How's this for sharing? Maine's Flannery Brothers celebrate the release of The New Explorers Club by releasing yet another album. For free. That's right, for a limited time, you can download Dance Songs for Silly Kids. It's a track-for-track collection of remixed songs from Love Songs for Silly Things (the last song on the new album is essentially new). It's really goofy, but that's what your kids need sometimes. Stream or download it below...
Itty-Bitty Review: Move Over Lullabies... It's Time for Wake Up Songs! - The Flannery Brothers
Let's see if I can write the review for Move Over Lullabies... It's Time for Wake Up Songs!, the spring EP from Maine's Flannery Brothers, in less time than it takes to listen to the album itself - just 15 minutes. (A lot less than the amount of time I spun the disk, that's for sure.)
It's a novel twist on the standard kids music trope, the lullaby album. That's right, with its bright yellow cover and a picture of a very friendly-looking dog on the back, it's an album designed to get your kids up and at 'em bright and early. If they listen to the disk before you have your coffee or yoga or morning routine of choice, you run the risk of premature grumpiness, because in less than 15 minutes, they will be excited for the day ("The Wake-Up Song"), grooving to a kazoo-playing dog ("In the Morning") and shaking like you've just given them their sixth latte ("Shake!" - a title which appears to be missing about four exclamation points). With the piano, guitar/bass, and drum trio, it's got a very sunny feel -- a little West Coast jazz for the kids.
Kids ages 3 through 7 will most likely groove to the tracks here, a couple of which can be heard at the brothers' music player at their home page. I think preschool teachers will especially find a song or two on here worth incorporating into their morning routines. As for the rest of us, if this were 40 minutes long, the relentless cheerfulness might wear some folks down, but at 15 minutes in length, it's an excellent dose of orange juice for first thing in the morning. If that's what you need, this is for you. Recommended.
Disclosure: I received a copy of the album for possible review. Also, I think it took me about 20 minutes to write this. Oh well.
One Mint Green Bee Wasn't Enough: John Lennon Songwriting Contest 2008
It's not news that I'm a big fan of Gustafer Yellowgold. And I already told you about how Gustafer creator Morgan Taylor won the John Lennon Songwriting Contest's 2008 Session I Children's Music category for "Mint Green Bee." Well, Gustafer has met his match. Literally. The Session II winners have been announced, and winning the category this go-round is "One Wasn't Enough," from Bangor, Maine's Flannery Brothers.
And now the decision as to the best song of the year is up to you, folks. After listening to both songs (you can download the Flannery Brothers song at the link above), go here to cast your vote. (Voting ends May 1.) And while I'm a big Gustafer fan, I think it's really hard to listen to the Flannery Brothers track (off their upcoming debut Love Songs for Silly Things) and not have a smile on your face. An old-school Trout Fishing in America-style track. Tough choice.