Kindie Quick Hits: Funkinships & Cat Doorman, Brady Rymer Video

War does terrible things, especially for the survivors. How's that for an inspirational opening for a children's music review? Iraq War vet Derek McGee turned to philanthropy upon his return to civilian life, volunteering on the Mystic Whaler on the Hudson River. After hooking up with professional musician Charlie Chamberlain (also through the environmental education program), the duo transformed Derek's free-flowing original lyrics into compositions that became an ensemble – Funkinships was launched.

The first CD, POST FOLK ABSURDIST, promises that kids can "be a little weird, there's nothing wrong with that." Or so they sing on "The Platypus And Steve Buscemi." Um, the buscemi is a fish. I told you, they're a little silly. The ten tunes include "Nightmare On The Kids Menu" and the instructional "If You Cant Sing Well Sing Loud."

The Funkinship crowd stays true to the seas, with "The Great Whale Ball," "Sea Legs," and "The Shad And The Eel" completing the nautical sound. For kids who seek a seafaring treat, there's more ship than funk. But – ah, they point out the name can be subdivided into "Fun-kinships," which is exactly what Derek and Charlie and company have formed. You like your friends? You like music? You like the share? You do the math.

POST FOLK ABSURDIST is available from Funkinships web site, Amazon, CDBABY, and iTunes.

You know what they say about the best-laid plans. Cat Doorman intended to release semi-regular EPs as she produced new music. Well, that was more than one year ago and the second EP, BOP BOPIOP! is now here.

A co-production from Cat (Julianna Bright and husband Seth Lorinczi, accomplished collaborator with Modest Mouse and others), BOP BODIOP! is a mashup of folk and funk, with horns and guitars and doubled vocal harmonies from Cat. The common themes are originality, creating things, and having fun adventures. As Cat sings on "To and Fro":

In all that’s good and green that’s where we make the scene
Cartwheeling through the grass like a cartwheeling machine
You bring the ball and I’ll, I’ll bring the game
Oh, I’m so glad we came

Usually the problem with an EP is that you get all hopped up and then it's over. But Cat uses the shorter medium as an opportunity to explore a particular message. The songs on this sampler are different than CALLING ALL THE KIDS TO THE YARD (her 2015 RP). Now, does she produce a third EP or build enough "surrounding" track to expand into a full CD? That's the beauty of digital music; she can do either or neither. And between us, I prefer BOP BODIOP! to Kidz Bop any day.

Grab BOP-BODIOP! from Cat Doorman's website, iTunes, or Bandcamp.

Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could recently put out a new CD, PRESS PLAY. The second video is now live, bringing the psychedelic 60s back for the title track. It's straight from the Monkees, right down to the wigs. Check it out here: