They Might Be Giants To Reissue Deluxe Version of No! (Plus Free mp3!)

Yes, I'm excited and I'll use a few more exclamation points!

It is not hyperbole to call They Might Be Giants' 2002 album No! a seminal album in kids music, one of a handful of albums that actually altered the direction of the genre.

It was also a darn fine album.

So am I geeked to hear that the band is reissuing the album with bonus tracks to celebrate its 10-year anniversary?  Darn tootin' I am!

On June 26, 2012 exactly 10 years (and, er, 15 days) to the day after it was originally released, you can pick up No! in all its glory along with seven bonus tracks.

The bonus tracks include some live recordings ("Robot Parade" and "Clap Your Hands") as well as a brand new extended studio recording of "Alphabet of Nations."  (I can confirm that this new version is no less excellent than the original.)  The rest of the tracklisting I'm not at liberty to reveal at the moment, but I think TMBG fans of all ages will be pleased.

Anyway, I am pleased as punch to offer a download of "Clap Your Hands," one of the live bonus tracks, courtesy of the band (or feel free to simply stream it below).  If that doesn't merit an exclamation point or four, I don't know what does.  Yeah!

They Might Be Giants - "Clap Your Hands (Bonus Live Version from No! Deluxe Reissue)"

Share: Edukator Jr. - Edukator Jr.

A while back, I highlighted Plays Well Together, a free collection of mp3s from Seattle-based Burnside Distribution. While I focused on the mostly Seattle-based nature of the artists, there were a couple artists with whom I was unfamiliar.

One of them was Edukator Jr. Now, they're a band that clearly didn't spend too much time pushing the album (that's a Myspace link, for example, and not a particularly up-to-date one at that). But as EPs go, their self-titled debut is pretty good. It's squarely in the preschool/early elementary education wheelhouse and its subject matter -- songs about ABCs, brushing teeth, taking naps, etc. -- is nothing that hasn't been done before but it's wrapped in a shiny, mostly indie-pop sheen that stands up to repeated listenings.

Don't believe me? Well, you can check it out for yourself here, or just use this widget to listen to it or download for the price of an e-mail.

Contest: Win Papa Crow's "Things That Roar" and More!

I liked Papa Crow's 2011 debut Things That Roar quite a bit. So I'm pleased to be able to offer you (courtesy of Papa Crow himself, Jeff Krebs) a copy of that fine album, good at any time of year, and especially here in the hush of winter.

But even if you've already got the album, there's another reason why you might be interested -- the winner of the contest will also get a handmade Papa Crow T-shirt (usually part hand-painted, part stenciled and part hand-stamped, and made by Krebs' wife) in a size of their choosing.

So what do you need to do? Just enter a comment below or in the Facebook post announcing the contest with the animal who makes your favorite animal noise, roar or not. One entry per family, entries due by 11 PM East Coast time Thursday, Jan. 12. I'll pick one winner at random.

And even if you don't win, if you're not familiar with Things That Roar, you can always sign up using the widget to the side to get three free downloads from the album for the price of an e-mail and zip code.

Share: "The Mixing Bowl" - Kira Willey

Five years ago Kira Willey released Dance for the Sun: Yoga Songs for Kids, an album of, well, yoga music for kids. It was, against the expectations I had when first presented with an album of "yoga music for kids," pretty good. It wasn't dorky, it wasn't goopy, and, frankly, you could listen to it even if you and your kids didn't know a downward dog from a hot dog. (And I say that as someone who practices -- albeit without real training -- yoga.) It also proved to be the exception to the rule -- no other similar CD I've heard has come close to its listen-ability. My wife used it to help teach a couple basic yoga sessions for kids, too.

So I was pleased to hear last spring that Willey was working on a follow-up, and now it's finally here. It's called Kings & Queens of the Forest: Yoga Songs for Kids Vol. 2, and I think folks who liked the first go-round won't be disappointed with this new album. And if you're not sure whether it's for you, Willey's offering up a couple of songs off the new album free for the downloading. You can go to Willey's site for a free download of the peppy "Mr. Cricket Hop." And once your kids need a little quieter time, you can download (or stream) "The Mixing Bowl" via the widget below, courtesy of Willey. [Note: There aren't any more downloads via this link, so you can try here.]

Share: Music from Coal Train Railroad

Would you like some free music -- like, ten songs worth? Ten good songs worth?

Then Coal Train Railroad would like to be of assistance.

They've offered up ten free tracks from their three albums -- two from their self-titled debut (which I liked), two from their latest album Coal Train Railroad Swings! (which I liked a lot), including "I'm Diggin' Me," and the whole 6-song EP Live in Monophonarma, which includes their take on the Jellydots' classic "Bicycle."

The price of all this swingin' jazz goodness?

An e-mail (preferably yours, otherwise some other random person's gonna get the download code) and a zip code (again, preferably yours).

If you're not familiar with the band, it's definitely worth it.