It's the song (and video) so good it needs a sequel. Yes, Alastair Moock's mangled classic "CBAs" from his fine These Are My Friends disk has a second video. It's actually for the brief "A Twinkle Baa" reprise at the end of the album, featuring Moock's daughters joining in. While this one is animated, too, this time the animation comes courtesy of Readeez mastermind Michael Rachap, who knows a good tune when he hears it.
Alastair Moock - "A Twinkle Baa" (Readeez-style) [YouTube]
Video: "Four of Two" - They Might Be Giants (via Readeez)
Nine and a half years ago, They Might Be Giants were prepping their first album for kids and while No! had some fancy games you could play if you stuck the disk in the computer, unlike their later work, it didn't have a single fancy video.
Michael Rachap, creator of all things Readeez, has rectified that oversight, Marty McFly-style, by going Baaack. In. Time. and applying the Readeez technique to "Four of Two."
OK, he didn't really go back in time. I think. But the video's amusing (stay for the ending bump, which made me laugh out loud). Also: John Linnell sings really fast, because the Readeez couldn't even keep up, sometimes having to post a couple words at a time.
They Might Be Giants' "Four of Two" -- Readee-Oh Version from Readeez on Vimeo.
Video: "The Wheels on the Bus" - Readeez
Michael Rachap has been working on a bunch of Readeez that tackle nursery rhymeez (er, rhymes). I personally prefer his take on "The Wheels on the Bus," which sounds very "wheels-on-the-bus"-ish while not sounding quite like most other takes you've heard. Simple but effective.
The Wheels On The Bus from Readeez on Vimeo.
Video: "A Bunch of Months/Knowledge is Good" - Readeez
The new Readeez DVD/video download -- the back-to-the-basics-titled Readeez Volume Three -- is newly-released, and creator Michael Rachap has released a couple back-to-back tunes in video format on YouTube. I'm hearing a lot of "no"s in the second song, but I'm really pretty positive about the whole thing. (The rest of the DVD features collaborations with Recess Monkey and the Okee Dokee Brothers and more, plus a bunch of new tunes not available on YouTube.)
Readeez - "A Bunch of Months/Knowledge is Good" [YouTube]
KidVid Tournament 2011: Day 1 (Woody Guthrie Regional)
Yes, that's right. Head on over today to Out With the Kids for your chance to vote on the first two matchups in KidVid Tournament 2011, featuring the Woody Guthrie Region:
-- The Bazillions, "Preposition" (1) vs. Coal Train Railroad (and Readeez), "Just the Juice, Jack" (4) -- watch and vote here.
-- Debbie and Friends, "Cinderella" (2) vs. Billy Kelly, "The Sky Floats (and So Do Boats)" (3) -- watch and vote here.
And, if you want a second opinion on the videos, Jeff Giles, the fine writer and mastermind behind Dadnabbit, has graciously agreed to provide his thoughts on the whole bracket. Read his take on the day's competition here.Video: "Antidisestablishmentarianism" - The Okee Dokee Brothers (Readeez-Style)
I coulda sworn that I'd written something about "Antidisestablishmentarianism," one of the standout tracks on the Okee Dokee Brothers' fine Take It Outside album, being a perfect candidate for a Readeez video. So maybe I just trained my finely-honed telepathic skills on Joe, Justin, and Michael. But, really, why wouldn't you make a Readeez for a song celebrating the longest word in the English language?
The Okee Dokee Brothers - "Antidisestablishmentarianism" [YouTube]
