Friday Free-for-All # 24

Ross King - Words that Rhyme with Orange

On Words that Rhyme with Orange, it's clear that Ross King's strength is pop tune composition, much in the fashion of musicians like Chris Von Sneidern or kids' music star Justin Roberts. Check out "Happy to Be Me" and "I Like to Play Outside" for evidence of King's radio-ready style. King has released several modern worship albums over the past 15 years, but Words is his first CD for kids. Words is a cute, well-produced collection of tunes, but based on his witty wordplay and songwriting chops I really think King's future is in television, so listen for a King-penned children's tv show theme song in the future.


Earthworm Ensemble - Earthworm Ensemble

Eclectic roots music by members of the Los Angeles-based Americana band I See Hawks In L.A. The band bring along The Chapin Sisters to round out their blend of country, garage schlock rock, bluegrass, and folk. The Ensemble's self-titled kids' album is full of songs about trains, the extraterrestrial planet-saving duo Bear and Dog, a hip hop jam about pizza, the rhythm workout "Bang a Drum," the weepy lap steel-flavored "We are Birds," the Muppets-meet New Orleans tune "Little Willy Buffalo," and the sweetly trippy "Goodnight, Little Spaceship." Lots of musical influences, yeah, but Earthworm Ensemble is a cohesive grab bag of great tunes for the whole family.