I don't know the political leanings of Robert Schneider of The Apples in Stereo, but Little Monster Records will be releasing his debut children's music album as Robbert Bobbert -- Robbert Bobbert & The Bubble Machine on January 20th, 2009. That's right, Inauguration Day.
No word if Barack Obama or John McCain (or, for those of you a little more third-party-ish, Bob Barr or Ralph Nader) will ask Schneider to play the inauguration balls, though perhaps "We R Super Heroes" (track 2) might be appropriate.
The album will also be available for the holidays via digital distribution on November 28, 2008, thereby making the "Fall 2008" claim reported earlier this year reasonably accurate.
Here's the tracklisting...
Puppies, Clocks, and Ducks: New Music from Robbert Bobbert (Robert Schneider)
It's been awhile since I've talked about Robbert Bobbert and the Bubble Machine, but that doesn't mean I'm not looking forward to the debut kids' CD from Apples in Stereo head honcho Robert Schneider. According to Little Monster Records, the Robbert Bobbert CD will drop in "fall 2008."
But we're into instant gratification here, so I'm here to show you how to instantly, er, gratify yourself. First, the quality -- you can listen to another album track at Little Monster's home page. "I Am A Clock" is a sing-songy sing-along ("Ding! Dong! Ding! Dong!") with some fun electronic squiggles thrown in for good measure. There's not much to the song, but those "Ding! Dong!"s are kinda catchy.
And for those of you who are a little more into quantity than quality...
There Are Little Monsters Under My Bed!
"Well, then, pick up your CDs, dear."
On the eve of Gustafer Yellowgold's and Robbert Bobbert's CMJ-related appearance at Joe's Pub on Saturday, I thought I'd note that their new label, Little Monster Records, has put together quite the diverse lineup of kids' releases. A Beatles tribute album, All Together Now, featuring members of the Bangles, Grandaddy, among others, will be released next week. A Medeski, Martin & Wood kids' album will be released next year along with Soulville, a collection of R&B and soul tunes that includes a kids chorus. (And then there are releases from Gustafer and Robbert Bobbert.) I can't imagine many families buying all 5 releases, but unless they're all awful, I can't imagine many families not finding something appealing in at least one of them.
I've often thought that there was room for kids-focused boutique labels. Frankly, even with Little Monster's creation (along with a re-energized Kid Rhino and ever-expanding Rounder Records), I think there's room for even more. Maybe not labels in the traditional sense (in which the labels often own the recordings), but labels as management companies, serving as filters and helping with distribution, production, and promotion.
Robbert Bobbert's Head-Bboppin' Tunes
I don't know whether Robert Schneider's kids' music album to be released by Little Monster Records in early 2007 under his Robbert Bobbert alter ego will be any good.
But if the tunes on his Myspace page are any indication of what'll be on the album, it'll be one of the oddest albums to come down the pike in some time.
"I Love the Animals" is a catchy New Wave/Beach Boys, Casio-accompanied tune which would be somewhat odd in its own right were it not accompanied by "Fee Fi Fo," which I can only describe as "The Chipmunks meets 50 Cent." It's a rap song from a mouse.
All I can say is, go listen for yourself.
How Do You Like Dem Apples, Gustafer?
News is slowly trickling out about V2/Artemis Records' new kids music imprint, Little Monster Records. And so far, they're batting 1.000. (See? It's baseball playoff time, and I made a baseball reference? Get it? Yeah, OK.)
Not only have they signed up Gustafer Yellowgold, as previously rumored (they'll be re-releasing Gustafer Yellowgold's Wide Wild World DVD in March), they've also signed Robert Schneider, leader of the indie rock band The Apples in Stereo. Schneider's alter ego Robbert Bobbert and the Bubble Machine (with the year's best PR line -- "If the number of B's in a name represented fun, Robbert Bobbert & The Bubble Machine have cornered the market!") will release an album for Little Monster in spring 2007.
They'll be performing together at Joe's Pub in New York City on Saturday, Nov. 4. Should be a blast -- if you're in NYC, go.
