That Should Be Good.

High Meadow Songs. Liz Mitchell, Dog on Fleas, Medeski Martin & Wood, and lots more.

Help a Punk Farmer Out

As I've mentioned, Jarrett Krosoczka, the author of Punk Farm, is coming on the show on Saturday, and we thought it'd be fun for him to talk with Dan Zanes too. (Hopefully Jarrett will pronounce his last name for me too.)

So now, you have an opportunity to give him suggestions about what to ask. Go chime in!

Mark Your Calendars...

...because the Deedle Deedle Dees are returning to Northampton, co-presented by us and our friends at Flywheel.

Saturday, January 26, at Lyman Hall at First Churches of Northampton. 10:30 AM, $7, partially benefiting Flywheel.

(By the way, the Advocate had a good piece about Flywheel's status. They will return to the rawking soon, it seems.)

Playlist for 11-24-07

Archive is here.

Legal ID (8:00)
They Might Be Giants - It's Spare the Rock
They Might Be Giants - E Eats Everything (Here Come the ABCs)
Libana - Oh Mama Bakudala (Out of This World)
Sweet Honey in the Rock - All I have to Do (Experience 101)
Father Goose - Island in the Sun (It's a Bam Bam Diddly!)
Sones de Mexico - Esta Tierra Es Tuya (Esta Tierra Es Tuya)
- song ID/Libana PSA
Martin Medeski & Wood - Let's Go Everywhere (Let's Go Everywhere)
Johnny Cash & Oscar the Grouch - Nasty Dan (Songs from the Street)
Opus Ditty - Folsom Preschool Blues (Joyride Jet Engine Bus)
- song ID
ScribbleMonster - Winter Wonderland
Mr. Richard - Butterfly Day (Polka Dot Puzzle)
Lunch Money - Roller Coaster (Silly Reflection)
Princess Katie & Racer Steve - Jeans (Songs for the Coolest Kids)
Danny Adlerman - In the Future (Listen Up!)
Decemberists - Sons & Daughters (Crane Wife)
Deedle Deedle Dees - Nellie Bly (Freedom in a Box)
SteveSongs - No Good Toys (Little Superman)
Spoon - Fitted Shirt (Girls Can Tell)
-legal ID (8:59)
ScribbleMonster - Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child
Mates of State - Jellyman Kelly (For the Kids 3)
-song ID
Gustafer Yellowgold - Mustard Slugs (Have You Never Been Yellow?)
Steve Weeks - If I Were a Cup (Alphabet Songs Vol. 1)
Frank Sinatra - Too Marvelous for Words (Capitol Years)
Frances England - Tricycle (Fascinating Creatures)
AudraRox - I Can Do It By Myself! (I Can Do It By Myself!)
Michael Jackson - Rockin' Robin
Talking Heads - Nothing but Flowers (Naked)
Ian Marlowe - The Planets' Song (The Teasing Bird)
Justin Roberts - Nine Planets (Not Naptime)
Ben Rudnick - Rocket Ship Man (Blast Off!)
-interview with Marytha from Libana
Libana - Oi Dai (Out of This World)
-concert reminder - Helen Hills Chapel, 11/30 7:00
Kira Willey - Dance for the Sun (Dance for the Sun)
Asylum Street Spankers - Be Like You (Mommy Says No!)
-song ID
They Might Be Giants - Spare the Rock
They Might Be Giants - I Am Not Your Broom (No!)

Friday Night Videos with Smaller Hair

(Because, y'know, Friday Night Videos had a lot of big hair bands...)

January's going to be fun: They Might Be Giants are starting a Friday night family video podcast.

Whoo!

Mr. Richard Fills Your Recommended Daily Value of Lunch Money

Friend-of-the-show Mr. Richard has a fun new record, Polka Dot Puzzle, coming out in December. We premiered the song "Treehouse" a few shows back and it's got some other terrific songs, including "Butterfly Day," an infectious little number featuring none other than Lunch Money's Molly Ledford on vocals. The contrast of Richard's roughish vocals with Molly's is effective and fun. If I remember it, we'll play it Saturday.

Want to see some of the TMBG videos from Here Come the 123s?

...then watch Playhouse Disney, which our friends at This Might Be a Wiki report is showing One Everything and Zeros. One Everything is one of my favorite songs from the record; Zeros I like slightly less...

Your Chance to See Elizabeth Mitchell Not Doing Kids' Music, Plus One of My Favorite Bands Ever

Okay, that's a long title, but it's worth it. Liz Mitchell's band (with David Littleton and others,) Ida and Babe the Blue Ox and Rasputina will be playing a benefit for the Willie May Rock Camp for Girls on Sunday, December 16. (Hanna Fox of Babe the Blue Ox is a founder of the Willie Mae Rock Camp and appeared with her band Vatican III at our Jalopy event (picture here). And Babe the Blue Ox will kick your butt live.)

Plus, check it out: the Girls Rock Camp Alliance is trying to do 50 shows in 50 states on that day.

Updated: Fids & Kamily Wrapup

Today's archived show is here.

For definitive information, go to Fids & Kamily's website. We have reviews of all of the top ten CDs, links to artist websites, and essays about kids' music.

Update: Totally forgot to mention that we did an interview with Jumping Monkeys (which is a great podcast, by the way) that should be up later today. (End of update.)

To buy the CDs, visit our podcast sponsor The Pokey Pup's special page with all of the records in one place. To reiterate the results:

1. Gustafer Yellowgold - Have You Never Been Yellow?
2. Asylum Street Spankers - Mommy Says No!
3. Terrible Twos - If You Ever See An Owl
4. Peter Himmelman - My Green Kite
5. Hipwaders - Educated Kid
6. Renee & Jeremy - It's a Big World!
7. Jimmies - Make Your Own Someday
8. Various Artists - Play (DeSoto Compilation)
9. Father Goose - It's a Bam Bam Diddly!
10. Recess Monkey - Wonderstuff
11. Sugar Free Allstars - Dos Ninos
12. Various Artists - For the Kids! 3
13. Roger Day - Dream Big!
14. Joe McDermott - Everybody Plays Air Guitar
15. Deedle Deedle Dees - Freedom in a Box

Honorable Mentions (unranked)
Andre 3000 - Class of 3000
Buck Howdy with BB - Chickens!
Dean Jones - Napper's Delight
Mr. David - Jump in the Jumpy House
Uncle Rock - Uncle Rock U

Some notes from me:

My votes were:

1 Freedom in a Box - Deedle Deedle Dees
2 Mommy Says No! -Asylum Street Spankers
3 It's a Big World - Renee & Jeremy
4 Have You Never Been Yellow - Gustafer Yellowgold
5 Educated Kid - Hipwaders
6 Have You Ever Seen an Owl - Terrible Twos
7 Alphabet Songs Vol. III - Steve Weeks
8 Calling All Kids - CandyBand
9 Make Your Own Someday - Jimmies
10 Play - Various Artists (DeSoto)

Boy, it was a hard choice, though. You can see the list of folks I was choosing among here, and there were a lot of records that were almost on that list too. There were nearly eighty albums that got at least one vote from one judge; you can see that list here.

The Fids & Kamily Awards aren't the only kids'-music-related awards being announced today. Our neighbor show, the Hilltown Families Variety Show (also a F&K judge), announced the results of its t-shirt review. You'll see a lot of bands you've heard on our show on the list of picks and submissions; great fun to read.

We're thrilled that number 1 album performer Gustafer Yellowgold will be performing at the Florence Civic Center on December 9 at 4:30.

And thanks to everyone who pledged to Valley Free Radio so far. If you go and contribute and send me a note (show AT sparetherock DOT com) letting me know, I'll send you a great kids' CD as a premium.

Okay, that's it. Gotta go upload the archive for your listening pleasure.

Playlist for 11-17-07

What a great week, and what a great bunch of records winning in the Fids & Kamily awards.

Archive is here.

And yes, you can still give to the station: visit this secure site!

They Might Be Giants - It's Spare the Rock
They Might Be Giants - Older (Long Tall Weekend)
They Might Be Giants - Welcome to the Jungle
Wilco - What Light
Deedle Deedle Dees - Vegetarian Tyrannosaurus Rex (Freedom in a Box)
Laura Freeman - In the Fall (Seasons)
Les Chauds Lapins - Swing Troubador (Parlez-Moi D'Amour)
-song ID/pledge break
Joe McDermott - Come to Hawaii (Hawaiian Playground)
Israel Kamakawiwo Ole - Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World
-song ID
Earth Wind & Fire - Shining Star
Stevie Wonder - Sir Duke
CandyBand - It's Your Birthday (Calling All Kids)
Muppets - She Drives Me Crazy
Uncle Rock - Too Many Presents (Uncle Rock U)
Soul Coughing - Super Bon Bon (Irresistible Bliss)
Brady Rymer - Jump Up (It's a Good Day) (The Little Band that Could)
Justin Roberts - Meltdown (Meltdown)
Sippy Cups - I'm a Believer (For the Kids 3)
--legal ID
ScribbleMonster - Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child
--song ID
Fids & Kamily top 10 albums:
10. Recess Monkey - Backpack (Wonderstuff)
9. Father Goose w/ Bonga Gaston Jean-Baptiste & Barbara Brousal - Panama (It's a Bam Bam Diddly!)
-song ID
8. Soccer Team - I'll Never Fear Ghosts Again (Play)
7. Jimmies - Bedhead (Make Your Own Someday)
--song ID
6. Renee & Jeremy - It's a Big World (It's a Big World)
Hipwaders - Spare the Rock and Spoil the Child
5. Hipwaders - Educated Kid (Educated Kid)
--song ID
4. Peter Himmelman - My Green Kite (My Green Kite)
3. Terrible Twos - When I Get to Eleven (If You Ever See An Owl)
--song ID
2. Asylum Street Spankers - Sidekick (Mommy Says No!)
--song ID/talk with Stefan and Amy
1. Gustafer Yellowgold - Pinecone Lovely (Have You Never Been Yellow?)
-- song ID/talk with Gustafer Yellowgold (who, as a reminder, will be playing the Florence Civic Center at 4:30 on 12/9!)
They Might Be Giants - Spare the Rock
They Might Be Giants - Havalina (Dig for Fire)

Dan Zanes Has a Blog.

here.

Cool.

Updated: Some 2008 Notes

I was just thinking this morning that there are some crazy big releases coming in 2008:

- They Might Be Giants: Here Come the 123s (Feb. 5) - this CD is good, folks. And the DVD is a bucket o' fun, too. You'll start hearing it on the show in January or so.

- Dan Zanes's new one (En Espanol) will be tentatively late March or early April; hopefully we can learn more about that from him when he calls in on December 1.

- Laurie Berkner's working on her first new release in a long time, to be released perhaps in the first half of the year.

- Justin Roberts's Pop Fly is aiming for early 2008 too.

Add in, let's see, Princess Katie & Racer Steve's Fast and Feisty (March 18), Debi Derryberry (Jan. 8), Suzi Shelton (Feb. sometime), the fairly constant stream of great Putumayo releases (including the utterly infections Hawaiian Playground, out Jan. 22), and -- oh, this is a good one too -- Martin Medeski & Wood's Let's Go Everywhere (out Jan. 8), and it's easy to see that next year's Fids & Kamily awards may be almost as hard to vote for as this year's.

Update: Doh! I forgot that Brady Rymer's terrific The Little Band That Could comes out March 4, and, as Gwyneth points out in the comments, sometime this year we'll be hearing new releases from Ralph's World and Lunch Money!

Coming Up Soon...

First, the new thing added to the "upcoming" slot over there on the right:

December 1. Dan Zanes. Interview. Hooray! We'll be talking about Father Goose's new record and maybe can get a little more about Dan's new record, coming out in late March or early April of next year.

In other stuff, some reminders:

This week, the Fids & Kamily Awards announcements. We've got the results, but we're not telling. It's a great group of winners and a great group of nominees. Also, the VFR pledge drive; we have some nice CDs to send out to anyone who contributes during the show (or sends me a note and says they contributed because of our show).

Also on December 1, Punk Farm creator Jarrett will be in-studio. Maybe the punk cow can talk to Dan.

December 9: Gustafer Yellowgold at the Florence Civic Center (right next to Lilly Library in the center of town). 4:30. $7 at the door. Do come, won't you?

Other cool things are wandering around maybe to come to fruition. We'll see...

Gang Activity at VFR

Here's Shereen, Dylan, and Gwendolyn of Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang (and me, being tall and dorky and stuff) in the studio a couple of weeks ago (this episode):



(Click on the picture in the event you want to see it bigger.)

A Thing You Should Listen To

A long-time friend, Kent Gustavson, has started a new radio show/podcast, Sound Authors. You should listen to it. (And he should finish his long-promised kids' record, too.)

Playlist for 11-10-07

I upgraded my laptop to Leopard and it turns out the software I use wasn't happy with that. So I had to quick upgrade while also doing the show, and we missed the first 15 minutes or so. In any event, the archive is here.

-legal ID (8:00)
They Might Be Giants - It's Spare the Rock
They Might Be Giants - Sleepwalkers (No!)
Sweet Honey in the Rock - Dog, Dog (Experience 101)
Keith Frank and the Soileau Zydeco Band - Three Little Birds (Caribbean Playground)
Father Goose - Flying Machine (It's a Bam Bam Diddly!)
Golden Smog - Pecan Pie (Down by the Old Mainstream)
Michelle Shocked - Strawberry Jam (Arkansas Traveler)
-song ID/PSA (holiday fair, fundraiser)
Pop Stars - Spelling Errors (Pop Stars)
Enzo Garcia - Monkey Motions (Field Trip with Enzo)
-song ID
Deedle Deedle Dees - Ina Mina Dika (Let It Dee)
Suburbs - Rattle My Bones (Ladies and Gentlemen...)
Blitzen Trapper - New Shoes (For the Kids 3)
Meredith Brooks - Drive the Car (If I Could Be...)
David Byrne - Don't Fence Me In (Red Hot & Blue)
Quazar and the Bamboozled - Can You Picture That? (The Lovely Lunatickle Musical Revue)
Mr. Leebot - Dig Up the Roots
David Bowie - Changes (Hunky Dory)
-Legal ID (8:59)
ScribbleMonster - Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child
-song ID
Jellydots - Sunshine (Changing Skies)
Telephone Company - Shopping Spree (Panda Brain)
Lucas Miller - I Don't Want to be Part of the Food Chain (There's a Chicken on My Head!)
Asylum Street Spankers - Sidekick (Mommy Says No!)
Pop Rockets - Sweet Tangerine (Blast Off)
Kid Koala featuring Lederhosen Lucil - Fruit Belt (See You on the Moon)
The Go! Team - Doing it Right (Proof of Youth)
Prince - Starfish and Coffee (Sign O' the Times)
Recess Monkey - Busy Bees (Wonderstuff)
-song ID (PSA - holiday fair)
Gustafer Yellowgold - Beard for All Seasons (Have You Never Been Yellow?)
Uncle Rock - Predator Dinosaur (Uncle Rock U)
Bzots - Two Months Security Deposit (Powered Up!)
Spoon - You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb (Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga)
Jambo - Lucy's Parade (Lucy's Parade)
Be Good Tanyas - The Littlest Birds (Animal Playground)
Gwendolyn & the Good Time Gang - Ooodily Ooodily (live at Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child)
SteveSongs - Ducks Hatching (Marvelous Day!)
-song ID
They Might Be Giants - Spare the Rock
They Might Be Giants - Why Does the Sun Shine? (Live) (Severe Tire Damage)

Parenting Just Got a Little Geekier

I'm now Parenting magazine's kids' music stringer, basically meaning I'll be helping choose what CDs are reviewed in the magazine.

Except for perhaps bringing even more cool music in for the station, this shouldn't affect the show at all, but artists who read the blog should note that the magazine has a really long lead time. So if you want something to be considered for that outlet, get in touch at least three months out -- i.e., right now I'm making selections from records that are being released in February or March of 2008...!

Fids & Kamily Coming Soon...

We're collecting the ballots for the Fids & Kamily Awards, and we'll announce the winners a week from Saturday on the show.

(They'll also be on the F&K site, and we're going to be on Jumping Monkeys released later that day. Our pals at The Pokey Pup will have a special page for the winners, too.)

So here's the list of artists I considered for my ballot. (Remember that we end up getting to vote for only and exactly ten.) They're in alphabetical order and it includes the albums I ended up voting for...but you won't get any more information out of me. Yet.

Adlerman, Danny
Andre 3000
Asylum Street Spankers
Bent, Parker
CandyBand
Curious Glimpse (v/a)
Day, Roger
Deedle Deedle Dees
Ernie & Neal
For the Kids 3 (v/a)
Garcia, Enzo
Gustafer Yellowgold
Gwendolyn & the GTG
Himmelman, Peter
Hipwaders
Hullabaloo
Jellydots
Jimmies
Jones, Dean
McCoury, Little Mo
McDermott, Joe
Mr. David
Nields
Play (various artists)
Princess Katie & Racer Steve
Recess Monkey (Aminal House and Wonderstuff)
Renee & Jeremy
Robbi K
Rocknoceros
Rudnick, Ben
Sugar Free All-Stars
Terrible Twos
Uncle Rock
Weeks, Steve
Weinstone, David

Did I miss something?

New Doughty

Ooh, Mike Doughty's posted a couple new songs on his MySpace profile. Well, "27 Jennifers" isn't actually new -- we've played previous versions of it on the show, in fact -- but it's got a big ol' band with it now (and an honestly kinda weird noodly solo in the middle of it) -- and it mostly rawks. "Girl in the Blue Dress" is new, and I rather like it too ("I love your baby fat/Your crooked nose is where it's at" is a nice couplet, no?).

For kids? Not really. But I like it.

Incidentally, his blog is worth a regular read, though again: not for the kids. Unless they want to see him getting a tattoo. And they might.

The Animals, They Are Punks

You already know to be watching the schedule over there on the right, right?

Just in case, I just added that Jarrett J. Krosoczka, creator of the terrific Punk Farm books (and the very funny Punk Farm Space website) will be appearing on our show on December 1.

Also coming up will be the second annual announcement of the Fids and Kamily Awards on November 17, Gustafer Yellowgold's triumphant return to the Valley on December 9, and Uncle Rock back in town in February.

The Gang Activity Does Indeed Create a Time That is Good

Did Gwendolyn & her gang rock this morning or what?

We had a great turnout at Cup & Top, and I'm hopeful that there was a huge turnout at the Children's Art Museum too. Unfortunately, we didn't make it -- Ella was pretty sick (as you know if you've listened to the show this morning) and Liam seemed potentially on the edge of being ill too, so we stayed home and relaxed. So thanks again to the band - such nice folks, too - and to Helen at the cafe for hosting the event.

By the way, we're having a pledge drive in two weeks. We've got a lot of music to give away as prize packages - Sippy Cups, Hipwaders, and a whole lot more.

Playlist for 11-3-07

November already!

Archive is here.

Thanks to Gwendolyn & the Good Time Gang for a great performance on air and at Cup & Top!

Legal ID (7:59)
They Might Be Giants - It's Spare the Rock
They Might Be Giants - Impossible (Bed Bed Bed)
Ella Jenkins - Where is Mary? (Sharing Cultures with...)
Renee & Jeremy - Three Little Birds (It's a Big World)
Rocknoceros - (I Wish We Used) The Metric System (Dark Side of the Moon Bounce)
Parker Bent - You Can't Always Get What You Want (Charlie Davidson's Tricycle Club)
Jellydots - Big Swingset (Changing Skies)
-song ID/PSA (Hilltown Families event)
Dean Jones - Wheelin' and Dealin' (Napper's Delight)
Gustafer Yellowgold - I'm From the Sun (Live at Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child)
Lunch Money - Miniature Things (Silly Reflection)
-song ID
John Carlin - Eliza (Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child Live at Jalopy)
Weezer - My Name is Jonas (Blue Album)
Professor Presley - A Dividing Nation (History Rocks)
Deedle Deedle Dees - John Brown (live at Flywheel)
Pencilhead and the Playground Punks - Ranch (Punk Salad)
Sippy Cups - Springtime Fantastic (Electric Storyland)
Mono Puff - Unsupervised, I Hit My Head (Unsupervised)
ScribbleMonster - I Wish I Lived in Michigan (A Curious Glimpse of Michigan)
-legal ID (9:01)
ScribbleMonster - Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child
Justin Roberts - Our Imaginary Rhino (Meltdown)
Walt Mink - Sunnymede (Bareback Ride)
Paul Westerberg - Love You in the Fall (Open Season s/t)
Gwendolyn & the Good Time Gang live in-studio:
-Ooodily Oodily
-Anatomy
Sweet Marmalade (Get Up & Dance!)
Great Lake Swimmers - See You on the Moon (See You on the Moon/For the Kids 3)
They Might Be Giants - Free to Be You and Me
Joe McDermott - Everybody Plays Air Guitar (Everybody Plays Air Guitar)
Roger Day - I Like Yaks! (Dream Big)
Billy Jonas - What Kind of Cat Are You? (What Kind of Cat Are You?)
Trout Fishing in America - The Goops (It's a Puzzle)
Samuel L. Jackson - The Grumps (A World of Happiness)
White Stripes - Rag and Bone (Icky Thump)
-song ID
They Might Be Giants - Spare the Rock
They Might Be Giants - Dinner Bell (Apollo 18)

Happy Halloween!

We had Jane Goodall:





And a hairy eyeball.