Listen To This: "Gratitude" - Mista Cookie Jar and the Chocolate Chips (World Premiere)

It's November, and as we enter into the season of counting our blessings, I'm thankful for and grateful to Mista Cookie Jar for asking me to world premiere the latest song from him and the Chocolate Chips.  It's called "Gratitude," and if it doesn't make move some part of your kids' bodies move in some way, then I might also suggest a remedial course of Motown.

Love the bass line, love the saxophone, and of course a message of gratitude is always timely, regardless of season.

Mista Cookie Jar and the Chocolate Chips - "Gratitude" [Bandcamp] (also available at CD Baby and iTunes)

Listen To This: "Together" - Moona Luna (feat. Secret Agent 23 Skidoo)

Always glad to hear folks from disparate parts of the kindie world coming together, especially when the result is as sunny as "Together," a brand new song from Moona Luna featuring Secret Agent 23 Skidoo.

Sandra Velasquez has written a breezy tune about friendship and getting together (natch).  It's poppier than most Moona Luna music with an '80s synthpop/skiffle vibe, but there's still that hint of Latin pop that underlies everything Moona Luna does. And in the middle, Skidoo raps a fiendishly fast verse.  Worth a spin.

Moona Luna (feat. Secret Agent 23 Skidoo) - "Together" [Bandcamp]

Video: "How Great Can This Day Be" - Lori Henriques (World Premiere)

It is no secret I'm a big fan of Lori Henriques, both of her music, as well as her videos.

Well, Henriques has a brand new album out today, her third solo kindie album.  It's called How Great Can This Day Be, and I'm tickled pink (and green, and yellow, and, oh, you'll see) to offer you the world premiere of the album's title track.

Once again she's teamed with her brother Joel Henriques to produce a memorable music video to accompany her music.  Appropriately for the jazzy, horn-accompanied pick-me-up of a song, Joel's stick puppets of brightly-colored shapes on simple backgrounds (referencing the album cover) look like they're enacting purely non-verbal storytelling from the '60s.

Lori Henriques is excited because her album is releasing the day that Sesame Street is celebrating its 45th anniversary.  One of the best compliments I can pay to this video is that I think the song and visuals would have fit well on the show at just about any point over the past 45 years.

Lori Henriques - "How Great Can This Day Be" [YouTube]

Video: "Chris Moose" - Bobs and LoLo

I know, it's not even Thanksgiving yet -- what am I doing posting a Christmas video?  Well, although I'll have more Christmas and winter holiday coverage after Thanksgiving, I did want to note the release this week of Wave Your Antlers, the first release on Nettwerk (!) from the British Columbia-based duo Bobs and LoLo.  The first single is "Chris the Moose," and its chorus is one of those that has wedged its way into my brain so that at random times I'll silently hear "It's Chris Moose / Chris the Moose."  The song and video are silly holiday fun.

Bobs and LoLo - "Chris Moose" [YouTube]

Video: "Armando Armadillo" - Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke

A new album from the punk-Americana duo Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke is always cause for celebration.  So, let's celebrate the recent release of Animal Tales, the duo's latest album, filled with songs celebrating, well, animals.

And by "celebrate," what I mean is "watch the first video for the album."  It's for "Armando Armadillo," the ballad with an appropriately Mexican sound for the tale of the Texan/southwestern animal.  The video, of course, features illustrations from the Wilde, whose drawings are all over their music (and many other things).  And after you watch the video -- kids, ask your parents to tell you about the game "Frogger."

Plus, for a limited time download the track for free here!

Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke - "Armando Armadillo" [YouTube]

Halloween 2014 Kids' Songs

Nothing like a last-minute roundup of holiday-related music, right?  If you want a much, much larger list, head here for a massive list of kid-friendly Halloween music, but here's a roundup of videos and tracks for your streaming pleasure. Blast it out your front door speaker at the trick-or-treaters Friday night.

As a bonus, I'll give you a Spookglobble rating -- 1 is for everyone, 2 is mildly scary (but should be fine for all but the most sensitive -- think slightly worrisome for a 3-year-old), and 3 could be scary for some kids.

Bears and Lions - "Halloween Is Finally Here": No PANCAKE! SWEEPSTAKES!, sadly, but it's good to have B&L music in any form, even seasonal.  Spookglobble rating: 2

Eric Herman - "Monster League Baseball" [YouTube]: It's a comedy sketch about, well, monsters playing baseball.  Spookglobble rating: 1

The Hipwaders - "Pumpkinhead" [YouTube]: As the band says in the description for the video, this is a cautionary tale regarding the dangers of too much Halloween candy. Perhaps play this for your kids before they go out Halloween night?

Mista Cookie Jar and the Chocolate Chips - "Halloween Every Night" [YouTube]: Surf-hop? MCJ's sound is sui generis, and this song commemorating both trick-or-treating and the cultural trappings of the holiday, is a mashup like everything else they do. Spookglobble rating: 1.7.

The Flannery Brothers - "Robot for Halloween" [YouTube]: Happy, joyful song about creating a Halloween costume. (I think you can guess what kind of costume). Bonus: download the song (and two others) for free! The song's a year-old, but some of that candy may be, too.  Spookglobble rating: 1.  (h/t: Cool Mom Tech)

Jazzy Ash - "Monsters": Gentle strut disproving the entire existence of monsters.  Spoilsport!  (Just kidding!) Spookglobble rating: 1.1

Charity and the JAMband - "Halloween": Another costume-celebrating track, celebrating all sorts of costumes. Also free for a limited time. Spookglobble rating: 1.

Joanie Leeds - "Confusing Costume": As someone who went as a "Black Hole" complete with a picture of Maxmillian Schell last year, I can relate.  Spookglobble rating: 1.