I've said before (though maybe not to any of you) that if you miss hearing the power-pop that saturated the airwaves in the early '90s, then kids' music might just be your best option. There are few better at that particular subgenre than the Jim Dague and the rest of his compatriots in ScribbleMonster.
They've got a new album, Songs With No Character, coming out this spring, and they've just added a couple songs from the album available for downloading and listening on their Myspace page. Both tracks have been floating around for awhile now. "Spare the Rock Spoil the Child" was, as you might expect, originally crafted for the Spare the Rock radio show and rocks mightily. "The Song of LIFE" has been around in a live version since spring 2007, but now is up in full studio glory. It's actually a (comparatively) mellow track, and really as geared toward the parents as the kids, but it's sweet in its own way. It's reminiscent of one of the great masters of power-pop, Fountains of Wayne, in their more country-ish moments (think "Valley Winter Song," for example).
And, hey, even if you're not sure about those songs, go to the Myspace page and listen to "I Wish I Lived in Michigan," "The Fur Trade," and "Chocolate Milk" along with 'em. It's 10 or so minutes of great music.
