School's Out... And In. Simultaneously.

I have written multiple times (OK, twice thus far) about the band Central Services Board of Education, the kids' music offshoot of Seattle indie-pop band Central Services. Count myself as a CSBOE fan, though one of just a few because, you know, they haven't actually released an album.

Well, soon enough that group will expand, because this afternoon the band said that they've finished the album and will have pre-release copies at their first-ever full-band performance Sunday along with Recess Monkey at Northwest Folklife. The band says they're targeting a release right around "back to school" time.

Can't make it to Seattle to pick up a pre-release copy to tide your family over this long summer? Well, then get yourself over to their Myspace page, where they've posted a zippy new track, "8 Is A Number" ('cause everyone's doing number songs this spring, dontcha know?). It's available for download in handy mp3 format, along with a "director's cut" version of the totally awesome "The Lonely Tomato." Both now with added horns!

OK, This Is A Top 10 Most Anticipated Album For Me

I've written before about the awesomeness that is Seattle's Central Services Board of Education, the kids' side project of the band Central Services (which, in itself, is pretty darn enjoyable).

Well, after many, many months of wondering when they were going to get into the studio and record more than just the four great songs on their Myspace page, my (OK, unvoiced) wonderings have been answered. According to this post, recording on a full-length album has begun and "will probably be done by spring." Sounds like they're bringing in a bunch of guests including members of the awesome band Awesome on "horns, appliances, and harmonies."

So this automatically moves to my Top 10 list of most anticipated albums for 2008 (how could it not, not with titles like "know your inventors, part V"), but it begs the question... What are you looking forward to?

Listen To This: Central Services Board of Education

What is in Seattle's water? Johnny Bregar, Recess Monkey, not to mention Eric Herman and Eric Ode... they're really approaching critical mass, kids-music-scene-wise.

And now there's Central Services Board of Education, an offshoot of the indie-pop band Central Services.

Go listen (and download, should you desire, and you likely will) their first four songs, which I'm going to describe as "Schoolhouse Rock!-meets-The-Shins." Or maybe "Ben-Folds-meets-Dr-Demento."

Or maybe "awesome."

With densely-packed wordplay and pop-cultural allusions, it's probably more for (or most appreciated by) kids ages 6 and older. My favorite track is "The Lonely Tomato," which somehow manages to be highly educational, metaphorical, and catchy all at the same time. All four tracks are worth checking out.

(And then go over to Central Services' myspace page while you're at it.)