Quick Hits: Parker & Alexander Non-Secular Kids Music, Awesome from Jesse Jukebox

Non-secular children's music walks a fine line between entertainment and enlightenment. Every Christmas song ever recorded (with the exception of "Last Christmas") qualifies as non-secular. However kids of all religions happily sing along when December rolls around. If you're in the market for story-oriented modern interpretations of classic religious tales, (Brendan) Parker and (Erick) Alexander have released "All Of Us: Bible Songs for Everyone."

The duo are also responsible for a multitude of amusing non-secular children's CDs recorded as Spaghetti Eddie, over the past several years. "All Of Us" covers creation to the Nativity to the stories of Noah and Jonah (and the whale). They have branded their new project under their own names to disengage from the more generic Spaghetti Eddie brand. The songs are bright and filled with uplifting sentiment, perfect for certain developing religious sensibilities. You can order "All Of Us" from Parker & Alexander's website.

What if Seth Rogen decided to record children's music? I have a feeling it would sound (and look) something like Jesse Jukebox (otherwise known as Jesse Freidberg). A children's music educator and performer, Jesse teaches kids how to play instruments on his website, as well as tells stories, and acts as a font of unassuming entertainment.

Jesse's third CD, AWESOME! drops next week. The title track is now available as a video, featuring sign language from his deaf friend Jaison Anderson. They recount a large number of things that are, well, awesome. Here, watch for yourself:

Ben's Playlist - Friday, July 6, 2018

I Feel Better – Caspar Babypants
Lost And Loving It – Kepi Ghoulie
Here For you – Spaghetti Eddie
My Barn Door Is Open – Red Yarn
Fly Like A Bird – Dean Jones
Soar  – Mo Phillips
Finally – Franz Ferdinand

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, June 7, 2018

The Only One – Brady Rymer & The Little Band That Could
Home – Spaghetti Eddie
Lost And Loving It  – Kepi Ghoulie
Lazy Boy – Franz Ferdinand
Feels Like Summer  – Weezer
Summer's Here – The Bazillions
Space Adventure – The Pop Ups
People Watching – Dean Jones

Ben's Playlist - Monday, April 23, 2018

The Only One – Brady Rymer & The Little Band That Could
I Feel Better – Caspar Babypants
Happy – Spaghetti Eddie
The Start of Things – Alison Faith Levy
That's My Style – The Bazillions
The Beautiful Dream – George Ezra
Mystery – Dean Jones

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, April 11, 2018

I Love The Night – Gustafer Yellowgold
Soar – Mo Phillips
Home – Spaghetti Eddie
Higher Higher – Justin Timberlake
Benjamin – 123 Andres
Kid Of The Week – The Not-Its!

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, February 15, 2018

Peace Be To All – Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could
This Is How We Bring In The Sun – Justin Roberts
Soar  – Mo Phillips
Have You Ever Been Real – Dean Jones
One – Aaron Nigel Smith
Here For you – Spaghetti Eddie
Dance With Me – Phillip Phillips

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, February 14, 2018

I Love The Night – Gustafer Yellowgold
The Man Who Built The Moon – Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
Man of the Woods – Justin Timberlake
Ode To Bed – Mo Phillips
Happy – Spaghetti Eddie
Humans Are Still Evolving – Dean Jones

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, February 1, 2018

Fly Like A Bird – Dean Jones
It's A Wonderful Life – Kepi Ghoulie
Summer Days – Cosmic Park
Holy Mountain – Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
Home – Spaghetti Eddie
Magnetic – Phillip Phillips

Hold the Sauce, Not Applause, for Spaghetti Eddie

Every now and then a children's music act goes completely under the radar, generally acknowledged inside their region of the country but otherwise an unknown entity. That's the case with Brendan Parker, who has just released the fifth volume of SPAGHETTI EDDIE! AND OTHER CHILDREN'S SONGS.

The concept is fairly simple – the first CD introduced Spaghetti Eddie, but it wasn't a song cycle. Indeed, it was merely a clever collection of amiable tunes for tykes and early education students. Over time, Parker and company have added characters but the formula has remained charmingly and disarmingly consistent.

Perhaps the best-kept secret in Oklahoma City (unless there's some Twin Peaks craziness that hasn't broken loose yet), Spaghetti Eddie falls into that fine divide between the Sugar-Free Allstars and Mo Phillips – a solid foundation of wordplay and musicality that doesn't talk down to kids or make their parents want to "disappear" the CDs.

Brendan and bandmate Erick Alexander don't tackle any overtly heavy subject material (although that may happen down the road). Spaghetti Eddie instead mines the minutia of everyday kid life, such as "Wonder Where Everybody's Going," " Let's Go Explore," and "Forts," with the refrain:

My fort can be anything I want
Be careful not to knock it down

Perhaps it's time for Spaghetti Eddie to get cooking and prepare for wider exposure. The first time I heard of them was when Parker contacted me directly (a common story). With more content giving their backstory on the Website or Facebook, and a little friendly radio play on podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, or SiriusXM Kids Place Live, Spaghetti Eddie could add some meatballs to their saucy selections.

SPAGHETTI EDDIE! AND OTHER CHILDREN’S SONGS VOLUME 5 is available from their website, Soundcloud, iTunes, and Amazon.

Here is the video for the song "Kitty Cat Town":