Category Archives: Reviews

Valentine’s Day Musing with Lisa Mathews of Milkshake

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Lisa Mathews, of the kindie band Milkshake, was recently a guest DJ on the Hilltown Family Variety Show, an incredible online network that supports education through community engagement, where she curated a playlist centered around love and social consciousness. Lisa’s music pics featured kindie such as Brady Rymer, Secret Agent 23 Skidoo and Recess Monkey, as well as adult artists such as The Beatles, Adele, and Sly and the Family Stone. She even features a song written in 1930 from the movie The Moderns, which is one of Emily’s  favorites in the bunch!

Altogether, the podcast signifies that love is multi-faceted, and the way we give and receive it impacts how we relate to one another. I really enjoyed listening to Lisa and thought it would be great to hear more of her thoughts on the topic of love in light of the upcoming holiday.

In today’s guest post, Lisa writes about how much she loves Valentine’s Day, creating love songs with her previous band Love Riot, and watching her teenage daughter experience love firsthand. Lisa’s thoughts really resonated with me as a mother and a music lover. I know that Emily will have her own experiences with love in the same way as Lisa’s daughter. But, as Lisa says below, “maybe she’ll write a song about it, and listen to other songs that will help her through.” And I plan to be there listening to the music with her.

Milkshake will be performing a Valentine’s Spectacular show in Maryland with all kinds of fun activities and sweet treats. Plus, if you aren’t familiar with Milkshake’s music, I encourage you to listen to the links below, and check out the band’s music page. Lisa’s voice is bee-u-tee-ful!

Details about the show which will benefit Arts On Stage, a nonprofit that brings arts performances into schools, can be found following the post.

VALENTINE’S DAY MUSING

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I love Valentine’s Day. I love all holidays, but having one more reason to tell someone “I Love You” sounds good to me. I love the heart-shaped boxes. And even though I can’t eat chocolate (woe is me), I love gazing at the different chocolate pieces and wondering what’s inside them, how they taste. I love the idea behind all those sweetheart candies, too. I pick out my favorites like “Sweet Love,” “My Love,” “Hug Me” and “Only You.” Nowadays, the candies say things like “Text Me” or “Tweet Me.” Love’s gone digital, for sure.

But perhaps what I love most of all are the love songs. They remind me that love itself is so multi-dimensional. Happy love songs, sad love songs, songs of longing, songs of leaving. Before Milkshake, Mikel and I fronted a band for adults called Love Riot and we wrote nothing but love songs. It was amazing to me how we never seemed to run out of ideas. Maybe it wasn’t so unlimited as the topics we’ve discovered writing songs for kids, but emotionally, there was probably more to our love songs. The songs reflected what I or my friends were going through, and perhaps being in love is more of an adult thing. I wrote “I Love You” as a lullaby for my daughter, but that’s certainly different from romantic love. Now, she’s a beautiful 14-year-old and I see hints of romantic pining. I don’t look forward to her first breakup, which could be a painful thing. But maybe she’ll write a song about it, and listen to other songs that will help her through.

So how will Milkshake – the band that celebrates most holidays with a big show somewhere – celebrate Valentine’s861-eventpage-milkshake_500 Day when the majority of our songs deal with imagination and play and doing the right thing? Well, we did record “I Love You” and “Enemies” for our Great Day CD, which skews a bit older, listener-wise. And we added a Milkshake version of the classic “Tiptoe Thru the Tulips” on our latest Got a Minute CD. But that’s about it in the love song department. We’ll do all three for sure, tossing rose petals at our little friends. Moo will pass out chocolate kisses and candy hearts, and we’ll all be giving out unlimited hugs after the show.

People can donate their unloved instruments to Music4More, who will find them loving homes at schools and communities. There will be face-painted hearts and cherubs for anyone who wants them, and our friends at Macaroni Kids will make paper valentines with the concert-goers. So while there might not be a lot of love songs, there will certainly be a lot of love. The concert benefits Arts On Stage, a non-profit that lovingly creates art performances for schools. Sounds like a great way to start my Valentine’s Day. After saying “I Love You” to my husband, daughter, cat, dog and life first, of course.

“I Love You” (YouTube)

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“Tiptoe Thru the Tulips”

 

Check this Out: Watching the Nighttime Come – Suz Slezak

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Imagine, for a moment, strolling barefoot through a lush grassy meadow. As the first light hits your face you are instantly caressed by its warmth. The joy that comes from bathing in that moment describes the feeling I get when listening to Suz Slezak sing. Her gentle voice tenderly radiates warmth and peace.

Slezak’s solo debut, Watching the Nighttime Come, was originally written for friends who are also young parents. As a lullaby album it does it’s job of providing soothing ambient sounds that are perfect for, as Suz explains, “anyone that just needs some chilling out in their life.” I can definitely relate to this, and actually found myself mostly playing this album after my daughter was asleep as a way to help me unwind and reflect on my own day.

Watching the Nighttime Come was started while Slezak was pregnant and finished after she had a babe in her arms. As someone who seeks a creative outlet while trying to balance my responsibilities as a mom, I greatly admire Slezak’s dedication to herself as an artist.

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The collection of songs on the album present a nice blend of originals and classics, some with vocals and some that are simply instrumental which make for nice, fluid transitions. There are also some cultural songs such as “Caballito Blanco,” a Mexican lullaby which features Slezak’s husband, David Wax, singing in harmony with her. One of my favorites, “Leather Winged Bat,” a well known English Folk Song, is actually an uptempo song, adding some buoyancy to the collection.

Another talent of Slezak’s is the fiddle, which she plays in the acclaimed indie-folk band David Wax Museum. We get to hear a bit of her magic in “Jessie’s Waltz,” an instrumental track showcasing the stringed instrument’s gorgeous and contemplative sounds. “Jessie’s Waltz” echoes the graceful, gliding movement of an actual waltz. I enjoyed taking my daughter’s hands and slowly dancing with her. She loves this song and at times she would close her eyes as she danced like a ballerina, feeling the music. It’s an intimate song that would also be wonderful to hum to a sleepy infant while smoothly sliding around as you cradle them in your arms.

Watching the Nighttime Come is officially released tomorrow, February 10, 2015. You can sample several songs, and get an up close and personal look at their touring van, through Slezak’s Pledge  Music site.

In honor of the album’s official release, you can stream “Where Did You Come From,” (the album’s first song) through the Soundcloud widget below.  As you listen to this track and experience the remaining 9 tracks on this album, you will quickly discover what a treasure it is, for you, for your family, and for your friends, as its meant to be.

Slezak will be playing a bunch of CD Release shows leading up to Valentine’s Day. For more information, check out the David Wax Museum website and follow Suz Slezak on Facebook.

 

Exploring Kids’ Music Album Art: Pairing visuals with sound

Posted in Album Reviews, Art, Interviews by

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2 ART FORMS IN ONE

I love album art! Since I was a child, I have been obsessed with the imagery that accompanies music. Two art forms in one package has always been a source of wonder. Getting a new record, taking in the smell of fresh pressed vinyl, and examining the cover was just as exciting as dropping the needle and hearing the crackle and pop.

LP jackets adorned our walls as though they were installations in a gallery, and with each one I would spend a considerable amount of time examining the art, wondering why a specific image had been chosen, what inspiration and story lay behind it, and how it represented the music within.

As music is increasingly consumed digitally, album art is at risk of becoming an afterthought. There are still many musicians, however, who are taking the time to ensure that their music has a visually distinctive identity. In the children’s genre many kindie artists are preserving the novelty by releasing a complementary LP version of their album while others are beefing up their album packages with informational booklets, and DVDs.

The graphic at the top of this post shows a sampling of albums from 2014 that caught my eye. As you glance at this collection, you’ll immediately notice what a diverse array of artwork it is! I feel so fortunate to be a part of such a talented community of artists and musicians, each working hard to create a lasting multi-sensory impression.

Over the coming weeks I’ll be talking with musicians and artists, gaining and sharing insight into the creative process that led to the final packaging you see today. If you’re a music fan, a fan of art, or simply a collector of interesting artifacts, I hope you’ll join me in learning about the “other half” of the album…. the one you see, but never hear.

Follow along by reading about Secret Agent 23 Skidoo’s Grammy nominated album, The Perfect Quirk.

Video + Song: “HBD, Dude” – Mista Cookie Jar and the Chocolate Chips

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Today (January 30, 2015) our family is celebrating a big birthday. Though it’s not the double digit kind, it’s enough of a number to give me a little pit in my stomach as I think about just how big my little girl has gotten. We are officially starting to count birthdays on two hands! At 6-years-old, she is as vibrant, imaginative, and as humorous as ever. She is the reason I started writing about kids’ music and a huge part of what drives me to continue on. She has taught me to look at life from so many different angles, and really listen to its music.

When Em started school this year, it was Mista Cookie Jar and the Chocolate Chips who helped me get through her first day, and now, with perfect timing, they’re back to help us celebrate another special event with their latest single “H.B.D., Dude,” a totally radical “surfalicious-birthday-rock-n-rap for the inner child!”

Check this out: “Pockets Full of Joy” – Lucy Kalantari

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Artist: Lucy Kalantari
Album: Pockets Full of Joy
Released: May 2014

Imagine you were sitting in a dimly lit cafe at a small round table with a single frosted votive flickering. The stage is but a shadow awaiting its wake up call.

Suddenly, a spotlight’s wide owl eye shines in the center of the curtain, the music strikes up, and out comes the brightest smile you’ve ever seen. Your heart is warmed and you feel your own smile widen as the lovely lady in front of you begins to sing.

Meet Lucy Kalantari, a New York-based singer-songwriter who has a dazzling voice reminiscent of notables like Bessie Smith, Sarah Vaughn, Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald.

Kalantari’s debut children’s EP, Pockets full of Joy, captures the spirit of the Roaring Twenties with 6 ukulele ditties that express the elation and humor found in parenting. Each song reflects an observation or emotion, both from the point of view of a parent and of a child, though the songs could easily stand on their own and be enjoyed with a loved one of any age.

Pockets Full of Joy opens with the title track, which expresses the enchantment you feel when you are around that special someone who melts (or swells) your heart with a smile or warm embrace.

“The Only Thing” enlivens the ecstatic effects of true love with heartfelt lyrics:

Celebrating life with you 
Grateful for the things you do 
Falling in your loving arms 
Greeted by your graceful charm 
I can’t imagine this life without your magic 
And I’m the one you chose to woo

In “Wait and See” Kalantari balances out her feelings of adoration with a more contemplative song that daydreams into the future, pondering what the little person in her life will grow up to be. I find myself often wondering the same thing about my daughter, while wanting to stop time and just stay suspended in our special moments together.

Once you become a parent, you are given a fresh sense of the world. So much of what you see is viewed through new lenses. Suddenly the canvas in front of you changes, a new painting appears, vivid and complex. The unexplainable love that one feels is not easily communicated, but Kalantari so beautifully channels what this new identity, new role, feels like. This expression is what I enjoy so much about the album.

Pockets Full of Joy is a wonderful keepsake for new parents, one that can be passed to child(ren) later on, and also be a treasure for you as you revisit those special moments every step of the way.

Check out Lucy Kalantari’s official site where you can download the album, sample songs and sing along with the lyrics. Or, visit her Joy Store where you can purchase a physical signed copy of the album.

Backseat Yoga Breaks with Kira Willey

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Happy New Year! Are you guys back into the swing of things yet? For our family, getting back into a regular routine – getting up early, getting lunch and snack made and to school on time – has taken some extra strength and mind power from reserves that feel depleted. I feel like I’ve been doing a lot of rushing and catching up with very little downtime. Plus, getting into a cold car for the morning commute makes everyone just a little more tense and uncomfortable. Thankfully, there is a solution!

Shortly before the holidays, Sirius XM’s Kids Place Live (ch. 78) started airing Kira Willey’s “Backseat Yoga Breaks” every morning on The Absolutely Mindy Show (7-10 am ET). These short breaks air sporadically throughout the show and offer everyone a chance to relax and get focused. Thankfully, our commute is long enough for us to enjoy these little breaks (which are also somehow nicely timed with the heat kicking in).

Today I am so excited to deliver three NEW yoga breaks to you! These breaks are so easy and are presented in a fun way with language that kids will be able to relate to and even find playful. I especially love the idea of setting an intention and thinking positively about how we would like our day to go. Kira’s helpful prompts encourage thoughtful conversations, providing a nice pathway to connect with your kids. The car is usually so quiet in the morning as we listen to the radio and work on trying to wake up our faces. Listening to Kira’s gentle voice guide us through setting an intention has helped break the silence. It’s also given my daughter an opportunity to share what’s on her mind, and even seek advice on how to handle certain situations with friends at school. I love it!

Feel free to enjoy these little breaks whenever you need them throughout your day. I use them on my own as well since I am on the computer all day and tend to hold tension in my shoulders and neck.

1- BUNNY BREATH (helps focus/energizes)

Sit up tall, and bring your hands in front of you like bunny paws. Wiggle your bunny nose as you take quick little breaths in, (sniff, sniff, sniff!) and then let it all the way out. Once more, take some bunny breaths in (sniff, sniff, sniff!) and then let it all the way out. Do this a few more times if you like it! Bunny breaths give us energy, and can help us focus. Have a great day!

2 – HOW TO BE A CLOUD (calming/improves self-awareness)

Sit up tall, close your eyes, and imagine you’re outside on a warm day. Now imagine you’re a cloud in the sky. What kind of a cloud are you? Are you a fluffy white cloud, or a dark gray cloud? If you’re a storm cloud, you can let your angry raindrops just fall away. Maybe you’re a sparkly cloud, full of snowflakes.  You can be any kind you want.  Take a long breath in, let it all the way out, and open your eyes.

3 – SET AN INTENTION (positive thinking)

Close your eyes, think about how you’d like your day to go, and finish this sentence in your mind… “Today, I’m going to be… ” Maybe you finish it with “helpful,” or “friendly!”…There are lots of things we have to do that we don’t have a choice about, but we do have a choice about how we act. So you decide how to finish the sentence, and if you want to, tell your grownup about it. And have a great day!

More about Kira

howcoverKira Willey is a nationally recognized musician and yoga teacher based in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania. She is also the creator of Fireflies Musical Yoga for Kids. Kira is passionate about helping children learn relaxation techniques that also help strengthen their minds in a way that leads to better focus and concentration. Kira’s latest release, How To Be A Cloud, contains a full set of 13 songs followed by 9 tracks featuring yoga instruction, and is packaged with a booklet illustrating yoga poses. Kira is also the host of a new yoga-for-kids series of interstitial programs airing on selected PBS TV affiliates which you can check out here. In September 2014, she led sessions with hundreds of teachers at the National Kids Yoga Conference in Washington DC.

Check out the additional tension-relieving yoga breaks below and through this link. Also, make sure to visit Kira’s official page for news, music downloads and events.

These backseat yoga breaks have become like apps for the body and mind. If you find yourself feeling anxious or in need of a brief reprieve, Kira’s got a yoga break for that. Need to reduce the tension in your shoulders, or perhaps, like me, you need a little assistance waking up your face? Kira’s got a yoga break for that, too! They truly are useful for all ages (see additional yoga breaks at the bottom of this post)!

Gentle Neck Stretch
Sit up nice and tall, and close your eyes. Gently shake your head like you’re saying no, and then nod your head like you’re saying yes. Slowly and gently let your head fall to the right. Now, bring it down and forward toward your chest, and roll it to the left side. Lean your head back just a little, as if you’re looking up toward the sky, but keep your eyes closed. Now,  let’s roll the other way: gently lean your head to the left, roll it down to the front, and lean your head to the right side. Come back to center, take a long breath in, let it all the way out, and open your eyes.

Shoulder squeeze
Sit up tall, and pull your belly in. Squeeze your shoulders up toward your ears, take a big breath in, and let it out as you slowly drop your shoulders back down. Once more, squeeze your shoulders up toward your ears, take a breath in. Let it out as you slowly drop your shoulders back down. Do this a few more times if it feels good.

Full body squeeze
Let’s wake up our bodies by squeezing all of our muscles. Start with scrunching up your toes, then squeeze all the muscles in your legs, make your belly really strong, and squeeze the muscles in your arms. Make your hands into fists, scrunch up your face and squeeze your eyes shut. Take a breath in, and as you let it out, slowly let all those muscles go, and relax your whole body.

Wake Up Your Face <— YES, PLEASE! Kira is awesome!

Check this out: “How to be a Cloud; Yoga Songs for Kids Vol. 3” – Kira Willey

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The practice of being mindful is often associated with being still, so as to be fully in the moment. It’s not thinking about the past or future, but a distinguishable present. The idea of purposefully being in the moment, and not thinking about the flurry of things waiting to be checked off throughout the day, or the things I didn’t get to yesterday, seems like an impossible feat on most days.

The times I feel most in the moment are when I’m listening to my favorite song, or when I’m dancing. Yoga is also a reliable resource that helps me find a way to just be.

My daughter is very active and though I have tried to connect with her through yoga, encouraging her to try out various poses, she regularly finds a way to augment our practice by challenging me to try an even harder Twister-like pose or some sort of gymnastic move like flipping over the arm of our couch and then flying down to the floor. Though our zen moments tend to be more active than still, I appreciate that we can both just “be” together, in the moment, mindfully trying things out.

Kira Willey, a popular kindie artist and musical yogini, recently released her third album, How to be a Cloud; Yoga Songs for Kids Vol. 3. Similar to her previous albums, this one includes a full-length “side” of 13 songs followed by 9 bonus tracks featuring yoga instruction. So depending on how you’re feeling, you can choose to sing, dance or get your yoga on, all of which are viable vehicles for cultivating mindfulness, and can be done at the same time. It also helps that the album includes a booklet illustrating yoga poses which removes any awkwardness that comes with trying to figure out how you should position your body.

What struck me most about this album is the clever way the songs are arranged. While most albums usually build to a peak and then wind down, ending with a soft song or lullaby, How to be a Cloud was organized such that the slow songs are interspersed throughout the album. The changing from upbeat boogie tunes to soft, restful songs is similar to the way a yoga class might run where there is guided movement and then there are holding poses. By giving kids the opportunity to be active for a few songs, they are more likely to engage with the slower songs that pique their imagination. “Kids need to move their bodies, it’s how they learn best,” notes Willey. I noticed this with my daughter whose method of cultivating mindfulness is through action, as mentioned above. Feeling her feet hit the ground and then push upward again provides her brain with enough feedback so that she is able to focus and reap the restorative benefits of songs like the title track (“How to be a Cloud”), which encourages sitting and imagining what it feels like to be a cloud, feeling the weightless floating. The restful lullaby, “When You Sleep,” also offers the opportunity for a reflective pause as Willey’s peaceful wishes gracefully glide like dandelion seeds through the air.

There is a lot of joy sprinkled throughout this album and while you can feel it in the aforementioned songs, there are plenty opportunities to break out your happy dance. “Gotta Lotta Happy” reminds us that we can keep our hearts smiling by offering positive energy to others: “Happy is contagious like a cold in a good way/ so let’s not hesitate to share/ we gotta talk about it celebrate it shine a light on it/ because everybody needs it everywhere.” “Wings On A String,” a gorgeous song with soaring vocals that give me chills every time, was written as a kite song because, as Willey explains, “kids love to fly.”

“Great Big Starry Sky,” one of my favorites, expresses the innocence of a child’s thoughts as they marvel at the bright lights that twinkle like fireflies in the night sky. The childlike wonder expressed in the lyrics resonates with me as I am deeply fascinated by all things astral: “…are they always there, even when the sun is shining does anyone ever turn them off/ or are they always there even when we can’t see them does anyone ever turn them off.”

“Colors – 2014,” a remix of the original song that appeared on Willey’s first album, Dance for the Sun, and was later featured in a Dell commercial, features a choir of 75 Kindergartners who bring a powerful element as they sing “I am a rainbow today/ all the colors of the world are in me.” Many listeners will relate to “Dancing with My Daddy,” which is basically a literal translation of the utter joy and magic that happens when Daddy comes home, while “Jazzy” and “Cookie Jar” nab you with some catchy lyrics and hip shaking rhythm. Just try and get those two out of your head!

Willey’s approach to songwriting and passion to encourage kids (and grown-ups) to find beauty in themselves is ever-present throughout this album. Each song, whether upbeat or slow provides a meaningful message that delivers a sense of calm and comfort. Delivered through beautiful melodies, How to be a Cloud offers the comfort of a hug, the warmth of a cup of hot cocoa on a cold day, and a heart full of gratitude. Families will enjoy spending time with this album in a variety of ways, which is especially nice on wintry days when Jack Frost is nipping at our noses. Definitely recommended.

Liner notes
– Favorite songs: Jazzy, Cookie Jar, Great Big Starry Sky, Wings on a String
– SiriusXM Satellite Radio’s Kids Place Live (Channel 78) airs Willey’s “Backseat Yoga Breaks” in the morning on the Absolutely Mindy show. The “Backseat Yoga Breaks” guide children in breathing exercises, mini stretches and guided imagery that can be done in the car.
– Willey has a musical yoga-for-kids interstitial series that airs on selected PBS TV affiliates!

Connect with Willey via Facebook, Twitter and her official site where you can purchase How to be a Cloud, as well as merchandise (including a ribbon ring to use while you dance to “Colors” as shown in the video below).

TBT: “Free to Be…You and Me”… Then and Now with Jason Didner and Suzi Shelton

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Recently, Jason Didner (of Jason Didner and the Jungle Gym Jam) and Suzi Shelton teamed up to record a cover of the song “Free to Be…You And Me,” which is the title track for an album of the same name. Produced by Marc Bazerman from Baze and His Silly Friends, the sound of this version is very similar to the original with the modern-day addition of the saxophone played by Alyssa Menes. Listening to Didner and Shelton bring this track back to life, I found myself hearing a song from my youth with a more mature ear. I was inspired to dig deeper and upon listening to the full album, I felt a great appreciation for just how revolutionary it was for its time.
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42 years ago, the album Free to Be…You and Me was created by actress Marlo Thomas and released into the world based on the notion that children, regardless of gender, should be free to feel and express their feelings, and grow up to be whomever they think they ought to be. It was, in many ways, a benchmark in support of a more gender neutral society. The album was so popular that it’s concept was expanded into a book and later a TV special. Many of the songs on the album touched upon progressive topics for their time (1972), i.e a girl could choose to be a doctor, and a boy could hone his paternal instincts by playing with a (baby) doll. The latter, found in the song “William Wants a Doll” was especially profound. I have never heard or seen anything encouraging boys to play with dolls. It seems so natural to encourage this based on the long-term benefit it could have on them later in life. A provocative assertion, maybe, but quite astounding when I think about it now as a parent. As a whole, the entire album really opened my eyes to how much progress we have made and yet how much more there is to go.

Didner felt the same way about the song when he revisited it recently and shared his thoughts: “Today, 42 years after the song’s original debut, it holds new meaning, celebrating the fact that women have become astronauts and CEO’s, and men have become stay-at-home dads and nurses since then. On a personal level, I celebrate the upbringing I had where I learned that I get to define my manhood on my own terms and that I don’t have to fear anyone’s judgment for painting my daughter’s nails and being a nurturing daddy.”

Didner continues, “When I reconnected with this song, I felt the pull to learn the song and sing it acoustically. The inspiration came quickly that I should record the song with the band and bring on a special guest singer — one whose voice radiates warmth and happiness (ed note: SO TRUE!) — I reached out to Suzi Shelton to sing this as a duet with me. It was only natural to also connect with Suzi’s producer Marc “Baze” Bazerman, a friend of mine from NJ’s kindie scene.”

You can hear the original Free to Be…You and Me here through the Spotify widget below followed by the updated single.

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You can hear and purchase (name your price!) the “Free to Be…You and Me” single by Jason Didner and Suzi Shelton through the Soundcloud widget below:

Do you remember this song? Has this song influenced you in any way throughout your upbringing or even now as a parent?

Check this out: Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke – Animal Tales

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Welcome to the Kingdom of Animalia! Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke (KWMC) are back and this time they have a whole new cast of animal characters for you to meet. Animal Tales is the duo’s fourth album and one that you should expect to spend a lot of time with because it’s just that good. We have had it on repeat for over a month now and I still learn something new with every spin. Em liked it so much that she illustrated her own book featuring every animal from the album. Now that’s love! She even insisted on contributing her own thoughts “for other kids!” which is featured at the end of this review.

As always, the brilliance of KWMC’s work can be found within the fine-tuned details. Whether it’s Wilde’s gorgeous illustration that graces the album’s cover or the skillful way each song is constructed, it’s clear that this talented duo puts a ton of thought into their work. Imagine if you were to open a National Geographic Kids or Ranger Rick magazine and there was music playing on each page. Animal Tales takes the pages of these beloved magazines and brings them to life with soundtracks that are cleverly matched to a variety of animal personalities. The songs are rich with fun animal facts that also include the the artists’ lovable sense of humor and clever ability to play with words and phrases, making it one of the most listenable and entertaining albums out there. “The Buck Stops Here,” is a prime example of these guys totally nailing it.

“I heard that the buck stops here/ They tell me that the buck stops here/ But I’ve been here for a year/ And I Ain’t seen a single deer/ Gotta move on it’s time to roam/ But I’ll wait until the cows come home/ Heard that the buck stops here/ …/I’m waiting ’til the cows to come home/ But the cows may never come home/ It’s a waste of time and I’ll tell you why/ Cows will come home when pigs can fly… /Some say pigs can fly/ Others say it’s just a lie/ Never seen a pig in the sky/ But the doctor says pigs can fly/ Doctor said it so it must be true/ Doctor said “Swine flu.”

“Larry the Lobster” also includes a brief quip which gets me smiling every time. When Herman the Hermit Crab moves to a new shell, he bids his anemone friends farewell by saying, “With friends like me who needs anemones?”

While most of the 13 tracks on the album relate to animal stories, there is also support for wildlife conservation, reminding us of the challenges animal’s face whether it’s due to population decline, habitat changes or environmental challenges. “The Bear Song,” one of our favorite songs, teaches about 8 species of bears throughout the world.There’s even a shout out for the sugary kind. Do you know the color of a Polar Bear’s skin or which bear sings her cubs to sleep? The song and its accompanying video were created in collaboration with the Woodlands Wildlife Refuge, a non-profilt wildlife rehabilitation facility dedicated to the care and release of orphaned and injured wildlife. Emily loves this song so much that she actually said to me “mama, be quiet and listen to the facts.” I mean, that’s for real.

Animals have always been a central theme with this duo. Animal Tales, in particular, was largely inspired by Wilde’s interest in animals from his own childhood and the intrigue they brought him. He explains,

“As a child I was constantly drawing pictures of animals. I loved reading about animals and  observing them whenever possible. To me, each species expressed its own character and personality. Music was another big obsession and I suppose I made this record because I would have loved it when I was a kid.”

Animal tales is truly an album for families to share. Listeners will be treated to a musical expedition accompanied by a bountiful supply of fresh tracks that both educate and entertain. You’re always taken on a wild adventure with this dynamic duo which is exactly why we love them.

Emily’s Take: They always know what to do about soaring things in the sky and on land. Bears, birds and bees, squirrels and frogs. Things you don’t know about animals you get to learn! They make children laugh. It’s kind of funny when you think about a cat named Beastapuss. Animal facts are fun.

Liner Notes:

– Animal Tales was produced by Grammy-winning producer Dean Jones
– Favorite songs: The Bear Song, Alligator Get-Together, Beastapuss
– Key Wilde has done artwork for Avanti Greeting Cards, the Central Park Conservancy and the Woodlands Wildelife Refuge which was featured in a book called Broke Leg Bear, a true story about a badly injured cub who was rehabilitated and released back into the wild. Learn more and purchase the book here.
– KWMC’s “Animal Alphabet” video has reached over 660,000 views! The song is also featured in a Mibblio app along with Wilde’s beautiful artwork.

Meet Armando Armadillo from last week’s video release and grab a FREE DOWNLOAD of the song.

You can purchase the album through Amazon, or iTunes.

Make sure to follow Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke for updates via Facebook and Twitter!

 

Story time with Rock Band Land – “Alone At Home With A Bus”

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It’s story-time with Rock Band Land again, folks!

Source: Rock Band Land. Learn more about Rock Band Land here.

Title: Alone At Home with A Bus

What’s It All About?: Brothers and sisters are home alone for the first time when a bus crashes into their house. The kids remove the bus with an ingenious invention, but must explain the domestic destruction to their parents. Below will find the story and the song.

Why is there a story and a song? The story was written in Rock Band Land, a creativity program for elementary-aged kids. The kids come together, form a band and collaborate ideas that form a story. Once the story is written, it is turned into a song and the kids participate by lending their voices for a rockstar recording produced by members of the band Rainbow Beast (who are also Rock Band Land teachers). Learn more about this incredible program by clicking on the Rock Band Land links above. Hear more from Rainbow Beast here.

Story: 

Song: