Never Mind 12 Monkeys – NOVELTIES is Recess Monkey's Lucky #13

Curios. Indulgences. Treats. Oddities. Recess Monkey, the Seattle trio that personifies the current independent children's music scene, returns June 17 with NOVELTIES, its 13th (!) collection, available exclusively through Amazon Music.

How do I describe Recess Monkey? Imagine if three guys with day jobs as school teachers elected to use their musical abilities outside the classroom as entertainers? Hence the concept of "recess." Performing for the merriment of children? Hence the "monkey." What about a little wink to let the adults in the room know that the music is enjoyable for all ages – well, I remember some of the looks I got when I told people the name of my kids' favorite band. "Rhesus Monkey?" "Oh never mind..."

The band's original logline has undergone some changes – Jack Forman now hosts SiriusXM Kids Place's "Live from the Monkey House" (Memo to SiriusXM – update that bio page). Fellow founding Monkeyman Drew Holloway is one of the most consistently appealing vocalists, providing character ("Sweaty Yeti") as well as emotion ("My Guitar"). Drummer Korum Bischoff anchors the trio, filling in harmonies and rhythmic patterns.

Every summer for the past decade, Recess Monkey has added to possibly the strongest discography in the burgeoning genre of children's music. Somewhere along the way, we jumped on board for the ride, much like Nemo's dad Marlin in "Finding Nemo" when he met Crush the turtle and rode the East Australian Current. Coincidence alert! "Finding Dory" comes out June 17 as well.

How does NOVELTIES stack up? For a CD with an ice cream truck on the cover, it's remarkably warm and approachable. The one/two power punch of "Every Flavor" and "Sweaty Yeti" opens the disc, segueing from ice cream (753 choices) to imaginary creatures. Family dance anthem "Piggyback" gives the band a chance to rap over a raging horn section about fun times that result in a piggyback ride from dad. "Mustaches of the World" brings a rarely-heard electric guitar into the mix for facial hair so fierce it can be seen from traffic helicopters. "Time to Make the Donuts" (video below) delves into a specific confectionary obsession:

Realize that it's getting rough
When one dozen is never enough
So you head on back down to the donut store.
Here I am as sure as rain
Put the steaming donuts in the window pane
I bake them all and then I bake some more.

The 14 tracks on NOVELTIES traverse making music ("The Band Next Door") to toys ("Wind Up Robot") to fantasy ("Lovestruck Unicorn") to pets ("Chasing My Tail" and "Smitten for Kitten"). The brother singing "Snowball" plots warm weather revenge after a winter sneak attack. Recess Monkey long ago began to brand each new CD with a "theme." The originality and scope on NOVELTIES demonstrates the band's playful nature and serious professional chops, under the production aegis of fellow Kindiependent Collective member Johnny Bregar.

I've had mixed feelings about the Amazon Music program incorporating kindie artists such as the Pop-Ups. Following a promising start, there was a lengthy lull and frankly, I believed there was a possibility we wouldn't hear another release. But signing Recess Monkey is like snaring the brass ring on the carousel at the carnival. Amazon Music is making a clear statement that they are committed to children's music. Recess Monkey and its simian siren song have taken us far from home (to Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania, actually). Next month we'll trek to Yonkers or the Bronx (or both!) to see the fellows ply their groovy trade. The future looks bright for these NOVELTIES, indeed.

NOVELTIES is available through Amazon Music (streaming service or physical CD).

Here is the brand-spanking new video for "Time to Make the Donuts":

Recess Monkey Beached; Desert Island Disc Buoys Spirits

Recess Monkey has grown up. I guess this simian has evolved and can stand on its own (six) feet.

It's hard to believe that the kindie power-pop trio did not even exist a decade ago. Since 2005, they have produced 10 (ten!) CDs, including a pair this year (DEEP SEA DIVER came out two seasons ago and now DESERT ISLAND DISC).

Original members Jack Forman and Drew Holloway were joined this year by new drummer Korum Bischoff. People like to talk about how a "new member" can sometimes reinvigorate an established band. But the group's IN TENTS marked a high water mark in their recordings. And DEEP SEA DIVER will rank high in my Fids and Kamily Poll for 2013.

While the Monkey men have received numerous comparisons to the Beatles over the years (spurred by the naming of a previous release TABBY ROAD), DESERT ISLAND DISC brought to mind another Hall of Fame band – the Beach Boys.

If IN TENTS was Recess Monkey's "Sgt. Peppers" moment, then DESERT ISLAND DISC could be their "Pet Sounds." It's stripped down, it's intimate, it's for children but doesn't discriminate against adults. Plus it was recorded on a genuine island (!), Bainbridge Island, Washington – home of producer Johnny Bregar's Backyard Studios. You definitely feel the vibe on tracks like "The Hermit," "The Cave," "Around the Campfire," and especially "Getting a Sunburn":

Summer is here, here again.
I'll hide in my room until the end.
I'm sun inefficient, freckled you see.
That orb in the sky's no friend to me.
'Cause I'll be getting a sunburn all over my nose.
Cover me up from my head to my toes.

It takes guts to find a concept and stick with it. Recess Monkey has now birthed multiple concept albums – circus-themed, outer space, water-focused, and now "no man is an island." Indeed, you can hear the solitude and contemplation in the orchestrations on "Desert Island," the centerpiece of the album.

DESERT ISLAND DISC features guest appearances ranging from local (Sam Bishoff on sax, to ubiquitous Dean Jones (Dog on Fleas) and Justin Lansing (Okee Dokee Brothers). But the Recess trio themselves do the heavy lifting, which includes reining in the concept to ensure it doesn't stray too far from the beach.

Many children's recording artists are predictable: Every year or so, they reliably pump out another collection of songs that mine the ground they've successfully sharecropped over the course of their career. Recess Monkey has taken the opposite direction – they've thrown away the overly familiar and are challenging their audience to come away with them on new aural adventures. This time, it's a desert island. Are you game? Trust me, it's worth the trip.

DESERT ISLAND DISC is available on October 15 from the band's website, Amazon, CDBABY, iTunes, and many fine music retailers.

Here is the video from the band's song "Shrimp," from DEEP SEA DIVER.

All the World's American in Putumayo's Playground

World music is my kryptonite. Which is timely, considering the release of MAN OF STEEL (Superman) this past weekend.

Putumayo Music specializes in world music and their Kids Collection has in the past highlighted artists performing children's classics from around the world.

Fortunately (for me anyway), the world includes the United States. Putumayo has released its newest collection, AMERICAN PLAYGROUND, chock full of good old fashioned folk and bluegrass.

Johnny Bregar gets mileage from that 200-year-old chestnut, "She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain." Diane Taraz does the same with "Oh, Susannah." There's an a new track (that sounds like an old song) in Guy Davis' "We All Need More Kindness in This World."

In a stunning admission, it says something that AMERICAN PLAYGROUND is one of the first CDs that I've reviewed in months that was not produced by Dean Jones. Then again, with any Putumayo compilation, you almost want to hear different production values with each song. It lends them more authenticity and regional flavor.

You might already be acquainted with some of the tracks on this CD if you've heard Dan Zanes' "Sara Jane" (from his LITTLE NUT TREE CD) or Randy Kaplan's "Forever Young" (from his THE KIDS ARE ALL ID CD). There's a reason for that – they're good tunes and deserving of inclusion.

AMERICAN PLAYGROUND zips by. For younger kids, it's an introduction to some classics and for older kids, it's a reminder of their decency and simplicity. And heck, that's downright American in itself.

AMERICAN PLAYGROUND is available from Putumayo Kids, Amazon, and iTunes.

Recess Monkey Dives to New Heights

Many people still blame Yoko Ono for "breaking up the Beatles," when in fact Paul McCartney was the first one to leave. But just imagine if John Lennon had left the group and been replaced by someone else. Remember, the Yardbirds replaced Eric Clapton with Jeff Beck and went on their merry way.

Last October, Recess Monkey drummer Daron Henry announced that he was leaving the popular children's music trio "to explore new adventures with my wife and family." Sound familiar? I don't want to paint Daron's wife as the kindie equivalent of Yoko Ono, but this is the group that named one of their earliest CDs TABBY ROAD as a tribute to the Beatles. The press release even refers to their newest release as the "blue album"!

Then again, the Beatles were a quartet and Recess Monkey is merely a trio. There's already an example of a famous three-man act that lost one performer and kept going for decades – the Three Stooges! After Curly suffered a stroke, the boys brought back Shemp Howard, then Joe Besser, and ultimately Joe DeRita. Okay, it's a stretch. But Recess Monkey (with original members Jack Forman and Drew Holloway ) has always delivered lots of laughs – almost as much fun as a barrel of monkeys.

Recess Monkey's latest CD, DEEP SEA DIVER, features new drummer Korum "Shemp" Bischoff. It's a fun collection of tunes that continues the band's progression into the realm of conceptual material (thankfully not world music). The songs have a nautical thrust, from the opener, "Tambourine Submarine" through "Choral Reef" and "Seagull."

"Fish Sticks" recounts the story of an underwater drummer who can play any form of music with his drum sticks. And "Shrimp" reminds height-deficient children that they retain certain advantages over their taller brethren:

But did you ever think about the things a shrimp can do? 
Like sneak under the rail when you're at the zoo? 
Playin' hide and seek they won't see you 
Cause your body's even shorter than Pikachu

DEEP SEA DIVER is part one of a 2013 theme set. The CD ends with the haunting "Stranded." Ostensively about a best friend moving away, it sets the stage for DESERT ISLAND DISC, coming this fall. The followup imagines Recess Monkey after being set adrift on their own for four months. Hmm...depending on the food options, they could realistically come back as a duo.

It's thrilling to hear a band like Recess Monkey push themselves into new territory and not simply repeat their past successes. This is especially difficult since its "target audience" ages out of the demographic every 4-5 years, replaced by a new crop of eager ears.

Guest performers on DEEP SEA DIVER include producer Johnny Bregar, the ubiquitous Dean Jones (Dog on Fleas), and trumpeter Tom Baisden (The Not-Its). The list of plaudits and accolades for the band goes on and on. Perhaps it was the weight of expectations that drove the band to their new direction. If so, chalk it up as as good thing.

The year 2013 finds Recess Monkey heading in a new direction and they sound rested and energetic. They use the aquatic theme to reach some clever ends. "Up Periscope" is the terminology of a child locating a new friend in his classroom. "Tattoo Me" discusses the (hopefully) transient nature of artwork applied to arms and other extremities. Take the plunge with DEEP SEA DIVER and set sail for some musical hijinks. And look forward to the band moving even further into its future later this year.

DEEP SEA DIVER is available on Tuesday, June 18 from the band's website, Amazon, CDBABY, iTunes, and many other retailers.

Here is the video for "The Dancing Bear," from last year's IN TENTS CD: