State of the Reviewer: The Famous Final Scene

Thirteen years ago, my son Ben started to listen to music while he ate breakfast. I would throw on a Sesame Street CD or one of the homemade "birthday CDs" comprised of pop tunes and the Wiggles. I also printed out the playlist from iTunes – and Ben would mull it over, looking at the cover art and telling me which songs "lacked" representative illustration. I never imagined that years later, those early selections would lead to more than 750 event previews, live event and music reviews, and interviews, as well as commentary about children's music and more.

I'll get to the historical perspective, but most importantly for artists who have contacted me in the past two months – I am done for 2019. If your video, song, or album had a 2019 release date, I apologize but the shop is closed for the year. I will be forward-thinking from this point on. More to the point, I am also phasing down my children's music portfolio. It's been coming for the past year, as Ben has long aged-out of the demographic. But his younger brother prefers modern pop (think Imagine Dragons) and sighs heavily if I suggest bringing new, unplayed kids CDs on our road trips. You see the number of posts dropping, year over year. That's not by accident.

In the oft-told tale, family acquaintance Uncle Rock (Robert Burke Warren) began recording children's music and we bought his first CD. When "Rock and Roll Babysitter" was played on Bill Childs and Spare the Rock (STR) radio show and podcast, that inverted the paradigm. Suddenly we were immersed in the "kindie" (kids independent) explosion. Sure, Ben was seeing Dan Zanes, Tom Chapin, Justin Roberts, and even Ralph's World at Symphony Space. Now there were a myriad host of others and he began to develop his own tastes, scanning the STR song list and selecting tracks for me to purchase and save.

The inaugural Stink kid's music showcase was in 2008 but we missed it due to a scheduling conflict. In 2009, we made a point of attending the event, held at Jalopy in Red Hook, Brooklyn. First was a Ralph's World concert at Symphony Space in the morning. We walked in, ran into Ralph Covert, and said "We'll see you later in Brooklyn." Five hours later, I was next in line to use the bathroom at Jalopy. As Ralph exited the facilities, I said "As I was saying..."



Stink marks the first time that I broke out the camcorder (later iPhone) and began recording artist performances. This was our first experience with Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could but certainly not the last. Nine years later, we'd see Brady at a show at the Quogue Library and Ben would feel comfortable enough to walk to the mic and sing along.

Ben sings with Brady Rymer, July 2018

Leading into Stink, I started to publish Ben's playlists on this blog. I set up the Blogger page to "save" articles written for a Queens weekly newspaper that stopped publishing. Conveniently, I could now dedicate the blog to children's music. The first playlist (May 1, 2009) was an eclectic mix of kids (The Jimmies) and pop (Whitney Houston, Jack Johnson, and Weezer). I hadn't learned how to coordinate my social media and I don't think I was even on Facebook yet.  About six months in, I wrote a "mission statement," called "Music for Kids, Not Children's Music," to more fully explain my methodology.

Artists started to contact me directly via email but I wasn't doing regular reviews until after Kindiefest 2010 (the renamed Stink). Once or twice a month, I ran a review. Kindiefest shows, and later Kidstock in Port Washington – became big occasions to shoot performances videos for my YouTube channel.  Things exploded in 2012 as multiple PR people began deluging me with CDs and offers to attend New York-based events. Ben now had a toddler younger brother and these concerts were often inappropriate for him, so we would pass. Instead, I concentrated on reviews. By September of that year, I was up to weekly articles.

Fast-forward in 2018 when I added GeekDad to the chore list – publishing an astounding 72 pieces in 52 weeks. And turned down stuff along the way, but not enough. Finally I hit full capacity. The part-time hobby became burdensome. I found myself previewing stuff and realizing my kids would not be interested. But I wasn't interested either. So why was I bothering? Because I had given my word. And thus my time was no longer my own.

Fids and Kamily is sunsetting because of real-world challenges. I fully understand that there are currently more opportunities and pipelines for children's music such as Spotify and Soundcloud, yet there are fewer reputable outposts to review those offerings. Early into my GeekDad tenure, I explained to site managers that my reviews are concise because parents have limited time. Therefore, I don't pad my articles with CD track listings.

I also don't want to feel resentful towards the artists I'm reviewing. On more than one weekend, I've sat down with a stack of upcoming releases to "knock out" 1-2 articles. Late this year, I had a bottleneck of reviews for CDs being released the same day, with holiday videos and songs pushing back Dog On Fleas from October 18 into early December. That opened my eyes to saying "no" more, for my own sanity.

I'm not going to stop writing. I'm not pressing Ben to make playlists every morning and he routinely skips them on his own. I'm writing more adult-centric material (you can follow me at Medium). There will be some reviews and one-off pieces on this site as well, although I don't know if I'll hit 3,000 articles (I'm just under 2,900). Have a great holiday season. Enjoy your family. Eat in moderation. Breathe. See you in 2020. Stay healthy.

Life's a Hootenanny; Kelly Standup and Pinecones Roar

You're never supposed to have regrets. Live life to the fullest and if you missed something, consider it an opportunity to self-correct in the future.

That's just what I'm going to do next weekend. In January 2016, a group of children's music-loving adults gathered in Brooklyn to talk, network, and sing songs – not necessarily kid's songs. There's a community out there and I dropped the ball. On January 7, 2017, I'm gonna pick up that ball and throw it back into play.

It's a bit of a trek (and not direct) but I'll get down to Jalopy in Red Hook for Hootenanny with a ton of people I've reviewed, met, or interacted with via social media. Spare the Rock's Bill Childs and PR maven Stephanie Mayers spearheaded the gathering, which came from the coffee grinds of Kindiefest.

As for the lineup, oh gosh I'm agog – Jazzy Ash, Billy Kelly (the Billy Kelly) doing standup, Sugar Free Allstars, Lloyd H. Miller, Uncle Rock (perhaps as responsible for my foray into children's music blogging as much as Bill and Elizabeth Waldman), Dean Jones, and oh so many more.

If you're in the area, or from around the area, or a fan of enthusiastic local music, it's a chance to meet like-minded people in the new year. Here's the 411.

Here's a video of Ashley Albert (formerly of the Jimmies) and ex-bandmate (and minted Grammy winner) Tim Kubart singing "Suddenly Seymour" from "Little Shop of Horrors" at last year's gathering:


Speaking of Billy Kelly, he is kicking off a "residency" program at the Peoples Improv Theater on East 24th Street on (the same) Saturday, January 7 at 3 pm (repeating February 4 and March 4). We saw Mr. Kelly do his little act at the Brokerage on Long Island in November and there was much merriment (despite a tough crowd of pre-teens).

January 7 is going to be a big day for kid's music as jazz-themed JoJo and the Pinecones bring in the New Year with a show at Lincoln Center. It's aimed at 2-5 year-olds, so they'll need to bring an adult to supervise. On the other hand, it's a free performance, unlike the other two shows listed above. That's right – get yourself to Lincoln Center for free kids music as part of "Artists at the Atrium." Thus ends this portion of my public service message.

Happy New Year!

A Belated Hello to Brady Rymer's New CD

You know you've attained a level of familiarity with a musician when you've lost track of the number of times you've seen them perform. First and foremost, Billy Joel. I've even lost track of the NUMBER of times I've seen him at any venue, such as Madison Square Garden. For kindie artists, I can trace back to Dan Zanes at Symphony Space in December 2004 and move forward.

Speaking of moving forward, I've also lost track of our shows featuring Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could (Claudia Glaser-Mussen, Liz Queler, Seth Farber, Jeremy Chatzky, Larry Eagle, and Dan Myers). The first live show was part of Kindiefest in Brooklyn and they may be the one band we've never seen "standalone" from a music festival. Nonetheless, Ben informs me we have probably more home videos of Brady and company than any other group we've seen live.

If familiarity has bred anything with Brady Rymer and TLBTC, it's just that – familiarity. A kinship. An appreciation. This year, both kids (Ben and his brother, Matt) were excited about Kidstock in Port Washington. Yes, Matt was eager to spend time on the beach. But they share a love of music, and especially children's music. Plus it would be the first time to hear many of the songs on Brady's new CD, JUST SAY HI!, played live.

I have been remiss and somehow the CD slipped through the cracks when it came out. This happens on a rare occasion and I was kicking myself for the oversight, which I am correcting now. A decade of touring and recording have made the Rymer troupe one of the tightest bands out there. JUST SAY HI! is no exception. "Light of Love" and "Ice Cream Girl" have been staples at their shows for awhile and now they have a permanent place on CD.

"Tomorrow's People" (surprisingly dedicated to Ben as a shoutout at Kidstock) features a bevy of kindie folks (Elizabeth Mitchell, Drew Holloway and Jack Forman of Recess Monkey, Laurie Berkner, and more). If anything, JUST SAY HI skews a little younger than the band's previous releases, with spirited boogie shoes bopping on "Get This Party Started," "Dance 'Til I Drop," and the SiriusXM KidsPlace favorite, "Gettin' My Ya-Yas Out."

Brady's latest was a Kickstarter effort (which we supported). We've seen a number of kindie artists directly connect with their audiences to help generate new product. Crowdfunding may be key to the survival of kindie music, due to a constricting of funds for "fringe" genres by the major labels. We've seen a few cautionary failures as well, so it's a well that can't be overdrawn. Thankfully, JUST SAY HI exceeded expectations and is a delightful addition to our kindie music collection. And a belated hello is better than none, right?

JUST SAY HI! is available from Brady Rymer's website, Amazon, CDBABY, and iTunes.

Here is a video of the band performing the title track:

23 Skidoo's Live and Yo Mama's So Fine

I'm a rock guy but I can handle a little rap. After all, I went to college with Jam Master Jay. Well, Jay went to my college only he didn't graduate. But I'm getting off topic.

We became acquainted with Secret Agent 23 Skidoo years ago – specifically Kindiefest 2009 in Brooklyn (in the house!), where he performed a lively, entertaining set.


Since that time, we've watched as he's cultivated a more secure "character" persona at several other venues, whether it was Kindiefest 2010, Symphony Space, or Kidstock 2011 on Long Island.

"Cactus," as he likes to refer to himself, has now released a live CD, LIVE AT THE ORANGE PEEL. Recorded with a full, 10-piece funk band (the Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band), the show acts as a reprise of his career to date and sets him up for the spring release of his next kid hop project.

You may well ask, what's the difference between traditional hip hop and 23 Skidoo's kid hop? For one thing, you will find nary a stretch limo, a bottle of Couvoisier, nor a fleet of scantily-dressed ladies with nightmare-inducing tattoos. Instead, you get positive reinforcement, family fun, imagination play, and the world from the point of view of a 10-year-old, courtesy of his daughter, MC Fireworks.

When I played the concert for the fam, Ben immediately told us which CD each track originally appeared. Matt (turning 3) sat and listened. By the time we got to "Never Stop Asking," he was singing along with the "Hi Ho He" chorus. That's high praise from a toddler.

But hey, what do I know about hip hop or rap? I'm so white that I get sunburn peering through venetian blinds. Regardless, years of exposure and cultural pervasiveness have done their work on me – I can tell what's truly heinous and I know what I like. And I like a little hop hop for the little kids, and that's what 23 Skidoo delivers. Regardless of how one feels about Yo Mama's big Fat Booty, band or not.

LIVE AT THE ORANGE PEEL drops on November 19 at Secret Agent 23 Skidoo's website, Amazon, and iTunes.

A Welcome Hola to New CD from Mariana

It's hard for me to walk through the minefield that is children's music when I have two Achilles Heels: world music and non-traditional instrumentation.

Happily, Mariana Iranzi is not interested in my limitations. A native Argentinian, she has played and taught music professionally for more than a decade. Mariana uses her skills to charm young audiences, as we saw firsthand many years ago at Jalopy during an early Kindiefest performance (2009):


She has now released a second CD, HOLA HELLO, featuring bilingual song selections in Spanish and English. I usually quote lyrics in my reviews, but without faithful translations, I will wave that affectation. If you can't figure out what "En Tren" is about, with the locomotive blast and full-throttle harmonica, then you haven't heard enough train songs in your lifetime. The lone all-English track is a reworking of "Five Little Monkeys."


Matt (2 years old) is clearly calling his shots with my reviewing process, which involves playing every CD at least once (usually mealtime) for the family. Without understanding the words (that goes for all of us, actually). he began singing "Veo Veo" along with the track. I quietly translated the title as "I See, I See" and it was great to see how Matt was enchanted by the melody and Mariana's voice.

There is definitely a space in children's music for foreign influences (either native America or imported). With a best achievement scholarship from the Berklee College of Music, Mariana Iranzi is heading out to provide an education in spanish-themed music for children. And to that, I wish her "Mejor de suerte."

HOLA HELLO is available from Mariana's website, Amazon. CDBABY, and iTunes.

Kindiefest 2013 Peaks Early, Winds Down Slowly

Kindiefest is always an experience.

Our experience is always different from other people, for a number of reasons.

As a D-list reviewer/blogger, I've been attending since the early (Stink) days at Jalopy in Red Hook.

Now Kindiefest has evolved into a whole movement and we attend the annual "family concert" that closes out the event on Sunday.

Two years ago, with a six-month-old (Matthew) in the house, it was just me and Ben. Last year, Matthew made his debut and we all attended. This year we were all set for BAM. And then my wife ate some bad mushrooms (in a hamburger from Five Guys). With her out of commission, I packed everything into one bag and headed off with the kids.

Robbi K and Friends

After some prior nightmares with traffic due to scheduling conflicts with the Five Boro Bike Tour,  this year's commute was uneventful. I even pre-paid for parking across the street from the venue. Arriving 90 minutes late, we said a quick hello to co-founder Stephanie and hurried into the theater in time for Robbi K and friends.
Backed by a drummer and bass player, Robbi played a pretty mellow set that included a cover of Ella Fitzgerald's version of "My Favorite Things." For the finale, she brought out a rooster puppet. It made an impression on Matt, who mentioned the "singing chicken" when we got home that night.

In previous years, I've brought a camcorder and taken videos of many performances. Since the room was packed (and dark), we sat on the floor. Matt plopped himself into my lap and I fired up the camcorder. Less than a minute later, an usher whispered in my ear, "Still pictures only." Alas, I had left my daguerreotype at home, which left me with an iPhone 3 with less-than-steller clarity.

The next performers were the (very) high energy Dirty Sock Funtime Band (DSFB). Suffice to say, if we were still sitting on the floor by the end of the set, you must have been stuck to some gummy bears or chewed crackers. The band played a boisterous dance set with enough energy to lighten the entire room.

As they took the stage, I remembered that my iPhone has the (primitive) uStream video app. Disabling the wi-fi to extend the battery life, I glommed the opening number of the set:


The DSFB have a decent following. They were regular performers on Jack's Big Music Show, which Ben used to watch when he was younger. Unfortunately, I recorded several episodes onto a DVD. The DVD then skipped. And if you know anything about spectrum kids, they fear anything unexpected. So we could never play that DVD again. Nor did he want to watch live episodes, thinking THEY would skip as well.

Dirty Sock Funtime Band

By the third number, the DSFB had loaded the stage with more than one dozen singers and performers. That's pretty impressive. And I was kicking myself for not recording their last song, "Dino-Soaring," which included funky choreography from everybody on the stage.

After the DSFB left the stage, something happened. It was to be expected, since this was the "headlining" act and they were done two-and-a-half hours into the (close to) four hour show. Basically, the majority of the crowd got up and left. They vamoosed. We hit the bathrooms and by the time we came back, Matt Pryor (The Terrible Twos), was on stage before a sparse audience. One would think this was the opening act, not the sixth act on the bill.

Matt Pryor aka The Terrible Twos

We've got two of the Terrible Twos CDs and enjoyed them. "When I Get to 11" is a great kid's song and Matt held the (existing) audience with his repartee. Ben yelled "Old Man Miller!" during a between-song lull. I was afraid it had thrown Pryor, who said, "This next song is about a porcupine." Ben immediately smiled, since the opening line of the song is "Old Man Miller is a porcupine." I think Pryor was happy that in this near-vacant room, he had a vocal fan.

The final performance was from the David Wax Museum. This was intriguing – a guitar, a violin, and a dancer, doing spanish-tinged songs. I felt bad that more of the crowd had not stayed to hear them. Perhaps some lineup juggling needs to be implemented in the future, separating one or two "bigger" acts or shortening the event to three hours to stem the departure flood rate.

The David Wax Museum

Violinst Sue Slezak did walk around the room, at one point standing on a chair next to Ben while she played. It made the performance much more interactive than if they had stayed on the stage. Then again, since the remaining audience had backed from the riser, it gave David and Sue (and their dancer) a chance to bring their music directly to the people who stayed to hear them.

I was happy to reconnect with Facebook/kindie stalwarts Karen and Dave, otherwise known as the "luckiest raffle winners in Brooklyn." After the show, I said hi to Out With the Kids' Jeff Bogle and Gooney Bird Kids' Gwyneth before the attendants bum-rushed us to the lobby. Missed PR maven Beth by minutes, tho.

There was far less interaction between the bands themselves. Last year, Bari Koral was joined on stage by Joanie Leeds, Suzi Shelton, and SteveSongs (click through to see the videos). When Steve (the headliner) did his set, Bari came back up with Ralph Covert (Ralph's World), and Secret Agent 23 Skidoo (videos here). I was not aware of anything like that occurring in 2013.

BAM Fisher is a great space when it's full. Empty, not so great. But it's accessible and certainly a "class A" facility, as my father would say. We were sorry to miss the first three acts, but Ben has a Hebrew school commitment on Sunday mornings that will hinder us for a few more years.

Still, we look forward to Kindiefest's family concert every year. North Hempstead's Kidstock is growing on us, but remains a close second (access to the waterfront is a plus). Kudos to organizers Stephanie, Tor, Mona, and Bill. We'll see you next spring!

Hipwaders Book Trip to Sesame Street

The kindie (kids independent music) scene inspires lots of crossover.

Just looking at any of the recent spate of releases that I've reviewed show dozens of unexpectedly delightful collaborations – Secret Agent 23 Skidoo and Lunch Money, for instance.

Kindie musicians mine the mainstream for interesting selections to record, in kid-ified form. Not to mention "classic" tracks presented anew for this generation. Two CDs this year alone had different takes on "Free to Be...You and Me."

There are also the occasional cover versions of kindie songs by other artists. San Francisco's the Hipwaders are releasing a CD single featuring their take on Frances England's "The Books I Like to Read." Need another reason to buy a CD single? The "B" side is the theme from "Sesame Street."

Both tracks have been staples of the Hipwaders' live shows for several years, and now they have recorded them for posterity. It's a real treat to have them both in our possession. Matt (21 months old) immediately started singing along when he heard the opening notes of "Sesame" and did an unprompted dance. You may dance as well, if you have any child left inside.

The Hipdwaders do not play many shows on the East Coast. They were in New York for Kindiefest in 2010, but only the Saturday night "industry showcase." A part-time blogger like myself did not make the cut, alas. But we always keep our eyes on the venue calendars and who knows. The Hipwaders are worth the trip if they're appearing in your area.

The CD single will be available on October 2 through Amazon, CDBaby, iTunes, and other music retailers.

Who's Ready for the Not-Its?

Tag - I'm It!

Kids are natural balls of pure energy. What's the best way to harness energy? Transform it into another state. To help facilitate a positive change, consider the music of Seattle's the Not-Its.

Billed as "America's most rockin' kindie band," the Not-Its strive to be a child's first rock experience. I've forgotten my first rock experience, and so has my wife. But our (older) son's first rock experience was a concert by the Doodlebops. They came home and she said, "He was on his feet the entire time!" I had never been so disappointed at missing a (little) kid event.



But getting back to my point, the Not-Its have been providing "first rock experiences" since 2009. Lead singer Sarah Shannon fronted the Sub-Pop indie band Velocity Girl in the '90s. With two 5-and-under girls at home, Shannon and company know their audience at a primal level: what they believe in and what they enjoy. And also what sounds phony and preachy.

With their third CD, "Tag - You're It," the band continues its efforts to expand the kingdom of kindie music on the West Coast. The best compliment for any kids band is to say, "I would play that for adults." And the Not-Its are a band that adults can truly enjoy with their kids, from the vantage point that only parents can understand. The melodic "Carry Me" at first sounds like a child's simple plea to a parent:

I am as light as a cotton ball.

You'd feel so bad if I were to fall,

Drop from exhaustion or fatigue.

Please just carry me.


But then the (father) parent interjects:

There's no way I'm going to carry you.

Don't you remember when you were two,

I threw my back out and I couldn't move for a whole week.

This walking is working for me.


Rockers include "It's Great To Be a Kid," "Vacation," "Hank Is a Rock Star," and "Gotta Keep On Tryin," which incorporates an obvious message. But the band otherwise tries to couch its sensibilities in more subtle ways. Subtle, as that term relates to the 10-and-under set. But the riffs definitely reminded me of "real" rock songs from my past. "Puppy Dog" starts with the distinctive Kinks lead from "(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman" before it turns into a dog song. And I can't fault any band from trying to make math skills sound fun, as in "Mathematics."

For the time being, the Jimmies and AudraRox are keeping the East Coast rocking with powerful female lead vocals. And the Not-Its are ably patrolling the Western border with verve and vigor.

The Verve Pipe at Kindiefest 2011

Where was I? Oh yes - after a brutal drive through traffic caused by the annual Five Boro Bike Tour, Ben and I settled in at Littlefield NYC for Kindiefest 2011.

Elizabeth Mitchell and company did a great, mellow set that featured guest appearances by Dean Jones and Heidi Swedberg.

After a break, it was time for the rockin' Verve Pipe gang. And they did not disappoint. A fun set that had guitar solos, four-part a cappella harmonies, and punny lyrics. Not to mention lots of audience singalong.

Here are some videos from there set to give you an example of what I mean:

Wake Up



You Can Write A Song (featuring Recess Monkey)



Here's how I know that Ben is impressed by someone - he becomes shy. Whether it was a preschool instructor that he had a crush on, or a musician that he really likes. Not that he doesn't like some of the people he's met in person, such as Ashley and the Jimmies or Molly and Lunch Money. When Ben saw that Recess Monkey was in attendance, he grew a big smile - but he did NOT want to approach them after the show.

Ice Cream Man



Kind of hard to follow the iconic Van Halen version, but this was a neat kindie-fied rendition.

Cereal/All You Need Is Love



If there was ever an appropriate way to wrap up a children's music festival, here it was - a kid-friendly anthem about what else but breakfast cereal. Followed by a segue into a Beatles classic, clean-pressed for stage-filling return performers.

I may have additional thoughts on the music festival (I did not attend the Saturday sessions, so I'll leave that to others to contemplate). For next year, we will look at mass transit options (the subway stops about 1/2 mile from Littlefield) if the bike tour conflicts again. And Kindiefest is recommended! Take it from me, I've been to all three (and the STINK show before that). Kudos to the organizers once again.

Elizabeth Mitchell at Kindiefest 2011

Ben and I suffered through 90 minutes of traffic and got to Kindiefest 2011 at Brooklyn's Littlefield very late.

How late? We missed four of the six acts. Luckily, we managed to catch the final two - Elizabeth Mitchell and the Verve Pipe.

I shot a few videos of both performances. Here are the Mitchell band songs:

Little Liza Jane



What Goes On



Peace Like A River



Good set, crowd was really into the band. And the Verve Pipe were a complete change of pace, which helped make it really feel like a festival.

Daddy A Go Go Has That MoJo

He's Got the Beat, Daddy-O

I knew I liked Daddy A Go Go's new CD when I couldn't stop my leg from stomping along to the beat. And it really a generational thing, but when was the last time a kindie artist worked Steve McQueen and the Backstreet Boys into a song, and didn't care if the little ones got the references? And that's just the first song, "I Wanna Be An Action Figure."



One-man rock band John Boydston became a childrens's music proponent the old-fashioned way: he fell into it. After deciding to give up his job as a television news producer, John started a new career as a stay-at-home dad to his two sons, then both under the age of six. Since adults still need some “me” time, he ended up making rock and roll records for his kids.

What began in 1998 has turned into eight CDs, including the new disc, "Grandkid Rock," a remixed collection of 16 of John's favorite tunes from his previous releases. As stated eariler, he is definitely not afraid to rock. There have been kid's CDs that almost put me to sleep - not a good thing, especially if I'm behind the wheel. No chance of that happening with this disc!

When determining the theme of the CD, John envisioned an aged guitar to symbolize modern grandparents. Why not a classic image, like a grandfather clock? It's a cliché. "That's from another era and doesn't represent today's grandparents at all," John said. "How about a cool looking guitar that's slightly aged, worn, and actually better looking for the wear and tear?" Not to mention the improved sound.

Ben has been practicing Ponchielli's "Dance of the Hours" on the piano. Daddy A Go Go strips the Allan Sherman parody "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh" down to its barest elements for a rave-up. "Adventures in Carpool" chronicles the misadventures of a frantic dad en route to dropping off the kids on time for school. As the lyrics go:

There's traffic as far as we can see.

Dad makes a wild turn, watch out for that tree.

I'm glad we're in the Expedition.

I hope that cop will listen.


I'm looking forward to putting Daddy A Go Go into Ben's hands. I'm looking forward even more to putting Daddy A Go Go into our car's CD system as part of the next batch of music to get us to our destinations.