Turkey Andersen 2 - Turkey Andersen

Turkey Andersen 2 album cover

Artist: Turkey Andersen

Album: Turkey Andersen 2

Age Range:

Description: The follow up "full-length" (at 18 minutes, it's barely 2 minutes longer than the debut EP) from the mysterious Turkey Andersen (could he be related to Northampton, Massachusetts musician Henning Ohlenbusch?) is every bit as whimsical as its predecessor.  I gravitate toward the sillier tracks, like the irrepressible "I'm Not Scared," whose narrator isn't scared of anything (e.g., ghosts)... especially in unrelated situations (e.g., in the supermarket juggling fruit).  But the dreamier tracks, like "Rhonda Bubbles" (which sounds like an ode to a toddler with a typically toddler-y mind of her own) and "What An Animal'll Do", have their own allure.

You can stream (and purchase) the 18-minute album here.  The mix of silly and sweet and pop-rock happiness is a very appealing concoction, perfect for the ride to and back from school.  Definitely recommended. 

Note: I was provided a copy of this album for possible review.

Hamster Pants - Ratboy Jr.

Hamster Pants album cover

Artist: Ratboy Jr.

Album: Hamster Pants

Age Range: 4 through 7

Description: Different kids musicians have different strengths -- for some it's intricately-crafted musical productions, and for others it's an energetic live show.  For the Hudson Valley duo of Timmy Sutton and Matty Senzatimore, their strength is their loopy attitude, which thoroughly permeates their music.  How thoroughly?  Well, on this, their third album, the song "Sponges" features a chorus -- an incredibly catchy one -- with the lines "Even Billy Ocean / Uses sponges from the ocean."  This is a line that really makes very little sense in the context of the song but is so goofy that it will likely delight listeners of all ages.

Their affinity for improv is heard in other songs like "Littlest Giant" and "Marian the Barbarian Librarian," which are synth-assisted raps that sound off-the-cuff and overloaded lyrically.  While I suspect those songs amuse in concert (try not to shout "Plate Tectonics" along to "Poofy"), on record I think the band shines the most when they polish their ideas into irresistible crunchy pop nuggets, like "Dancing Room."  The band also does the occasional tender song well ("Sleep Like One..." and album closer "Try").

The band brings in guest musicians (including co-producer Dean Jones) here to round out their sound on the 41-minute album.  The goofiness might be too much for the surliest and serious amongst you, but most folks young or old who've ever taken a liking to "Weird Al" Yankovic, They Might Be Giants, and Barenaked Ladies will find much of the music appealing.  Recommended.

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

The Children's Planet - The Tumble Down Library

Artist: The Tumble Down Library

Album: The Children's Planet

Age Range: 4 through 9

Description:​ A concept album, I guess.  Twenty-seven songs of alterna-pop with some British Invasion touches, averaging less than a minute in length, one for each letter of the alphabet (plus an introduction), telling the story of 26 kids trapped on a planet.  Really it's just a bunch of character sketches with echoes of They Might Be Giants' early years of brief songs mixed with echoes of They Might Be Giants' later years of quasi-educational albums.  Kids with short attention spans will probably dig the brevity; adults may wish the hook-laden tracks didn't end quite so soon.  Stream the whole thing (and buy it digitally for just $4) here.  Recommended.

[Note: I was provided a copy of the album for possible review.]​