Listen To This: The Kingdom of Heaven Is Like This - Rain for Roots

Now, I realize that there is probably a not insubstantial portion of my readership with a distinctly secular/humanist/athiest worldview, and probably another insubstantial portion of the Jewish faith.  If you find yourself in either of those categories, you can probably move on, check out the site tomorrow.

But if you have a Christian faith background, and you're reading a kindie music site, then you should probably know about Rain for Roots, a Nashville-based quartet of women writing and performing thoughtful songs from that Christian faith background.  (It includes Katy Bowser from the still-wonderful, and secular, kids' jazz group Coal Train Railroad.)  Their first album Big Stories for Little Ones was everything their teaser sampler suggested, and their forthcoming album The Kingdom of Heaven Is Like This is another collection of lovingly-arranged folk-rock for the Sunday School set.  This is for fans of Justin Roberts' Why Not Sea Monsters? disks and Elizabeth Mitchell's more mystical/religious sounds.  Many of the songs, however, explicitly reference God and Jesus, so your taste in this music will be bound by your religious preference.

My Favorite (Best?) Kids Music of 2012

While the posting date on this says 2012, I have to tell you the truth.  I am totally  back-dating this thing.  I am writing this at the end of October 2013 in preparation of writing my Top 10 lists for 2013. 

You see, my secret shame is that I never published my list(s) of my favorite kids music of 2012.

Oh, the shame, it burns... 

Now, it's not like I didn't seriously think about this subject last year.  Besides co-coordinating the 2012 Fids and Kamily Awards, I also voted in them, and the top 10 albums below reflect my vote in the awards.  But I do receive far more great kids music than I can fit into my ten-slot F&K ballot, so this is my opportunity to give some shout-outs to some artists.  Looking at this list, there are easily 6 or 7 of those albums on the list from #s 11 through 25 that could easily be swapped into the Top 10 list.

So in order not to make this already more embarrassing or major-movie-romantic-comedy-like, without further ado (or, frankly, comment), here are my lists of the best (or at least favorite) in kids music, circa 2012.  (If you define, as I do, 2012 as being Nov. 1, 2011 through Oct. 31, 2012.)

Top Kids Music Albums

1.  The Okee Dokee Brothers - Can You Canoe?

2.  Elizabeth Mitchell - Blue Clouds

3.  The Board of Education - Binary

4.  Dog on Fleas - Invisible Friends

5.  Johnny Bregar - My Neighborhood

6.  Lunch Money - Spicy Kid

7.  Recess Monkey - In Tents

8.  Various Artists - Science Fair

9.  Secret Agent 23 Skidoo - Make Believers

10.  Various Artists (Matt Wilson) - WeBop: A Family Jazz Party

Albums 11-25 (unranked, shown in alphabetical order) 

Caspar Babypants - Hot Dog!

Coal Train Railroad - Swings! 

Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band - A Potluck

Duke Otherwise - Creepy Crawly Love 

Elska - Middle of Nowhere 

Jennifer Gasoi - Throw a Penny in the Wishing Well

Jumping Through Hoops - Rockin' to the Fiddle

Randy Kaplan - Mr. Diddie Wah Diddie 

Kori Pop - Songs for Little Bean 

Elizabeth Mitchell - Little Seed 

Elena Moon Park - Rabbit Days & Dumplings 

The Pop Ups - Radio Jungle

Renee & Jeremy - A Little Love 

They Might Be Giants - No! (Deluxe Reissue) 

Laura Veirs - Tumble Bee

 

A special shout-out here to Adventures of Chicken Weebus , which isn't really kids music so I didn't really consider it for this list, but based on pure entertainment value definitely ranks in our Top 25.

 

Top Kids Music Debut Albums (listed alphabetically)

Duke Otherwise - Creepy Crawly Love 

Elska - Middle of Nowhere

Kepi Ghoulie - Kepi for Kids 

Jumping Through Hoops - Rockin' to the Fiddle 

Kori Pop - Songs for Little Bean

Alison Faith Levy - World of Wonder (I know, not quite fair given her history with the Sippy Cups, but still...)

Elena Moon Park - Rabbit Days & Dumplings

Play Date - Imagination 

Laura Veirs - Tumble Bee

Various Artists (Matt Wilson) - WeBop: A Family Jazz Party 

Share: Music from Coal Train Railroad

CTRRSwings.jpgWould you like some free music -- like, ten songs worth? Ten good songs worth? Then Coal Train Railroad would like to be of assistance. They've offered up ten free tracks from their three albums -- two from their self-titled debut (which I liked), two from their latest album Coal Train Railroad Swings! (which I liked a lot), including "I'm Diggin' Me," and the whole 6-song EP Live in Monophonarma, which includes their take on the Jellydots' classic "Bicycle." The price of all this swingin' jazz goodness? An e-mail (preferably yours, otherwise some other random person's gonna get the download code) and a zip code (again, preferably yours). If you're not familiar with the band, it's definitely worth it.

Review: Coal Train Railroad Swings! - Coal Train Railroad

CTRRSwings.jpgThere are not many artists who play jazz for kids, which is a sad thing. Sad not because Jazz Is The American Art Form and more kids should be aware of their country's musical heritage (even though that statement is true). Sad because jazz can be one of the most playful musical forms, and who plays better than kids? On their second album, Coal Train Railroad Swings!, Nashville's Coal Train Railroad are every bit as playful as their pint-sized primary audience, adding several musical exclamation points to that in the title. From the get-go vocalist Katy Bowser throws herself into the preschool-focused lyrics with abandon. On the swingin' leadoff track "I'm Diggin' Me," Bowser sounds hopped up on pixie sticks as she fully inhabits the bouncing-off-the-walls-let's-play-superheroes! narrator. On big band-inspired "Dirt," I love the way Bowser throws off the word "dirt" at the end of every line, a statement of fact mixed with "what-are-ya-gonna-do?" insouciance. And I think you can probably guess the vocal approach she takes on the gypsy-jazz "I Hab a Code." Which isn't to imply that the music is just jokey -- they come from a kid-centered focus. Bowser can turn in gorgeous vocals as well, as on "With A Box." And she's very ably backed up by her CTRR co-founder, producer and bassist Christopher Donohue, and the rest of the band. They provide great accompaniment, playful when necessary, solid through and through. The album is very preschool-focused lyrically, which may very well restrict the repeatability for folks when kids aren't around, though the album closer, the gorgeous "On Our Swings," is a worthy successor to the West Coast jazz sound Vince Guaraldi made famous to a broad audience via the Peanuts TV specials. The album is more appropriate for kids ages 2 through 7, though that's a lyrical distinction -- musically, it works for everyone. You can hear the whole 27-minute album via the widget at the bottom of the page. I liked Coal Train Railroad's debut, but I really like Coal Train Railroad Swings!. If it's not quite the all-ages classic that Medeski Martin & Wood's Let's Go Everywhere is, it gets close. It's musical, smart, and, most importantly, fun. Definitely recommended. Disclosure: I received a copy of the album for possible review.