The Not-Its are back with another musically sound and sonically charged album filled with raw, kinetic energy. As the name implies, KidQuake! contains properties that will invoke lots of sudden movement. In other words, get ready to body rock!

In addition to being a part of the wildly talented Kindiependent collective, The Not-Its are made up of veteran indie musicians (lead singer, Sarah Shannon was the former singer of 90’s Sub Pop band Velocity Girl), Danny Adamson (rhythm guitar), Tom Baisden (lead guitar), Jennie Helman (bass player) and Michael Welke (former drummer of Harvey Danger) who channel their rock/pop/punk sensibilities into making rockin’ kid tunes. They also happen to be experienced parents, with a total of 10 children amongst themselves, ranging from ages 2 through 9, which makes for highly relatable topics the whole family will enjoy!

Kicking off the album is the title track, “Kidquake!” a thunderous tune which gives meaning to the driving force behind the frenetic energy that emanates from little bodies. As the lyrics proclaim “we may be small but we are strong” and “there’s an energy/we gotta set it free/come on every boy and girl,” “KidQuake!” could very well be the new “kid power” anthem. Or perhaps a call for a kiddie flash mob?

Parents will get a kick out of “Temper Tantrum,” which pretty much speaks for itself and “Busy,” a ska jam that reaches out to parents, acknowledging that life can be hectic while offering the suggestion that sometimes we need to slow down. Resounding horns add a nice touch throughout the song and act as alarm clocks in the video.

The Not-Its encourage staying active with “Let’s Skateboard,” a song that lists out all kinds of skateboarding tricks, and “Walk or Ride,” a song that encourages taking in the beauty of Mother Nature by using our feet to get from place to place.

What Miss Em and I like to rock out to the most is “Tarantula Funeral,” in which The Not-Its so appropriately bid a righteous farewell to a beloved classroom pet. The song has an extremely catchy chorus with blending harmonies and smart lyrics. In fact, because of Bob the Tarantula’s biological misfortune, and the curious mind of my spider loving 4 year old, we were able to bond while learning some science.

“Operation Cooperation” is a motivational song with a good message about teamwork and getting along with new friends in school while “Participation Trophy” celebrates hard work and trying your best even if it means scoring for the other team or winning 27th place in chess club.

Listeners will also enjoy songs about games with songs like “Full Tilt,” which refers to pinball mastery and “Rock, Paper, Scissors,” a perfect theme song for the classic childhood game as the lyrics exclaim “One for the money/ Two for the show/ Three pumps to get ready/ You go now throw!”

Wrapping up the album is the endearing tune, “The Not-Its Love You,” a reassuring message of love and a reminder that The Not-Its’ produce music from the heart, while uplifting the spirits of their audience.

The Not-Its take their music and their image seriously and deliver on both. Between the colorful artwork
by Grammy-nominated Invisible Creature (Target, Nike, Nickelodeon) and the ladies’ vibrant pink tutus, you can immediately guess that you are about to have some serious fun! KidQuake! is another success for The Not-Its and one that every family deserves to hear. It really just rocks! Highly recommended for ages 3 and up! Tutus suggested, but not required.

KidQuake! is available through The Not-Its store , as well as Amazon and iTunes.

You can also listen to clips from the album through the Bandcamp widget below.

Below is a video for “Tarantula Funeral,” which was made by guitarist, Tom Baisden’s, elementary school class. In addition to being an awesome musician, Baisden is also an elementary school teacher for children with special needs.

[Video courtesy of The Not-Its via YouTube]