Friday Free-for-All # 19

Ones that got away: Albums that didn't get reviewed but should have!!


Lamar Holley, Classroom Pop, Volume 1

Imagine Brian Wilson teaching your fifth grade class, backed by The Ben Folds Five ... that's pretty much whatcha got with Lamar Holley's Classroom Pop! Un-bee-leeee-vably catchy tunes about plants, explorers, religions, the Colonies, clouds, state capitals, and the Pythagorian Theorem. Hey, if you're not in the mood for learnin', skip to the music-only tracks. An amazingly good CD that's perfect for classrooms or the budding songwriter in your home.



Ninny Cow Tea, 58 Really Short Songs with Lyrics by 3 to 5 Year Old Children

The brainchild of Brett Ellerton, Music Specialist at Seattle's New Discovery School. As a songwriting exercise, Ellerton had his preschoolers come up with a short phrase which was put to music by the students and Ellerton. After practicing the tunes as a class, the songs were recorded, and voila, Ninny Cow Tea! A fascinating look into the minds of little kids. as the song subjects range from family trips to super heroes to personal fears to playing hopscotch with a ghost. And don't miss the kids' song illustrations in the CD layout!

Introducing..... Salt and Pepper

Just wanted to introduce you to the latest additions to the farm. These twin boys were just a couple of days old in this picture. They are the first of many more kids expected to come in the next month or so on our farm. They were also featured in this month's "What in the world". Congratulations Kandee! You guessed it.

New York, New York, It's a Helluva Town...

...even for kids' music! That line from On the Town sez it all when you look at the number of children's music acts slated for appearances in the Big Apple in September alone. Dig:

• Sept. 6 - The Terrible Twos @ The Bowery Poetry Club
  
• Sept. 7 - Robbi K and Friends @ Howl Festival in Tompkins Square Park
  
• Sept. 7 - Uncle Rock @ The Bowery Poetry Club
  
• Sept. 14 - Dan Zanes @ The New York Botanical Garden
  
• Sept. 14 - Hayes Greenfield @ The Jewish Museum
  
• Sept. 14 - Tom Chapin, Lisa Loeb, and Brady Rymer @ Harmony on the Hudson
  
• Sept. 20 - Astrograss @ National Estuaries Day Celebration at Battery Park
  
• Sept. 20 - The Sippy Cups @ South Street Seaport
  
• Sept. 20 - The Dirty Sock Funtime Band @ NYU's Skirball Center
  
• Sept. 21 - Alex and the Kaleidoscope Band @ The Brooklyn Children's Museum
  
• Sept. 21 - Laurie Berkner @ Lincoln Center
  
• Sept. 28 - Funkey Monkeys @ The Jewish Museum
  
• Sept. 27 - The Bari Koral Family Band @ Brooklyn's Best Family Fest
  
• Sept. 28 - Astrograss @ The Jewish Community Center

...not to mention Morgan Taylor's ongoing Off Broadway production of Gustafer Yellowgold's Mellow Sensation at the DR2 Theatre. Come for a visit, hear and see some great music!

Mid-Week Madness # 927

Sandbox, Are We There Yet?

This Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, NC, quintet keeps it rural without going overboard on the hokeyness. In fact, Sandbox's mix of country, early '80s new wave, roadhouse honky tonk, doo-wop, and rock & roll will entertain the whole family. From the cowbell rock of "I Like to Win" to the country/new wave hybrid "Pajama Party," from the sweet country pop of "Dream Song" to the educational powerpop of "Chromosome," from the radio-ready "PB Jam" to the twangy doo-wop of "Car Rides," there's something here for everybody. And don't miss "Jump Jump!", the band's ready-made live show participation tune. A fun, funny, sweet and silly album!


Zev Haber, Chicken Scratch

Chicken Scratch, the third kids' album from Mount Vernon, NY, musician Zev Haber, is a great collection of simple but eclectic tunes that almost defy categorization. Dig the Steely Dan vibe of "Pasta Pete," the down-and-out blues of "Garbage Truck," and the Sesame Street-ready "What is Good in My Neighborhood." The title track introduces the world to the hottest preschool dance in the land, while the cumulative samba "Three Little Muffins" and the really silly "Family Band" round out the musical fun. This is pretty much a solo effort by Zev, except for various guitar tracks by John Kelly. For fans of Duke Puddintown or Mr. David!

The Snacktime Curse

What is it with The Barenaked Ladies these days? First, Steven Page gets busted for being pharmaceutically naughty, now Ed Robertson barely makes it out of a plane crash up in Ontario. Bless their hearts, I hope this doesn't swear them off making another kids' album...

Buckle up!

Car seats.... We know we need them, but choosing the right one can lead you down a maze of designs, features, and price ranges that leave you confused and overwhelmed. How do you know which one is the right seat for your child's size and your car's design. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has a new system called Ease-of-Use ratings to help us out. All car seats rated by NHTSA meet Federal Safety Standards & strict crash performance standards. While all rated seats are safe, they do differ in their ease of use. You can read more about their rating system here. You can also find local car seat inspection sites there, where they will inspect the installation of the seat for free. Remember to buckle up for safety; it could save your life!

Friday Free-for-All # 18

Wow! Two of the best kids' albums of 2008 in one post! Convenient!!


Joel Caithamer, The Biggest Everything in the World

Northern Kentucky's most rockin' librarian delivers the rock and roll goods again with his third CD for kids, The Biggest Everything in the World. Caithamer and band will make you laugh and want to turn up the stereo to 11, as Jason Erickson's guitar, Kenny Cowden's harmonica, Jim Morris' organ, and Brian Baverman's drums blast from the speakers on songs about the school custodian, a metal-eating kid, a Mekong giant catfish, farmer tans, and guitar cars. Dig the searing rocker (and really weird song) "Hug Tight Sticky Glue," and the awesome cover of Geoff Mack's "I've Been Everywhere," complete with ACDC coda.


Matt Clark, Funny Little Fella

New daddy Matt Clark decided to chronicle his son's first year through song. The result, Funny Little Fella, is a cross between Mr. David and They Might Be Giants, a musically and lyrically adventurous collection of tender, brief, but sometimes hilarious tunes. Definitely appropriate for naptime, but, Parents, watch out for giggle-inducing songs like "Crumple, Tear," "Drop, Drop," and "I Think I'm Gonna Put It in My Mouth." Favorite fact: Clark wanted the cover of Funny Little Fella to look like my beloved Meat Puppets' Huevos album, and artist Kelli Caldwell does a swell job.

***Danielle Sansone***

A new kids' music genre needs to be created: Naptime Music. Songs you play when you or your little ones don't necessarily need to fall deeply to sleep, but maybe just need some down time, a few quiet moments to think about the universe or watch the sunlight play on the curtains. Danielle Sansone's Two Flowers falls perfectly into that genre.

This is not "Country Music", which today is too bombastic and relies too heavily on hokey, self-perpetuating stereotypes; this is rural music ... lots of spaces between the notes, room for the lyrics to breathe, the sound of twilight. Danielle's vocals take cues from Emmylou Harris' songbird sound and the note-bending style of Natalie Merchant.

On an album of what are essentially love songs from Danielle to her two daughters, Danielle enlists her brother Pat Sansone (of the wonderfully melodic band The Autumn Defense, and recently a Wilco live sit-in) and Atlanta-based producer/musician Will Robertson both to contribute their multi-instrumental talents. Also appearing are Minneapolis fiddler Peter Ostroushko, Autumn Defense collaborator and pedal steel aficionado John Pirruccello, and banjomeister David Stephens. Mandolins twinkle, pedal steel guitars weep, far-away pianos echo, all surrounded by harmonies galore. The title track sounds like nothing less than an ancient Americana folk song, while most of the tunes on Two Flowers could easily be hits on country radio.

Pair Two Flowers with Dean Jones' Napper's Delight (another nomination for the Naptime Music genre) and you've got yerself an afternoon of mellow gold. Those of us with families are fortunate that Sansone decided to share her music with children and their grownups. And dig the great album art by Jen Singh.