While the old saw about the awfulness of British cuisine may no longer be valid, perhaps the new saw is the awfulness of British kids' music
Well, according to one Times of London writer, who bemoans the state of British kids' music, while lavishing very evasive praise on the new Belle and Sebastian-curated compilation Colours Are Brighter.
While I really don't like the goal of making sure he "can take pride in the songs [his] kids like," I love the idea of creating a "back-story" to certain non-kids' CDs to get them more interested in the albums. In addition to praising Elizabeth Mitchell fave Vashti Bunyan and giving a backhanded compliment to They Might Be Giants, he also puts The Sippy Cups on his Small Ages-esque mixtape for kids.
Oh, and dude, "Furry Happy Monsters" is right here.
I should also note that the Colours Are Brighter website is now offering a free "Go Go Ninja Dinosaur" mp3 along with a "Jackie Jackson" game (which proves to me how old I am, 'cause I failed miserably at it).
Belle and Sebastian's Children's Compilation Gets A Website or Two
I cannot stop Belle and Sebastian's relentless assault on me, I can only hope to contain it.
Despite attempting to keep my expectations low for their upcoming children's compilation, entitled Colours Are Brighter, all evidence suggests that it may turn out to be quite good. The latest evidence can be found on the newly-established website for Colours Are Brighter. A decent track from Snow Patrol, "I Am An Astronaut" and an awesome "Go Go Ninja Dinosaur" from Four Tet. And if you go to the album's Myspace page you can hear the Four Tet song again as well as a goofy monkey-based track, which, though listed as Kathryn Williams' "Night Baking," is clearly Belle and Sebastian's own contribution "The Monkeys Are Breaking Out the Zoo."
The album, a benefit for Save The Children, is scheduled to be released in the UK on Monday, Oct. 16th. (Those goofy Brits and their Monday release dates! That's why we fought the Revolutionary War, of course, to buy our new releases on Tuesday. One if by land, two if by sea, three if you want the latest from Babyshambles.)
You can preorder at Amazon.co.uk here.
All Belle and Sebastian, All the Time?
Pitchfork picks up a NME story updating the Belle and Sebastian-curated children's music compilation, Zooglobble goes nuts. (You know, for someone who's a little bit skeptical about this whole endeavor, I'm certainly spending a lot of time talking about it. Maybe I'm talking myself into thinking it might just work.)
First, the actual news -- the compilation on Rough Trade Records is now scheduled for release in October, not September as originally announced. Oh, and the Flaming Lips have been added to the bill.
Now, for pure silliness, let's guess what the best track will be, purely based on the artist and song name:
Four Tet (featuring Princess Watermelon) - "Go Go Ninja Dinosaur"
Rasputina - "A Skeleton Bang"
Franz Ferdinand - "Jackie Jackson"
Snow Patrol - "I Am an Astronaut"
The Divine Comedy - "Three Cheers for Pooh, Cottleston Pie, Piglet Ho"
The Kooks - "The King & I"
Half Man Half Biscuit - "David Wainwright's Feet"
The Barcelona Pavilion - "Tidy Up Tidy Up"
Jonathan Richman - "Out Dog Is Getting Older Now"
Ivor Cutler Trio - "Mud"
The Flaming Lips - "The Big Ol' Bug Is the New Baby Now"
Belle & Sebastian - "The Monkeys Are Breaking out of the Zoo"
Kathryn Williams - "Night Baking"
I've got my bets on the Four Tet and Flaming Lips tracks. The Divine Comedy track could either be a disaster or inspired. As a big fan of the Milne books, it's a track I simultaneously view with anticipation and dread.
News: Belle & Sebastian Compile the Cutest Children's Music Album EVER!
Hey, I kid because I love.
The snarky friends at Pitchfork report that Belle & Sebastian indeed have "curated" a children's music album to be released on Sept. 11, 2006 and to benefit Save The Children. Now, it's not (as of this writing) confirmed on the band's website, their label's website, Rough Trade's website, or Save the Children's website, but it's on the web, so it must be true, right?
With contributions from "Franz Ferdinand, Four Tet, Snow Patrol, the Flaming Lips, the Fiery Furnaces, Kathryn Williams, the Divine Comedy, Travis, Jonathan Richman (aren't all of his songs children's songs?), and Rasputina," it's not a lineup that screams "kids music!" to me (well, OK, save Jonathan Richman), but that doesn't mean I won't be very interested in hearing it.
(Previous "reportage" here. Really, I do kinda like Belle & Sebastian, just not sure how this is going to turn out.)
News: Belle and Sebastian and Erasure and Kids?
Fold your hands, child, indeed.
As I've said before, I have no shame when it comes to referring to old news when it's new news to me. This June 2005 article titled "Preschool of Rock" (ha, ha, that's funny, because there was that movie, with Jack Black, about these kids... oh, never mind) from the British paper The Guardian says nothing that every other article about rockers making kids' music hasn't said. But it's an entertaining piece and contains this one little piece of info that's news to me.
Erasure plan to release a record for children, while Scots indie band Belle and Sebastian are curating a compilation of kids' songs. Rumours suggest they have solicited contributions from such unlikely sources as Franz Ferdinand, Scissor Sisters, Primal Scream and cerebral post-rockers Four Tet.Erasure? '80s synth-pop? I've always had a soft spot in my heart for Erasure (I love "A Little Respect"), and so I think that could be not a little bit of fun, should it move out of the realm of rumor and into the realm of my CD rack. Belle and Sebastian? Twee-pop "curated" album? What is this, a museum or an album? I know Belle and Sebastian disdain the "twee-pop" label, and I admit their new album has considerably more muscle than their past work, but I'm a little more dubious about the idea of bands like Franz Ferdinand recording music for kids. Don't get me wrong, I have and enjoy both of Franz's CDs, but I'm not convinced of their ability to simplify their angular post-punk melodies and change their lyrical approach. Could be worse, I suppose -- Pete Doherty could be one of the contributors. (Hat tip to Dadbloggit for the original article.)
