Weinkauf Wakes Up With Lullabies

The return of live music has come with some unintended circumstances. They Might Be Giants' bassist Danny Weinkauf looked forward to the resumption of the band's delayed world tour, which finally got underway earlier this month. The tour lasted exactly one show – after which founding member John Flansburgh got into a car service for a ride home, and wound up in the hospital with multiple broken and fractured ribs. 

With the TMBG tour on hold, Weinkauf decided to expedite the release of LULLABIES, a seven-track EP featuring death metal... no, what do you think is in a children's music collection? The lush, laidback tracks include the father-to-child love song, "Reason For It All," which reminds us that "within your love, there's a reason for [everything]" and "Only One for Me" about wishing on a star.

Red Pants Band member Tina Kenny Jones provides vocals on the wistful "When We Fall Asleep (Anything Can Be)" and family members Michelle and Kai guest on  "Toy Town" and the Twin Peaks-esque "Counting Sheep," which sounds like an Angelo Badalamenti experiment. Sadness over a friend moving away is the main concern of the somber tone of "Toy Town," and there isn't much of a resolution. But kids are resilient and come to realize that there are times when we're just sad and that's the way things have to be.

LULLABIES constitutes a curio in the recording discography of Weinkauf (and his Red Pants Band compatriots). But it's an unexpected, dreamy pit stop in what must feel like a frustrating nightmare for an active musician about to embark on a full year's worth of live performances. Small wonder that Weinkauf wants to wake up in a brand new day – and take your kids along with him.

LULLABIES is available from Danny Weinkauf's website, Amazon, Apple Music, and Spotify.

Here is the video for his song, "Champion of the Spelling Bee":

Quick Hit: Angela James Delivers On Quiet Nights

In some ways, I miss the days when my kids napped. Because now, they are older and complain when I want to nap. But that doesn't mean I can't appreciate a good lullaby or point overwhelmed recent parents in the direction of such sweet netherworld whisperings. Chicago-based musician Angela James enters the calming fray with QUIET NIGHT, made for weary parents by weary parents.

By its definition, a lullaby is supposed to put a child to sleep. Weary adults, however, must pair off if one of them is going to attempt to stick the landing of taming a tantrumming child while operating a driving vehicle (sedan or SUV). James provides eight tunes, with the lilting and descriptive titles of "Goodnight, My Honey" and "Sweetest Bird," for those occasions when your little darling is acting like a sleep-deprived little monster.

QUIET NIGHT sprang forth from musical improvisation, instrumentation, and postpartum depression. Oh, what a dreamy triplex. And indeed, with collaboration from the experimental musical community, James found solace while raising her newborn daughter, Hattie. The mid-to-low range tunes deliver you to a stealthy dreamworld while opening the doors to imagination and classical music. Dreams are our nightly voyages into ourselves and there's nothing to fear, James coos into impressionable young minds. You will believe a crabby baby can sleep. As well as an even crabbier parent. Prepare for many a quiet night.

QUIET NIGHT is available from Angela James' website.

Here is the video for Angela's song, "Saling":

DidiPop Says Goonight, Bunny in the Moon

There's got to be something in the water.

First Justin Roberts records a CD of lullabies. Then Caspar Babypants announces that his next recording will be lullabies. And now, DidiPop (Deborah Poppink) has released BUNNY IN THE MOON, her collection of original childrens night-time songs.

Scratch that, there's probably nothing in the water. But there's got to be something in the warm milk.

Los Angeles-based musician/music instructor Deborah Poppink headed into childrens' music after the birth of her two daughters (both of whom appear on this CD). The motivation for the recording came from her family's evening routine, which involves letting the kids naturally "wind down" until they are relaxed enough to go to bed, if not immediately to sleep.

BUNNY's Act One moves children through the bedtime routines – "Bathtime," "My Old Pajamas," "Brush Brush," "I Love You Mommy," and the response, "Good Night My Love."

Act Two gently lifts listeners into bed, for a series of acoustic and classically-twinged tunes with influences of Bach, Chopin, and Mozart. The title track assures youngsters that their parents are always with them, even when they can't see them. For instance, in the moon or the sky:

Honey I'm the twinkle in the stars
When you're lonely, and want to hold me.
Just make a little wish and I'll be right where you are.
Honey, I'm the twinkle in the stars.

BUNNY IN THE MOON is the perfect antidote to every post-dinner period when adults are two steps ahead of children (i.e., nearly asleep) and need to flip the script. The innocent question, "Want to hear some music?" now has a delightfully narcoleptic solution. And you never thought that was possible, did you?

BUNNY IN THE MOON is available from DidiPop's website, Amazon, CDBABY, and iTunes.

Here is the video for her song, "The Cool Alphabet Song":