Video: "The Boy Who Cried El Chupacabra" - The Hipwaders

Always nice to have new music from Bay Area-adjacent trio The Hipwaders.  Their latest effort is a 2-track effort -- think of it as a single with a B side, except it's not on vinyl.  The A side is a surf rock effort (if the surf was from the Sea of Cortez) titled "The Boy Who Cried El Chupacabra," a retelling of the "boy who cried wolf" story that is, somehow, perfect for the kids' Halloween season.  The B side is a cover of Pointed Man Band's "All That Krampus Wants" for those families who want to get a jump on the later holiday season.  (You can grab the single on iTunes or CD Baby.)

In any case, the band's roped in Will Guy to do the animations, and every time the "camera" pans out to show Tito and the band dressed up in mariachi outfits singing in high harmony, it makes me smile.

The Hipwaders - "The Boy Who Cried El Chupacabra" [YouTube]

Itty-Bitty Review: Year-Round Sounds - The Hipwaders

For a reviewer, the beauty of releasing an album loosely themed around different seasonal activities is that regardless of when one gets around to reviewing it, it's still timely.

So let's give it up for the Hipwaders' Year-Round Sounds and its opening track "Mic Check."  Yes, it's literally a song about a mic check -- a short, sharp power-pop song that at 61 seconds packs more hooks in than most songs three times its length -- and not about the new year.  But of course it's a perfect way to start out the year, er, album.  (Perhaps they can conclude their next album with a song called "Mic Drop.")  And if you're looking for another alternative take on the New Year, that's followed up by "Kings & Queens," all about babies and again a perfectly appropriate "start of the year" song.  Onward through the year, covering spring (a cover of "Peter Cottontail" and the swirly "Gaia She Knows"), school ("The Books I Like To Read" and "Smile About"), plus Halloween and Christmas (including an appropriately Bakersfield-y cover of Buck Owens' lost Christmas classic "A Very Merry Christmas").  

The album is most appropriate for kids 4 through 9.  At 14 tracks and 30 minutes in length, the album flies by and if your family doesn't dig one of the songs (or if it's July and and you have no interest in their appropriately Bakersfield-y cover of any Christmas song), another one's coming up shortly.  (Listen to samples via the player at the bottom of this page.)  While it's not quite the classic that the Hipwaders' last album, The Golden State, is, Year-Round Sounds still satisfies.  Fans of the Hipwaders, power-pop, or of noting celebrations big and small will find a lot to like here.  Definitely recommended.

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

Halloween 2014 Kids' Songs

Nothing like a last-minute roundup of holiday-related music, right?  If you want a much, much larger list, head here for a massive list of kid-friendly Halloween music, but here's a roundup of videos and tracks for your streaming pleasure. Blast it out your front door speaker at the trick-or-treaters Friday night.

As a bonus, I'll give you a Spookglobble rating -- 1 is for everyone, 2 is mildly scary (but should be fine for all but the most sensitive -- think slightly worrisome for a 3-year-old), and 3 could be scary for some kids.

Bears and Lions - "Halloween Is Finally Here": No PANCAKE! SWEEPSTAKES!, sadly, but it's good to have B&L music in any form, even seasonal.  Spookglobble rating: 2

Eric Herman - "Monster League Baseball" [YouTube]: It's a comedy sketch about, well, monsters playing baseball.  Spookglobble rating: 1

The Hipwaders - "Pumpkinhead" [YouTube]: As the band says in the description for the video, this is a cautionary tale regarding the dangers of too much Halloween candy. Perhaps play this for your kids before they go out Halloween night?

Mista Cookie Jar and the Chocolate Chips - "Halloween Every Night" [YouTube]: Surf-hop? MCJ's sound is sui generis, and this song commemorating both trick-or-treating and the cultural trappings of the holiday, is a mashup like everything else they do. Spookglobble rating: 1.7.

The Flannery Brothers - "Robot for Halloween" [YouTube]: Happy, joyful song about creating a Halloween costume. (I think you can guess what kind of costume). Bonus: download the song (and two others) for free! The song's a year-old, but some of that candy may be, too.  Spookglobble rating: 1.  (h/t: Cool Mom Tech)

Jazzy Ash - "Monsters": Gentle strut disproving the entire existence of monsters.  Spoilsport!  (Just kidding!) Spookglobble rating: 1.1

Charity and the JAMband - "Halloween": Another costume-celebrating track, celebrating all sorts of costumes. Also free for a limited time. Spookglobble rating: 1.

Joanie Leeds - "Confusing Costume": As someone who went as a "Black Hole" complete with a picture of Maxmillian Schell last year, I can relate.  Spookglobble rating: 1.

Kids' Songs for Halloween (Updated for 2014!)

I don't particularly care for Halloween.  I don't hate it, it's just not one of those holidays I like.  I'm all for the community aspect of the holiday, particularly in warmer climes like Phoenix, where Halloween in some neighborhoods becomes a movable block party.  But cheap, useless candy? Ugh.  Please just let me watch It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and move on to November.

But I realize I am in the minority here.  So here's a collection of kindie Halloween songs I'm aware of, some of them released this week, some of them dating back to 2006).  This is an update of my 2009 list with some subsequent songs.

This is a long (and, frankly, somewhat disorganized) list, but I'm pretty sure I'm missing your favorite kindie Halloween song.  Let me know which one it is, and I'll update it here!

Albums

-- Eban Schletter's Witching Hour
-- Wee Hairy Beasties' Creepy Lullabies
-- Sue Schnitzer's Boo, Cackle, Trick or Treat
-- Katherine Dines' Hunk-Ta-Bunk-Ta Spooky!
-- Magic Maestro Music's The Sorcerer's Apprentice
-- Thirteen For Halloween by M. Ryan Taylor.
-- Big Pumpkin - Mr. Billy

Songs

"Skin and Bones" -- countless recordings (Raffi, Sam Hinton, the Hunk-Ta-Bunk-Ta Spooky disk above)
"Dia de los Muertos," Uncle Rock -- off his Plays Well With Others disk
"A Skeleton Bang," Rasputina -- off the Colours Are Brighter
"Harry's Haunted Halloween Circus," from At the Bottom of the Sea by Ralph's World
"The Edison Museum" - They Might Be Giants (No!)
"The Winchester Festival" - Mr. David

"Bonobo Joe and the Voodoo Queen" - The Hipwaders (see here)
"Scare Me Scare You!" - Baze and His Silly Friends
"The Monster Under My Bed" - Mighty Weaklings
"My Brother's a Monster" - Laura Freeman
"Boogieman" - Secret Agent 23 Skidoo
"Boogieman" - Keith Munslow
"The Day After Halloween" - The Sippy Cups

"Halloween Every Night" - Mista Cookie Jar and the Chocolate Chips

"There's a Monster in My House" - Eric Herman

"Boo!" - Trout Fishing in America

"Trick or Treat" - Justin Roberts

"Halloween" - Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke

"Spooky Stuff" - David Tobocman

"Boogie Man" - Heidi Swedberg and the Sukey Jump Band

"Ghosts and Goblins - Mister G

"Rattlin' Rattlin' Bones - Boxtop Jenkins

"Miss Elephant's Gerald" - The Pop Ups

"November First (Jump, Run, Shake)" - Eric Herman

"Dance Like a Monster" - Play Date

"For Halloween This Year" - You and Me and the Rain

"Perfect Pumpkins" - Todd McHatton

"Where Do Monsters Go?" - Ratboy Jr.

"Do You Believe in Monsters?" - Mr. Ray

"Wesley Werewolf" - Skelly and the Punkins

"That's How a Pumpkin Grows" - Brian Vogan

"Spooky Dance" - Rebecca Frezza

"Robot Monkey Head" - John Hadfield (OK, not totally Halloween-themed, but SHOULD BE)

"I'm a Vampire" - Roy Handy and the Moonshot

"Halloween" - Charity and the JAMband

"Spooky Way Home" - The Crayonettes

"Halloween" - Princess Katie & Racer Steve

"I'm Not Afraid" - The Angry Beards

"Missing in the Corn Maze" - vogelJoy

"Halloween Freak Out" - Chuck Cheesman

"Goblins" - DidiPop

"Monsters" - Jazzy Ash

"Robot for Halloween" - The Flannery Brothers

"Halloween Is Finally Here!" - Bears and Lions

"Monster League Baseball" - Eric Herman

"Scream" - Secret Agent 23 Skidoo

"Pumpkinhead" - The Hipwaders

"The Boy Who Cried El Chupacabra" - The Hipwaders

"Halloween Every Night" - Mista Cookie Jar and the Chocolate Chips

"Bah Humbug Halloween" - Poochamungas

"Pumpkin Pied" - Gustafer Yellowgold

"Confusing Costume" - Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights

---

Bill from Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child also published his playlists from his '05, '06, and '08 shows...

Themed songs from 2006 show:

Ralph's World - Harry's Haunted Halloween Circus (At the Bottom of the Sea)
Roger Day - Monster Face (Ready to Fly)
ScribbleMonster & Friends - A Monster Goes Rrraargh! (Chocolate Milk)
Deedle Deedle Dees - Scared By My Own Costume (Live at Flywheel)
Monty Harper - Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet (Great Green Squishy Mean Concert CD)
Elizabeth Street - Really Gross (Different)
Telephone Company - Baby Halloween (The King's Surprse?)
Milkshake - Scared (Happy Songs)
Steve Weeks - 4 Little Girls (Aaron and his Aeroplane)
TMBG - Something Grabbed Ahold of My Hand (Apollo 18)
Mary Kaye - Skeleton Song (Spin Your Web)
Rebecca Frezza - Monster in My Room (Music in My Heart)
TMBG - Fingertips (Apollo 18)
Laurie Berkner - Monster Boogie (Buzz Buzz)
Andy Glockenspiel - Monster in Pink Underwear
Muppets - Wild Thing
They Might Be Giants - Hovering Sombrero '05 (Here Come the ABCs)

2005's list, "where we were much more Halloween-themed throughout":

They Might Be Giants - Hovering Sombrero '05 (Here Come the ABCs) (telling you, that floating hat is scary)
Splash 'n' Boots - Spooky-Doo (Getting Our Feet Wet)
Josh Greenberg & the Mother Goose Jazz Band - Boogie Woogie Ghost (Rhythm and Rhymes)
Trout Fishing in America - The Goops (It's a Puzzle)
Jennie Avila - Gargoyles (For Kids)
Troubador - There's a Werewolf Under My Bed (All About Animals)
Laurie Berkner - Monster Boogie (Buzz Buzz)
Two of a Kind - This Holiday Is Halloween (Friends)
Kevin Kameraad - Pumpkin Belly (Tomato Collection)
Monty Harper - Trick or Treat Smell My Feet (The Great Green Squishy Mean Concert CD)
Babaloo - Gorilla in the Middle of My Bedroom (Bean Bag Bop)
Ben Kweller with Ben Folds and Ben Lee - Wicked Little Town (Wig in a Box)
They Might Be Giants - Something Grabbed A Hold of My Hand (Apollo 18)
Ralph's World - Harry's Haunted Halloween Circus (At the Bottom of the Sea)
Nerf Herder - Buffy the Vampire Slayer Theme
Daddy A Go-Go - Scaredy Cat Cowboy Part 2 (Mojo A Go Go)
Roger Day - Monster Face (Ready To Fly)
ScribbleMonster & His Pals - A Monster Goes Rrraargh! (Best of Friends)
They Might Be Giants - Someone Keeps Moving My Chair (Flood)
Too Much Joy - Pride of Frankenstein (Cereal Killers)
Kevin Kammeraad - Moogie Monster Man (The Tomato Collection)
CandyBand - Monsters (More Candy)
Jack Sheldon - Them Not-So-Dry Bones (Schoolhouse Rock! Science Rock)
They Might Be Giants - Fingertips (Reprise) (Apollo 18)
Monster Mash (Music for Little People)
Telephone Company - Baby Halloween (The King's Surprise?)
Gunnar Madsen - Mayonnaise & Pumpernickel Bread (Ants in My Pants)
They Might Be Giants - Exquisite Dead Guy (Factory Showroom)
Peter Alsop - What If? (Pluggin' Away)
Bill Harley - Monsters in the Bathroom (Play It Again)
Babaloo - Monsters in the Bathroom (Room for Everyone)
Wolf Party (Sun, Sun Shine: Songs for Curious Children)
Belly - Witch (Star)
Daddy A Go-Go - Scaredy Cat Cowboy Part 1 (Mojo A Go Go)
Rockapella - Zombie Jamboree
David Roth - Halloween
Deedle Deedle Dees - Scared of My Own Costume (Let It Dee)
Justin Roberts - Thought It Was A Monster (Yellow Bus)
Milkshake - Scared (Happy Songs)
Steve Weeks - 4 Little Girls (Alphabet Songs Vol. 1)
They Might Be Giants - Skullivan (The Spine Surfs Alone EP)

Spare the Rock 2008

TMBG - It's Spare the Rock
TMBG - Whistling in the Dark
Steve Weeks - 4 Little Girls (Alphabet Songs Vol 1)
Kimya Dawson - Little Monster Babies (Alphabutt)
Deedle Deedle Dees - Scared By My Own Costume (Let It Dee)

Wee Scary Beasties - Pumpkinhead (Creepy Lullabies)
Telephone Company - Baby Halloween (The King's Surprise?)
Roger Day - Monster Face (Ready to Fly)
Ralph's World - Harry's Halloween Circus)
Dr. Strangeblood & the New Zombies - Monster Mash (EP)
Salteens - All My Friends (Yo Gabba Gabba)
Los Straitjackets - Munsters theme
Soccer Team - I'll Never Fear Ghosts Again
Baze & His Silly Friends - Scare Me, Scare You!
Egg - Night Time Party
Jimmies - Soaper the Scaredy-Bot (Make Your Own Someday)
Mike Doughty - Firetruck (Smofe + Smang)

ScribbleMonster - Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child
Justin Roberts - Maybe the Monster (Meltdown!)
Hank Hooper - Human Fly (Playground Fortune Teller)
B-52s - Planet Claire (Anthology)
Lamar Holley - Digestion (Classroom Pop Vol. 1)
Aric Bieganek & Recess Rock - Bright Lights, Big Kitty! (Bright Lights, Big Kitty)
Monty Harper - Trick or Treat Smell My Feet (Great Green Squishy Mean Concert CD)
Louis Armstrong - Jeepers Creepers (Back Through the Years)
Telephone Company - Lumberjack (Panda Brain)

Mates of State - Starman
Mighty Weaklings - Monster Under My Bed
Rechov Sumsum with Ronnie Rock - En Den Dino (Sesame Street Playground)
TMBG - The Guitar
TMBG - Spare the Rock

Gwyneth's Halloween set from 2007:
Lager Rhythms - Zombie Jamboree - Aftermath
Steve Weeks - 4 Little Girls - Alphabet Songs Vol. I
Ralph's World - Harry's Haunted Halloween Circus - At The Bottom Of The Sea
ScribbleMonster & His Pals - A Monster Goes Rrraargh! - Best Of Friends
Karl Williams - Merry Halloween - Big Fish Little Fish
Sue Schnitzer - Black Cats, Spiders, and Bats Blues - Boo, Cackle, Trick or Treat
Wendy Rochman and Sue Schnitzer - Your Bones - Boo, Cackle, Trick or Treat
Laurie Berkner - Monster Boogie - Buzz Buzz
C. Shells - Halloween Ghosts - C. Shells
Dan Zanes & Friends - Moonlit Town - Catch That Train!
GeereMusic - Halloween is Magic Time - Celebrate! Vol 1
Family Circus Kids - The Spider - The Complete Lyric Language
Janet Sirett - Another Halloween Night - Creepy Crawly Slimy Things
Brady Rymer - Full Moon Walk - Every Day Is A Birthday
John McCutcheon - Halloween - Four Seasons-Autumn Songs
Carole Peterson - Black Bat Farm (Oct) - H.U.M
DJ Spook A Lot - Skeleton Dance - Halloween For All
The Hipwaders - Howling At The Moon - The Hipwaders
John Bindel, Nashville Chamber Orchestra And Kid Pan Alley - Scary Things - Kid Pan Alley- Nashville
String Bean Jones (With The Lefty Jones Band) - Good Ghosts Here - Live From The Bathtub
Justin Roberts - Maybe The Monster - Meltdown!
Pam Blanchard & the Sunny-Side Up Band - Halloween Waltz - Music Makes Me Happy
Bruce, Troy, and Margaret - Thirty-Six Witches - Now For My Next Number
Steve Songs - One Halloween Night... - On A Flying Guitar
Monty Harper - Trick or Treat Smell My Feet - The Great Green Squishy Mean Concert CD
Steve Blunt and Friends - Pumpkins, Beware! - Outta School!
Sesame Street - The Monster in the Mirror (Grover) - Sesame Street Platinum All-Time Favorites
Brent & Woofy - On Halloween - Shine Shine Shine
Eric Herman And The Invisible Band - Hide And Go Seek With The Moon - Snow Day
Erin Lee & Marci - The Moonlight Wolfbite Batjuice Jamboree - Snowdance
Mary Kaye - The Skeleton Song - Spin Your Web
Thaddeus Rex - The Moon Is Rising - We Wanna Rock
Wee Sing - The Ghosts Go Flying - Wee Sing For Halloween
Danny Adlerman - Pump the Pumpkin
Imagination Movers - Knocking on Your Door 2

Devon has a lot more suggestions, including this list of songs.

Video: "November First (Jump, Run, Shake)" - Eric Herman

Normally with a video subtitled "Jump, Run, Shake," you might think that it's one of those "active" songs encouraging everyone to be fit.  But one listen to "November First (Jump, Run, Shake)," the first single off Eric Herman's forthcoming Party Animal CD, and you'll realize that maybe the kid just needs to take the edge off a wee bit.  (The animations from Majed Maaroufi capture the sugar rush quite nicely, thanks.)

Eric Herman - "November First (Jump, Run, Shake)" [YouTube]

Video: "Boo!" - Trout Fishing in America

Another Halloween, and there's a bunch of Halloween-themed music out, most of which I really don't care that much about because I don't care that much about Halloween.

So the Halloween videos and music I feature here are definitely cream of the crop, such as the latest video from Trout Fishing in America.  It's for "Boo!," one of the most distinctive tracks off of Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers.  The song and the video (directed by Maxwell Sorensen and Louis Sparre for Tweed Video) are spooky in just the right way for your favorite 8-year-old. 

Trout Fishing in America - "Boo!" [YouTube]