Holiday Kids Music 2012 Roundup

You wouldn't know it by reading this space, but there's been some holiday kids music released this Christmas/Hanukkah/winter-holiday-of-your-choosing season.  Not as much as in years past, but enough stuff worth your time checking out (and my time writing up).

I'll be reviewing some albums in a subsequent post, but here are a few tracks to stuff in your kids' stockings.

Free Downloads

The Not-Its change gears and offer up a tender, acoustic... aw, who am I kidding?  There are loud guitars, natch.  It's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," not "Tip-Toein' Around the Christmas Tree." 

OK, for those of you who really did need a slower, wintry song, try Alex and the Kaleidoscope Band's "Snow Day."

Bari Koral offers up her take on the familiar gingerbread man tale with a zippy "Gingerbread Man."

Brady Rymer is spending his holiday season "Untanglin' the Christmas Lights," though the song seems way too happy for that frustration.  Available here for the price of an e-mail.

It's not quite a Christmas (or Hanukkah or even Halloween or Arbor Day) song, but it feels appropriate for the season.  SteveSongs gifts you "Our World" -- just click on this link to start the download process.

Streams

My favorite kindie Christmas song this year?  Groovy David's "Sorry Santa!" has a funky groove and horns.  Horns, people!  (Hanukkah 2013 is, like, only 11 months away, so save "The Great Dreidel Tournament" 'til then.)

Randy Kaplan delivers a nicely understated version of the classic "Frosty the Snowman."  With the harmonica, it's got a touch of Dylan.  (Again, Hannukah 2013 playlist early addition?  "Oh Hannukah")

Todd McHatton's Christmas Songs started out as a mini-EP, then over the years became a full EP, and now at 11 songs, I think it's graduated to full album status.  McHatton added another song this year, "I Think I'm a Christmas Bunny."  Download the whole thing for just $1.99, and as an extra stocking stuffer download "Ooh Shiny" (appropriate for a season of gifts and ornaments) for free.

Other Stuff

The great Gustafer Yellowgold (opening for The Polyphonic Spree's 10th Anniversary Holiday Extravaganza in six cities this holiday season) has been running videos from his Year in the Day DVD all year -- check out the ever-awesome "Fa and a La":

It's a little brief, but feel to check out the Spotify Holiday Kindie Playlist 2012 (or listen here in Spotify directly)

• The Laurie Berkner Band – Children Go Where I Send Thee
• Renee & Jeremy – Deck the Halls
• Mr Richard and the Pound Hounds – Up in My Christmas Tree
• The Jimmies – Mashamallow World
• Key Wilde & Mr Clarke – Angels We Have Heard on High

Finally, it was a one-time-only download last year, but you can always stream Kris Kindie, a fun collection of holiday music curated by me in a mad rush last December.

Happy holidays, y'all!

My Favorite (Best?) Kids Music of 2012

While the posting date on this says 2012, I have to tell you the truth.  I am totally  back-dating this thing.  I am writing this at the end of October 2013 in preparation of writing my Top 10 lists for 2013. 

You see, my secret shame is that I never published my list(s) of my favorite kids music of 2012.

Oh, the shame, it burns... 

Now, it's not like I didn't seriously think about this subject last year.  Besides co-coordinating the 2012 Fids and Kamily Awards, I also voted in them, and the top 10 albums below reflect my vote in the awards.  But I do receive far more great kids music than I can fit into my ten-slot F&K ballot, so this is my opportunity to give some shout-outs to some artists.  Looking at this list, there are easily 6 or 7 of those albums on the list from #s 11 through 25 that could easily be swapped into the Top 10 list.

So in order not to make this already more embarrassing or major-movie-romantic-comedy-like, without further ado (or, frankly, comment), here are my lists of the best (or at least favorite) in kids music, circa 2012.  (If you define, as I do, 2012 as being Nov. 1, 2011 through Oct. 31, 2012.)

Top Kids Music Albums

1.  The Okee Dokee Brothers - Can You Canoe?

2.  Elizabeth Mitchell - Blue Clouds

3.  The Board of Education - Binary

4.  Dog on Fleas - Invisible Friends

5.  Johnny Bregar - My Neighborhood

6.  Lunch Money - Spicy Kid

7.  Recess Monkey - In Tents

8.  Various Artists - Science Fair

9.  Secret Agent 23 Skidoo - Make Believers

10.  Various Artists (Matt Wilson) - WeBop: A Family Jazz Party

Albums 11-25 (unranked, shown in alphabetical order) 

Caspar Babypants - Hot Dog!

Coal Train Railroad - Swings! 

Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band - A Potluck

Duke Otherwise - Creepy Crawly Love 

Elska - Middle of Nowhere 

Jennifer Gasoi - Throw a Penny in the Wishing Well

Jumping Through Hoops - Rockin' to the Fiddle

Randy Kaplan - Mr. Diddie Wah Diddie 

Kori Pop - Songs for Little Bean 

Elizabeth Mitchell - Little Seed 

Elena Moon Park - Rabbit Days & Dumplings 

The Pop Ups - Radio Jungle

Renee & Jeremy - A Little Love 

They Might Be Giants - No! (Deluxe Reissue) 

Laura Veirs - Tumble Bee

A special shout-out here to Adventures of Chicken Weebus , which isn't really kids music so I didn't really consider it for this list, but based on pure entertainment value definitely ranks in our Top 25.

Top Kids Music Debut Albums (listed alphabetically)

Duke Otherwise - Creepy Crawly Love 

Elska - Middle of Nowhere

Kepi Ghoulie - Kepi for Kids 

Jumping Through Hoops - Rockin' to the Fiddle 

Kori Pop - Songs for Little Bean

Alison Faith Levy - World of Wonder (I know, not quite fair given her history with the Sippy Cups, but still...)

Elena Moon Park - Rabbit Days & Dumplings

Play Date - Imagination 

Laura Veirs - Tumble Bee

Various Artists (Matt Wilson) - WeBop: A Family Jazz Party 

Radio Playlist: New Music November 2012

Time to post another Spotify update for new music (see October's playlist here).  It's limited, of course, in that if an artist hasn't chosen to post a song on Spotify, I can't put it on the list, nor can I feature songs from as-yet-unreleased albums.  But, hey, there's always next month.

Check out the list here or go right here if you're in Spotify.

**** New Music November 2012 (November Kindie Playlist) ****

Todd McHatton – Fuzzy & Orange
Doctor Noize – Welcome to Grammaropolis
The Harmonica Pocket – Turkey in the Straw
Big Bang Boom – Bicycle
David Tobocman – Run Run, Race Car
Boxtop Jenkins – Wag More (feat. Indigo Girls)
Vered – At 63
Jennifer Gasoi – Little Blue Car
Elizabeth Mitchell – May This Be Love
Randy Kaplan & Kristin Mooney – John the Rabbit (feat. Jack Saxenmeyer) (from PLAY Music Vol. 2)
Helen Austin – Five Little Things
The Tumble Down Library – Bartholomew
Jonathan Grossman & the Nerdz – Who I Am
Beth Nielsen Chapman – The Big Bang Boom
Zak Morgan – Nancy Jane

Review: Mr. Diddie Wah Diddie - Randy Kaplan

I will admit that when I first heard about Mr. Diddie Wah Diddie, the latest album from Los Angeles-based (usually) Randy Kaplan, I was somewhat skeptical.  There was so much that could have gone wrong with this project - a troubadour recasting famous blues songs into kid-friendly complaints. ("Randy-ized," it was called.) And with a centuries old blues man offering sandpapery-voiced commentary? Oh, so much could have gone wrong.

But I was willing to give it a shot because Kaplan is one of kids music's top storytellers with significant depth in musical sources of inspiration, and I figured that if anyone could make these re-done stories worth listening to, it would be he.

Luckily, I was proven correct.

OK, I can't say that I found the overarching narrative conceit -- the century-plus-year-old bluesman "Lightnin' Bodkins" introduces many of the songs and tries to find Kaplan his own "blues name" -- very interesting.  In fact, when I listened to the album, I pretty much always skipped forward to the next track.  Parents in control of the car's CD player or the iPod may do the same.

But that's only because the songs in between those interstitials are so much more interesting.  Yes, the songs are "Randy-ized," which ironically means they've tamed down, not made more inappropriate.  So "Timeout Blues," which turns the classic chorus "In the Jailhouse Now" into "In the Timeout Now," is all about a rabble-rousing kid.  Kaplan is one of the top 2 or 3 kids music storytellers working today, and like other talented storytellers, he draws from a deep well of pint-sized frustration and pique.  And what better channel for expressing frustration and pique than the blues, such as in "Ice Cream Man Rag," which bemoans an ice cream truck that never stops at the narrator's house.  There are other more straight-ahead songs whose double-entendres (if Kaplan cracked a knowing smile while encouraging kids to shake their things -- eggshakers -- in "Shake Your Thing," I couldn't hear it).  And near the end of the album, more pensive songs like "Move to Kansas City" don't really sound jokey or silly at all, with songs like "Way Down in Arkansas" and "So Different Blues" remarkably tender and sweet.

Kids ages 3 through 8 will most appreciate the album, which is available at all the usual suspects (and on Spotify as well).  I'd also highlight the understated musical accompaniment, most notably the gentle finger-picking guitar work of Kaplan (assisted by his producer Mike West).

Yes, Mr. Diddie Wah Diddie has its origins in a somewhat jokey concept, but the final result transcends that limitation.  Ignore Lightnin' Bodkins, ignore the idea that your kids might get a basic education in the forefathers of the blues (unlikely), and just enjoy with your kids a solid collection of bluesy stories from one of the best storytellers around.  Definitely recommended.

Disclosure: I was given a copy of the album for possible review.

Video: "Ice Cream Man" - Randy Kaplan

I'm sorry, Mr. Randy Kaplan -- despite your claim in your song "Ice Cream Man," from your new album Mr. Diddie Wah Diddie, I am the official ice cream king.

Even if you do have a cape.  And a crown.  And, er, an ice cream truck.

OK, I concede my title to you, sir.  Where's my ice cream?

Randy Kaplan - "Ice Cream Man" [Vimeo]

Radio Playlist: New Music July 2012

I'm trying something a little bit different this time around with these radio playlists -- instead of posting an update to my Live365 station as I did for June, I've posted a Spotify update.  It's limited, of course, in that if an artist hasn't chosen to post a song on Spotify, I can't put it on the list (though I do have a list of stuff that would've posted had it been there -- see the end).  

Check out the list here or go right here if you're in Spotify.

**** New Music July 2012 (July Kindie Playlist) ****

Stephen Michael Schwartz – California Grey

The Cat's Pajamas – Funky Bears

Elizabeth Mitchell – Little Sugar

They Might Be Giants – Violin (Bonus Live Version)

Richard Younger – Barefootin'

Lunch Money – Gingerbread Man

Randy Kaplan – They're Red Hot

Playtime Music – Row Row Row Your Boat

Ozomatli – Flip Flap 

[the non-Spotify list]

The Zucchini Brothers - Crazy Life

New Raspberry Bandits - Fine Country

Professor Banjo - John Henry

Forest Sun - Trampoline