super Scientist - Monty Harper (Songs From The Science Frontier)
Our Family - Mr. Leebot (Erratic Schematic)
The Funkier The Better - Nikolai Moderbacher (The Funkier The Better)
Would You Sing Me? - Octopretzel (If I Were A Song...)
Hip Hop - RhymeZwell (Nursery Rhymez)
Super Can - The RTTs (Goodie Bag)
Wear My Pajamas To School - Rudy Trubitt (Wear My Pajamas To School)
Un, deux, trois - Sophie & Les Petites (Bonjour)
Dandelion - Steve Weeks (Dandelion)
Cooperate - Sugar Free Allstars & Secret Agent 23 Skidoo
Slow Food - Van Oodles (Flossophy 101)
Lester's Dementia - Zak & Dela (The Candy Machine)
Please Release Me: June 2011 Edition
It is time again for my updated list of new and upcoming releases. (Last month's list is here.) As always, if I've listed you on here and gotten something wrong (or something not ready for primetime), let me know and I'll edit or delete it. And if you're not on here and think you should be, drop me a line, too, and I'll get you added for the next iteration.
I've slightly changed the update conventions from last month. Additions to the list are how noted with a "++"; changes to previously-mentioned items are still indicated with italics.
++ Rockabye Baby: Lullaby Renditions of Def Leppard (June 14)
Recess Monkey: FLYING! (June 21)
Putumayo Kids - Kids World Party (June 28)
Rock the Cradle: Dreamin' with Def Leppard (June 28) [new lullaby series from Tor Hyams' Happiness Records feat. Def Leppard band members]
++ The Not-Its!: Tag, You're It! (June 28)
Charlie Hope: Songs, Stories and Friends: Let's Go Play! (June)
Egg: Hard Boiled (June)
Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke: Hey Pepito! EP (July 1)
Moey's Music Party: Happily Ever Moey! A Fairy Tale Lark in Central Park (DVD, July 12)
++ Suzy Bogguss: American Folk Songbook (July 18 / Aug. 2)
Eric Herman: The Elephant (DVD, July 19) [watch one of three amusing spoof preview videos here.]
Laurie Berkner: Party Day (DVD, July 26)
++ Ben Rudnick & Friends: Live in Lexington (July) [double CD set, 2008 live concert]
Hipwaders: Golden State (Aug. 2)
++ The Wiggles: Ukulele Baby! (DVD, Aug. 9)
The Jimmies: Practically Ridiculous (Aug. 16)
++ Recess Music (Various Artists): Wild Child (mid-August)
++ Maestro Classics: My Name is Handel (Aug. 24)
++ Music for Little People: Toddler Favorites: The Movie (Aug. 30)
++ Riff Rockit: Title TBA (CD, DVD, late August)
Central Services Board of Education: Title TBA (summer)
++ In The Nick of Time: Making Silly Faces (Sept. 6)
Rocknoceros: Colonel Purple Turtle (Sept. 13)
++ Maestro Classics: A Soldier’s Tale (Sept. 15
Caspar Babypants: Sing Along! (Sept. 20)
++ Ted Jacobs: Back to the Garden (Sept. 20)
++ Beethoven's Wig, feat. Richard Perlmutter: Sing Along Piano Classics (Sept. 27). [features piano works by Chopin, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Schumann, Debussy, Stravinsky, Schoenberg, and Joplin]
Andy Z: The Grand Scream of Things (Sept. 30) [produced by Tor Hyams]
Hope Harris: Picasso, That's Who (October)
++ Recess Music (Various Artists): U R Some 1 (mid-October)
++ The Dirty Sock Funtime Band: Title TBA (November)
++ Suzi Shelton: Title TBA (fall)
Randy Kaplan: Mr. Diddie Wah Diddie (fall?)
Milkshake: Title TBA plus Holiday Album Title TBA (Fall 2011)
Other 2011 albums: Ah-Choo, Alastair Moock, Peter Apel, Funky Mamas, Dan Zanes, Big Don, Mr. Richard, Chuck Cheesman, Ratboy, Jr., Todd McHatton, Jim Gill. Also, Rockabye Baby for Van Halen, The Police, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Madonna.
Share: Hey Pepito! EP - Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke
Have you had your coffee yet? Your kids had their chocolate milk? No? Well, don't worry about it. Just stream the first song on this new EP from Key Wilde and Mr. Clarke, you'll all be ready to conquer the world. (Or at least power your bike up the hill.)
Titled Hey, Pepito!, the 6-song EP features four new songs, including the aforementioned title track, the only-slightly-less hyper "Don Mario's Song," "Talking Big Pet Pig," which is, well, the story of the "Big Pet Pig" as told by Bob Dylan, and a very sweet "Summer Lullaby." (It also features "It's So Good" and "Mary the Fairy.")
The EP is officially released July 1, but you can stream it below.
