Friday Free-for-All # 8

Justin Roberts, Pop Fly

Of the kids' albums that have been released so far this year, this one's most in sync with current happy emo pop radio sounds. Roberts' sixth children's CD is full of kidcentric tunes played by an amazingly well-produced band, with a few tidbits thrown in for the grownups, like the song "Stay-At-Home Dad" (which bears more than a passing resemblance to Andrew Gold's "Lonely Boy") and lines like "Everybody has the right to be tangled up in blue" from "Henrietta's Hair". And dig the Beach Boys-like chorus of "Kickboard, Baby, Yeah".


Hayes Greenfield, Music for a Green Planet

The genius behind the Jazz-A-Ma-Tazz CD and interactive show ... which makes jazz a tangible entity, not just something you sit and listen to ... recreates children's standards as messages of ecology and conservation. Better for kids who already know songs like "This Old Man" and "A Tisket, A Tasket", perfect for classroom use during Earth Day celebrations.


Big Bang Boom, B3

Do-it-yourself kiddie rock from Greensboro, North Carolina! Chuck Folds and Steve Williard take a break from their grownup group Rubberband to make a fun, silly, and entertaining bunch of songs for children. Check out the oughta-be-a-tv-show-tune "Happy Town"; the possibly autobiographical "Brothers", which might or might not be about Chuck and his bro Ben; and the best band theme song of the year, "Big Bang Boom".