Itty-Bitty Review: I'm Not a Bully! - Josh & Gab

I am not a big fan of music about bullying.  I haven't found a lot of it interesting, believing it doesn't say much more than "think about others" and "don't bully" in the most obvious way lyrically and musically.  (Please note: it should go without saying that I think Bullying Is Bad, but since I've just stated my aversion to the bullying music subgenre, better safe than sorry.)

So when I say that I'm Not a Bully!  is an anti-bullying album I'm OK with, that's the opposite of damning with faint praise.  The Pittsburgh-based duo of Josh Verbanets and Gab Bonesso -- AKA Josh & Gab -- have a school anti-bullying assembly, so there are the songs that get the crowd pumped ("Everybody Clap Hands") and make the administrators happy ("I'm Not a Bully," "I'm a Leader").  They're catchy, but I'm far more interested in the songs that don't spell everything out -- "Hurry Up and Get Well" is a gentle song to a sick or injured friend that never addresses exactly what has waylaid him or her.  And "Nine O'Clock Behind The Jack Rabbit" is a song from the perspective of someone challenged to a fight -- although it resolves peacefully, what sticks in the mind is the nervousness felt by the protagonist.  It's an awesome song.

The songs here are going to be most interesting to kids ages 7 through 12.  You can listen to the whole album via the widget below.  Again, focused as it is on anti-bullying efforts, the whole album isn't necessarily designed for repeat listening in the car.  ("Nine O'Clock" and "Hurry Up" are exceptions.)  But you can do much, much worse in this genre, and it's definitely recommended if you're in the market for that particular purpose.

[Note:  I received a copy of the album for possible review.]

Weekly Summary (6/17/13 - 6/23/13)

Review: Deep Sea Diver - Recess Monkey

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Another summer, another Recess Monkey album.   No kindie band challenges the kids music reviewer as much as the Seattle trio: their amazing productivity (at least one album a year for the past eight years, plus a second one to be released later this year) and consistently high quality makes it difficult for humble reviewers like this one here to figure out how to say what is essentially the same thing ("this is really good -- you should get it") in new ways.  (No, I will not be writing this review in limerick form.)

All the qualities that have endeared Recess Monkey to thousands of families nationally from their Pacific Northwest perch are in ample display on their brand new album Deep Sea Diver . Humor (the wry look at those scavenging birds in the mellow Beatles-esque "Seagull" or the punny title of "Choral Reef"), kid-focused topics (disco-dancing with "Walkie Talkies" and complaining about being short in "Shrimp"), and, yes, hooks galore.

I mean, what did you expect on an album themed around the ocean and water -- of course  there would be hooks.  The catchiest tracks are front-loaded -- "Tambourine Submarine" is a pure pop hit, and the samba-tinged "The Deep End" will have you singing along with the chorus or dancing (if not both).  But there are some gems buried on side 2, as it were -- "Seagull" is a tiny gem of a portrait and the back-and-forth sonic touches on "Making Waves" neatly echo the song's subject.

Musically, Drew Holloway and Jack Forman sound as good as ever, with new drummer Korum Bischoff essentially introduced to the band's audience in track #2 "Fish Sticks" by showing off his ample chops.  Friends such as Johnny Bregar and Dean Jones pitch in, and after listening to the strings on "Stranded," somewhere Burt Bacharach is thinking maybe he should do a kids' album.

As with most RM albums, this one's pitched at kids ages 4 through 8.  You can listen to the whole 41-minute album here.

So here am I at the end of my review and I still don't know if these words are adequate to convey how great this band is.  I'll just leave you then with Deep Sea Diver  is really good - you should get it.  Highly recommended.

Hey, Podcasts!

Apologies for a moment of self-promotion where I remind you that if you want to hear my radio-ready voice on NPR more than once every three or four months, you are welcome to sign up for any of the three Zooglobble-related podcasts as noted below.  Listen to them here on the site, put them into your RSS feed, or download 'em via iTunes.

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Kindie Week in Review - The original Zooglobble podcast, and the fastest six (to ten) minutes in kindie music (faster if you listen at double speed!).  Listen to me give you some highlights from the week's kindie news and other news from kid-friendly media, along with a discussion of chart news.  Airs weekly (usually).

Subscribe to podcast: iTunes / http://zooglobble.com/kindie-week-in-review?format=rss 

 

My Other Other Gig  - This podcast features conversations with kids musicians and others in the kindie world about non-kindie topics.  Inspired by conversations I've had with kindie musicians about stuff that had nothing to do with kids music, MOOG lets you know what (else) makes kids musicians tick.  Or ticked off.  Airs a couple times a month (I hope).

Subscribe to podcast: iTunes / http://zooglobble.com/my-other-other-gig?format=rss 

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Bake Sale  - Finally, the newest podcast features Kickstarter and other crowdfunding projects while  they're in the process of seeking funding.  Not just for kids music, but for any project seeking to serve kids.

I'd also note that because Kickstarter and crowdfunding projects sometimes operate on a limited timeframe I'm not always able to interview everyone I'd like for the podcast, so I've started highlighting other projects exclusively on the website.  (I'm calling them "Non-Casts.")  Airs a couple times a month (with Non-Casts more frequent). 

Subscribe: iTunes / http://zooglobble.com/bakesale?format=rss  

Video: "Sail Away Ladies" - Dan Zanes, Elizabeth Mitchell & You Are My Flower

There isn't a lot to this video, which is a strength, really, when you consider the organic and unadorned nature of Dan Zanes' and Elizabeth Mitchell's music for families.   It's the two of them, plus the rest of You Are My Flower (Daniel Littleton and Daniel and Elizabeth's daughter Storey) playing the classic "Sail Away Ladies," which'll be on Turn Turn Turn , the new album featuring all of them (out on August 27.)

But the reason to watch (besides the music, which is lots of fun) is the Littletons' dog Yuki going absolutely crazy during the recording of the video.  He needs to come on tour, right? 

Dan Zanes and Elizabeth Mitchell with You Are My Flower - "Sail Away Ladies" [YouTube] 

Radio Playlist: New Music June 2013

Another 5 weeks or so, another Spotify update for new music (see the May playlist here).  As always, it's limited in that if an artist hasn't chosen to post a song on Spotify, I can't put it on the list, nor can I feature songs from as-yet-unreleased albums.  But I'm always keeping stuff in reserve for the next Spotify playlist.

Check out the list here or go right here if you're in Spotify.

**** New Music June 2013 (June 2013 Kindie Playlist) ****

Recess Monkey – The Deep End

Josh and the Jamtones – Bring the Music

Ejs Big Box of Love – Big Box of Love

Bobby Beetcut – Funky Monkey

Mr. Saxophone – Gravy Stain

Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke – Trondaxx Berserker

Sandbox – Rock Song

Owen Duggan – Toes for Breakfast

Adam Bernstein – Silly Song

Dan Costello – I'm a Little Cookie

Josh & Gab – Nine O'clock Behind the Jack Rabbit

The Dirty Sock Funtime Band – Danceology