Red Eyes and Nemeses: Kindiefest 2012

There are relatively few benefits of living on the West Coast from a Kindiefest perspective.  It's a long plane flight, which means reduced flexibility in choosing how you get to Brooklyn, how long you stay, and what you do when you get there.

One advantage, however, is that you get a 5-hour flight.  That's not so great when you're going there anticipating the conference (or when you have to do it on a red-eye as I did this year).  But when you're flying back, it's a lot of time to sit and think about all that you heard during the weekend.

It is hard to overestimate just how much listening one does at Kindiefest.  There are the panels, of course - those are more typically geared toward musicians, but if you are more broadly interested in how one carves out a career as kids musician, a non-professional musician can find nuggets of things to ponder.

Besides the panels, there is all the music.  The showcase performances on Saturday night, the public festival on Sunday -- it's more than 7 hours of music in total, from all sorts of genres and all around the country.

And depending on your personality or need, you can spend more time than either of those just listening to others in one-on-one (or more) talks. Conversations are two-way, of course, but as a member of the media who isn’t looking to do interviews but meets a lot of artists who want to say ”hi” or tell me about their album plans or just introduce themselves, I do a lot of listening then, too.  It's enough to make you want to see a museum or go out for a run on Sunday morning, neither of which I got to do this year.

What did I do at this year’s Kindiefest?  Well, I got into Littlefield, the conference's home for the past 3 years, about 12:15 PM Saturday after the aforementioned red-eye, so I missed the keynote on Friday night and the post-talk schmoozing.  Which meant there was even more schmoozing to do in the limited amount of time I was there.  I did a lot of it -- seeing old friends, like Jeff and Dave and meeting folks I had previously known only through the magic of the Internet (hi, Jeff Giles!). I also talked with a lot of musicians and booking artists and PR folks.  I don't think I talked with every single one of the 350 or so record-setting number of attendees, but there were times when I felt that I did.  The only way I know I didn't is that there were folks that I wanted to talk to whom I realized on the flight home I didn't.

Late in the afternoon, I moderated a lively panel on The State of Kindie, a free-flowing discussion on all things kindie music.  An hour-long discussion is way too short to even scratch the surface of the various topics covered, such as what's improved over the past 10 years (too much to mention), what concerns still remain (sometimes a lack of diversity in audiences), and whether or not the Grammys matter.  On top of that, people gave their one piece of advice to artists.  (Mine had to do cooperating and competing, out of which the notion of nemeses -- that one person who brings out the best in you in competition -- took hold.)  If this description sounds dry, I assure you the panel itself was not, as the panelists were funny and engaged.

The showcase was even more crowded this year, with 10 different artists taking the stage.  The number of artists meant that the performances themselves were shorter than in past years.  There were way too many (and probably too brief) to adequately give them all justice in a review, but a handful of memories from the evening:

-- Renee & Jeremy captivating the audience with their chilled-out lullabies (not to mention Chris Ballew joining in on their version of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Give It Away).  For those of you wondering if the duo sounds as good live as they do on record, the answer is an unequivocal "yes."

-- Speaking of Chris Ballew, I was so glad to see Caspar Babypants play live.  As you might expect give how long he's been performing, he's very good at holding an audience's attention with nothing more than a voice and a guitar.

-- Lori Henriques playing a solo piano set, including a great new song, "Dinosaur," which was great as a kids' song about a dinosaur and also as a metaphorical song about a relationship breaking up (that was, to be clear, my interpretation and not -- I checked -- Henriques' intent).

-- Mista Cookie Jar put on an energetic performance with Ava Flava, the youngest performer of the night, rapping and singing.  All that and a roller-skating backup dancer.

-- Elska's performance, which between the music (electronic), costumes (sewn), and songs (fanciful), was the most eclectic and unusual of the night.

-- It is always good to see Dan Zanes perform; this time he eschewed his ”Friends” for a different set of friends, the Latin band Bomba Yo.  There was a 20+ (er, 10+) minute song featuring one of the band's female members dancing in front of the stage, then the pink-tutu-ed Sarah Shannon of The Not-Its joining in, then other women, then Chris Ballew, Rudy Trubitt - even I ended up joining in (shyly) near the end.

On a related note, I must say (again?) that one of the things I will always love about the Kindiefest showcase is that there is nothing like an audience of musicians for crowd harmonizing and fill-in hand-clapping.  Does my harmonizing, fill-in hand-clapping soul good.

After the showcase and some chatter at the venue, a large group of us went to a bar a couple blocks away and continued the conversations we'd all been having all day.  Artists, media, bookers, etc. -- while I learn stuff from the panels, I learn much more from these informal conversations.

I woke up too late and was moving too slowly to be able to take a jog through Prospect Park, so instead I went to see Recess Monkey play at 92Y TriBeCa.  I realized I hadn't seen them play live in a couple years, so I got to hear some newer tunes, including 3 off their upcoming album.  They are a fine-tuned machine playing live at this point.  They are, I would note, the model of the new kindie band.  Skilled musicians and songwriters, talented at more than just music (note how many videos they make), and always seeking new opportunities to have their music heard (they're playing with a circus, for cryin' out loud).  They are good nemeses for other musicians to have, though it's hard to curse them.

I skedaddled back to Brooklyn for the public showcase. Again, too many bands (and I missed Apple Brains, SteveSongs, and almost all of KBC Kids), so I'm not going to provide individual comments, but I will note that the hard work of publicity for the event paid off.  What was often a somewhat lightly attended event at least early in the afternoon in past years was completely packed when I walked in around 12:45.  Good to know word got out.

Why do I spend so much time talking about an industry-only conference, you might ask, particularly if you're not in the industry.  It's because this is one of the most significant events of the year and what transpires here leads to stuff you’ll end up enjoying for years to come.  Plans are hatched, songs are written, connections are made that will lead to some awesome experiences for kids and their families.  I'm sure I know but a small amount of everything that results from this gathering of artists, but even if you never come to Brooklyn, this weekend matters.

Hats off to the organizers, thanks for asking me to join y'all again.  Totally worth the red eyes.

Caroling Tips: Caroling with Kids

With Christmas rapidly approaching, I thought I would share some tips for caroling. I actually wrote much of this just after the new year, but thought that tips on getting the most out of the caroling experience with kids wouldn't be of much use in January. (Music can be an important part of celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday and Valentine's Day, but caroling... not so much.) So read on for my tips on how you and your kids can get the most out of caroling without driving you (or your kid) crazy.

I actually went caroling twice in December 2010, which proved useful as there were a number of things I learned the first time (on a Sunday morning with a church group at a nursing home) that I used the second time (on a Monday night with friends from our -- and in our -- neighborhood). It wasn't the first time I'd gone caroling -- I'd also organized our prior neighborhood caroling event a couple years ago -- but I paid much closer attention to what seemed to work well.

1) It helps to have a single sheet. Books of carols are nice, but it takes too long to find the carol you actually want to sing. That's why my carol sheet (see below) is two pages, which can be copied back-to-back on a single sheet of paper. You obviously still need to find the carols, but it's much easier scanning a single page or two.

2) You need to have (at least some) songs preschoolers can sing. This is assuming, of course, that preschoolers are part of the mix (although it can be argued that simplicity is essential, and it's not that bad of an idea to stick to the simplest of carols). That fancy carol sheet is of little use (beyond that of pride) to the preschooler who can barely recognize their own name let alone the second verse of "O Little Town of Bethlehem." Songs I'd include in this category include "Jingle Bells" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," though I'd note that even more complex carols like "Deck the Halls" offer opportunities for the youngsters (kids pick up the "Fa la la la la..." part pretty quick).

3) Have a variety, but not too much so. You need to have a variety of songs so you're not singing the same three songs at every stop. Having said that, there is some value in everyone singing the songs 2 or 3 times during the caroling session so they actually master it, and if you have 30 songs (many of which will be unfamiliar to many of the carolers), you're not going to get that value. Also, you need to include a preschooler-friendly song (see above) at every stop.
4) Three songs. Like I said above, three songs. This translates to maybe three minutes of actual singing, which to me just feels right, and is long enough without having the kids (or, frankly, the carolee) get antsy.

5) Two verses. One verse plus a chorus just doesn't feel long enough. But singing the third verse ends up making you feel like you're the only one singing as the kids -- and the listener -- fade away as they hit ever-more-unfamiliar lyrical territory. It also usually puts the song at about a minute in length, helping you meet that three-minute time limit. Obviously, if you're singing with a bunch of experienced singers, then go ahead, add that third verse, your fellow choristers might appreciate it. Having said that, note #4 -- it's a little weird to be standing at someone's door for 10 minutes while you going into the finer points of what you and Fanny Bright did on that sleigh ride in "Jingle Bells."

6) One hour. Probably less, even, but definitely no more than an hour. After maybe 45 minutes, you could tell that the younger kids were getting antsy. In our evening caroling session around the neighborhood, we sang at I think 8 houses in about 55 minutes, which seemed just about right.

7) Someone needs to lead. There needs to be a song leader fielding song requests from the kids (or the carolees) and starting everyone off on the same note. If you have an instrument -- a ukulele or guitar -- that's helpful, but I've found I'm so focused on the lyrics (even ones I've sung dozens if not hundreds of times) that I don't end up strumming much.

7a) Don't forget the shakers and bells. I forgot this year, and it definitely lacked a little something compared to caroling of prior years...

8) No surprises. With one exception, we only caroled at houses who knew we were coming. That prevented us ringing doorbells and waiting in vain for someone to answer. It also prevented us from caroling at folks' houses who probably weren't in the mood or wouldn't appreciated ("You're Jewish?"). We had a slot open up and my wife decided to check to see if our neighbor would appreciate a last-minute caroling -- as it turns out, it had been a very long day at work for her and she politely declined.

9) Lots of cookies and hot chocolate. This is probably a good tip generally, but especially for caroling.

10) Bonus updated comment: This year we decided that instead of rushing from house to house for our neighborhood caroling we'd host a caroling party. We wanted to spend more time singing and less time walking. Now, this being the deserts of Arizona, we were able to host the caroling party outside at the very tiny park inside our neighborhood. (It was maybe 50 degrees at 6 PM, so very doable.) We had a few flyers delivered, and notified folks via the neighborhood's e-mail list and Facebook group. While it took a bit longer to set up the lights than we'd anticipated, we ended up singing the dozen or so songs on our song sheet and sang for probably 17-20 minutes. With a little more planning, we could easily add a few songs to the list and sing longer. We've already talked a little bit about making it more elaborate for next year.

But you don't have to host it outside or make it fancy -- though it probably makes it easier to attract passers-by. Inside can work just as well -- and has the added benefit of easier keyboard accompaniment and quicker access to the hot chocolate and cookies. ;-)

Additional Resources
-- Here's the caroling sheet we used this year.
-- Better Homes & Gardens has a Christmas carol page, including a songbook you can use as is or to select particular carols for your own one-sheet.
-- Lori Henriques wrote a nice post on caroling parties that complements (meaning, goes with, not praises) a lot of what I've said here.

Christmas CD Reviews (2011 Edition, Part 2)

Every year I'm interested in hearing some new Christmas and holiday music. When I asked folks for some of their (non-kids-music) favorites on my Facebook page, I got a ton of different responses (and even more on my personal FB page). And while I listened to a few of them on Spotify (liked the Shawn Colvin, the Roches and Low didn't do much for me, didn't get a chance to listen to much of Stevie Wonder), adding comments on those in addition to the nine disks below was just going to be too much. Some of the albums below are new, some old, and I'm pretty sure you're gonna find at least one you like.

I'd also note that my distinction between Christmas/holiday albums from kids' musicians and those from non-kids' musicians (below) is artificial at best, seeing as three of the artists below have released full-on albums for kids (and a fourth isn't yet a teenager herself). I think mostly I couldn't bear the thought of reviewing 15 or so albums in a single review.

We'll start off with the newest album, released just a couple weeks ago. It's called Of a Rose, and it's a collection of holiday recordings from the Grammy-winning Phoenix Chorale. (Full disclosure time: not only did they give me a copy for possible review, I'm friends with a number of the Chorale's members, including Executive Director and Assistant Conductor Joel Rinsema, who I interviewed a few years back.) I am not a choral expert -- heck, I'm not even a choral novice -- but the collection of live recordings of seasonally appropriate music led by artistic director and conductor Charles Bruffy is well done and very much satisfies my need at this time of year for music that puts in me in a contemplative mood under dark and/or cloudy skies. There are a handful of familiar songs -- "Lo, How a Rose" and "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" -- but the Chorale has in recent years programmed adventurously and the selection reflects that. But don't be afraid of that if you're chorally deficient -- this is good stuff. You can order the disk here (and if you're reading this this weekend, yes, they'll get it to you in time for Christmas).

While we're on the subject, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the Chorale's other holiday disk, A Southwest Christmas, released back in 1997 under their previous conductor and when they were still known as the Phoenix Bach Choir. We've had the album for a couple years, and what I appreciate about this album is how it indeed has a "Southwest" feel. I can't say the Native American Flute-accompanied "Noel Sing We!" is a favorite of mine, but it's appropriate. (I much prefer the set of traditional Christmas songs in English and Spanish called "Milagros de Navidad.") It makes for a nice contrast with Of a Rose -- more traditional songs, but with arrangements you might not hear as often this time of year.
As much as I've enjoyed the Chorale disks this month, if there was one Christmas album I've been particularly obsessed with this year, it would be the 2011 album Seven Songs of Comfort and Joy by the Twin Cities supergroup The New Standards. One piano, one bass, and one vibraphone -- that's all the trio needs to create instantly memorable instrumental jazz renditions of seven Christmas songs secular and religious. The arrangements aren't so unfamiliar that your relatives will wonder what it is you're listening to, but create their own space that holds up to repeated listening. (I should know, having engaged in high levels of "repeated listening" with this album already.) Seriously, just take 5 minutes and listen to "Silent Night." You'll be charmed, I promise.

Staying in the Upper Midwest a little while longer, the New Standards' fellow Haley Bonar released her Only Xmas EP in 2008, long before she released her fabulous kindie EP Sing With Me. Not as much comfort and joy as the New Standards, though Bonar's voice is a comfort, even in singing unhappy lyrics. (OK, maybe her rendition of "Rudolph" meets both criteria.) But very wintry; her cover of Joni Mitchell's "River" is simple and beautiful. It's brief, but I like the EP quite a bit.

I'm obviously a big fan of Lori Henriques' album Outside My Door, so I was eager to hear her Christmas EP Playing for Christmas. The album is actually a number of years old, but has been freshly packaged. I particularly liked the re-working of a couple songs in different time signatures than the original ("Bring a Torch Jeannette Isabella in the relatively uncommon 7/8 time, and the waltz of "Away in a Manger" turned into standard 4/4 time). But all six solo piano tracks will work well in a relaxing holiday mix, perhaps paired with a December by George Winston, a holiday classic. You can listen to the album here -- it's available on iTunes and elsewhere. (Or give the leadoff track a spin below.)

All you really need to know about Moat Jumper's holiday album is encapsulated in its title: Christmas at the Renaissance Fair. Now, I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure tracks like "Jingle Bells" weren't actually around at, you know, the Renaissance; that's probably just nitpicking on my part, though. Lots of eclectic instruments are used (the first five listed: hurdy gurdy, bladder pipe, pipe & string drum, pipe & tabor, and shawms) to give the familiar tunes a new coating. This wasn't a favorite of mine, but it wasn't because it was bad -- I'm sure there are others who'll appreciate it more.

Like many of the albums here, Celtic Christmas, the latest collection of Putumayo-approved holiday tunes benefits the reviewer listening to a lot of Christmas by having slightly different arrangements of very familiar tunes. If you have a tin whistle sensitivity, you might want to steer clear, but I was surprised at how relatively restrained the arrangements were -- this wasn't a collection that totally screamed "Riverdance" to me. (I mean, there's a Celtic rendition of "White Christmas," so you can tell that they're not straining for some level of imagined authenticity.) While I wouldn't call this essential, the 34-minute album is warm enough to satisfy the dark days of the season but fresh enough that it'll play nicely with a wide range of other holiday music in your collection.

Without a doubt, the most lushly produced album here is from 11-year-old wunder-voice Jackie Evancho. With an orchestra that probably numbers in the dozens, I'm sure it cost more to produce than any album here -- maybe more than all of them combined. Evancho has one of those voices that would be pretty impressive generally -- the fact that it's coming from someone who's not yet a teenager is almost disconcerting. As you might expect with a vocal prodigy, there are a few vocal pyrotechnics, such as on "The First Noel," that I could really do without. My favorite track is probably the least traditional one -- "Walking in the Air," from the 1980s animated special The Snowman -- it just doesn't seem quite as show-offy. The best way I can sum it up is to say that my mom would probably really like this. That's not a slam, just a note that I'm probably not the target audience for this release. (Note: the album is a Walmart exclusive, though you can probably track it down on the secondary market.)

Finally, if all these albums play it a little too safe for you, I'll wrap this review up with a less-than-full-relevant (or soothing) take on the holiday season. The Barenaked Ladies' 2004 album Barenaked for the Holidays won't change your opinion of the band. If you love their quirky-yet-hook-filled, alternately sarcastic and heartfelt pop-rock, you will probably like-to-love this. If you find them cloying and silly, this sure as heck won't win you over. (For the record, I'm much more in the former camp than the latter.) It's a mixture of sacred ("O Holy Night") and secular ("Rudolph" on the tinniest keyboard you'll ever hear), earnest ("Snowman") and less-than-reverent (a deconstruction of "Jingle Bells" kicking off the album). I probably wouldn't include all the tracks in a holiday mix, and sometimes the production seems pretty cheap, but there are more good tracks than bad -- I particularly like their duet with Sarah McLachlan on "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen / We Three Kings." (And "Deck the Stills" is brilliantly deranged. I'm totally going caroling with that one.)

Disclosure: I received copies of Of a Rose, Playing for Christmas, Christmas at the Renaissance Fair, Celtic Christmas, and Heavenly Christmas for possible review.

Best Kids Music 2011: Top 25 Albums

The high point in my list of the best kids music of 2011 is this, my list of my favorite kids music albums of the year.

By "year," again, I mean albums with Nov. 1, 2010 through Oct. 31, 2011 release dates available to the general public. That means albums like Laura Veirs' Tumble Bee, with a Nov. 8, 2011 release date, have to wait another 12 months before appearing in this list. (I would be shocked -- albeit incredibly delighted -- if there were 25 albums better than that particular one in the next year.)

I do use the word "favorite" advisedly. I receive something approaching 300 family music albums every year. I review maybe 20% of those. Last year I picked out 20 albums, and cutting off this list this year at 20 just seemed cruel. But, as it turns out, increasing the number on the list to 25 didn't make things any easier. Albums from folks like Laura Doherty, Chip Taylor, Todd McHatton, and ScribbleMonster -- albums I genuinely liked -- didn't make the list. That's what happens when albums in the top 10% of everything I heard this year can't fit into the number of slots available; I had probably about 40 albums I was seriously considering for this list. So the difference between what goes in this list and what stays off is as much about personal preferences as it is about "objective" quality. (That's why I came up with the idea for Fids and Kamily, thinking that the personal preferences of many folks would be a much better approximation of "best.")

In any case, here are those 25 albums, ranked from most favorite to a little less most favorite, that I (and we) most appreciated this year. (As always, the top 10 reflects my Fids and Kamily ballot.)

1. Caspar Babypants
Sing Along!
[Review]
"I really, really like Sing Along! -- the Caspar Babypants disks have been favorites at our house for a long time, and I see no reason why this new album won't join its predecessors in heavy rotation. If he can keep it up, Chris Ballew might just create a body of work for preschoolers to rival Raffi's."
2. (tie) Frances England | Lunch Money | Recess Monkey
Mind of My Own | Original Friend | FLYING!
[Review | Review |
Review]
"One of the key charms of England's first two albums was the lo-fi intimacy England achieved that fit her folky sound. But if on those albums she was willing to make the recordings be akin to a secret shared between friends, on the new album she's a proud 4-year-old, sharing the news with all the world."
"Original Friend is every bit as "open book" as its predecessor Dizzy, but this time around songwriter Molly Ledford's subject is friendship. Friendship temporarily lost and then regained (the strings-assisted 1-minute opener "Friends Again"); friends who are awesome (the title track, and a prototypical Lunch Money indie-pop song); friends willing to imagine with you (the pop-by-way-of-circus-music "Getaway Car")."
"At this point the band writes succinctly
And perhaps a little distinctly
There's almost no fluff
Or extraneous stuff
The melodies simply just hit me."

5. (tie) The Hipwaders | Dan Zanes and Friends
Golden State | Little Nut Tree
[Review | [Review]
"Where are the albums for kids too old for Laurie Berkner but not ready for Lady Gaga? This year's best album for that age group is the latest record from the Bay Area band The Hipwaders. It's called The Golden State, and as you might guess from the title, it's a big, sunny power-pop embrace of their homestate..."
"So, it was worth the wait, friends... It's a joyful album meant for listening and dancing and singing along to -- in other words, a classic Dan Zanes album and one of the best kids music albums of the year."

7. (tie) Cat and a Bird | Lori Henriques
Cat and a Bird | Outside My Door
[Review | Review]
"Cat and a Bird is fairly new to the scene -- the band's website isn't even set up as of this writing. But their self-titled debut bristles with an energy and self-assurance that pays dividends. Their sound -- mixing elements of folk, rock, electronic beats, and gypsy violin -- sometimes sounds both 100 years old and from 100 years in the future."
"It's a Broadway (or perhaps off-Broadway) musical waiting to be made, or perhaps the subject of the first kids' music-themed episode of Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz, or a Randy Newman album consisting of pleasant narrators."

9. (tie) Caspar Babypants | Holly Throsby
This Is Fun! | See!
[Review]
[Review]
"The title suggests that Ballew is finally feeling comfortable in this his new skin of family entertainer. And while you never would've known that he was uncomfortable after listening to his first two tons-of-fun disks, it is a clue that Ballew has begun to figure out his calling. That calling? Focusing on preschool-aged kids and younger." [Note: Yeah, I know. Two spots in the Top 10. I almost thought of limiting CB to just one spot on the list. But that didn't seem fair to this album, which was nearly as good as its successor.]
"One of most captivating family music albums I've heard this year. Recorded at an old church south of Sydney, the album kicks off with the sound of a horn heard off the coast as the intro to "Putt Putt," a gentle tune about going out into the ocean with a small motor boat. From there, the album moves to "Fish and Mice," which starts out with what sounds like a Casio drum keyboard and eventually leads to an infectious sing-along chorus with a bunch of kids singing interjections ("Fish!"... "Bike!"). This looseness in musical production is carried on throughout the album."

9 (tie, continued). The Deedle Deedle Dees
Strange Dees, Indeed
[Review]
From here on out I'm just going to post links to reviews -- if you want to read more about the fine albums on the rest of the list, the links are there for your enjoyment and edification. But I do want to single out the new album from the Dees.

Every year, the hardest part of drawing up my Fids & Kamily list is not picking out my favorite. Oddly enough, that's been pretty easy over the years. No, it's picking out #10 in the list. Because there is inevitably at least one album (if not more) that gets excluded that you're wondering exactly how it didn't make the list. This year that album is the Dees' Strange Dees, Indeed. If you'd asked me on another day, I might have preferred it to Caspar or See! (or decided there should only be one CB album in that list). So even though it didn't make my F&K ballot, it's tied with those two albums above in my mind. It's woolly and weird, just like the Dees themselves, and I mean that in the best way.

12. Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke
Hey Pepito! EP
[Review]
If this had been 12 songs long instead of 6, it probably would be at #6 instead of #12.

13. The Thinkers
Oh Zoooty!
[Review]
Goofy, playful, and imaginative indie-pop.

14. Billy Kelly
Family Garden
[Review]
Best known for his utterly silly songs, Kelly plays it relatively straight on his latest album... and I still like it.

15. Beethoven's Wig
Sing Along Piano Classics
[Review]
The long-running series applying humorous lyrics to classical music, er, classics is reinvigorated.

16. (tie) Papa Crow | Chuck Cheesman
Things That Roar | Dancing with No Shoes On
[review]
I reviewed these two folk albums together, and while I like them both for different reasons, I like them both a lot.

18. The Jimmies
Practically Ridiculous
[Review]
I'll say it again -- why does Ashley Albert not have a TV show of her own yet?

19. Gustafer Yellowgold
Gustafer Yellowgold's Infinity Sock
[Review]
This ranking is just for the music itself, which for several years now has been consistently good. This could go on for many more years.

20. (tie) Ellia Jenkins | Biscuit Brothers
A Life of Song | Get Up and Go!
[Review | Review]
Ella Jenkins is a living legend, while Austin's Biscuit Brothers are merely well-loved by a number of folks. But both do a great job in helping kids develop a lifelong love for music.

22. Various Artists
I Love: Tom T. Hall's Songs of Fox Hollow
[Review]
There are some gorgeous (and fun) songs on this song-for-song remake of a kids' country album classic.

23. Brady Rymer
Love Me for Who I Am
[Review]
The rare album targeted at (or inspired by) a small group (in this case, kids with alternative learning styles who have autism, Asperger's, etc.) that completely transcends that to speak to all listeners.

24. The Not-Its!
Tag, You're It!
[Review]
Another blast of pop-punk from the best-dressed band in kids' music.

25. Alastair Moock
These Are My Friends
[Review]
One sign of how vibrant the kids' music scene is right now is that this album, squeaking in on this list at #25, could very well have made my Top 10 list from 2006.

Best Kids Music 2011: Top 10 Album Packages

It was a little harder this year picking out 10 favorite album packages in my review of the best kids music of 2011. Not because design is getting worse, but because I am slowly entering the 21st century when it comes to reviewing music.

Which means accepting electronic versions of albums in lieu of the physical CD.

Now this isn't a case of asking you kids to get off my damn lawn. Really, I'm fine with it -- while I prefer the physical product (if only because I tend to listen to music sooner that way), I understand why mp3s are easier, especially for the artist. And while receiving the slim jackets that just consist of the front and back cover and the CD mean I don't get all of the lovely album art or have lyrics handy when listening, when you have something like 1,000 or CDs in boxes, there is a certain allure in having those slim packages.

And it should be noted that the primary focus, of course, is the music encoded in the mp3s or tucked away in those slim packages. Caspar Babypants CDs (which do feature cute cover art from Kate Endle) come in slim packages -- they could come wrapped in newspapers and I'd be overjoyed to get them to listen to the music inside. But an attractive package can sometimes help break down the barriers to listening to kids music for people new to the genre who think that it's still cheap and chintzy.

This list is also a little bit like Wheel of Fortune. (Hunh?) Remember how on the final bonus round puzzle the finalist used to get to choose a few letters which (if present) would be turned by Vanna? Yeah, well everybody ended up picking "E" and "T" and "S" and other common letters. So now they automatically show those letters (along with "R," "N," and "L") and the finalist picks other letters.

I sort of feel like Smithsonian Folkways and Putumayo and Dan Zanes are sort of like the "E" and "T" and "S" of album packaging -- you're always going to get quality work for them. I'd probably be better off just eliminating them from consideration and picking, say, a Top 5.

Maybe next year. Anyway, with the caveat that it feels weird not putting Dan Zanes or Putumayo on this list (I'm sure they were lovely as always, but we received "slim" packages this time around not that I'm in any way complaining, I swear), here are my 10 favorite kids music album packages of 2011, listed in alphabetical order.

Lori Henriques
Outside My Door
It's probably unfair that Henriques' brother is Joel Henriques, proprietor of the most excellent Made By Joel website, which shares arts and crafts projects for children. But, it's important to take advantage of the talents you have in your midst, and the packaging features cute line drawings, the lyrics (important for Henriques' wordy songs), and recycled paper.

That looks lovely... just as the rest of these disks do...
The Hipwaders
Golden State
One of the entries on this list is a collection of disks that I thought presented an attractive, simple package. The latest album package from the California trio is just as simple, what earns it its own mention on this list is its gorgeous album art by Brian Clarke. It so perfectly matches the sunny West Coast vibe of the excellent music inside that you could be forgiven for thinking the album art came first and the Hipwaders recorded an album as its soundtrack.

Ella Jenkins
A Life of Song
As always, a particular strength of Smithsonian Folkways' releases is the care and dedication they put into their liner notes. (Full disclosure: I've contributed an essay to one of their previous family releases.) One would hope that an album entitled A Life of Song from living legend Ella Jenkins would have detailed notes, and the liner notes for the album do not disappoint. A brief introductory essay from Jenkins herself, a short but elegant biography, and notes and lyrics for every song, it's a fittingly detailed complement to what is in essence a musical biographical sketch.

Lunch Money
Original Friend
I'm biased -- I like illustrator Brandon Reese's work so much, I had him design this site's logo. And the South Carolina trio Lunch Money has been dedicated to good design (album-wise and otherwise) from the begin. So it wasn't much of a surprise that this album (the second of Lunch Money's that Reese has provided the artwork for) was so lovely. From a purely visual enjoyment standpoint, this is probably my favorite album of the year.

The Not-Its
Tag, You're It!
While not as detailed, perhaps, as Original Friend, the Seattle band the Not-Its! have created a very distinctive visual style -- their visual brand, as it were -- from the very beginning. And while they employed a different artist to do their cover artwork this time around, it still looks very "Not-Its!" to me. Which is a Good Thing.

Recess Monkey
FLYING!
Another band who's had a distinctive visual style almost from the beginning, the Seattle trio (must be something about trios... or Seattle... that lends itself to good album artwork and packaging) utilized the services of Jarrett J. Krosoczka to provide some of the artwork for their superhero-themed album, creating a whole comic strip to accompany the title track (and its album-ending reprise).

Chip Taylor and the Grandkids
Golden Kids Rules
If the Ella Jenkins album requires lots of background and detail because it's a musical biography, the Smithsonian Folkways people take a different approach on what is a very personal album from songwriter Taylor. Recorded with his kids and inspired by a family wedding, the album doesn't need technical notes -- instead, the liner notes feature personal reminisces from Taylor, an essay from his brother, actor Jon Voight, and gentle art direction.

Holly Throsby
See!
The album artwork has every bit of the DIY vibe of the music inside from the Australian singer-songwriter. A lovely cover photo, cute drawings of the animals mentioned on the album by Throsby herself, lyrics and chords -- it's just one of those packages that you can give to a person who thinks (not entirely without merit) that kids' music comes packaged in cheap cases with poor font selection and even worse Photoshopping to show that, yes, there's an alternative.

Shannon Wurst
Green & Growing
It's one thing to record an album of songs dedicated to sustainable agriculture and "green living" -- it's another thing to print the album "locally on recycled paper" with a tastefully simple set of notes inside. But it's another thing entirely to then ship it in "recycled material," as Wurst describes it on her website. To break the code, that "recycled material" is a sewn envelope made out of a paper grocery bag. It so stunned me that I still have the envelope -- I'm pretty sure it's the only CD envelope I've ever kept.

Laura Doherty (Shining Like a Star) / Frances England (Mind of My Own) / Billy Kelly (The Family Garden) / Alastair Moock (These Are My Friends) / Papa Crow (Things That Roar)
These are all fine examples of fairly simple album packages that present the music (all of it in these cases good) in the best possible light. Be they simple digipaks (paper with a plastic jewel case base) or eco-wallets (folded cardboard sleeves with a slot to slip the CD in), these five albums make the best of comparatively limited visual space to convey the important things about the music inside. Sometimes that's pictures, sometimes that's hand-drawn artwork, sometimes that's credits. But all five show that it's possible that good art direction is doable without breaking the bank.