Ben's Playlist - Monday, March 1, 2021

The Moment – Tame Impala
I Spy – Ants Ants Ants
Lo/Hi – The Black Keys
Perfect Day – Danny Weinkauf
Village d'Ãtoile – Dog On Fleas
Waiting On A War – Foo Fighters

Flula Goes Bananas!; New Video from Rabbit!

Comedy and children's music go hand in glove, but there's fine line: How much fart humor can adults endure? To that end comes IT'S FOR YOU..., the new EP from German comedian Flula Borg and Go Banana Go!  

There's the pure silliness of "Funky Fresh," where Flula talks about a sting of ridiculous incidents that miraculously happen on the same day, including a brontosaurus making his bed, a robot delivering a loaf or bread, and flying into outer space on a frog. On "Bugs (Are Disgusting)," Flula turns around the Randy Newman vibe of "If I Didn't Have You" and dissects why you shouldn't be afraid of insects. There's even an extended "guess my name" segment where my 10-year-old burst into laughter at the sheer length. 

Plus you get two versions of "Who Tooted," stinky and non-stinky. As I said, you will either be amused or sigh heavily (or both). My kids are not exactly mavens for accents. As Ben pointed out mid-listen, "It's Doctor Doofenshmirtz (from Phineas and Ferb)." Well, not quite, but Flula might enjoy the comparison. He and Go Banana Go! are evil geniuses (sub-teenage division) for their creation of infectious, distinctive comic kids music.

IT'S FOR YOU.... is available on Spotify, Amazon, and Apple Music.

Here's the video of Go Banana Go!'s song "German Lessons":

The new children's music label 8 Pound Gorilla Records is already making an impact as they begin releasing songs and videos for the under-12 market. Indie duo Rabbit! (Ashton Allen and Devin Moore) came together to record tunes for adults, which began to get optioned for commercials. Inquiries for more poppish material led them down the pathway to kids recordings, and here we are 10 years later on the cusp of an April EP entitled Happiness Is Simple. To whet your appetite, there's even an animated video for the number, which features a singalong chorus, a "whoa whoa whoa" refrain, and the message:

Happiness is simple
Give away more than you keep

Rabbit! will release the full EP on April 2. In the meantime, here's their new video "Happiness Is Simple":

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, February 25, 2021

Cloudspotter – Foo Fighters
One – Aaron Nigel Smith
Manic Monday – Billie Joe Armstrong
Cut the Cheese  – Danny Weinkauf
I'm an Optimist – Dog On Fleas
Flexible Brain – Ratboy Jr.
Finally – Franz Ferdinand

Quick Hits: Bonham's Me Symphony; Hello, I Must Be Goings

Second acts are important. Sometimes there's an unexpected twist that moves the story in a whole other direction. Tracy Bonham suffered from severe childhood insecurities. She used her life experiences to fuel her musical career in the 1990s and received a pair of Grammy nominations in 1997. When the pandemic hit, Tracy actualized Melodeon Music House, an education program for young music enthusiasts inspired by the 1970s children's music convergence of The Electric Company, Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, School House Rock, and Free To Be You And Me.

After livestreaming literally hundreds of online musical classes, Tracy will release her first CD specifically for children this April, entitled YOUNG MAESTROS, VOLUME 1. For a sample of the album, you can watch the video for the first single, "Me Symphony." The concept is simple – whether or not you've mastered an instrument, a person's most powerful tool is their voice. Watch the video below:

Three-time Grammy nominee Genevieve Goings first became known to this generation of children for her work on Disney Junior's Choo Choo Soul. That exposure led Michele Obama to invite her to the White House two years in a row for the annual Easter Egg Roll. Now she's boarded a new train and headed off on her own and released a five-song EP of children's songs entitled (appropriately) GREAT INDOORS. 

Genevieve has remained active during the pandemic by hosting weekly livestream concerts from her home studio (with occasional appearances by her one-year-old son, Kamari). GREAT INDOORS gives her a chance to share new music with young audiences. 

With an emphasis on rock and funk, Genevieve knows that "we'll be alright, even if it's on Skype," as she sings on "Grateful." It's pretty easy to deduce the concept behind GREAT INDOORS (which is not the title of one of the tracks) – keeping kids focused, entertained, and upbeat. Genevieve accepts the task with "Candy," "Shadow Puppets," "Summer All Year Long," and "Bedtime." 

Catch GREAT INDOORS on Amazon, Spotify, and Apple Music.

Peasley Positively Pleases Preteens and Their Peeps

We’re currently undergoing a turbulent period where artists are opting-out of Grammy nominations due to concerns about the Academy’s absence of multiculturalism. However, the vast majority of children’s musicians are not trying to reinvent the wheel. They pick and choose their spots to gently message their audiences, realizing that it’s parents who make the biggest difference in the pocketbook. That’s especially important during a pandemic, where every YouTube viewing theoretically translates into multiple sets of eyeballs.

Boston-based recording artist Stacey Peasley focused her fifth kids’ album, MAKE IT HAPPEN!  on the simple pleasures of family time and common experiences (such as needing a band-aid, crying for joy, going to a parade) while stirring in a soothing undercurrent of empowerment (“What Girls Do”) and doing it yourself (the title track).

Stacey credits her evolution as a recording artist to producer Marty Beller (of They Might Be Giants fame). Their 10-year, five-CD collaboration (covering TOGETHER (2011), LUCKY DAY (2014), RSVP (2016), UNDER THE TREE (2019), and MAKE IT HAPPEN! ) has challenged her to step to the forefront of a changing social landscape. Stacey’s work demonstrates how children’s music shapes youthful perceptions of the Venn diagram circles where family, community, and the outside world meet.

Older listeners (not me, I don’t want to date myself here) will hear a Carole King influence on “Happy Tears,” a Brill Building power ballad. “What Girls Do” would not feel out of place in a Sheryl Crow setlist. With nearly 30 years of musical performing experience (and more than 10 years of parenting experience), Stacey knows how to structure her tunes to keep parents and children interested and entertained.

“I’ve been inspired by so many different things this past year,” Stacey remarked in the press release. “Looking at our social and political landscape and honing in on the experiences that kids have shared with me has really taken my writing to a new level.” Stacey translated her pandemic interactions into positive energy and pays it forward so children can also literally make it happen.

MAKE IT HAPPEN! is available from Stacey Peasley’s website, Apple Music/iTunes, Amazon Music, and Bandcamp.

Here is the new video for Stacey Peasley’s title track, “Make It Happen!”:

Rabner Helps Kids, Families Cope With COVID

Vaccines are on the way! But ramping up to 350 million people (which means more than half a BILLION vaccinations) means there's still a long time until we all celebrate our family reunions. This is especially frustrating since testing was not done on children under age 16. Seizing on the jumbled emotions of these turbulent, virulent times, Erica Rabner is releasing THE COVID ALBUM: SONGS TO HELP KIDS AND FAMILIES COPE.

Erica is acutely aware of the impact of enforced pandemic separation, as her own grandmother passed away last summer. Over the final six months, there was no in-person contact between them, which inspired her to write "Grandma, I Miss Ya," with backing vocals by Grammy winner Jon Samson. The new video for the song (complete with archival footage of Erica and her grandmother) is viewable below this review.

The year 2020 became a traveling adventure for Rabner, who traded her New York City for a car and moved cross-country. Using her background in early children education, she recorded tracks in a closet in Austin, Texas that became THE COVID ALBUM, including "Imagination Station," "Manage Your Feeings," and "Wash Your Hands," which became the source of more than 500 TikTok videos featuring kids and their creative masks.

Many parents have just about given up trying to get their children to understand the importance of wearing masks. After consulting with a pediatrician, Erica crafted the harmonic "Mask On" to remind families that "personal protective equipment" (PPE) directly affects everyone:

Mask on, put your mask on
Cover your nose and mouth
Don't leave your house without your mask on

THE COVID ALBUM shows Erica's affinity with younger audiences (her "day job" is a research analyst for Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood). While everybody is dealing the pandemic fatigue, parents can step aside for a little while and let Erica Rabner fill the emotional, entertainment, and educational void. 

THE COVID ALBUM: SONGS TO HELP KIDS AND FAMILIES COPE is available on February 17 from Erica Rabner's website, Amazon, and iTunes.

Here is the video for "Grandma, I Miss Ya":

Quick Hits: Mista Cookie Jar's Black Sheep, Uncle Dox Loves Cheese

It's one thing to sing straight lullabies for kids. Shawn Colvin revisited the concept for two different albums over 20 years (HOLIDAY SONGS AND LULLABIES and THE STARLIGHTER). Chris Ballew (as Caspar Babypants) has repurposed multiple chestnuts with all-new verses and purposes. Now Mista Cookie Jar has jumped on the bandwagon with his new single, "Black Sheep Club/I Love You."

These are not your grandfather's "Baa Baa Black Sheep," instead a squadron of funky hip fam with shoutouts to Little Bo Peep and Little Miss Muffet. The tune segues into a modern riff on Sam Cooke's classic "I Love You," close enough that proper credit is given and well-deserved. Mista CJ generally puts out music that gets your kids on their feet. Now he's turned the tables and will help them wind down their day and drift off to sleep.

You can find "Black Sheep Club/I Love You" on Mista Cookie Jar's Bandcamp page:

Uncle Dox, the pride of Minnesota, returns to break the cheese with his new song, also named "Cheese." The Dirty Sock Funtime Band opened the dairy floodgates a few years back with "Cheese World and Danny Weinkauf's Red Pants Band flared nose hairs with "Break the Cheese." That's bad news for the lactose-intolerant but a boon for all dairy farmers.

Now it's Dox's turn to squeak a cheeky cheesy tune for tots. By the time the catchy beat has faded, you will know all the types of cheese that Uncle Dox truly loves, and he's breaking rhymes to boot (Don't put cheese in your boots, I don't recommend it).

Much like the product itself, you can find the song "Cheese" on many platforms, including Spotify, Amazon Music, and Playtime Playlist.

You can watch the image for the song for two and a half minutes while listening to the song on this YouTube video:

Ben's Playlist - Tuesday, February 16, 2021

Stars – Ants Ants Ants
Fanga Alafia – Aaron Nigel Smith
I Think We're Alone Now – Billie Joe Armstrong
Shame Shame – Foo Fighters
Anything Can Be A Hat – Ratboy Jr.
El Corazon – The Lucky Band

Ben's Playlist - Monday, February 15 2021

Making A Fire – Foo Fighters
With a Little Help From My Friends – Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could
Inkpot – Kepi Ghoulie
Clown Shoes – Ratboy Jr.
It's a Miracle – Dog On Fleas
Go – The Black Keys

Yowie! A New Music Label For Kids!

When I got into the children's music scene in the early '00s, the major labels treated the genre with literal kid gloves. Recordings for young listeners required curation by parents – and the audience "ages out" of your talent roster in a finite number of years. It was frankly too much of a chore for an industry where physical product – at that point the lifeblood of the touring, local musician – was beginning to dwindle, in favor of digital downloads or online steaming services (something tweens and toddlers don't have a credit card to purchase).

In 2006-2008, a breakthrough looked possible, as Disney Music threw its massive marketing influence behind a selection of artists, including Ralph's World, for a "Disney Music Tour" featuring They Might Be Giants (who performed the theme to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and had released several children's music CDs). Disaster struck as the Barenaked Ladies, scheduled to headline a few of the concerts, dropped out when lead singer Steven Page was arrested for drug possession. TMBG filled in on those dates (including a show outside the Nassau Coliseum that I attended) but attendance didn't exactly thrill Disney. The experiment ended soon afterward. 

The world is a totally different place and 8 Pound Gorilla Records, curated by SiriusXM Kids Place Live's Kenny Curtis, is poised to face those challenges head-on in 2021. A division of the comedy label 800 Pound Gorilla Media, 8 Pound Gorilla Records will mirror its parent company's digital marketing tactics to promote a diverse lineup of truly independent musicians, spanning a number of genres, cultures, backgrounds, and ideologies.

More children's music in 2021? From people who know what they're doing? What's the downside in that? 

As seen by three of the contenders for Best Children's Recording bowing out of the category due to discomfort with the all-white nature of the five nominees, multi-culturalism is a big deal for 8 Pound Gorilla. The roster ranges from Australia’s Formidable Vegetable to Grammy-nominated Bay Area artist Frances England. This year will see new releases by Grammy winner Tim Kubart, Genevieve Goings (Disney Jr's Choo-Choo Soul), comedian-musician Mike Phirman, pop songwriting duo Rabbit!, Sesame Street songwriter Erica Rabner, Nashville's Elliott Park, SaulPaul, Latin Grammy and Emmy Award winners The Lucky Band, Chicago’s soul duo Raii & Whitney, and Atlanta’s hip-hop maestro DJ WillyWow. 

Genevieve Goings christens 8 Pound Gorilla Records as the first artist being featured this year, with the release of GREAT INDOORS, a pandemic family EP. “8 Pound Gorilla is really nurturing to artists – we do what we do, and they will take it from there,” she said. 

Bright Siders Overcome Dark Side of the Mood

Dealing with negative emotions in a positive manner requires a deft touch. But it doesn't necessitate a PhD or years of planning. All it takes is a little TLC. Child psychiatrist Kari Groff, MD, and musician Kristin Andreassen decided more than a decade ago that kids needed a "Free To Be You Are Me" focusing strictly on developing life skills to handle a plethora of feelings. Under the monicker the Bright Siders, their resulting A MIND OF YOUR OWN is a hodgepodge of song styles and sketches, with a number of talented guest stars (including actor Ed Helms). 

The Bridge Siders are valiantly attempting to fill a void in the space for very young listeners. If your child requires a musical intervention to center them, perhaps there are more direct ways to proceed. A MIND OF YOUR OWN has a pretty low ceiling, one I'd estimate at approximately six years old. My ten-year-old heard the sketch "The New Kid" and remarked, "I've never walked up to somebody and said 'Hello, New kid'."

The duo (and producer Chris Eldridge) confront sadness, embarrassment, phobias, harassment, creativity, and individuality. The standout tracks on the collection are "Bully This," a Clash homage about facing physical and verbal bullying and "The Moon and the Stars and Me," the song that sparked the entire project. "Moon" dances around the topic of nightlights and the sundry imaginary things that bump in the dark. Anybody who felt otherwise safe and sound in their own room until the sun went down – and then needed some gentle illumination – will get where Andreasssen and producer Chris Eldridge are coming from.

A MIND OF YOUR OWN is available from the Bright Siders website, Smithsonian Folkways website, Amazon, and iTunes.

Here is the video for the Bright Siders' song "The Moon and the Stars and Me":

Kids Go Nuts for Kelli Welli

It takes a lot to get my younger son (10) to sing along with what he now considers “little kid music.” Since I started reviewing children’s music before he was born, he’s heard (and seen) performers that cross cultures, countries, and languages. Color me stunned that Kelli Welli‘s deceptively simple “Peanut, Pinenut” got him singing from the back seat, doing his version of a British accent on the climactic “It’s a Brazil nut!” on the chorus. It’s one of the standout tracks that will entertain younger music enthusiasts on her latest CD, Let’s Go, Pistachio.

Portland musician Kelli Caldwell has stayed busy during the pandemic – in part because she has seven-year-old twins. Her latest CD draws on country and American folk music and clearly sets the table for a return to live performing, with participation songs like “Jumpin’ Beans” and “The Hat Song,” which practically commands listeners to find suitable chapeaus to pretend they are astronauts and cowboys.

Girl power is the underlying concept of the Dolly Parton-esque “She’s So Bright,” which champions performance throughout adversity and disability. “The Smilers” draws comparisons to Oregon original Red Yarn, as does “Kickin’ It with My Chicken” (right down to the puppet in the song’s video). Kelli turns the “are we there yet” concept around on complainers on “We’re Almost There,” which can be sung on trips from diverse locations including the supermarket and standing outside grandma’s home for a socially distanced visit (with no available bathroom). Speaking of bathrooms, get your toddlers motivated to brush their teeth and drop their pants with “Tinkle Tinkle Toot.” 

For the title track’s video for “Let’s Go, Pistachio,” Kelli enlisted the innovative Gunnar Madsen. Using a Chuck Berry riff, the song (and video) features a boisterous pistachio nut whose oversized personality and frenetic energy (possibly ADHD) drive his friends to distraction.

Working together during a pandemic and separate quarantining pods did not slow down Kelli and Gunnar. “Collaborating with Kelli was a treat,” Gunnar explained. “She provided all the art materials – painted rock characters, backgrounds – and I was given free rein to fill out the story of the song and bring it to life.”

 

Even though they’ve yet to meet in person, Kelli called Gunnar a kindred spirit. “I’m thrilled he agreed to make this video,” she said. “Working with Gunnar has been a blast – he’s my kind of goofball. I made the rocks and he brought them to life in our funny little story.”  

 

Each suggested specific elements for the shoot. Kelli sent Gunnar paintings of parachutes, an umbrella, and a unicycle – all on rocks. He was eager to shoot drone footage from all angles. “I can’t wait to do more animation like this,” Gunnar gushed.

It’s a good bet that if your kids like this musical pistachio, they’ll go nuts for all 15 tunes on LET'S GO PISTACHIO!

LET'S GO PISTACHIO! is available from Kelli Welli’s website ,Bandcamp, Amazon, and Apple Music.

Here is the video for the title track to Kelli Welli’s new CD, “Let’s Go, Pistachio”:

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, February 3, 2021

The Less I Know The Better – Tame Impala
Even When....  – Ratboy Jr.
Screens – Weezer
Shine A Little Light – The Black Keys
She's So Bright  – Kelli Welli
At The Parade – Stacey Peasley
Life Is Good – Purple Fox and the Heebie Jeebies

Ben's GroundHog Day Playlist - Tuesday, February 2, 2021

Reality In Motion – Tame Impala
Choo Choo – Stacey Peasley
Two Towns – David Gibb & Brady Rymer
Taco Tuesday – The Lucky Band
Playing My Piano – Weezer
Glue – Frances England
Whole Wide World – Billie Joe Armstrong