Ben's Playlist - Tuesday, July 17, 2018

I'm Not Running – Vertical Horizon
The Art of Letting Go – Stone Temple Pilots
Dreaming Again – Secret Agent 23 Skidoo
Solar Flares – Mo Phillips
Feels Like Summer  – Weezer
Saturday's a Sadder Day – The Oot 'n Oots

Ben's Playlist - Monday, July 16, 2018

It's A Beautiful World – Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
Breeze Off the Pond – Justin Timberlake
Red Hot Lava – Purple Fox and the Heebie-Jeebies
Magnetic – Phillip Phillips
Stickin  Right by You – Recess Monkey
Electric Jellyfish Boogaloo – The Oot 'n Oots

Steve Elci and Friends Provide Joyful Puddle-Jumpng

American roots music is self-explanatory – a group of musicians playing infectious good-time pop tunes. Long Island has been gifted with Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could. But there are other acts on the East Coast – and around the country – who accomplish the same outcome. In Connecticut, Steve Elci and Friends have filled this niche since 2009. Their fourth CD, JUMP IN THE PUDDLES, showers young listeners with an array of basic concepts and declarations, such as "We're not so different or far apart."

Steve followed his father (a musician in big bands for 50 years) into the family business. Steve certainly doesn't lack in confidence, as his bio describes his outstanding characteristics as "charisma, leadership, and compassion." The comparison to Brady is fitting, though, as I became aware of the Little Band That Could around the same time that Steve Elci began his children's recording enterprise. While listening to JUMP IN THE PUDDLES, I kept picturing Brady's voice singing this collection of songs – and wondering what Steve would sound like singing Rymer compositions. Maybe a summit/kindie convergence is in order at some future festival.

"Shine On" draws parallels to Rymer perennial "Shine A Little Light." "Supersonic" has the similar harmonies and singalong power of "Who Wants to Wear Shoes." It's a little bit of a stretch, but "The Three Chord Song" falls into the same camp as "One Day By the Riverside." Okay, enough of the comparisons. The question remains, do Steve Elci and Friends succeed on their own merits?

The answer, most assuredly, is with charisma, leadership, and compassion. One can almost envision Steve and bandmates imploring kids to bat "Balloons" around in the air during their live shows. "Hello Song" was so thoroughly agreeable that both kids began singing "konichiwa" and "bon jour" almost instinctively (Or maybe because I started singing along before they did). The CD does have its tender moments, with "Teddy Bear" and "Baby Get Up" aimed directly at the under-three set. But "The Three Chord Song" rocks out like Bon Jovi Junior, a sentiment Ben (a hard rock concert vet) affirmed.

JUMP IN THE PUDDLES is the first of Steve's CDs to reach my desk, which is almost surprising considering I've been at this for almost as long as he has. Now that I've encountered his music, it will be interesting to see if Steve Elci and Friends become more of a live presence in this region. I have a few precious live kid's music years left in me, and JUMP IN THE PUDDLES offers a tantalizing taste of what the band offers in concert.

JUMP IN THE PUDDLES is available on July 13 from Steve's website, Amazon, Apple Music, and CDBABY.

Here is the video for the song, "Good Morning," featuring Mista Cooke Jar:

Fun Is the Flavor for Jelly of the Month Club

The most people I've ever seen onstage during one performance was at Kindiefest 2013, when the Dirty Sock Funtime Band (DSFB) engaged at least 15 people for "Dino-Soaring." In retrospect, that was almost a swan song for the band, who now operate sporadically (including last summer as a trio at Kidstock sans Mr. Clown).

Families who loved the noisy, goofy, inside baseball nature of the DSFB will kvell and swoon for their SoCal brethren, the Jelly of the Month Club, and their second CD, ENJOY THE SHOW. The Jelly fellows divide the chaos between the four main members, Mic Dangerously, Bert Susanka, Mr. Crumb, and the deceptively-named Todd Forman.

On ENJOY THE SHOW, the band introduces outlandish characters like "Charlie the Polliwog," with a definite
Cab Calloway/Minnie the Moocher vibe, a Borscht Belt-infused "Boris the Butcher," and a "Shelfish Elf" who reports back to a lactose-intolerant Santa on your child's behavior. "Food Fight" is a delightful, messy number with overtones of Madness. Speaking of the early '80s, "Fun Facts for Kids" is rollicking rockabilly that'll teach ya something (my son also yelped "That's Mr. Sandman," making me beam with parental pride).

What outfit with members hailing from Chicago doesn't want to celebrate the World Series victory of their beloved Cubbies? "Cubs Cubs Cubs" references so many major league references that kids will be googling for hours and viewing clips – with a Harry Caray game call at the fade-out. Got a math geek in your clan? "Pi" quotes to the 26th place and then delivers a pop quiz:

Is it 90210?
No that's a 90 show.
25 or 6 to 4?
No that's Chicago
Is it 867-5309?
What no that's Tommy Tutone
Is it 562-321-4365?
No that's my cell phone number
Please nobody call me

Jelly of the Month Club is a high energy, high concept ensemble with members using children's music as an outlet from their day jobs in other bands - such as Sublime. ENJOY THE SHOW immediately turns any routine drive into a singalong and panel discussion. It's been four years since they raised the curtain on new material, so let's give them a hand. Put some Jelly in your rotation; it won't rot your kids' teeth or their minds.

ENJOY THE SHOW is available on Jelly of the Month's website, Soundcloud, Amazon, and Apple Music.

Here is the video for Jelly of the Month's song, "Cubs Cubs Cubs":

Splash and Bubbles: Reef Music for Tots

Splash and Bubbles debuted in 2016 on PBS Kids.

My younger son stopped watching PBS Kids in 2015.

I just missed this one.

The series was created by John Tartaglia, a Muppets legend who joined the Sesame Street puppet squad full-time at age 18. After exploring performance post-Sesame, Tartaglia has returned to the Jim Henson Company to helm Splash and Bubbles and its interstitial series, "Get Your Feet Wet." The soundtrack CD, RHYTHM OF THE REEF: SONGS FROM SEASON ONE has just been released.

Without the Henson and Tartaglia pedigrees, Splash and Bubbles could be seen as an attempt to piggyback on the success of FINDING DORY. However it was undoubtably several years in development, and Tartaglia did create an Off-Broadway show called "ImaginOcean" with characters named Ripple and Bubbles (Dorsel or Tank have been rebranded as Splash for marketing purposes, I guess).

In any event, you will recognize several familiar Henson performers from their more famous Sesame Street creations. And the songs are generally inoffensive, and probably catnip to the kids who have been devouring these episodes since they debuted last winter. So RHYTHM OF THE REEF is no doubt a slam-dunk for many listeners. Splash and Bubbles and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood may be the shows to carry PBS Kids for the next 3-5 years. I wish them well. I'm out of that loop and moving on to growing pains.

RHYTHM OF THE REEF: SONGS FROM SEASON ONE is available from Amazon and iTunes.

Here is the "Get Your Feet Wet" segment on horseshoe crabs:

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

Hot Peas 'N Butter Back to Land With 8th Kids' CD

In the Old West, there were homesteaders – people who staked a claim to previously-uninhabited land to raise their families. In children's music, there are also homesteaders – performers who stake a claim to previously-uninhabited genres for people raising their families.

American roots music holds a fascination for many artists. Alan Lomax turned his passion into an obsession, making many recordings of the folk music of the early 20th century. Seventy years of Lomax tapes were acquired by the Library of Congress to augment their collection. One of the leading children's musicians mining the deep folk vein is Red Yarn (Andy Ferguson), following the example of pioneering Dan Zanes (with last year's LEAD BELLY, BABY!).

Hot Peas 'N Butter (HPNB) are now entering the frayed overalls fray with their eighth CD, BACK TO THE LAND. The title track pretty much delivers the mission statement:

There's so much more we have to grow
Back to the land
'Cause it gives back the love that we sow
Back to the land
And between us
It will flow
Back to the land.

The point is hammered home with guest appearances on "Back to the Land" by Dan Zanes, Peter Yarrow, and Laurie Berkner, who also duets of "Big World Kid," about children being comfortable and at home wherever they live – the city, mountains, or in a small town. And since my family is familiar with Alex and the Kaleidoscope's "I'm So Glad," we already know the song it originally sprang from, "Funga Alafia," here given a sprightly Liberian HPNB spin.

Five albums of roots tunes from Red Yarn have predisposed me to hear "Little Fox" and naturally assume it's a cover song. Nope. It's an original genre number by bandmates Danny Lapidus and Steve Jabas. After dedicating the first half of BACK TO THE LAND to folk music, HPNB get back to their bread and tomato with Caribbean beats and handclaps on "Come To My Kitchen" and "Ven Conmigo Para Esta Tierra." The latter translates to "Come with Me For This Earth," affirming the CD's affinity with affection for the world we live in.

HPNB wrap up their multi-cultural environmental theme with "Somos El Barco," or "We are the boat" that carries civilization, built by many hands and touching many lands. It's a laudable "we are the world" message aimed at children in a post-9/11 and zero tolerance culture. On BACK TO THE LAND, Hot Peas 'N Butter literally go in many directions, from the Old West to South of the border, as well as back to another time when indoor plumbing was a novelty. In trying to connect so many dots, the CD is a bit of a structural mess. But ultimately it's children who will be the arbiters of whether or not BACK TO THE LAND sticks the landing and effectively and mellifluously delivers its verdict.

BACK TO THE LAND is available on July 6 from Hot Peas 'N Butter's website, Spotify, Soundcloud, Amazon, and Apple Music.

Here is the video trailer for the CD:

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, July 5, 2018

How Lucky We Are – Justin Roberts
Holy Mountain – Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
Ode To Bed – Mo Phillips
The Beautiful Dream – George Ezra
Shadow – The Pop Ups
Humans Are Still Evolving – Dean Jones

Josh Lovelace Pulls No Punches for Young Folk

I have a deeply personal connection to vinyl. It's an experience about which most young audiences have no concept. My kids, sure, but that's because every home I've ever resided in came with a working turntable and a bookcase full of records in the living room. This week, I acquired my first NEW piece of vinyl (as opposed to found at a rummage sale or charity shop) in 20 years. I renewed my faith that vinyl is a tradition worth pursuing, thanks to Josh Lovelace and Friends Present: YOUNG FOLK.

If you want to go over Josh's bio and credits, he's got a neat Wikipedia page that fills in all the blanks. He's a nice guy. Family man. Solid citizen. Bandmate. But like many of us, Josh has a soft spot for something that wrecked him as a kid – a form of music that would not go of him. And Josh was able to capitalize on his opportunities and good fortune and share that form of music with listeners; in modern formats as well as vinyl. YOUNG FOLK delves into the culture of the second generation of folk music. This is not your grandfather's Woody Guthrie collection, it's your parents' Sharon, Lois, and Bram records.

As you might expect from an inaugural release, Josh sets his parameters on the basic notions of family, playtime, and imagination. "Eat Your Vegetables" fills in the blanks for some category of nourishment that every child avoids at some point. "Your Love Is On My Heart" is a sweet ballad to banish the most fearful bedroom apparition. "More Time With You," featuring Nashville singer/songwriter Ellie Holcomb, is a wistful reminiscence delighting in all that's right in the world about parenting.

Paraphasing HL Mencken, "nobody ever got rich singing children's music," which is one reason you've heard of only a handful of performers. Pursuing music as a vocation indicates character. Pursuing children's music as a career indicates you're a character. On the other side of the picket fence, I've seen Grammy nominated artists attempt to crossover, only to flounder or look ridiculous. Josh, however, "has been in training to be a children's music artist his whole life," according to Rolling Stone contributing writer Rob Tannenbaum, on the back cover notes (back cover notes!!!) for the record.

YOUNG FOLK is a family affair, with Josh being joined on vocals by son Henry (and infant Margo) and wife Whitney, who also provides flute on "You're My Very Best Friend." You get a full-throated glorious chorus singing "I believe in a brand new day" as the refrain on "Climb A Tree." And if you're looking for gospel, there's a twangy sincerity to hometown boy Josh singing "Going to Knoxville" with the Spirit Family Reunion. Ben Rector provides vocals for the seriously silly "A Bear in the Woods (Ate My Underwear)" and Sharon and Bram guest on the weepy "Sing a Song for Me":

Daddy won't you sing a sing for me
You take the lead and I'll take the harmony
I've been waiting for you to come back home
So grab your guitar, strum along
Daddy won't you sing a song for me

In a world that struggles to celebrate diversity while the most vulnerable are persecuted, I ponder the future for YOUNG FOLK. Josh has a full schedule on his plate, with his day job in  NEEDTOBREATHE and its upcoming tour. It's also tough to advocate for continuing his passion project without the backing of much more than SiriusXM Kids Place Live and a host of outlier radio programs and podcasts devoted to children's music. Once again, the bottom line comes from the mouths of babes. Whenever I find myself on the other side of that picket fence, I am reminded that this music is not primarily for me. Yes, I derive the "purchasing power." But true parenting comes from sitting – in the front seat or in the living room – and listening to actual young folk enjoying a record like YOUNG FOLK. Since I've pursued reviewing children's music as a secondary vocation, that indicates I'm a character. Do you have enough character to schedule a playdate with YOUNG FOLK?

YOUNG FOLK is available from Josh Lovelace's website, Amazon, Apple Music, and Spotify.

Here is the video for the song, "Eat Your Vegetables":

Secret Agent 23 Skidoo Lives the Dream

Sometimes winning a Grammy can be a career-defining moment – cementing a longstanding reputation, demonstrating that a performer has won over peers, or accomplishing a significant goal with their work. Other times, major awards trap artists, who constantly revisit the same ground, lest they disappoint critics and fans alike.

Secret Agent 23 Skidoo earned a reputation as an experimental musician before he won a Grammy for Best Children's Recording for his CD, INFINITY PLUS ONE. And he hasn't stopped jump-starting imaginations with his Amazon Music release, WAKE UP THE DREAM. The new CD stresses the importance of taking chances and being an original thinker (a sentiment that harkens back to his breakout hit "Gotta Be Me"). The difference on WAKE UP THE DREAM is the fully fleshed-out breadth of Skidoo's vision. It's a masterful concept, although much of it may be lost on younger listeners.

Intermingled with the 10 songs are radio breaks from station WREM (get it) cohosted by the unconscious and subconscious minds. There are also interludes that are part classical, part jazz, and part Raymond Scott (Looney Tunes). After kicking off with the title track, Skidoo hip-hops into "Where Did the Magic Go," with a sampling from Del Shannon's "Runaway" and guest vocals from his daughter, Saki (aka MC Fireworks). "Dreaming Again" is a a harmonic, distaff version of "I Only Have Eyes for You." A pirate sings about his relationship with a mermaid on "You Caught My Eye," an inter-species take on "When A Man Loves a Woman." And you won't sit can't sit don't sit dance it with the mega-funked "Makeship Spaceship."

Breaking boundaries and playing mix and match with classic styles and genres is a hallmark of a 23 Skidoo CD. WAKE UP THE DREAM is no exception, as "Black and White Squares" incorporates a Herb Alpert trumpet and "Broken Dreams" serves as a modern day Bobby Darin sock hop favorite with a tinkling toy piano. And Skidoo channels Parliament-Funkadelic on the spiffy "Tomorrow's Yesterday." The disc ultimately reaches its "final lesson" on "Story/Tellers," reinforcing the perception that every child has the ability to write their own personal saga, no matter how fantastical.

We've been following Secret Agent 23 Skidoo since his earliest days on the kindie scene, hailing back nearly a decade. He has consistently pushed back against the impression that "kid hop" has to be limited to easily-digestible music and sophomoric wordplay. To Skidoo, a Grammy was a nice "attaboy" but it hasn't diminished his appetite for freedom of expression, for himself or his audience. WAKE UP THE DREAM is both Skidoo's testimony and a clarion call to kids of all ages. When I was in high school, there was a controversial musical that pitched "Don't dream it, be it." Through the magic of space and time, Skidoo has become the living embodiment of that sentiment.

WAKE UP THE DREAM is available exclusively on June 29 from Amazon Music.

Here is the first single, "Where Did the Magic Go":

Quick Hits: Lucy Kalantari, Mista Cookie Jar & Father Goose, Hot Peas 'N Butter

Lucy Kalantari and the Jazz Cats are back with a new album next month. Pre-order the first song, "Sounds of Summer," on Amazon. As you might expect, it's got horns a'plenty as well as a bouncy bebop beat. And puts you right in the toe-tapping mod for the release of ALL THE SOUNDS on July 27.

It's a meeting of mic mastery when Mista Cookie Jar and Father Goose team up on "Free Bubbles." You can hear it for free at Bandcamp (or buy it while you're at it). There's a little scat singing in the meeting of Goose and Cookie:

It's like Peter Potter poo Shibe Dee Shibe Dee doo.
It's Father Goose with a lot of love for you.
Mista Cookie Jar is never too far
sharing the love all the way to the stars.
From shore to shore.
From coast to coast.
You know how the story goes!
From California to New York City.
Wow! Bubbles looks so pretty.

Hot Peas N Butter are back with their new CD, BACK TO THE LAND, on July 25. The band sets the tone with the lyric video to the song, "Rainbow In Your Eyes":

Music and Imagination as Easy as 4-5-6 for Margot Bevington

Oh Ms. Margot. Such gossamer vocal overdubs. Such wistful sentiments. Such is her new CD, I AM 4, 5, 6, the followup to (wait for it) ONE AND TWO IS THREE. And as you might imagine, the songs are age-specific for children in those groups. Maryland performer Margot Bevington has taught music education for more than a decade. While her concepts are nothing new, that's not a knock. Kids at this age are just developing their palette and Ms. Margot is here to teach them to paint outside the lines.

I AM 4, 5, 6 is a song cycle for families. Starting with "From There to Here," Margot uses rhymes from children's literature to show how books vividly describe the real world and the realms of creativity. Parents who ever had a child "swear" there was a creature buzzing around the backyard will relate to "I Saw a Fairy." And logic-loving "serious" kids are the subject of "Sense To Me."

I am currently living through the phenomenon related in "Storytime," as the father of a seven-year-old realizing that he can read most of the words in his books. He still wants and desires reading with me at bedtime. He is capable of doing more at this stage but it's more of a bonding experience and less about the words on the page. One of the book series we got through was Junie B. Jones – so slowly that my first grader made it to second grade before the protagonist. Junie had a "Make Believe Zoo" and now Margot sings about the joys and pleasures of designing ones own personal home menagerie.

The most heartbreaking, personal track, "Swinging," depicts a child and mother in the playground – one seeking to swing up (i.e., get older) and the other seeking to enjoy the moment (i.e., stay young). My divorce hit me pretty hard, mentally and physically, and "Swinging" brought back a flood of memories about spending time with my younger son. We would go to the nearby playground and he would desperately want to swing on my lap. I had lost so much body weight through stress and anxiety that it was at times a painful struggle to fulfill his wish. But I willed it to happen, not wanting to deny either of us the chance to build that memory, short-term for him and long-term for me:

I wonder why I like to go swing with the trees
I see the babies and it jogs sweet memories
My mother's lap
Her arms to nap
And sway in
I'm bigger now
But she taught me how

With sunshiny soprano vocals (overdubbed with clear harmonies), Margot makes I AM 4, 5, 6 an easy primer for next-step advancement of discovery, self-actualization, and having fun with imagination. And now, listeners outside the Maryland area get to discover and have fun with Ms. Margot.

I AM 4, 5, 6 is available from Margot Bevington's website, Soundcloud, Amazon, and iTunes.

Here is the video for Margot's song, "Heart, Pencils, and Crayons":

Ben's Playlist - Friday, June 22, 2018

I Love The Night – Gustafer Yellowgold
The Beautiful Dream – George Ezra
What's Done is Done – Jack White
All These Years – Camila Cabello
Who, What, When, Where, Why – The Bazillions
Lost And Loving It  – Kepi Ghoulie
Sunshine Sunny Sun Sunshine Day – Danny Weinkauf

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, June 21, 2018

Over and Over and Over – Jack White
Keep On Reaching – Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
Higher Higher  – Justin Timberlake
Saviour – George Ezra
Handle With Care – Like Father Like Son
What Kind Of Fruit – Dean Jones

Positive Pop is Kira Willey's Position

Yoga used to carry a pretentious preconception – a pencil-thin woman carrying a yoga mat would pass the train station and eyes would roll. A few decades and a sea change of cultural transformation later, there's no eye-rolling at the number of yoga outfits and yoga mats walking around any given neighborhood. Kira Willey teaches music, yoga movement, and mindfulness for children – mixing all the concepts on four prior CDs as well as her newest release, EVERY VOICE.

There's a ton of empowerment behind the dozen songs on EVERY VOICE, from the gossamer anthem title track, to "The Leader In Me" and "Community." Kira and company (including producers Zak Rizvi and Dave Padrutt) believe in putting the foot to the pedal as well as crossing the legs in a lotus position.

It's truly important for Kira (a mother of three) to promote kid power – not girl power, although that sentiment is the topic of the CD's first video, "Real Girl," featuring numerous authentic adolescents (see below). Kindness is an over-riding theme, from the closing "Kindness Mantra," to "Come On In," where "kindness always wins" and "Hello Hope" with the line "Fill the world up with kindness and love and joy." Children's music icon Laurie Berkner guests on "Dream It Up," helping harmonize on the sweet-tempered reveries:

If you're chilly paint the sun
If you're lonely paint someone
If you're sleepy paint a bed to cuddle up in
Close your eyes and dream it up
In your mind imagine it and see
What it can be

Kira's airy vocals are sometimes doubled and tripled to create a hypnotic wall of sound that accompanies the mostly acoustic arrangements. That doesn't mean EVERY VOICE isn't a dance party. With the possible exception of piano ballad "Hello Hope," it's inevitable that young impressionable minds will command little feet to do some cavorting and gamboling. And in a final Bharadvaja's Twist, that could be the most empowering act that Kira gives your kids.

EVERY VOICE is available on June 15 from Kira Willey's website, Amazon, Apple Music, CDBABY, and Soundcloud.

Here is the video for "Real Girl":

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, June 20, 2018

My Barn Door Is Open – Red Yarn
Little Bit of Time – Like Father Like Son
Meadow – Stone Temple Pilots
Saturday Sun – Vance Joy
Breeze Off the Pond – Justin Timberlake
Electric Jellyfish Boogaloo – The Oot 'n Oots

Quick Hits: Mista Cookie Jar, Jeanie Bratschie & Laurie Berkner

Mista Cookie Jar is back with new music. "Let's Get a Dog" starts with a shot of 1980s synth a la A Flock of Seagulls. It settles into the tale of how an outing to a pet store turns lands a kid a new best friend. The song debuted on the Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl and you can get the podcast here. You can also get it at Bandcamp.

Mister Cookie Jar promises more sunny songs for a summer day are coming soon. So stay tuned and I'll try to keep more up to date as they are released.

Chicago's Jeanie Bratschie has released two CDs for your listening pleasure – I LOVE MUSIC and COME TOGETHER. Jeanie has more than 15 years of performing as a children's artist to her credit. Her career as a recording artist began when her three-year-old began asking her to concoct songs from his ideas at bedtime. Before long, she was lining up a band, laying down tracks, and hitting the road.

There's a sprintly country feel to the songs on the discs, with a decidedly seasonal feel to I LOVE MUSIC, with "Lady Liberty," "Summer Is Sunshine," and "Hop On Pop." Jeanie doesn't sing down to kids, she engages and wants the whole family to sing along. There are a few teachable moments mixed in, with "Build A Better World" (construction standing in for humanistic values) and "M-O-M" for the most important woman in any child's early development. You can get Jeanie's CDs at her website and CDBABY.

I'm waaaay behind the curve on this last item, but the Laurie Berkner Band released a Fathers' Day song – "I Love You Daddy" and a video along with it. The video has nothing to do with the shelved Louis CK movie of the same title, so if you found this article via Google search, buzz off. Anyway, here's the video:

Ben's Playlist - Monday, June 18, 2018

Smile For Me – David Tobocman
Paradise – George Ezra
Sun Is a Star – Like Father Like Son
The Good Parts – Andy Grammer
That's My Style – The Bazillions
Cloud Skateboard – Mo Phillips
Hypermisophoniac – Jack White

Get Yer Ya-Yas and Ha-Has Out for the Oot n' Oots

There's something in the water in Austin, Texas and British Columbia, Canada. And it's something good – nothing like what's poisoning people in Flint, Michigan. Much like Austin's Jarebear has rediscovered and reconnected with their inner 70s starchild, Canada's The Oot n' Oots is partying like it's 1969 on their second CD, ELECTRIC JELLYFISH BOOGALOO.


The throwback feel is only part of the appeal, as The Oot n'Oots are a family deal. Eleven-year-old singer Ruth Cipes joins her father (Ezra) and uncles Ari, Gabe, and Matthew. They're like Hansen with extra parts, if one of those parts was a "funny uncle." That's sometimes funny ha-ha but also sometimes funny strange, as on "I Like It Saucy."

Kids bands are generally about dancing, having fun, and teachable moments. I can honestly report that I learned perhaps not one thing from ELECTRIC JELLYFISH BOOGALOO and my life is just fine, thanks for asking."Tomato Jungle" is maybe about gardening but also hide and seek. "Where the Purple Geese Fly" slows down Santana's "Black Magic Woman" with a series of progressively ridiculously-colored birds.

Ari takes the helm for tunes like "Dust Pan," singing about the importance of being neat and clean around the house, and the hyperbolic "Yam Fries," overselling the pleasures and value of sweet potatoes:

You know they’re packed with betacarotene
Vitamin A to make you feel keen
They keep digestion regular and right
They put your tummy in the limelight

The Oot n' Oots may be Canadian, but their mission statement is pure sunny San Francisco 1969 – talkin' about "Look at Those Bees" (sung by Ezra) and "Fermented Foods." In place of free love, there's "Pure Love," closing the CD with Ezra voicing a simple truth about what really matters in life – "We’re all that’s real/We become each other/We become nothing/Pure love." If not for the presence of songs for younger audiences, such as "Little Sammy Davis" and "Animal Sounds," one could mistake ELECTRIC JELLYFISH BOOGALOO as a side project from Blues Traveler or the Spin Doctors... genial, quirky, reassuring, border-crossing but not boundary-crossing children's music.

ELECTRIC JELLYFISH BOOGALOO is available from The Oot n' Oots' website, Spotify, Apple Music, and Bandcamp.

Here is the video for "Dust Pan":

Gunnar Madsen Sets the Table After 10 Years

Skipping a decade can be detrimental to a musician (or group)'s career; R.E.M. may have broken up in 2011 and I've been waiting in vain to hear about Michael Stipe doing anything substantial musically. On the children's music front, Raffi took 14 years off but then released two CDs in 14 months. The latest to fill in the blanks is Gunnar Madsen, re-entering the fray with I AM YOUR FOOD, a collection of culinary-based chorales.

I'm blowing the significance of the recording gap way out of proportion – Gunnar has been busy with other musical pursuits, including work for the Los Angeles Theater Company, the Minnesota Opera, and National Public Radio. Along the way he recorded the 13 songs (and 3 bonus tracks available through a Bandcamp pre-order) that range from straightforward to curious to tributary ("Riders on the Storm" remade as "Egg Salad in the Sun").

A foodie residing in the little-known hamlet of Berkeley, California, Gunnar announces his intentions right out of the bread basket, rustling up an appetite in "10,000 Pancakes." If you've ever wondered what a cow might sing, "Divine Bovine" answers that question with a whistling shuffle. Three guest stars deliver numbers solidly within their pantheon – Bill Harley with the giggly, icky "Liver," Frances England on the fanciful, fictional "City of Sardines," and Justin Roberts gets the last word relating a holiday tale, "The Longest Night," about a big Thanksgiving family dinner.

Gunnar reaches Tower of Power territory with the brassy, snazzy "Food Too Fast" and channels Redbone and Randy Newman for the forlorn "Lunch Is in a Paper Bag," as a student dreams of an actual lunch box. "Shelf Life" uses food expiration to serve as a parable to living life to the fullest before you "go to waste." Perhaps the most fanciful track, however, is the ethereal "City of Sardines," with its saga of a rainfall of fish that saves a starving Japanese province.

Full disclosure: I am unfamiliar with Gunnar's earlier children's work. He took a break just as I was getting into the medium as a reviewer. For those waiting for him to return, the CD may play as a continuation of his preceding discography. I AM YOUR FOOD stands apart from most of this year's releases, on its own merits, as one of the most intriguing (and aurally edible) of 2018. Bon appetit!

I AM YOUR FOOD is available on June 15 from Gunnar Madsen's website, Soundcloud, Amazon, Bandcamp, and iTunes.

Here is the video for Gunnar's song, "10,000 Pancakes":

Ben's Playlist - Monday, June 11, 2018

To Raise a Barn – Red Yarn
Say Something – Justin Timberlake
Popsicle – Bob and Luc Schneider
Rock Island Line (Featuring Billy Bragg) – Dan Zanes & Friends
We're Going Home – Vance Joy
Have Some Fun Out There – David Tobocman

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

A Perennial Evolves With Highlights Hangout!

Who doesn't remember Highlights For Children? The magazine has been around for 70 years, so even I read issues (mostly in pediatrician offices, as I recall). It's evolved into a website as well, and starting this month, there's even a podcast, Highlights Hangout!, from the creators of NPR's Wow in the World.

The monthly Highlights Hangout! is co-hosted by Grammy award-winning children's recording artist Tim Kubart and Juanita Anderson (from Barrel of Monkeys). The podcast attempts to recreate the magazine (which they should really move away from, so it turns into its own standalone product) with the stories, characters, puzzles, and jokes that have entertained kids for decades.

The premiere episode “Hang Ten” debuted June 4 and introduced listeners to a new way to “play the Highlights way” – with Hidden Sound, a new twist on the classic Highlights’ Hidden Picture Game. Many Hidden Sounds pop up throughout the episode. Other Highlights favorites include  “Goofus and Gallant,” “Ask Arizona,” listener-submitted "HangMail" featuring jokes, tongue twisters, poems, and science questions answered by Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz from Wow in the World!

Download the first episode of Highlights Hangout! from Soundcloud and Apple podcasts.

Tim Seston Sings About How Kids' Lives Roll On Despite Challenges

Not all children are created equal. But they all have the same goals and expectations. Massachusetts teacher and musician Tim Seston explores those dimensions on his new CD, ON A ROLL. A father of three, Tim's son Luke was born with cerebral palsy. Regardless of disability, Luke is credited as tambourine player on the CD and features prominently in the artwork. The title track itself is a double entendré (of the least risqué kind) for a freewheeling child living with mental or physical impairment.

ON A ROLL is a CD with high expectations and a low age range (for listeners). The acoustic arrangements are augmented by violin, trombone, kazoo, clarinet, saxophone, tuba, mandolin, banjolin, dobro, trumpet, but seldom an electric instrument. Don't look for sophisticated synthesizers and keyboards – Tim may sing about "DNA," but it's as far from The Pop-Ups GIANTS OF SCIENCE as you can get when dealing with the same basic scientific premises.

Tim has more than a decade of experience as an educator and performing musician. He is well-versed in the demands made on parents and acutely aware of what happens when one of the children commands more attention due to special needs. As far as I'm concerned, Tim is preaching to the converted on that narrative. Conveying those points without talking down to his audience is the overriding concern of ON A ROLL. On songs such as "In Walked James," Tim deals with hyperactivity and exuberant imagination. I explained "Canker Sore"  to my kids, only to double back when I realized Tim was co-opting the term and applying it to a terrible, awful, no-good day. I found it a bit off-putting that "Rhymenocerous" is essentially a country song featuring hip-hop, beat-boxing animals – although Tim's website notes the song is really about how it feels to be excluded.

Once you've been introduced to the world of special needs, you never go back through the Looking Glass. It's a constant reminder that some children lack equivalent capabilities, but that all children should be capable of the same goals and expectations. ON A ROLL brings those fears and frustrations to the forefront in a folksy, genial manner. A tambourine may not be a guitar, but it's good enough to allow Luke Seston to be part of his father's world of music. And ON A ROLL provides an introduction for the rest of us.

ON A ROLL is available on June 8 from Tim Seston's website, Amazon, iTunes, and CDBaby.

Here is a recent video of Tim performing "Wake the Imagination":

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, June 6, 2018

Fly Like A Bird – Dean Jones
Loving & Kind – Aaron Nigel Smith
Who, What, When, Where, Why – The Bazillions
Man of the Woods – Justin Timberlake
Shadow – The Pop Ups
14 Like Father Like Son – Like Father Like Son

Generations Collaborate, Celebrate Like Father Like Son

When it comes to nature versus nurture, children's music is intrinsically taught by one generation to the next. You don't see many two-year-olds in NYC crawling off on their own to catch the 6 train to concerts. Now stop thinking about that image. Focus. That's better.

Like Father Like Son takes the "family music" concept one step further on their debut CD, SUN IS A STAR. Lou Gallo literally followed in the footsteps of Laurie Berkner, succeeding her as a music teacher at the Rockefeller University’s Child and Family Center. He started recording children's music when his son Frank was two years old. In that way, Frank Gallo was born into the family business. Frank got to witness firsthand as his dad toured with Lou Gallo and the Very Hungry Band. When Frank turned from acting to music, he formed Rolie Polie Guacamole, a kid's band which shares a similar gastronomic affinity.

Lou and Frank tossed around a few joint recording possibilities before deciding on Like Father Like Son. SUN IS A STAR brings in Grammy-winning über-producer Dean Jones for a guiding hand. Long Island kindie legacy Brady Rymer steps in for two songs, including a rocking cover of "Handle With Care" from the Traveling Wilburys. Fun fact: That supergroup got its name from the studio nickname for flubs ("We'll bury it in the mix"). Trivia tip o' the hat to Dana Gould. Katie (Mullins) Ha-Ha-Ha provides some bountiful harmonies. And if the other Gallo-Rymer tune, "Little Bit of Time" doesn't open tear ducts, then you've got an Infinity Stone for a heart:

There is just a little bit of time we share
When you are small, and you are mine
You run and play
The days away
I watch and say
There's nothing I wouldn't do
To keep this moment here with you
Like that river that must flow I know

SUN IS A STAR yo-yos from songs for the very young ("Sharks and Dinosaurs" and "Shake Shake Shake") to the sentimental ("Like My Dad") to the offbeat ("I Got a Beard" and "Tennis Racket Song"). Lou goes to the folklore well for "Day-O" and Frank reels off a fountain of famous kid's TV and film figures on "Halloween Night." I found the latter tune sounded like a slowed-down version of "Stray Cat Strut," but it grew on me, especially when Matt (7) started singing along to the refrain of the chorus.

The CD ends with "Like Father Like Son," a poppy reaffirmation that Lou and Frank Gallo were genetically pre-programmed to record together. The back-and-forth lyrics exchange cadence and sentiment, thought and emotion, pride and pleasure, in a gentle, relatable manner. All things that you really should teach your children.

SUN IS A STAR is available on June 8 from Bandcamp, CDBaby, iTunes, Spotify, and Amazon.

Here is the video for the CD's title track, "Sun is a Star":

A Green Day for Jersey's Jumpin' Jamie

Children's music sounds so simple yet conversely it can be frustratingly difficult. As They Might Be Giants opined on Marc Maron's podcast recently, there's a lot of stuff out there that's not very good. Let me therefore state that Jumpin' Jamie has managed to traverse the difficult pathway between simple and difficult. His debut CD, KOOKIE, delivers power-pop, parody, and positivity in equal measure.


Jamie uses Green Day's iconic DOOKIE as a jumping-off point, with lots of hard rock guitars behind songs like "Back to the Future" (a recap of the film), "Words," and "A Ghost in My House." Contemporary pop artists utilize different co-writers and production teams behind virtually every track on their CDs. Somehow, Jamie has employed a similar technique on KOOKIE, with five producers, including Danny Weinkauf and Marty Bellar (TMBG).

There are also a stunning 40 (!) guest stars listed on the CD, although the vast majority appear on "I Wanna Be Healthy," such as Peter Tork (The Monkees), Patricia Quinn (Rocky Horror Picture Show), and a bevy of kid's music stars I won't offend by offering a partial listing. Yes, there's a dino song as well, "The Rise and Fall of Argentinosaurus" (put that one in your spell-check).

Children's music has the ability to offer messages about adults while winking at their kids. I've seen this done countless times in my decade-plus by too many artists to mention. Jamie attempts it as well, with mixed returns. "I Wanna Be Healthy" rests at the top end of the spectrum, while "Coffee" lands with a thunk:

Why do adults drink coffee?
They watch football and they place their bets.
They do unhealthy things like smoke cigarettes.
They loves taxes and more things that are bland.
I guess some things I just don't understand.

"Coffee" comes off more as a scold that an amusing fable. As the protagonist's parents smoke and gamble, the only thing they don't mix some booze in with their caffeine. Given a choice, I would recommend "The Coffee Song" by Ralph's World. Okay, point successfully beaten into the ground.

Jamie Theurich's "day job" is as dinosaur troubadour (yes, it's a thing) at New Jersey's popular Field Station: Dinosaurs theme park. As such, he's intimately familiar with what works in front of audiences comprised of, well, who knows what, for any given performance. That's not a bad jumping-off point. And Jamie is certainly jumpin' for greener pastures with KOOKIE.

KOOKIE is available on June 1 from Jumpin' Jamie's website, Amazon, and iTunes.

Here is the video for Jamie's song, "Back to the Future":

Ben's Playlist - Friday, May 25, 2018

I Feel Better – Caspar Babypants
I Spy – Ants Ants Ants
Sunshine Sunny Sun Sunshine Day – Danny Weinkauf
People Watching – Dean Jones
10,000 Pancakes – Gunnar Madsen
09 Handle With Care – Like Father Like Son
Kicking Up Dust – Hullabaloo

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Brighter Side – Gustafer Yellowgold
Astronauts Love –  Jumpin' Jamie
Little Bit of Time – Like Father Like Son
Ode To Bed – Mo Phillips
Kid Of The Week – The Not-Its!
Chewy to Your Han – Recess Monkey
Science of Sleep – The Pop Ups

Jarebear Goes Full 70s With Giant Jelly Bean

Concept CDs can go either way. When everything works, you wind up with a masterpiece like The Who's rock opera, TOMMY. When nothing works, you get, well, the opposite of TOMMY. Come on, guys, work with me here. It's all a matter of personal taste and perception. Even John Lennon did an interview and badmouthed Sgt. Pepper. Even rarer is the conceptual kid's CD. A nifty recent example would be Recess Monkey's HOT AIR.

New to the scene is Austin, Texas garage band Jarebear, with their entry into the fray, THE JOURNEY FOR THE GIANT JELLY BEAN. Minus a press release or any substantive biographical info, what I can say is that Jarebear goes gently down that concept road, taking a right at the fork where King Crimson splits from Pater Gabriel-era Genesis.

GIANT JELLY BEAN follows a boy named Otis, who learns about a mythical giant jelly bean that's supposed to solve all the world's problems. He and his team go on a quest that turns into a voyage of self-discovery, naturally. I'm not giving away too much of the story with that information.

As with any concept CD, the sum is greater than the parts. And THE GIANT JELLY BEAN is certainly no exception. Out of context, the lyrics appear to be two parts The Wiggles, one part Spin Doctors:

We’re meeting new people, we’re trying new food
New courses of action are being pursued
The sky is so blue, the trees are so pretty
It’s really quite different from our dear old city
Here we go, Here we go
Here we go, so don’t be slow

If you've got a hankering for old-fashioned prog rock (look it up) and your kids are in the mood to engage their imaginations, THE GIANT JELLY BEAN could really make your scene, man. Jarebear has targeted its sights on a selective demographic. Doth thee wisheth to maketh the trek, perchance? Or does the idea just give you a mightieth headache? Check the samples on Bandcamp below and free your mind.

JOURNEY FOR THE GIANT JELLY BEAN is available from Jarebear's website, Burger Records, Bandcamp, Amazon, and iTunes.

Ben's Playlist - Monday, May 21, 2018

Sun Is a Star – Like Father Like Son
Dodgeball – Justin Roberts
Goodbye – Hullabaloo
Inkpot – Kepi Ghoulie
Soar  – Mo Phillips
That Laugh – Recess Monkey
The Man Who Built The Moon – Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

Raise Your Kids' IQ (and Dance Ratio) With the Pop-Ups

The boys are back! If Justin Bieber and Justin Timberlake got together to make a children's music CD with an informative theme, I'd bet it would sound a lot like The Pop-Ups' GIANTS OF SCIENCE. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) is one of those hot trending educational topics (Why do I seem to be leading with that sentiment so often recently). Brooklyn musicians Jason Rabinowitz and Jacob Stein continue their successful collaboration by getting PhDiggy with it.

When i went to college, I took a lot of notes. It's a definite 180 from learning from The Pop-Ups – it's really difficult to juggle a notebook while you're dancing. Light refraction is the subject for album-opener "Shadow." Guest star Secret Agent 23 Skidoo is on board to encourage listeners to "catch the light."

There's finger-snapping fun with "Time," which informs that "time is not so straight and narrow" with a slight reggae tinge. "Inventors" includes a shout-out to CRISPR. That's a first in any form of music I've heard, including children's music.

"Synthesizer" is self-explanatory, and as Ben put it, "sounds like Devo." As the boys ask, "Are we not synthesized men? Perhaps the most scientifically-grounded tune, "Cave of Wonders," is the furthest stretch, as they bring a "mica disco ball" into play.

I could visually almost imagine the choreography for "How Do We Know," about all the intriguing, sometimes off-color questions that children often ask. An "actual scientist," no really, Dr. Amanda Simson from the University of New Haven, provides a fact break (as opposed to a rap break). "The Science of Sleep" helps inquisitive young minds drift off to sleep (as every dance must come to an end). But when it slumber happens, it's one small step for little minds, one excellent freestyle boogie for the Pop-Ups.

GIANTS OF SCIENCE is available on May 18 from The Pop-Ups' website, Amazon, iTunes, Soundcloud, and Spotify.

Here is the Sesame Street video "Magic Letter Elevator" featuring music by the Pop-Ups:

All in the Family for Vered

I don't remember when my first little brother arrived. I was just under two years old. Same story with the next one. My mother wrote an anecdote in my "baby book" that she passed along a few years ago – After my THIRD baby brother joined the gang, at some point I asked, "When is the next baby coming home?" to which she replied, "That's the last one."

Vered examines the dynamics of family with her new CD, SONGS FOR SISTERS AND BROTHERS. "One Family" delivers the inclusive all-world message, but the other tracks delve into the interpersonal aspects, from excitement upon hearing your family is growing ("You're Gonna Be") to the soulful, bluesy longing for one-on-one contact ("Like It Once Was"). Walter Martin humorously duets on "It'll Be" with insults and wistful enthusiasm, such as "I'll help you blow out all your candles 'cause by then there'll be millions of them" before declaring "It'll be so good to be grown up with you." A kids chorus sings (and whistles) about how everyone's a narcissist sometimes in "Brothers and Sisters."

There's also a view from the parental side. In "Pr Agent," Vered gives a first-person account of succeeding because of – and sometimes despite – her kids. And how those same kids bring moments of pure joy and frustration, just like in every parent-child relationship.

The recent movie "Tully" examines the mental and physical toll of being a full-time, stay-at-home mother. Vered recognizes that after the first child, it's almost impossible to lavish the same amount of attention on all the kids. At which point, it becomes almost astounding when the youngest one suddenly discovers and develops skillsets. As she relates in the song, "Little Bird":

You learn to touch the sky all my yourself
When no one's watching
It's really something.
My little bird, it's like you just need a nest
For when you want to rest.

There are a bunch of special participants on SONGS FOR SISTERS AND BROTHERS, and Vered even credits them as the "Dream Team" on the CD inner sleeve. It's an impressive list of vocalists and instrumentalists who collaborated on a smart, friendly collection of tunes. My brothers may be a little too old to appreciate the sentiments, but my younger son isn't. And maybe even his older brother.

SONGS FOR SISTERS AND BROTHERS is available on May 18 from Vered's website (BabyInTune), iTunes, Amazon, and CDBABY.

Here is Vered and the Babes performing "Hello":

Ben's Playlist - Friday, May 11, 2018

Brighter Side – Gustafer Yellowgold
Supermoon – Hullabaloo
Smile For Me – David Tobocman
Humans Are Still Evolving – Dean Jones
White Whale – Kepi Ghoulie
Say Something – Justin Timberlake

Ben's Playlist - Thursday, June 10, 2018

Higher Higher – Justin Timberlake
We're Going Home– Vance Joy
What's Done is Done– Jack White
Cloud Skateboard– Mo Phillips
Chewy to Your Han– Recess Monkey
Countin' On Me (Bison vers)– The Okee Dokee Brothers

Ants Ants Ants Come Marching In

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) is one of those hot trending educational topics (Why do I seem to be leading with that sentiment so often recently). Ants Ants Ants take that theme, throw in an appreciation of the Beatles, Harry Nilsson, and the Alan Parsons Project and blend everything into their debut CD, WHY WHY WHY?

Multi-hyphenates Johnny Clay (The Dimes) and Dave Gulick (Derby) have made their mark in the Portland, Oregon and surrounding area, including national commercials, etc. I've written before about how this country houses pockets of darn good children's music that oftentimes burns so fiercely that the recordings permeate the ozone layer and make it back to my corner of the sky. WHY WHY WHY? is one of those discs.

WHY WHY WHY? features a craftsman's dozen (as opposed to a baker's dozen) nature-centric songs, including the Parsonsesque, twangy "I Spy." "Helicopter Leaves" could be Jeff Lynne's idea of an ELO tune for tykes, and isn't even about aircraft – it's about fronds that descend in a circular motion from their plant of origin. The peppy "Ants" is as close to a title track as you're going to get. "Where Does the Moon Go?" has an infectious chorus that dares you not to sing along, in almost-Traveling Wilburys way:

Where do the stars go in the daytime?
Where do they come from every night?
How do they find their way to the same place in the sky?

Ants Ants Ants are not re-inventing the wheel here. Smart, catchy kids pop never goes out of style and is always welcome in my living room (and car). The answer to WHY WHY WHY? is just because because because they can.

WHY WHY WHY? is available on May 18 from Ants Ants Ants website, Soundcloud, iTunes, and Amazon.

Here is the video of their song, "Blue":

Ben's Playlist - Wednesday, June 9, 2018

I Love The Night – Gustafer Yellowgold
Man of the Woods – Justin Timberlake
Over and Over and Over – Jack White
My Barn Door Is Open – Red Yarn
Always Ascending – Franz Ferdinand
Keep On Reaching – Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

You Gotta Hand It to Suzi Shelton

Suzi Shelton wants to be your mom's cool friend. You know, the one who plans the sleepovers and makes up games and brings her guitar to the cookout so everyone can sing together. On her new CD, HAND IN HAND, Suzi delivers her final thesis and presents the remaining evidence so listeners can agree – all hail cool mom.

In addition to recording and live performances, Suzi maintains a busy interactive schedule with "Sing With Suzi," her YouTube channel (15,000 subscribers). And for an even more personal experience, her website lists "Skype With Suzi," which is a good reason the kids shouldn't have access to credit cards (or your Venmo account).

HAND IN HAND continues the Shelton mix of easy-to-understand lyrics and toe-taping arrangements. It's also the rare exception where there is no direct title track. HAND IN HAND serves more as an overall theme to the nine songs, from "Put Your Hands in the Air" to CD-closer "We Shall Walk," written by her daughter, Emma. Instead of simple parental declarations of adoration, HAND IN HAND urges kids to learn, grow, develop individual personalities, and embrace what makes them truly special. "Can You Feel the Power" is a preteen-Parkland motivational song:

Live your life with passion and fire
If you don't feel it now then go get inspired
Don't wait and don't hesitate
Hate we can devour, that's your superpower

Special guests on HAND IN HAND include Grammy winner Tim Kubart, Vered Ronson (whose own CD is coming next week), and Amelia Robinson (Mil's Trills). But HAND IN HAND is more about kid power than star power. A few of the songs, such as "The Grass Is Always Greener" (Tim's song) skew notably towards toddlers. But current Kids Place Live single "Raindrop" is a definite age-defying earwig. The power of positivity grows in every child and Suzi encourages you to embrace and meet that challenge, hand in hand.

HAND IN HAND is available on May 11 from Suzi's website, Soundcloud, Spotify, Amazon, and iTunes.  In the meantime, you can attend the free Facebook Live debut of the CD on Thursday, May 10. Here's the link.

Here is the video for the song, "Raindrop":

Ben's Playlist - Monday, May 7, 2018

Have You Ever Been Real – Dean Jones
Smoke Clears – Andy Grammer
Who, What, When, Where, Why – The Bazillions
Tae Kwon Do – Bob and Luc Schneider
Finally – Franz Ferdinand
Rock Island Line (Featuring Billy Bragg) – Dan Zanes & Friends
Never Be The Same (Radio Edit) – Camila Cabello

Quick Hits: New Pop-Ups & Recess Monkey; Suzi Shelton Books Facebook Live

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) is one of those hot trending educational topics (You saw this lede yesterday). The Pop-Ups are jumping into STEM head-first with their new CD, GIANTS OF SCIENCE (coming next week). If you can't wait that long, however, the first track is available for download on iTunes. Grab "How Do We Know" right now if you want danceable science facts and fun. Otherwise, hold your breath until next week and see what happens.

Another new CD (also hailing from Brooklyn) is Suzi Shelton's HAND IN HAND. I'm busy assembling my review for next week. In the meantime, you can attend the free Facebook Live debut of the CD on Thursday, May 10. Here's the link. Now scoot.

Recess Monkey is back! After a hiatus, during which Jack Forman released a solo CD, the trio have released a throwback double-sided single. The timing of May 4 is concurrent with "Star Wars Day," explaining the A-side, "Chewy To Your Han." The B-side is typical Monkeyana, "That Laugh," extolling how friendship and humor go han-in-hand (yeah it's a pun). And how everyone has a distinctive laugh, which is part of their personality. You can find the songs on Soundcloud, Spotify, iTunes, and Amazon.

Kidz STEM Songz Promote Science Education

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) is one of those hot trending educational topics. Especially women in STEM. There are some kids who "get it" and other kids who need a gateway. To that ends comes KidzMusic and their new release, Kidz STEM Songs.

The packaging actually repurposes CONCOCTIONS, a 2016 EP by Dan Crow, karoake tracks to the same five songs, and a DVD with videos for those five songs. There's also a 16-track CD featuring repurposed science-related songs from a bevy of artists, including Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band, Danny Weinkauf and the Red Pants Band, Hap Palmer, and Roger Day.

Dan Crow sings very clearly about "Science Science Science" and "Technology" as fundamental underpinnings of the planet. "Franklin D. Dime and Abraham Penny" instructs kids that the word "change" can be a double entendre they can bank on. I initially mistook the name of the EP as "Connections," which would have been appropriate as well. CONCOCTIONS is all about tangibly helping create a future and that's what kids are all about. At least when they're not being stubborn. I noted in 2016 that while I prefer They Might Be Giants' song "Seven" to the one of the same name here, there's a fun and practical purpose to "You're An Engineer." There's more than one kind, you know, as I reminded my train-engaged youngster.

The "making science fun through music" CD runs the gamut with artists who have been recording children's music since almost the beginning of time (almost). My teen was stunned to hear a "new" Hap Palmer song after more than a decade. There were also a few pretty insufferable tunes that they've both aged out of, which were quickly skipped after the first play-through. But that comes with the territory – children's music isn't always parent-appreciated.

If I had one main quibble, it would be with the packaging itself. Ending words (or wordz) with a Z to make them seem edgy and hip is something that went out of style a long time ago. And using it twice in the three words of the title (KIDZ STERM SONGZ) makes it more of a faux pas. Plus the cover (see above) looks like the first draft of a cut-and-paste suggestion. It totally undercuts the value of the product. Bottom line, don't judge KIDZ STEM SONGZ by its cover. There's some good stuff going on; you just need to open the CD jacket.

KIDZ STEM SONGZ is available on May 4 from the KidzMusic website, Amazon, and CDBaby.

Here is the video for Dan Crow's song, "Technology":

Cheri Magill's Guide to Parental Love

The childless children's music performer is a rarity. If I want to freak people out or boggle their minds, I inform them that Raffi doesn't have children. That seems to break most people's mental hard drive processors. On the other hand, just because a performer HAS children doesn't mean they have to make their music all about their children. That's the main distraction on Cheri Magill's otherwise fine and dandy CD, TOUR GUIDE.

Then again, TOUR GUIDE is a concept album of children's material sung from the perspective of a parent to their young child. "Crazy" is not the Willie Nelson-penned song made famous by Patsy Cline. Rather, it's about how a hyperactive child frazzles parental nerves, but gosh, there's nobody else I'd rather suffer for and with. The very next track, "Brave" is not the Sara Bareilles song. Rather, it's about how a tentative child pushes and inspires a parent, but gosh, there's nobody else I'd rather plan adventures for and with:

You are my biggest adventure
You are my first shooting star
You are my strong tidal wave
And you make me brave.

Similar thoughts permeate the remaining tracks – "Unconditionally" is about unconditional love. "Better" is about how a child's love is better that so, so many things. "Don't You Forget" reminds a child that mommy always love them. Okay are we clear about about the concept of TOUR GUIDE?

TOUR GUIDE is similar to last month's dreamy STRAWBERRY WIND from Jessie Baylin – both CDs from mothers who had recorded "adult" music and are now turning to children's music. Baylin celebrated parenthood by mining the wonders of childhood merged with swirling 1960s arrangements. Magill has chosen a much shallower mine to investigate, with the exception of a reinvented "Chopsticks Lullaby" that closes the CD. Fortunately, TOUR GUIDE is Magill's first entry into children's music. Appropriately, these are baby steps. And she can only grow from here.

TOUR GUIDE is available on May 4 from Cheri Magill's website, Amazon, iTunes, and Spotify.

Here is the video for the title track of the CD: