Video: "The Owl and the Pussycat" - Heidi Swedberg

Heidi Swedberg and Daniel Ward are heading to China in a couple weeks to do some playing and teaching for Ohana Ukuleles -- a sweet gig if you can get it, right?  In any case, to help with promotion, they've produced a simple video of Swedberg and Ward playing their rendition of "The Owl and the Pussycat," recorded but not (yet) released on an album amidst many ukuleles in an Ohana warehouse.  The odd setting for a video is appropriate, I think, for Swedberg's slightly mysterious reading of Edward Lear's poem.

Heidi Swedberg (with Daniel Ward) - "The Owl and the Pussycat" [YouTube]

Monday Morning Smile: Mungge (Nid Scho Widr!)

"Nid Scho Widr," for those of you not living in Switzerland or up to speed on your Romansch, means "Not again!"  In this case, it's an expression suitable for the marmots and hedgehogs populating this stop-motion animation from this now-disbanded Owl Studios (a quartet of Swiss animation students).   Gotta say, though, those marmots and the hedghog all look a lot like Sid from the Ice Age movies.  Must be the eyes.

Video: "Arctic Fox" - Elska

I wouldn't say that a lot happens in this video for "Arctic Fox," from Elska's brand-new album Middle of Nowhere.  But is it cute?  Oh, but yes.  (If the fox looks slightly akin to those in the Wes Anderson film The Fantastic Mr. Fox, that's because Elska's slumber-disturbing canid was animated by Andy Biddle, who also worked on the movie.)

Elska - "Arctic Fox" [YouTube]

Monday Morning Smile: The Cats of Mars Meet the Toy Car

It has been awhile since I've posted a Monday Morning Smile, but, y'know, I only post them when I find something worth sharing.  This 8-minute animated short from Sweden's Jacob Stalhammar has been dubbed into English, but the sound and look is retro all over the world.  The outer space theme gives it a bit of a Halloween feel to me.  It's lots of fun for any age -- make it a part of your own next personal animation festival.

Video: "Robots on the Dance Floor" - RhymeZwell

This, friends, is why you might want to consider a Kickstarter campaign to make your next video.  Because this video for "Robots on the Dance Floor," the lead single from RhymeZwell's second album Bigfoot Stomp, Kickstarted last year, looks fantastic.  It's funky and shiny, and as long as you don't think the ending has a little bit of a Terminator vibe, pretty happy.  (Like it? Kickstart the next video.)

RhymeZwell - "Robots on the Dance Floor" [YouTube]

Super Why! Meets fun. Guitarist in Battle of Punctuation

(WordGirl to referee.)

OK, not really, but Super Why! and the preschool show's animated team of pint-sized problem-solvers have their first-ever soundtrack courtesy of fun. guitarist Jack Antonoff.  It's (wordily) called the Super Why! You've Got the Power Soundtrack and features 18 tracks from the series, including 10 new tracks written by Antonoff, who also recorded and produced the album.

"We Are Young" apparently was not just a song title, right?

In any case, you can download the title track for free via the widget below.  Lyrically, it's your standard "kids self-empowerment" song, but those families digging the Auto-Tuned poppy sound of fun.'s latest album will want to check it out.

The soundtrack comes out Oct. 30th on Razor & Tie, though the iTunes preorder suggests it'll be out Oct. 2nd.