Apple Apple - The Harmonica Pocket

Artist: The Harmonica Pocket

Album: Apple Apple

Age Range: 2 to 6

Description: Dreamy and moody, the latest album from Seattle-area duo The Harmonica Pocket is more muted than a lot of albums targeted at preschoolers.  Not downbeat, mind you, but any album that takes the major chord bluegrass standard "Turkey in the Straw" and slows it down and gives it a hypnotic non-major chord rewrite is not the album you'll use for your home-based dance party (or at least your wilder ones).  Instead, the 48-minute acoustic album (featuring help from Kindiependent friends Johnny Bregar, Jack Forman, and Caspar Babypants, among others) offers up subtler wordplay takes on standard toddler topics (moms, moons, and monkeys).  It's got a bit of sense of humor, too -- "Diaperman" is as sweet-smelling as its topic sometimes isn't.  Recommended.   (Listen to the album here.)

[Disclosure: I received a copy of the album for possible review.]

My Neighborhood - Johnny Bregar

Artist: Johnny Bregar

Album: My Neighborhood

Age Range: 4-9

Description:  "He [has] brought enough guests to his Bainbridge Island studio to make his rootsy Americana with a hint of bluegrass seem like a small party.  There's a mellow, soulful vibe to the album's best tracks, even a bit of wistfulness at points... Highly recommended. " / Full review / Listen