Up & At 'Em! - Andrew and Polly

Artist: Andrew & Polly

Album: Up & At 'Em! 

Description: Sparkly and playful acoustic pop for your 3-year-old.  This is their 2010 album, which will likely whet your family's appetite for their forthcoming follow-up.  "When You're a Dog" won the 2012 ASCAP Foundation Joe Raposo Children's Music Award.

Source: Bandcamp 

Are We There Yet? - The Verve Pipe

Artist: The Verve Pipe 

Album: Are We There Yet? 

Description:  Don't ask why this particular band should have one of the more unexpected second acts in family music.  Just enjoy the goofy and endearingly earnest album with your family.  The leadoff track is particularly awesome, start there.

Source: Soundcloud 

Desert Island Disc - Recess Monkey

Artist: Recess Monkey

Album: Desert Island Disc

Description:  The follow-up companion album to their much-fun album Deep Sea Diver, Desert Island Disc is more beach-themed.  It's officially released October 15, but you clever monkeys (see what I did there?) can give it an early spin.

Source: Bandcamp

ABC Fiesta - Mister G

Artist: Mister G

AlbumABC Fiesta

Description:  Following up his fun Spanish-language and bilingual album Chocolalala from last year, the Massachusetts singer-songwriter is back with another dozen songs for the bilingually-inclined.  The songs are new, even the couple that were released previously get new recordings.  Album to be released Sept. 28, 2013.

Source: Bandcamp

Birdbrain - Fatcat & Fishface

ArtistFatcat & Fishface

Album:  Birdbrain 

Description:  The seventh album from the New Zealand anarcho-kindie musicians, 2013's Birdbrain  is an avian-inspired set of songs (NZ's Department of Conservation even provided support).  Maybe because of that overarching theme, it's slightly less cheeky, but not too much so.  Give "Kingfisher" a spin, for example -- it's not a Disneyfied take on birds.  (For a sillier song, try the title track.)

Source: Bandcamp 

Blink of an Eye - Frances England

Artist: Frances England 

Album: Blink of an Eye 

Description:  England's lovely, jangly, impressionistic glance at life is available for you to stream.  I suggest you do.

Source: Frances England's website 

 

Worst Superpower Ever - The Doubleclicks

Artist: The Doubleclicks 

Album: Worst Superpower Ever 

Description:  Delightfully nerdy songs from the the guitar-and-cello sister-duo from Portland, Oregon.  Some of the songs have appeared on prior albums for adults, but this album, the duo's first for kids, will appeal to your geeky, slightly older kid.  I'd've thought this was awesome when I was 11.  I still think it's fun.

SourceBandcamp