As you’ve probably noticed, this month’s Minnesota Parent is all about boys; next month, we’ll be all about girls. By a happy coincidence, I have my own very small focus group, with soon-to-be-5 Liam and pretty-soon-to-be-8 Ella. And, since I’m a co-founder of the Fids and Kamily Awards (along with two family-music bloggers: Stefan Shepard of Zooglobble.com and Amy Davis of TheLovelyMrsDavis.com), I thought it would be fun to use my next two articles to explore the Awards, based on votes from family-music critics, writers, radio programmers, and such, first with an eye toward boys, and then toward girls. This month, then, I’ll focus on the music I’ve noticed resonates with Liam. (Of course, all the Fids and Kamily choices are actually great for boys or girls.) The numbers here represent the albums’ ranks in the poll. You can check out the full list of nominees and winners at FidsAndKamily.com.
By the way, I tried to get Liam to provide some feedback but was less than successful; he kept saying things like “I like her voice a half-and-a-quarter,” which, while intriguing, doesn’t provide much guidance.
1. Justin Roberts – Meltdown!: I’m surprised I haven’t mentioned Roberts’ music already in these columns; he was one of the first family musicians we found and remains a favorite. This is his fifth album and easily his best, thanks to impressive production and instrumentation that bring a polish to the upbeat pop-rock without rendering it too slick. It thoroughly deserves the top spot in the poll. I defy you to listen to the title track and its Modern English shout-out (“I’d stop the world and melt down with you”) without bopping your head as Liam does. (Ella does, too.) Roberts, who used to be in the Twin Cities band Pimentos for Gus, is now based in Chicago but plays in the Twin Cities regularly; go see him. JustinRoberts.org
4. Frances England – Fascinating Creatures: I wrote about this record last month and can’t say enough good things about it. Fascinating Creatures, and the Jellydots’ Hey You Kids!, about which I’ll write next month, were my top choices. England, by the way, is the singer about whom Liam said, “I like her voice a half-and-a-quarter.” I don’t know what that means, but it’s apparently good. FrancesEngland.com
5. Wee Hairy Beasties – Animal Crackers: Wee Hairy Beasties could reasonably be called a supergroup, at least by people who spend too much time in indie record stores. It’s got members of the Mekons and Waco Brothers, plus Kelly Hogan and Devil in a Woodpile. Luckily, they’re a good supergroup (this is no Bad English or Asia). Animal Crackers is chock full o’ country (alt- and otherwise), swing, blues, and other songs that you and your kids will eat up. It’s on Bloodshot Records, which previously released the slightly subversive The Bottle Let Me Down compilation (also worth owning), and this, too, has a slight edge to it. I have hopes that Liam will himself be slightly subversive, and he sure does giggle at a lot of the jokes on Animal Crackers. BloodShotRecords.com
6. The Sippy Cups – Electric Storyland: The Sippy Cups previously released a record of live covers made kid-friendly (“I Wanna Be Sedated” became “I Wanna Be Elated,” for instance) and an EP of originals. Nothing on those releases prepared me for this CD, which is completely original and completely addictive. It’s the kids’ album you’d expect if you created the ultimate kids’ music creature by combining Love, Ben Kweller, Fountains of Wayne, maybe a pinch of They Might Be Giants, and an ’80s arena-rock band. (I’m assuming here that you have a very powerful and odd genetic laboratory. I accept no responsibility for injuries or quirky singing zombies resulting from your efforts.) TheSippyCups.com
9. Mr. David – The Great Adventures of Mr. David: Most reviews of this CD have made Dylan comparisons, and that’s about right. While most kids’ albums are, lyrically, pretty direct, you can think of The Great Adventures of Mr. David as Baby’s First Pynchon – this is complex and interesting stuff, and sometimes obscure. The instrumentation is eclectic, and the music matches the lyrical style, with shades of, again, Dylan, but also of My Morning Jacket. It may take a few listens (and that may be more listens than your kids want to give it), but it’s worth it. MrDavidMusicWorks.com
Check back next month for the rest of the top 10, with a special nod toward Ella’s favorites!
Bill Childs is a law professor in western Massachusetts. He and his 7-year-old daughter produce a kids’ music radio show, “Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child,” weekly; check it out at SpareTheRock.com. Contact him at show@sparetherock.com and tell him other artists he should know about. H
