Review: Anthems for Adventure - Tim and the Space Cadets

Tim Kubart, head of Tim and the Space Cadets, left the kindie band The Jimmies nearly years ago because he wanted to write and perform his own kids music.  Along with another Jimmies veteran, Matt Puckett, Kubart released an awesome video and 5-song EP in 2010 and slowly crafted the full-length debut, which gets released next week.

The result, Anthems for Adventure, is a big, sprawling, messy album.  I like to think of it as one of those big arena-ready albums you might have heard released in the '70s.  There are echoes of Elton John and the Eagles, mellow pop-rock for the kindie set, but there are some more indie sounds as well.  ("Bumblebee," for example, could be the shiniest song Clap Your Hands Say Yeah never wrote.)  Hand-claps and sing-along choruses (hi, there, "Superhero!"), it's an album whose songs are meant to be heard in concert.

When I say "messy," I don't mean sloppy.   I really liked the slow-building arrangement of "Endless Summer," about celebrating summer even in the midst of summer.  One of the standouts, "Upbeat/Downbeat," honors its theme of making music with a serious Motown-era groove.  And with more than a couple dozen different musicians making an appearance, there's a lot of musical firepower providing a miniature wall of sound.  My only warning is that the lyrics are very focused on the kids, celebrating their perspective (see, for example, "Double Knot," an emotional ode to an outsized pair of shoes).  Many folks will see this as an good thing -- and who could blame them? -- but if you prefer your kids music to take a more parent-inclusive approach lyrically, this probably isn't your first choice.

The album is most appropriate for kids ages 4 through 8.  You can hear some of the tracks at the band's website.  Anthems for Adventure might be the most apropos kindie album title of the year as it's filled with songs about explorations large and small, songs to be sung along with.  Tim and the Space Cadets wear their corduroy-patched heart on their sleeve; sympathetic adventurers will enjoy this spirited celebration.  Recommended.

[Disclosure: I received a copy of this album for possible review.]

Review: Throw a Penny in the Wishing Well - Jennifer Gasoi

I'm glad Canada is back.

Not that they ever left, mind you -- they've always been our cozy yet expansive neighbor to the north -- but in a kids music sense, there's been a resurgence of new artists from the Land of Raffi.  Yes, Sharon, Lois & Bram may have a new iOS app, but I'm talking about a generation of musicians who may have grown up listening to them and Raffi, folks like Charlie Hope, Bobs and LoLo, and Splash 'n' Boots, not to mention some even more independent-minded artists like Duplex.

In onse sense, I'm not sure whether to add Jennifer Gasoi to that list, because she started making kids music before any of those newcomers started recording.  Her debut album Songs For You came out way back in early 2004.  But it took her more than 8 years to release the follow-up, Throw a Penny in the Wishing Well.  That might hold the record for the largest delay in the modern kindie era.

Well, eight years is an awfully long time to wait, but... it's a pretty fun album.  In an era when a lot of kindie music is more rock (and alterna-rock) than pop, Throw a Penny... is a throwback, a pop album in the old sense of the word.  The album shows off Gasoi's singing chops, a crystal-clear voice with just enough warmth to be inviting.  From the very start, with songs like "Little Blue Car," "Throw a Penny in the Wishing Well," and "I'm a Bubble," Gasoi writes happy songs for happy kids.  In her orchestration and target audience, she's like a jazzier Laurie Berkner (though without the pure hook-writing genius Berkner possesses).  Sometimes it all comes off a little too happy -- I would have liked a few more tracks like the atmospheric album closer "Red Balloon" -- but your tastes in that regard may vary.

Gasoi produced the album herself, and despite the presence of more than 20 musicians (including kids), the music is all done with a very light touch -- I would describe it as brushed, not polished, nickel.  It's a lot like what I might expect to hear how Dean Jones would produce such an album (that's a compliment).  Which isn't to say that it's simple production -- I can't imagine how many musical tracks and loops were in the song "Purple Man," about some dance lessons (don't ask) -- but it never sounds labored.

The 46-minute album will be most appropriate for kids ages 3 through 7.  You can hear 3 songs from the album here.

Throw a Penny in the Wishing Well is about as happy and sunny as you'd expect from the title.   Unless your family strongly prefers their music with more of a rock edge, you'll probably find a lot to enjoy here.  (Fans of Laurie Berkner, Charlie Hope, and Laura Doherty, should especially take note.)  The album reflects well on Gasoi's efforts in putting the album together, to the extent that I strongly hope we're not waiting 'til Fall 2021 for her next album.  Definitely recommended.

Review: Middle of Nowhere - Elska

Straight from the island of Elska, it's, er... Elska!

OK, that's merely the fanciful conceit of New York musician Shelley Wollert, who created the persona of Elska, a "modern pioneer who discovered a newly formed volcanic island off the coast of Iceland."

On her debut album Middle of Nowhere, Elska creates a sound which can be described as many things, but near the top of the list is "unique."  Not necessarily when looked at music from all genres targeted at all ages, but certainly in the kindiesphere.  It's a collection of tiny beats, samples, that, thanks to the purported Icelandic background, means that I am contractually required to say that it sounds a bit like Bjork.

In a kids music scene that very often starts and ends with guitars, the near if not total absence of those on the album by itself can be a bresh of fresh air.  The beats are unique (is that a drill on "Arctic Fox"?), though generally they're employed in the service of modern pop songs whose structure will be familiar to most.  There are some delightfully odd detours, like "Hiddi Hiddi," which, though I think has words, is essentially vocal beat-making.  Elska has a handful of different vocal approaches (e.g., clear, whispery) that provide variety in that regard.  So, sonically, the music from Wollert and producer Allen Farmelo is very solid.

Where Elska may not be for every family depends on the family's tolerance for anything that smacks of preciousness.  According to her website, Elska's catchphrase is "Totally Amazing!," and she carries through that committed attitude on her videos, in concert, and on the album.  She commits to that persona in a way that may be just a little too... much for some parents.  (I think kids will generally respond more favorably than their parents.)

But since I'm the one writing this review, I'll say that I am generally though not virulently anti-preciousness and I think the songs land way more often on the safe side of that dividing line.  "Frozen in Time," for example, is a beautiful song about some things changing and some things being permanent.  It's not terribly complicated or even profound, but there's a sure touch with it.  And unlike some things that have some preciousness attached to them, it's not a stuffy album (see "Hiddi Hiddi," or the fact that on "Don't Make Fun of the Goobler," she calls the Goobler, her "home slice").

On the other hand, I could see some folks rolling their eyes at "The Land of Lost Socks," which is, well, I think you can figure out what it's about.  And as an overarching conceit, the "story" of Elska's island isn't really developed much; the songs just offer the briefest of sketches of characters and locations.  The brief (27-minute) album will have greatest appeal to kids ages 3 through 7.

Middle of Nowhere will, for a variety of reasons, not resonate with every family.  But I think a lot of modern pop families will be charmed in some way by Elska's debut disk.  As she explores it further and refines her singular voice, I think she's going to be an artist to follow.  Definitely recommended.

Review: I Found You! - Caspar Babypants

Chris Ballew's consistently entertaining modernization of old folk tunes (and writing some modern folk tunes of his own) as Caspar Babypants is problematic.

For the reviewer, at least.

Ever since receiving his latest effort I Found You! for at least a couple months now and I've been struggling with how to write about the album.  It's his sixth full-length Caspar Babypants album, and just as every one that's preceded it, it's snappy music, simple but well-constructed -- really, just heaps of fun.

Which makes me a bit sad.

Because, really, if you are a Caspar Babypants fan (as I am), you may already have this album.  And you're probably reading this review a) to confirm your own initial impressions of the album, b) to confirm that yes indeed you should get the album if you don't have it, or c) because you're my mom.  (Just kidding!  I don't think my mom reads my site.)

That doesn't make me sad.  What makes me sad is that if your family hasn't gotten into CB at this point, nothing I could write about this album would likely change your mind.  Chris Ballew writes catchy hooks with the frequency the rest of write grocery lists, and you're not already listening to him?  My pitiful wordsmithing can't change that attitude.

The first tracks here -- the gleeful horn-aided "I Found You," the funky "Just Wondering," the preschool traditional "All the Fish" -- sound like many Babypants classics.  They're instantly catchy and perfectly constructed for preschoolers to grasp and sing along.  That's probably part of my challenge -- unlike a new band with a distinct sound, or an artist changing their musical approach, Ballew doesn't sound that much different here from his first album Here I Am!.  All the components of I Found You! -- the re-imagined folk songs, the obsession with animals and nature, the simple arrangements -- were there from the beginning.  For that reason, while I particularly like the title track and "Just Wondering," some of my favorite pieces are the songs that sound a little different, such as "Say Farewell," treated as a sea shanty, or the fun-spooky "Skeletone."

As with all the Babypants disks, the target age range for this album are kids ages 2 through 6, though it'll certainly have broader appeal than that.  You can find the 50-minute album at the usual kindie suspects.

Despite the occasional navel-gazing in this review, I hope I've also conveyed how excellent I Found You! is.  Just because Chris Ballew's found a groove in recording music as Caspar Babypants doesn't mean that uncreative reviewers such as me should spoil your fun.  Highly recommended.

Review: Rabbit Days and Dumplings - Elena Moon Park & Friends

It would be hard for me to review this album without establishing my affinities up front:

1.  I Kickstarted this album.

2.  Our son (AKA Little Boy Blue) was born in Asia (and adopted into our family as an infant).

3.  Dan Zanes has provided a healthy part of our family soundtrack over the past 10+ years.

4.  I love kimchi.

OK, now that we have that out of the way, is it any surprise that I am very charmed by Rabbit Days and Dumplings, the first album from Elena Moon Park?  (No, it shouldn't be.)  Park, the fiddler and instrumentalist from Dan Zanes' band, has taken music from her own Korean (by way of Tennessee) heritage, mixed it with other Asian family-friendly songs, and given the songs a Zanesian flair.  The result is exactly what you'd expect -- songs from a very different culture made accessible to an English-speaking, Western audience and just as importantly, made fun as well.

There are lots of singalong chorsus on the album, starting with the album opener, "Sol Nal."  Park doesn't attempt to provide lyrics for each song in her liner notes; rather, for many songs, she picks out a single phrase as the hook.  So, for "Sol Nal," it's "Sol Nal / Sol Nal / Sol Nal Un Cho Ah Yo," which she translates as 
"New Year / New Year / I like New Year's."  Or, for the train-inspired bluegrass-y "Diu Diu Deng," singing along with "Diu! Diu!," the sound of raindrops is enough.  Language is fluid in the songs, with Park and the other vocalists flowing in and out of the native tongue of each song and English.

Just as with the lyrics, where Park clearly tried to honor the original song and language but didn't feel like she had to sing every word in that original language, the arrangements have been blended into new, often Western forms.  For example, for the Japanese fishing song "Soran Bushi," Park turns it into a rousing sea shanty, "envisioning groups of men on boats singing it," as she puts it in the liner notes.  ("A Dokkoisho!," or "heave, ho!," could be your family's next motivating call.)  The Chinese song "Diu Shou Juan" is performed in New Orleans brass band style.  And as with every Dan Zanes album, Park has recruited a kajillion different musicians (the Kronos Quartet and Wu Man among them) to play along, often letting them take the lead.

With the (partial) language barrier, age is less of an issue with this album than others, but the subjects are often most appropriate for kids ages 3 through 7.  As you would expect from the folks at Festival Five, the album packaging is first-rate, but regardless of whether you get the physical copy or order mp3s, you can also download full lyrics, translations, and chords at the album's Songs page.  Listen to a sampler of songs here.

I'm clearly biased, but I think Rabbit Days and Dumplings is a great album.  If you're put off by the description of it as folk and children's music from East Asia, I encourage you to give it a chance, as you'll discover a set of songs from that, in these renditions, are very accessible to Western ears, and even voices.  Elena Moon Park have put together a remarkable album here, one that deserves a larger audience than it might otherwise be consigned to.  Highly recommended.

Review: Blue Clouds - Elizabeth Mitchell and You Are My Flower

How to sum up the latest album from Elizabeth Mitchell and You Are My Flower, the dream-soaked Blue Clouds?

I suppose one could start with that adjective, "dream-soaked."  From the song lyrics (the frog and mouse courtship and wedding of "Froggie Went A-Courtin'" or the dogs running around in "Yuki (Snow)") to the album art from renowned author and artist Remy Charlip to the arrangements featuring Mitchell's direct and gentle voice and strings and flute, among others, the entire album seems suffused with sleepy imagery and feelings.

Or perhaps it's with a bullet-point recounting of the high points on the album:

• The total feeling of empathy generated by her cover of Bill Withers' "I Wish You Well."
• The title track (a lullaby written by Mitchell's husband Daniel Littleton), which wraps up the album and is an instant modern classic
• Her version of "Everyone," which recasts Van Morrison's joy-filled song into something akin to a blessing.

I could always compare and contrast with Mitchell's previous work.  It's definitely more varied in scope than Little Seed, her fine Woody Guthrie tribute album from this summer.  For the listeners to Sunny Day who wished that Mitchell front-and-center more often in that album, instead of ceding lead vocals to daughter Storey on some tracks (I was perfectly fine with the shift as I saw what Mitchell was aiming at in being part of the Folkways tradition), they will find the mix more like You Are My Little Bird -- the kids are integrated nicely on the tracks, but it's Mitchell show.

Or I could be very technical about the whole thing: 38 minutes in length, best for ages 3 through 9, more album details here or stream some songs here.  Don't forget the physical packaging, typically Smithsonian-awesome, featuring Charlip's artwork, an introductory essay from author and artist Brian Selznick, and nice liner notes from Mitchell herself.

But instead the word I keep drifting back to is that of family.  Mitchell's immediate family -- her, husband Daniel, daughter Storey -- who have always been at the heart of this whole enterprise and her approach to making a living as a musician in this field.  Her extended family -- Brian Selznick not only writes a generous introduction, but it's dedicated to his friend Remy Charlip and the mother of his goddaughter Storey; her sister-in-law Anna Padgett writes a couple songs on the album.  Her super-extended Folkways family -- Smithsonian heroes Ruth Crawford Seeger and Ella Jenkins inspire tunes.  And my own family, who have been listening to Mitchell's music for more than a decade and have spent many (hundreds of) hours with her music.  Mitchell pulls us all in and, for a moment, makes us feel connected before sending us back into the world to be as generous with others as she has been with us.  Highly recommended.