by Bill Childs
12/31/2007
The Deedle Deedle Dees, who played at the Little Rock Zoo in September, top the list of 2007 favorites.
|
|
|
|
|
For the second straight year, I've worked with two great kids' media reviewers, Stefan from Zooglobble.com and Amy from TheLovelyMrsDavis.com, to put together a consensus poll of DJs, reviewers, bloggers, and other people who pay a lot of attention to music for kids. The poll is called the Fids & Kamily Awards, and you can see the results at here, along with reviews by a bunch of different writers. Below is my ballot for the best family CDs of 2007:
1. Freedom in a Box - Deedle Deedle Dees
The Brooklyn-based Deedle Deedle Dees combine a great sense of fun and whimsy with a slightly askew view of history and Americana-tinged rocking out. I still listen to this every few days, with or without my kids, and boy, do they love it. So will you. 2. Mommy Says No! -Asylum Street Spankers
The Austin-based Spankers take their immensely varied musical styles into the world of kids' music, and don't follow the rules there any more than they do with their grown-up records. From touching ballads ("Sidekick") to behind-kicking rawking out (Nirvana's "Sliver"), the CD is another one in regular rotation in the minivan. 3. It's a Big World - Renee & Jeremy
As I said in my initial review, this CD is flat-out gorgeous. This duo provides the best lullabies and mellowing-out songs of the year, hands down. 4. Have You Never Been Yellow? - Gustafer Yellowgold
Gustafer is a small yellow fellow from the sun, and this, the second CD/DVD set to follow his Earthly exploits, is sweetly hilarious and musically rich. The CD stands on its own, but the DVD "moving story book" is what makes the package very nearly perfect. 5. Educated Kid - Hipwaders
Need some tight power guitar rock for your little ones? Who doesn't? The Hipwaders are here for you. The CD could have only the title track and two other tracks ("Art Car" and "Speed of Love") and it'd still be in my top ten; lucky for all of us, it's got even more. 6. Have You Ever Seen an Owl? - Terrible Twos
The Terrible Twos are the kids-music iteration of The New Amsterdams, and their music for families is similar: hook-filled country-tinged rock that you'll be humming even after the kids are in bed.
|
