A whole slew of videos from Justin Roberts popped up yesterday, including a fan-made video (though officially blessed by Roberts) for one my favorite Roberts songs of all time, "One Little Cookie." The sound's a little tinny (fixed!) good, the video didn't compress perfectly for YouTube (fixed!) is good, but that gingerbread Justin is classic.
And like I said, the song's great.
Justin Roberts - "One Little Cookie"
Two more Justin videos after the jump...
Because You Can't Record Kids Music with Justin Roberts All the Time...
One of the many pleasures of listening to Justin Roberts albums is the production. Roberts' albums inevitably just sound great, full of life. That's thanks, of course, to Liam Davis, who produces Roberts' albums.
But Davis also has a musical career of his own, and like countless other kids' musicians (Laurie Berkner Band's bassist Adam Bernstein for example, or Central Services minus the Board of Education) he's not giving that up. Davis has just posted some new demos from his 2009 album on his Myspace page, and they're worth a listen (though your kids will probably find them a bit boring).
They're demos, so they're not the most sonically lush recordings, but they're appealing, especially "Hymn," which sounds like the Jayhawks (or at least Gary Louris) should be calling Davis into the studio, pronto.
Review: Pop Fly - Justin Roberts
It's unfair, but I'll start this review of Pop Fly, the sixth solo kids' music album from Chicago's Justin Roberts, by saying I think Meltdown, Roberts' fifth solo kids' CD is easily on the shortlist of best kids' music CDs of the decade. Clearly, I had high expectations for the new CD, which is being released today.
Never fear, Pop Fly is a hit. (OK, I promise -- that's the only baseball-related phrase I'll use here. Read on fearlessly, folks.)
If Roberts isn't the best songwriter in the rock/pop/folk heart of kids' music, he certainly doesn't have many peers. The new album has a number of outstanding tracks that again showcase his songwriting strengths -- nifty lyrics that flow effortlessly ("Pop Fly," "Kickboard, Baby, Yeah"), carefully crafted portraits of life at home ("From Scratch", "The Backyard Super Kid"), and an affinity for singalong choruses ("Stay-at-Home Dad", "Field Trip"). If some of the lyrics don't quite work -- a stay-at-home dad who kids' clothes don't match very well seems a bit cliched -- it's forgivable because so much else does.
Roberts' melodic and musical sense is once again ably abetted by fellow musician Liam Davis, who again produces Roberts' CD. The album sounds great, from the faux Dylan (and loose chorus) of "Henrietta's Hair" to the strings on "The Backyard Super Kid" to the mellow surf sounds of "Kickboard, Baby, Yeah." And, yeah, there are a bunch of horns, a Roberts habit from almost the very beginning. The alterna-pop sound mixes in hints of Fountains of Wayne and ELO, and every great forgotten '80s alternative hitmaker, along with Burt Bacharach. It's a heady mix.
The overall mood of the album is somewhat more reflective than Meltdown, and maybe for that reason I liked Pop Fly a little bit less. It's maybe a little bit more in the Not Naptime camp -- another fine album, but more downtempo than Roberts' best-known songs. The irrepressible protagonists of "Meltdown" or "Ten Little Cookies" don't make an appearance here. Again, the songs are excellent, they're just a little more mellow. And I think Roberts' best songs are the less mellow ones.
Having said that, my favorite song on the CD -- my favorite song of the year thus far, kids or adult -- is the tender "Fruit Jar". It's a stone-cold folk classic, with lines like "Life ain't no fruit jar / Stuck in a cellar / Sometimes you've just got to / Spin that old propeller / Watch it rise up / Way past the moon / And if love don't find you / You know it's going to be there soon." The song itself is beautifully constructed -- add the duetting voice of Nora O'Connor (who also appeared on Yellow Bus) and Davis' nifty guitar work, and it's one of those songs that should carry on far beyond this album. It's a tremendously affecting tune, and consdering how much some of Roberts' other songs have affected me ("Cartwheels and Somersaults," for example), that's high praise.
The album is most appropriate for kids ages 4 through 8. You can find Roberts' CDs in an increasing number of physical stores, but if you want to hear songs from the 37-minute album, you can hear "Pop Fly" by checking out Roberts' Radio or his (new) Myspace page (or check out snippets at your favorite online retailer).
Pop Fly is another masterfully crafted collection of songs which will have broad appeal just like the best in kids' literature. If Roberts has taken a slightly more mellow approach to his songs this time around, they're no less appealing. Highly recommended.
Video: "Pop Fly" - Justin Roberts
While people are furiously voting in the KidVid Tournament 2008 (and if you're one of those, move on to the next post -- don't vote here), we're already collecting videos to determine the most popular kids music video in 2009.
One of those possible participants? Justin Roberts' "Pop Fly" video, which was released today. It's a fun, lo-fi cut-out effort, accompanied by the title track from his upcoming album, a track that I like more and more every time I hear it. (I also like the Cubs/Willy the Whale logo on Roberts' jersey.)
Video after the jump.
More Pop Fly Details
For those of you awaiting the release of Justin Roberts' next CD, Pop Fly, his latest newsletter has a treasure trove of info. (For those of you who don't care, his latest newsletter still has a treasure trove of info, though I suspect little of it would interest you.)
First off, the tracklisting, 11 JR originals, produced by Liam Davis.
1. Pop Fly
2. She's a Yellow Reflector
3. Big Field Trip
4. Henrietta's Hair
5. The Backyard Super Kid
6. From Scratch
7. Stay-at-Home Dad
8. She Sits
9. Giant-Sized Butterflies
10. Kickboard, Baby, Yeah
11. Fruit Jar
Second, Roberts' trumpet player Dave Winer is putting together a video for the title track and is looking for close up pictures "of your child or your inner-child" to be assembled into a giant collage. No word if this going to turn into some sort of "Where's Waldo?"-like hunt. Anyway, for details, check out Roberts' Journal page.
If Spring is Too Early and Summer Too Late for Your Kids Music Festival Needs...
Kansas City kids musician Funky Mama (aka Krista Eyler) pointed out yesterday that Kansas City, Missouri will host its host its own kids music festival, the first Kansas City Jiggle Jam Family Fest, Memorial Day weekend (Saturday and Sunday, May 24 and 25).
"Don't forget the Midwest family music," asks Eyler, and with a lineup including They Might Be Giants, Justin Roberts, Trout Fishing in America, Tom Chapin, John McCutcheon, not to mention KC-area favorites Jim Cosgrove and Funky Mama, it would be hard to. Especially when the cost per day is $10/kid ($8 in advance, kids under 2 free) and $5/adult. Heck, at those ticket prices, you're losing money if you don't pack those kids of yours into the car/minivan/refurbished school bus and head out.
(Hey, I spent a number of years in the Midwest -- can't ever forget the Midwest family music.)
Anybody else have some sweet tours or multi-multi-artist festivals they know of? Let me know...