Ben's Playlist - Friday,. June 29, 2012

Walking Tall - Lyle Lovett
Born to Be Loved - Lucinda Williams
Peace And Love - Fountains Of Wayne
Why Is Dad So Mad? - The Board of Education
Our World - My Morning Jacket
Safety Dance - Men Without Hats
T.O.R.N.A.D.O. - The Go! Team
Clap Your Hands - The Time Outs
 Zou bisou bisou - Gillian Hills
Dance Like A Monkey - New York Dolls
Mary Anning - Artichoke

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, June 28, 2012

Why - Steve Weeks
Alphabet Produce - Kathleen Edwards
Rainbow Connection - Weezer Feat. Hayley Williams
Hero - Okee-Dokee Brothers
Glad You Came - The Wanted
 You Yes You - Tune-Yards
The Golem - The Deedle Deedle Dees
I've Got a Brother - Nick Cope
River of Blood - The Deedle Deedle Dees

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Grandma's Hands - Bill Withers
I Believe In a Thing Called Love  - The Darkness
Everybody Let's Jump  - Eloise the Great
We Just Won't Be Defeated  - The Go! Team
Rolling In the Deep - Adele
Can You Picture That? - Quazar and the Bamboozled
Do It Yourself  - Kinder Angst   
First Warm Day - The Incredible Chandler Travis Catual Birdomonic
In Tents -  Recess Monkey
Payphone - Maroon 5
Frenzy - Dean Jones

Ben's Playlist - Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Popsicle Soup - Jawbone
 Holiday Road - Matt Pond PA
Be My Baby - The Ronettes
Say It Loudly - The Not-Its!
Thank You - Dan Zanes & Friends
Worms - Dog On Fleas
Peace And Love - Fountains Of Wayne
You Yes You - Tune-Yards
Bouncy House - Recess Monkey
Bag of Dreams - Steven Courtney

RESPECT (new podcast)

Before I landed my current job, I worked at a small community chain of local advertising-driven newspapers.

Coming right from college, I had limited experience in a formal work setting. But the person directing the work force had limited experience as well, coming from a position as a junior high school assistant principal.

As such, he treated everyone like a 12-14 year old child.

Which works great with testosterone-laden recent graduates.

I recount a story of what happened when those two extremes collided.

There were also several different cat updates this week, and rather then string them out over the next few weeks, I collapsed them into one lengthy segment. And yes, there is a cage once again set up my backyard as we launch another go-round on Sunday morning.

We end with "Teenage Tease," a Cohen/Aubrey movie trailer.

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Ben's Playlist - Monday, June 25, 2012

What Makes You Beautiful  - Glee
The Wheel Deal (feat. Ian MacDonald, Lance Murphy, Lawrence Leathers & Jainardo Batista)      - Josh Levine
When the Bells Start Ringing (feat. The Head & the Heart)    - My Morning Jacket
One Less Lonely Girl    - Justin Bieber
Great Balls Of Fire  -   Chris Isaak
Henry (Hudson), How Ya Gonna Find a Way?   - The Deedle Deedle Dees
Mammal  -   They Might Be Giants
For Those About To Walk (We Salute You)   - Daddy A Go Go
Centerfield    - Visqueen 
Wrong Thing  - The Hipwaders 

Hey, Nice Shoes!

Remember, It's a Big World Out There

Myopia. Ask any kid and they'll tell you – it's the home planet from AVATAR.

Most Millenials raised to believe the Sun rises and sets on them have a pre-existing sense of myopia. Increasingly, social consciousness and cultural awareness must be taught – sometimes in a heavy-handed manner.

Recess Music attempts to perform a gentle intervention for our naval-gazing youngsters.

The company aims to entertain, encourage, and educate children and families through Earth-friendly music. Founder and CEO Nancy Doan hit the ground running in 2010. The company has released numerous CDs in its "Celebrate Earth" and "Best Foot Forward" series.

Their latest release, "Someone Else's Shoes" continues to stress the values of community, participation, awareness, friendship, and common courtesy. Fifteen tracks cover "Team Work" (The Uncle Brothers), "Say Something Nice About Somebody" (The Happy Crowd), "Take A Walk in Someone Else's Shoes" (Swingset Mamas), and "Be Nice to Old People" (Jamie Broza).

For the child who feels like an outsider, Dan Dan Doodlebug sings "There's No Such Thing As Normal":

There's no such thing as normal my mother once explained.
'Cause everyone is different, no two people are the same.
There are so many ways to be and different things to do,
There's no such thing as normal so have fun and just be you.

A timely theme addressed throughout the Best Foot Forward series is bullying. Recess Music dedicated an entire CD (Big Bully) to the topic last year and return with more tracks on this collection. On "You Hurt My Feelings," Troubadour sings about the emotional cost of careless words. The Hill Brothers are more direct on "There's No Place for Bullies In Our School." And who could disagree with the sentiment of Mike Soloway's "Please Stop Hurting My Feelings"?

With a toddler just starting to notice that other children may be interesting – and might be interested in him – these CDs are a nice way to introduce the co-joined concepts of self-worth and community. Recess Music stresses "Music for the Dance of Life." There's no better way to get a toddler on his feet than to give him access to your stereo system and "Someone Else's Shoes" gives you a good reason to do just that.

"Someone Else's Shoes" is available on Tuesday, July 31 through iTunes, Amazon, and the Recess Music website.

Ben's Playlist - Friday, June 22, 2012

Spring Is Just Around the Corner  -  Richard Julian
Immigrant Song  -  Led Zeppelin
Memphis Soul Stew  -  King Curtis & The Kingpins
Polka Face   -  Weird Al Yankovic
In the Mood  -  Glenn Miller
Burning Coffee    -    They Might Be Giants
Glad You Came   -  The Wanted
June Hymn  -  The Decemberists
Wake Up Baby!   -  Dan Zanes & Friends with Shine
(I Love the Sound of) Breaking Glass   -  Nick Lowe
King Tut   -  Steve Martin & Steep Canyon Rangers

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, June 21, 2012

Dream - Blue Sky Riders
Making Me Smile  - Dean & Britta
I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas - The Jimmies
I Hear a New World - They Might Be Giants
Our World - My Morning Jacket
Shining Like a Star - Laura Doherty
It's Now Or Never  - Chris Isaak
Move On Up - Curtis Mayfield       
Ride In My Little Red Wagon - Willie & The Wheel    
A Road Song - Fountains Of Wayne

Recess Monkey at Teatro ZinZanni (video)

Recess Monkey has released their new circus-themed CD, In Tents, 

To celebrate, the trio have posted a video of the full-length  show they've been performing at Seattle's Teatro ZinZanni.  There are still a few performances remaining, for those in the Seattle area.  For everyone else — or for those who have seen the show in Seattle and would like to revisit it --  pop some popcorn, and enjoy from the comfort of your own homes!

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, June 20, 2012

It Had to Be You - Esquivel
You're Pitiful  - Weird Al Yankovic
First Warm Day  - The Incredible Chandler Travis Catual Birdomonic
T.O.R.N.A.D.O.  - The Go! Team
Henry (Hudson), How Ya Gonna Find a Way? - The Deedle Deedle Dees
Say Hello to My Hippo - Todd McHatton
A Good Good Time  - Nikolai Moderbacher
Everybody Loves to Jump   - Mike Park
Born to Be Loved (The Kitchen Tapes)    - Lucinda Williams
Good Riddance (The Time Of Your Life)   - Glee
Opposite Day - Steve Songs

Ben's Playlist - Tuesday, June 19, 2012

It Will Rain - Bruno Mars
Shake Me Down   - Cage the Elephant
Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart - Fountains Of Wayne
The Christmas Song - The Raveonettes
Full Sized Candy Bars - David and Jad Fair
If You Wanna Dance Say Yeah! - Dog On Fleas
Sleepy Tigers - Her Space Holiday
Live It Up  - Chris Isaak
Can You Feel It - Ziggy Marley 
Somebody That I Used To Know  - Gotye

Memories of Me (new podcast)

As you get older, you discover an amazing thing about your memory: It starts to go.

Now, this is partly because you add a full day's worth of knowledge to the already-existing database. And all that STUFF has to go somewhere.

However, as the new info pushes out old stuff (where it gets virtually zapped to nothingness), the hard drive of your brain also develops some glitches. And by the next day, you may not remember breakfast. Or lunch. Or the first person you spoke to. Or what you wore.

I know there are people who say they remember lots of stuff, decades after the fact. And then there are the people with SUPER memory, but they are few and far between.

For the disbelievers, who say they have "pretty good memories," I ask you, "Who was the FIFTH person you spoke to AFTER you left your dwelling last TUESDAY." I thought so.

The main segment discusses the events of one particular day. And why even now, as I type this, I don't remember those events a few days later. Plus my son's amazing memory (so far).

Also, a brief cat update featuring the appearance of the THIRD cat caught in our web.

 Nothing but a cute li'l feral kitten.

 Listen to the episode to hear what happened to HER.

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Ben's Playlist - Monday, June 18, 2012

Life's A Happy Song - The Muppets
What Katie Did  - The Libertines
Come Up, Horsey  - Victoria Williams
Edwina Mae - Recess Monkey
Ode To A Superhero - Weird Al Yankovic
Don't Call Them Twinkies - Craig Finn & the Baseball Project      
Grandmom's House - Recess Monkey
Treehouse - Dog On Fleas
Want U Back  - Cher Lloyd ft. Astro 

Ben's Playlist - Friday, June 15, 2012

The Unsinkable Fats Domino  -  Guided By Voices
All The Animals  -  Joanie Leeds & The Nightlights
Rainbow Connection -  Weezer Feat. Hayley Williams
And the Green Grass Grew All Around -  Doc Watson       
Clap Your Hands -  The Time Outs
Shoo Fly - Don't Bother Me   -  Sweet Honey In the Rock
Tomorrow Will Be Really Great -  Dan Israel
In Tents -  Recess Monkey
I Walk The Line  -  Chris Isaak
Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart  -  Fountains Of Wayne
Slumber Party -  In The Nick Of Time

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, June 14, 2012

I'm The Only One - Glee
The Cave  - Mumford and Sons
Laser Show  - Fountains Of Wayne
Don't Drink Sea Water   - Captain Bogg & Salty
Felt Around the World  - Hand Aid
A Good Good Time - Nikolai Moderbacher
I Can't Quit Her  - Blood, Sweat & Tears
Been There, Done That  - Eno/Cale
My Happiness  - Chris Isaak
Mammal - They Might Be Giants

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, June 13, 2012

The Alternative Polka  - Weird Al Yankovic
It Will Rain  - Bruno Mars
I'm Just Thinkin' About What I'm Thinkin' About   -   Chip Taylor & the Grandkids
Say Hello to My Hippo  - Todd McHatton
June Hymn   - The Decemberists
Zou bisou bisou   -   Gillian Hills
Putt, Putt    - Holly Throsby
You Get What You Give   - Glee        
Chasing the Sun    - The Wanted     

Ben's Playlist - Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Nogturne in C Minor -  The Jimmies
Lonely Glove  -  Caspar Babypants
I Believe In a Thing Called Love -  The Darkness
I'll Be Waiting  -  Adele
It Had to Be You  -  Esquivel
A Complicated Song -  Weird Al Yankovic
Go Out and Play -    The Plants
At The Zoo  -  Simon & Garfunkel
They Got Feet -  George Carver      
My Uncle, the Ant -    Duke Otherwise

At War With Nature (new podcast)

Maybe nature just simply doesn't like me.

I'm not just talking about the feral cat colony that has taken residence in our neighborhood, causing me to partner with the ASPCA in a trap/neuter/release program IN MY BACKYARD.

It's also the wind conspiring to bring down whole tree limbs onto my property.

It's about squirrels attacking birds nests, causing a parade of pre-birth baby birds to plummet in my grass and onto my deck.

It's about common courtesy from the animal kingdom, which has been sorely lacking since we bought the house.

I also address the recent human/cannibal attacks that have occurred, and how animalistic behavior is perhaps on the rise around us.

And yes, a brief cat update.

Finally, a Cohen/Aubrey bit entitled "The Fred Zone," a bizarre movie trailer that parodizes the Steven King adaptation of "The Dead Zone." Except these visions are all about people named...Fred.

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Ben's Playlist - Monday, June 11, 2012

Glad You Came  - The Wanted
That's Not My Name  - The Ting Tings
The Wheel Deal - Josh Levine
Because I Said So  - Keller Williams 
The Worst Party Ever Thrown - Mo Phillips
Somebody That I Used To Know  - Gotye
Our World - My Morning Jacket  
Everybody Wants  - Paddy Casey
Everybody Let's Jump - Eloise the Great

Ben's Playlist - Friday, June 8, 2012

First Love -  Adele
Eliza -  John Carlin
Celebration   -  They Might Be Giants
Twirlin'  -  Mo Phillips
If You Want to Fly -  Steve Songs
Pop  -  Bari Koral
If You Wanna Dance Say Yeah! -  Dog On Fleas
Laugh In Any Language -  The Jimmies
Hungry Like A Wolf/ Rio -  Glee
The Fox  -  Waco Brothers

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, June 7, 2012

Grandma's Hands - Bill Withers
Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing - Stevie Wonder
Summer Baby (Let It Ride) - Caspar Babypants
Great To Be A Kid - The Not-Its!
Turning Tables - Adele
The Christmas Song - The Raveonettes
Owl and Pussycat - Heidi Swedberg
(I Love the Sound of) Breaking Glass  - Nick Lowe
What Makes You Beautiful   - One Direction
How Fast Can You Run? - The Quiet Two

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, June 6, 2012

The Amazing Baz Dance Remix -  The Amazing Baz
So Emotional  -  Glee
Mr. Know It All   -  Kelly Clarkson
Sleigh Ride  -  The Jimmies
Donuts   -  Jeff Forrest
Reminds Me Of You -    LMFAO
I Can See Clearly Now  -  Always Saturday     
Toes -  Mo Phillips
See the Seasons  -  The Rock Doves
Marvelous Day -  Steve Songs

Ben's Playlist - Tuesday, June 5, 2012

First Warm Day  - The Incredible Chandler Travis Catual Birdomonic
Octopus  - Artichoke
Memphis Soul Stew   - King Curtis & The Kingpins
Burning Coffee  - They Might Be Giants
A Song for Abigail Adams    - The Deedle Deedle Dees
At the Bottom of the Sea  - The Thermals
Ode To A Superhero   - Weird Al Yankovic
Zou bisou bisou   - Gillian Hills
Worms  - Dog On Fleas
The Happy Vegan Thanksgiving Song   - Todd McHatton
Sensation  -   Lole-Lolay

We’re Not Fighting! (New podcast episode)

When I told my wife that the theme of this episode was "not" fighting with my spouse, she sighed and said, "One of these days I have to start LISTENING to your podcast."

The secret to any lengthy relationship is the ability to see a situation from the other side. Whether it's your child, your pet, one of your parents or a friend, or especially your spouse. "What do you mean I should have thought about that specific aspect that I forgot? You may have a point there!"

Here are a few recent stories about "non-fights" that we've had.

And no cats!

The episode winds down with the return of Cohen/Aubrey comedy bits. This time, "Club Calendar," a parody of the 1980s "In-Cue Club Calendar," which let people know what was going on in the area club scene. We never went to these places, loathed this recurring radio bit, and could not wait to put our own spin on it.

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Ben's Playlist - Monday, June 4, 2012

Daybreak -  Barry Manilow
What Katie Did  -  The Libertines
Summer Something -  Always Saturday     
Beddie Bye  -  Kindercastle
Clap Your Hands  -  The Time Outs
You Yes You  -  Tune-Yards
Henry (Hudson), How Ya Gonna Find a Way?  -  The Deedle Deedle Dees
World Of Wonder  -  Alison Faith Levy
The Edge Of Glory  -  Glee   
River of Blood   -  The Deedle Deedle Dees

Carnival More Fun Than A Barrel of Recess Monkeys

Freak shows. Dangerous rides. Hucksters stealing your money on the midway.

You won't find any of those dark elements on Recess Monkey's eighth studio release, IN TENTS.

Who hasn't harbored a fantasy of running away and joining the circus (okay, I never gave it a minute's thought, but I'm a sourpuss). But for those with some fraction of their soul left in their bodies, this CD celebrates the positive elements of the circus experience – and what makes it so special to the young of heart.

"Sit and Spin" recounts a child going on what he believes might be a scary ride. When it isn't, he goes right back on and encourages another kid to go on as well:

That was insane.
The Tilt-A-Whirl spun into my frame.
I told the voices that are in my brain it wasn't lame and I'm okay.
Feeling fine, So I decide to run back into line.
And this time I see a boy who's nine looking at me inclined who says, "No way."

Schoolteachers Daron Henry, Jack Forman, and Drew Holloway also visit the "Bouncy House," enjoy the "Carousel," and spend time in the "Odditorium." The trio also drops in on "The Dancin' Bear," who apparently raps in a high-pitched voice (the track works as a kindie tribute to the Beastie Boys).

IN TENTS follows Recess Monkey's pattern of themed CDs, after 2011's FLYING (superheroes) and 2010's FINAL FUNKTIER (space). It takes real determination to find a concept and sell the material, and Recess Monkey is up to the test. And they bring along their friends the Sugar-Free All-Stars, Lunch Money, and The Pop-Ups. Plus you get a lavishly designed CD package from noted children's writer Jarrett Krosoczka (say that three times fast), who has authored and illustrated 18 published books – 10 picture books and eight graphic novels.

When you're with small children most of your waking hours, you develop an innate understanding of what makes them tick – their desires, fears, likes, phobias, questions, and passions. Recess Monkey keeps their opposing thumbs right on the pulse of that diminutive and inquisitive demographic. The trio wants your children to rock out with their socks off (or on). And also to use their imaginations to go in directions they might not have initially traveled.

The guys have left Seattle (their home base) behind and gone on the road – the Recess Monkey caravan now comes to your town via satellite radio, podcast, live performance, or CD. This is one band that cannot be classified as a novelty act. Step right up and prepare to be...entertained!