You wouldn't know it by reading this space, but there's been some holiday kids music released this Christmas/Hanukkah/winter-holiday-of-your-choosing season. Not as much as in years past, but enough stuff worth your time checking out (and my time writing up).
I'll be reviewing some albums in a subsequent post, but here are a few tracks to stuff in your kids' stockings.
Free Downloads
The Not-Its change gears and offer up a tender, acoustic... aw, who am I kidding? There are loud guitars, natch. It's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," not "Tip-Toein' Around the Christmas Tree."
Bari Koral offers up her take on the familiar gingerbread man tale with a zippy "Gingerbread Man."
Brady Rymer is spending his holiday season "Untanglin' the Christmas Lights," though the song seems way too happy for that frustration. Available here for the price of an e-mail.
It's not quite a Christmas (or Hanukkah or even Halloween or Arbor Day) song, but it feels appropriate for the season. SteveSongs gifts you "Our World" -- just click on this link to start the download process.
Streams
My favorite kindie Christmas song this year? Groovy David's "Sorry Santa!" has a funky groove and horns. Horns, people! (Hanukkah 2013 is, like, only 11 months away, so save "The Great Dreidel Tournament" 'til then.)
Randy Kaplan delivers a nicely understated version of the classic "Frosty the Snowman." With the harmonica, it's got a touch of Dylan. (Again, Hannukah 2013 playlist early addition? "Oh Hannukah")
Todd McHatton'sChristmas Songs started out as a mini-EP, then over the years became a full EP, and now at 11 songs, I think it's graduated to full album status. McHatton added another song this year, "I Think I'm a Christmas Bunny." Download the whole thing for just $1.99, and as an extra stocking stuffer download "Ooh Shiny" (appropriate for a season of gifts and ornaments) for free.
Other Stuff
The great Gustafer Yellowgold (opening for The Polyphonic Spree's 10th Anniversary Holiday Extravaganza in six cities this holiday season) has been running videos from his Year in the Day DVD all year -- check out the ever-awesome "Fa and a La":
Time to post another Spotify update for new music (see November's playlist here). As always, it's limited in that if an artist hasn't chosen to post a song on Spotify, I can't put it on the list, nor can I feature songs from as-yet-unreleased albums. But, hey, there's always next month.
Check out the list here or go right here if you're in Spotify.
**** New Music December 2012 (December Kindie Playlist) ****
Alex & The Kaleidoscope Band – Water Lily The Ukulady – Camera Heart Justin Roberts – Nothing On You Helen Austin – Quiet Star The Little Rockers Band – Playing in the Band The Tumble Down Library – Elaine Shiprock and Anchordog – Light Around the Bend Nickella Dee – Me Like Me The Bazillions – Similes and Metaphors Jeremy Plays Guitar – TGIF Boogers – It's a Sunny Day The Alana Banana Band – All I Really Need
Kickstarter logoThey're not monthly updates, these highlightings of Kickstarter and other other crowdsourcing efforts in the kids music world, but we pretty much could do that now. Rarely does a week go by that a new family music project doesn't appear on Kickstarter, and I'm also hearing about new possibilities -- Koo Koo Kanga Roo (again) and Moona Luna are just a couple bands publicly mulling going the KS route.
First up, Bay Area band Orange Sherbet, who are Kickstarting for, well, just because they want to support their latest (and forthcoming) album Delicious. Besides offering copies of the music, of course, their project offers backers postcards, live music, and, yes, recipes. Mmmm.... food....
Next up, Brooklyn band Astrograss is turning to the site to help fund their next kids' CD. Their project offers backers unreleased music, t-shirts, posters, even lessons. I've liked some of their previous work, so I'm totally serious when I say, "String bands for everyone!"
Staying in New York City, Tim and the Space Cadets are also using Kickstarter to push their new album, Anthems for Adventure, across the finish line. Technically speaking, the monies raised by their project won't go to fund the two videos for the album (they're already shot), but I think I speak for everyone when I say that anything that helps produce a couple new Tim and the Space Cadets videos is a Good Thing.
Also of important note: Austin's Biscuit Brothers are Kickstarting once again. Just go read the description and search my website for the band. I think you know why this project is crucial. Crucial!
Not sure why, but these Kickstarter kids music projects come in clumps. Another fine batch of kindie projects from Kickstarter and its kin, so let's hop to it.
First up is the Kickstarter project from New York's Shine and the Moonbeams. Anyone who saw them at Kindiefest last year knows just how awesome this album could be. Yes, it's a debut album, but with folks like Dan Zanes and Tor Hyams lending their support, it's gonna be pro all the way.
Baltimore's Milkshake's concept for their Kickstarter project features a bunch of music one minute (or so) in length.
Alex and the Kaleidoscope Band's Kickstarter project doesn't officially launch until Friday, but you can watch the preview video now. [And here it is!]Rather than raising money for the album itself (I'm So Glad! comes out April 3), Alex Mitnick and crew are raising money for videos for the album. As someone who likes videos, I say, woot!
Kickstarter doesn't have a monopoly on kids' music projects -- Athens, GA band Like Totally! are pitching their project on IndieGoGo. I've actually been following the band for a little while now and I'm curious to see what a focused producer does with their Elephant-Six-meets-The-Polyphonic-Spree-meets-Sesame-Street vibe.
Now, in the category of "just lettin' ya know," Ralph Covert, aka Ralph's World launched and successfully funded his Kickstarter project to film a pilot for a new TV show called Time Machine Guitar, which features, er, a guitar that allows Ralph to travel Back. In. Ti-ime.
Also, there will be puppets.
The whole project looks pretty cool, with some top-notch talent backing Ralph up to make the pilot really cool. So keep your eyes out for that.
Not sure why, but these 
