"Gingerbread Man" - Campfire Crew

Artist: Campfire Crew

Song: "Gingerbread Man"

Album: N/A (sort of)

Description: One of the latest videos from Andrew Queen's new "Tune Tales" project, which converts fairy tales into song form and, with the assistance of animator Judy Anderson, visually tells those stories using paintings on wood.  The story of the fast-running would-be dessert is familiar, but the song and animation make it a worthwhile retelling.

Source: YouTube

"Turkey in the Straw" - Andy Z

Artist: Andy Z

Song: "Turkey in the Straw"

Album: Classic Songs and Traditional Tunes

Description: Much like the album the song comes from, there's nothing particularly novel about this video, but that's OK.  Genial musicians, farm animals, and the occasional costume are all that's necessary to make this worthwhile if you need a video for this (very) traditional song.

Source: YouTube

"Ballphabet" - Andrew & Polly

Artist: Andrew and Polly

Album: N/A

Description: This quick video surprisingly sn't from A&P's new album Odds and Ends, which is released this Friday.  Instead, it's a quick video for a quick song from their excellent Ear Snacks podcast.  All sorts of balls, including a few you'd never guess.  (John Baldessari?)

Source: YouTube

"Gather Round" - Renee and Friends

Artist: Renee and Friends (in this case, Renee Stahl and Lisa Loeb)

Song: "Gather Round"

Album: Simpatico

Description: The lead single (and opening track) from Renee Stahl's album featuring duets with a whole bunch of people not named Jeremy Toback (except for the one track that is) is a warm compote of smiling faces, food, and games.  It is comfort food, and a sweet slice of kindie pie.

Source: YouTube

"The Cat Came Back" - Laurie Berkner

Artist: Laurie Berkner

Song: "The Cat Came Back"

Album: Whaddaya Think of That?

Description: That's one persistent cat (and one annoyed kid in fake mustache and straw hat).  Also, stay tuned for Berkner's mugging for the camera at the end of the video.

Source: YouTube

"We Are the Robots" (from Yo Gabba Gabba!) - Enon

Artist: Enon

Song: "We Are the Robots"

Show: Yo Gabba Gabba!

Description: How large is the pull of YGG!?  Big enough to get a band that last released an album of original material in 2003 to perform in 2010.  They record the happiest ode to the singularity ever heard, with joyful animation from Mixtape Club to go along with it.

Source: Vimeo

"Lighter Than Air" - Recess Monkey

Artist: Recess Monkey

Song: "Lighter Than Air"

Album: Hot Air

Description: "Penguinese" was the first video from the forthcoming album Hot Air, but "Lighter Than Air" is the first full song on the album.  If you listened to this track alone, you might be forgiven for thinking that it's nothing but a mellow '70s soft-rock fest.  (Spoiler alert: it's not.)  As for the video, it essentially summarizes the first 80% of Hot Air's accompanying DVD.  (There's a plot! It involves penguins and balloons!  Any more you'll have to find out for yourself, I'm not telling.)

Source: YouTube