Video: "Vegetables" - Rabbit!

The Golden Carrot album cover

It's been a case of long-time-no-hear for the band Rabbit!  They released the kid-friendly album Connect the Dots in 2010, another EP called The Hopscotch EP the next year along with a cute video for their song "Magic."  

They took a hiatus for a few years starting in 2012, but now they're back with a brand new EP called The Golden Carrot EP.  The 5-song EP is out on March 21st and for the most part, the music is hook-y, bubbly pop that nobody would think was "kids music" unless somebody put it in that box for them.

One track, though, definitely has a younger audience in mind, and that's "Vegetables."  While regular readers will know that I'm not a big fan of "educational" music, but just as a well-prepared dish of veggies will get kids to eat foods they need, if the song's catchy and has a sing-along chorus, you can sing about just about anything.  That's the case here, and with doctor/rapper ZDoggMD adding vocals and a cute lyric video bursting with color and energy, I think kids will want at least one serving.  Maybe more.

Rabbit! - "Vegetables" [YouTube]

Video: "Potato Leek Soup" - Django Jones

It's been awhile since Django Jones released their 2014 album D Is for Django, but not too long ago they released a video for one of my favorite songs on the album, "Potato Leek Soup," a brief but earnest power ballad promoting, well, potato leek soup.  (Think of it as the savory version of The Verve Pipe's "Cereal", I guess.)

Anyway, the video features real potato heads and, even better, leek puppets.  I'm serious, folks, it's worth 90 seconds of your time to see leek puppets sing.  (Also, stick around for the closing credits.)

Django Jones - "Potato Leek Soup" [YouTube]

Itty-Bitty Review: We All Shine - Play Date

Play Date We All Shine album cover

Play Date We All Shine album cover

For whatever reason, kindie pop-punk has tended not to be nearly as boundary-pushing as its adult counterpart.  I'm not expecting every song to be about challenging or countercultural notions, but more of this subgenre covers familiar topics than I'd expect.

Play Date, the duo of Greg Attonito and Shanti Wintergate, is no different.  On their new album We All Shine, they tackle a song about colors (er, "Colors") and four variations of public service announcements for "Fruits & Vegetables."  The musical packaging is novel (it's a PSA as delivered by circus barker), but the notions are common fare.  More intriguing to me, then, are the songs that break those familiar molds to varying degrees.  "Ninja Pajamas" is about, well, stealthy pajamas, but brings in Minneapolis hip-hop artist P.O.S to rap some of the lyrics.  "Cardboard Box" rocks hardest, and follow the "show, don't tell" dictum -- by listing all the different things the box can be, it more effectively demonstrates the power of imagination.  And sometimes all you need is a simple story song, like the grunge-pop of "Stevie the Fox," which kicks off the album.

The 41-minute album will have most appeal to kids ages 3 through 7.  We All Shine fits the kindie pop-punk mold quite nicely, with an ear for crunchy melody.  Come for the songs about fruits and vegetables, stay for the songs about ninja pajamas.

Note: I received a copy of the album for possible review.

Video: "Brussels Sprout Shout" - Duke Otherwise

So glad to see that Duke Otherwise has a video for a song off his somewhat-under-the-radar-but-fun debut album Creepy Crawly Love.  It's for "Brussels Sprout Shout," and as you can imagine, there are several featured vegetables.

This is what I imagine Downton Abbey to be like All. The. Time.  Please don't tell me I'm wrong. 

Duke Otherwise - "Brussels Sprout Shout" [Vimeo]