Ben's Playlist - Monday, December 14, 2015

Mooshpie – The Whirlygigs
Haircut – The Not-Its!
Grizzly Bear – Red Yarn
Unwind – Secret Agent 23 Skidoo
Hello  – Adele
Sunday Crafternoon (Featuring Drue Davis) – Tim Kubart

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, November 12, 2015

Bile Them Cabbage  – Red Yarn
Backyard – Riff Rockit
Up To Something Good – Sunshine Collective
Rooms – Tim Kubart
Everything I Didn't Say – 5 Seconds of Summer
Sittin On A Cloud – The Whirlygigs

This Record Belongs..... and a Free Halloween Tune

I learned an interesting thing about Golden Books a few years ago, when my younger son started attending "story time" at a local library. Although we had seen myriad titles in other children's libraries over the past decade, this particular one did not stock any. When we inquired as to why, the librarian sniffed, "They're generally a lower class type of book, and they don't hold up well in repeated borrowing."  In one way an insult, but in another, a tremendous compliment about the versatility of the format – and how kids clamored for the selections.

Another vestige from my childhood is vinyl. As digital technology (CDs and then MP3s) became ubitquitous, turntables became more specialized. Now vinyl has made a minor resurgence. But our turntable, escounced in a cabinet and covered with children's music CDs, is practically a non-factor. And our vinyl? A floor away in the basement, minimized next to a pair of CD towers. My wife's old portable turntable is in the attic, but has not been opened in decades. So we have the resources, but just don't have the motivation to put the pieces together.

Two companies, Seattle's Light In The Attic Records & Third Man Records (founded in Detroit by Jack White), have banded to produce THIS RECORD BELONGS TO ______. It's a throwback package to the 1970s, with a playlist of songs available on CD and digitally, but also on vinyl. There's also an illustrated book (by Jess Rotter) that tells a story of animals finding a vinyl record and trying to figure out what it is and what to do with it. And finally, there's a portable Jensen turntable, complete with USB input.

Most of the music in the collection dates back more than 25-30 years, such as Harry Nilsson's "Me and My Arrow" and Carole King's "One Was Johnny," a Maurice Sendak tale from her celebrated CD. Nothing from the compilation was composed specifically for its release (intriguing since it took two record labels of artists to mount this project). To that end, you may have heard the majority of these songs elsewhere, such as Kermit the Frog's "Rainbow Connection." However, where else can you find Vashti Bunyan's "Diamond Day"?

As with any well-intentioned project, you wonder if this is a first installment or a one-off. You can buy the compilation separately, but it appears they really want kids to appreciate the uniqueness of vinyl, which would indicate future volumes at some point. THIS RECORD BELONGS TO _____ is a quirky curio with a number of revelations and a warm, nostalgic feel. Oh, did I mention that the bundle with the turntable is $95? As in those Saturday morning ads, I hasten to add, "Also sold separately."

THIS RECORD BELONGS TO _________ is available from Third Man Records and Amazon.

Mr. Whirly (aka Keith Wasserman) has released his new Halloween single "Bumps in the Night." If you sign up for his every-now-and-then newsletter, you can get it as a free download! How great is this? Music for nothing more than an email address! What are you waiting for? Come on, click through. I'll wait. Well no I won't, the kids have trick or treating to do. And I've got to be vigilant to make sure everything is safe for them to eat, or pass along to eat. You know what I mean, parents.

Ben's Playlist - Friday, October 2, 2015

Carry a Tune – Recess Monkey
Free Ride Everyday – Lori Henriques
I've Had It Up To Here – Weezer
Let The Records Play – Pearl Jam
Mooshpie – The Whirlygigs
Sugar – Maroon 5

Ben's Playlist - Monday, July 20, 2015

Buddy – Jazzy Ash
Crazy Mountain Road – Eric Herman And The Invisible Band
Deep In The Dirt – Caspar Babypants
Domino Town  – Dean Jones
Don't Fence Me In – Andy Z
Half Of M – Rihanna
Sittin On A Cloud – The Whirlygigs

Ben's Playlist - Monday, July 6, 2015

Closer To You – Michael Franti & Spearhead
Everybody Out There – Paul McCartney
If I Could Fly – Riff Rockit
Mooshpie – The Whirlygigs
Motorcycle Mom – The Not-Its!
My Own Detective – Tom Chapin
Thingamajig – Lucky Diaz And The Family Jam Band

Ben's Playlist - Friday, June 26, 2015

Bile Them Cabbage – Red Yarn
Don't Stop – 5 Seconds of Summer
Fountain of Youth – Brady Rymer
Hold On to Your Dreams – Mista Cookie Jar & the Chocolate Chips
Jet – Robin Zander & Rick Nielsen
Kings & Queens – The Hipwaders
Mooshpie – The Whirlygigs
Together We Can Fly – Danny Weinkauf

Ben's Playlist - Friday, June 19, 2015

Baldy – Lloyd H. Miller
The Bright Side Of Me – Alastair Moock & Friends
Free Ride Everyday  – Lori Henriques
I Got This! – Princess Katie & Racer Steve
I'm Not the Sharpest Tool – Dean Jones
If Red Tastes Like Strawberry – The Whirlygigs
The Start of Things – Alison Faith Levy
Toothloser – Gustafer Yellowgold
A Who? (feat. Joanie Leeds) – Father Goose

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, June 11, 2015

Changes – David Bowie
Farewell – Rihanna
Germs – Joanie Leeds And The Nightlights
I Love the Beach – Keith Munslow
Marsupial – Danny Weinkauf
Sittin On A Cloud – The Whirlygigs
Tunneling To Paradise – Pointed Man Band
Turned Out – Paul McCartney
Wake Up  – The Neville Brothers

Ben's Playlist - Friday, June 5, 2015

Beneath The Water – Caspar Babypants
Bionic (feat. Shiz & Lady Asha) – Father Goose
Life In Color – OneRepublic
Lighter Feathers – Dean Jones
Lucky Penny – The Whirlygigs
NOW That's What I Call Polka! – Weird Al Yankovic
Penguinese – Recess Monkey
Robots From The 4th Dimension – The Dirty Sock Funtime Band
Trondaxx Berserker – Key Wilde and Mr. Clarke

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, April 16, 2015

Best Friend – In The Nick Of Time
Bird in an Airplane Suit – Caspar Babypants
Dad Is Takin' a Nap – Keith Munslow
Don't Stop – 5 Seconds of Summer
Hold On to Your Dreams – Mista Cookie Jar & the Chocolate Chips
I Dreamed I Could Fly – Eric Herman And The Invisible Band
Jamaica Ska (feat. Coolie Ranx & Little Goose) – Father Goose
Lucky Penny – The Whirlygigs
Upside Down – Ratboy Jr.

Ben's Playlist - Monday, March 23, 2015

Lucky Penny – The Whirlygigs
Archaeology – Danny Weinkauf
Duck Ellington – Lucky Diaz And The Family Jam Band
Look, Think, Guess, Know – Tom Chapin
Tacky – Weird Al Yankovic
Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran
Do Ya Thang – Rihanna
Counting Stars – OneRepublic

Ben's Playlist - Friday, March 13, 2015

If Red Tastes Like Strawberry – The Whirlygigs
Wake Up – The Neville Brothers
Little Things – One Direction
3 Pointed Back – Secret Agent 23 Skidoo
Gratitude  – Mista Cookie Jar & the Chocolate Chips
Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven When You Smile) – Van Morrison
I'm My Own Grandpa (Featuring Riders in the Sky) – Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer
My Favorite Sneakers – In The Nick Of Time

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, February 12, 2015

If Red Tastes Like Strawberry – The Whirlygigs
Little Things – One Direction
Trondaxx Berserker – Key Wilde and Mr. Clarke
Coral Reef – The Whizpops!
Now Let's Dance – Elizabeth Mitchell & Dan Zanes
Ice Cream Girl – Brady Rymer & The Little Band That Could
Shutterbug – Recess Monkey
Counting Stars  – OneRepublic
I've Had It Up To Here – Weezer

Ben's Playlist - Friday, February 6, 2015

Smile in My Heart – Suzi Shelton
Marsupial – Danny Weinkauf
Raise Your Hand – The Not-Its!
Sittin On A Cloud – The Whirlygigs
Mothership – Mr. Saxophone
Closer To You  – Michael Franti & Spearhead
Groove – Lori Henriques
Gloria – Van Morrison & Them
Live And Let Die – Billy Joel

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, January 29, 2015

If Red Tastes Like Strawberry – The Whirlygigs
Pendulum – Pearl Jam
Be a Little Angel – Mista Cookie Jar & The Chocolate Chips
Banana Pudding – Sugar Free Allstars
My Favorite Sneakers – In The Nick Of Time
Here Comes Peter Cottontail – The Hipwaders
Change Your Ticket – One Direction
My Heart Is Open – Maroon 5 Feat. Gwen Stefani

Ben's Playlist - Monday, January 26, 2015

Mooshpie – The Whirlygigs
Just a Normal Day – Lesley and the Flying Foxes
Ice Cream Girl  – Brady Rymer & The Little Band That Could
Uh Huh – Dean Jones
Dancing Bear – Bari Koral Family Rock Band
Metaphor  – The Alphabeticians
Sunglasses – The Que Pastas
Steal My Girl  – One Direction
Animals – Maroon 5

Ben's Playlist – Monday, January 12, 2015

Lucky Penny – The Whirlygigs
Smile in My Heart – Suzi Shelton
Kings & Queens – The Hipwaders
Dancing Bear – Bari Koral Family Rock Band
Danceology – The Dirty Sock Funtime Band
Great Day – The Not-Its!
My Sister Kissed Her Boyfriend – Trout Fishing In America
Got To Get You Into My Life  – Perry Farrell
H-U-L-L-A-B-A-L-O-O – Hullabaloo

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, December 25, 2014

Lucky Penny – The Whirlygigs
Duct Tape World – Recess Monkey
Tacky – Weird Al Yankovic
Buzzcut Season – Lorde
Gratitude – Mista Cookie Jar & the Chocolate Chips
Counting Star – OneRepublic
How Great Can This Day Be – Lori Henriques
Riverside – Baze And His Silly Friends

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Lucky Penny – The Whirlygigs
If I Could Fly – Riff Rockit
Lightning Bolt  – Pearl Jam
The Hustle – Van McCoy
Ice Cream Girl  – Brady Rymer & The Little Band That Could
This Island Life (Music) – Big World Audio Theatre
Tacky – Weird Al Yankovic