Live Video: "Wake Up" - The Verve Pipe (Live at Lollapalooza/Kidzapalooza)

I'd be deficient if I didn't post Lollapalooza video of somebody who actually played a couple full sets at the Kidzapalooza stage last weekend. Here's The Verve Pipe playing in front of a sizable audience (wait for the camera to pan at the end of the clip), opening their set with -- what else? -- "Wake Up" from A Family Album.

The Verve Pipe - "Wake Up" (Live at Kidzapalooza) [YouTube]

Video: "When One Became Two" - The Verve Pipe

The animation for "When One Became Two," the first video from The Verve Pipe's great kids album A Family Album is by Ofir Sasson and reminds me of Shel Silverstein with some Dr. Seuss mixed in, very fanciful. It's a little rough in its animation style, which fits the organic and relaxed vibe of the song. They fit together very well.

The Verve Pipe - "When One Became Two" [YouTube]

(Hat tip: Gwyneth)

The Caspar Pipe? Verve Babypants? Huh? On NPR?

OK, it's Caspar Babypants (aka Chris Ballew) and The Verve Pipe that get the NPR treatment this afternoon as I review their new albums for All Things Considered. Hear my take on the Verve Pipe's A Family Album and Caspar Babypants' More Please! here; also, stream the Verve Pipe's album here and a bunch of tracks from More Please! here.

Oh, and one more thing...
... for what it's worth, I don't think either album is a cynical attempt to cash in on the last un-imploded market in the music industry, as I suggest in the piece. In writing the review, my editor and I both thought it was better to address the "sure, everybody's doing family music now" rolling-of-eyes head on. As I say, I don't think it matters, as long as the music's good. (Which it is.) But I'm pretty sure the Verve Pipe and I know Chris Ballew aren't doing this for those reasons...

Listen To This: "Wake Up" - The Verve Pipe

I could have named two, three dozen bands who rose to national prominence in the early-to-mid-90s before mentioning The Verve Pipe as a band who I'd expect to do kids music, to come out with a family album.

But they have. Literally.

The band's just released A Family Album, and it's about as far from "The Freshmen" as you could possibly get. Just get on over here, listen to "Wake Up" -- the album opener, a happy bit of power-pop with the kitchen sink thrown in -- and tell me you don't have a bit of a grin on your face when its two minutes are up. (And if that doesn't do it, "Cereal" is a song for which the phrase "over the top" was invented.)

Seriously, folks, I really think it's worth your time to check out; the whole album's available for streaming. Here's the tracklist...
1. Wake Up
2. We Had to Go Home
3. Complimentary Love
4. Be a Part of the Band
5. When One Became Two
6. Cereal
7. Only One of You
8. Suppertime!
9. Worrisome One
10. Go To Sleep Now