Friday, June 06, 2008

Friday Free-for-All # 13

Recess Monkey, Tabby Road

Hooks galore on Recess Monkey's fourth CD for children! These three silly teachers from Seattle channel the Beatles (of course), Weezer, Klaatu, OK Go, XTC, and every pop song Jeff Barry wrote on their latest album, Tabby Road. Heck, "Kitty Sister" oughta be a number one summer smash! Lots of interactive fun, tons of singalong opportunities ... a certified chart-topper!!



Various Artists, Let the Good Times Rouler!

From the company who brought you Down at the Sea Hotel, comes Let the Good Times Rouler!, a collection of French folk songs in the Arcadian style (the precursor to Cajun music). Well-done albums of French songs for kids are hard to find, folks, but Secret Mountain does it up right. Recorded by a slew of France's roots and folk stars, Catherine Durand's "Le Train du Nord" is a standout track. Laissez les bons temps rouler!



Hullabaloo, Tall as a Tree

Low-key, rootsy songs from duo Steve Denyes and Brendan Kremer. This is Del Mar, CA-based Hullabaloo's fourth kids' album, continuing their string of fun, sweet, and silly originals and covers for families. Check out the short ode to Mommies "Mom's the Word"; the traditional song medley "Hey Lolly, Lolly"; and "Sippy Cup", inspired by coffee cup-totin' grownups across the nation.

2 comments:

Bruce from Accordion Noir said...

My kids are in grade-one French Immersion here in Vancouver, Canada (only the wealthy neighborhoods had French classes, so we have to drive them because Canada doesn't have school-buses.)

But... Their favorite French language record is Bazar Bizarre, by "Chel & L'atelier Grandéliere." It's pretty darn fun, like decadent French cabaret for kids, with songs about dinosaur/dragon miscegenation, and a banjo-playing witch who wears underwear on her hat.

I just wrote to him (Chel), but I think you have to order it from France. Totally worth it, even though I don't understand a word. I'm getting one for my kid's teacher, to improve the music for next-years' school performance!

http://www.myspace.com/chelblog

Warren Truitt said...

Thanks for the heads-up, Bruce. I'll try to track down a copy of Chel's CD!

wt