Listen To This: "Tiny Dinosaurs" - Lunch Money

I know I'm a little late on this, but wanted to point out that the fabulous Lunch Money now has ("have"? grammar people, help me out here) their own Myspace page. (About time!)

Even better, it's streaming a new recording of a track intended to appear on their next album. "Tiny Dinosaurs" encourages roaring, always a fun thing for kids to do. Who knew there was a dinosaur called "microceratops?" (Go here to see them performing this song live this past summer.)

Oh, and go ahead and listen to "Silly Reflection" and "Yes We Have Rhythm" from their debut CD at the Myspace page. You know you want to.

Brandon Reese: the Next Giselle Potter?

I was sort of sad when the Welcome to Ralph's World CD came out, and Giselle Potter didn't do the cover illustration. Not that the new cover was bad, but I always thought that Potter's drawings had a verve and quality that telegraphed the essential "this is not just thrown together" feel that helped the Ralph World CDs do well.

Well, perhaps the kids music genre finally has another illustrator it can call its own. North Carolina-based illustrator Brandon Reese has not just one but two kids-music-related projects for two very cool bands. The first project is the cover for the Jellydots' new CD, Changing Skies. It's my favorite CD cover of the year.

Beyond that, Reese also designed the new logo for Squirrel Mechanic Records, Lunch Money's homegrown label. Go here for a peek (scroll down about halfway). Very whimsical.

I know, I know, album art is probably on its way as everybody gets all down-loady, but I hope that doesn't happen for a long time...

More New Music from Lunch Money: "Tiny Dinosaurs" and "Somehow a Frog Finds a Pond"

When I posted that song from Lunch Money the other day, I knew that there was more good stuff on its way, and now it's here, courtesy of the Tricycle Music Fest's blog. Y'know, for a first year of a music festival, the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County done good.

The first track is another great uptempo track in the vein of "Cookie As Big As My Head," except this one features dinosaurs, so it's bound to be a massive hit.

Lunch Money - "Tiny Dinosaurs"

The other new track posted is a slower song featuring a "ribbit, ribbit" singalong chorus. It's more of a story song than I'm used to hearing from the band, but it's still a sweet listen.

Lunch Money - "Somehow a Frog Finds a Pond"

When I Say You've Never Heard These CDs, I'm Not Talking About You in Particular

Another week, another piece of mine on Education.com. This time it's "Five Great Kids' CDs You've Probably Never Heard." Regular readers probably have heard all of these CDs (heck, a couple of the bands listed have been discussed here in the past couple weeks), but if your kids' music diet has been limited to intakes of Jack (the music show, not the bourbon), Disney, or NPR, or assorted award-giving sites, here are five CDs you should get to know ASAP. Go forth and enjoy.

Listen To This: Lunch Money, "Cookie As Big As My Head"

There are a number of releases in the works for the rest of 2007, but none I am anticipating more than the second album of South Carolina-based trio Lunch Money. It's approaching three years since the release of their debut CD, the small gem Silly Reflection (review), and that's just way too long, y'know? Their lo-fi songs, slightly remiscent of Yo La Tengo or Spoon at its most minimalist, have stayed fresh after repeated listening...

So thanks to Gwyneth, who caught the band's set at Chicago's Summer on Southport Festival a couple weeks ago, and preserved this new track for the world (or at least the world with access to YouTube) to see. "Cookie As Big As My Head" is another instantly catchy melody (though the bass seems particularly high in this mix) married to sharp lyrics ("By the way, my cookie policy is / I'm a chocolate chip girl / We can [something] Pecans and walnuts / [something else] Is winter coming? / Are you trying to tell me that I look like a squirrel? / I want a cookie as big as my head...") OK, I'm sure the lyrics will be sharper on disk. [Note: Thanks to Lunch Money songwriter extraordinaire Molly Ledford for setting things straight in the comments.]