Let’s Have Some Fun!
School’s out. The sun is out. Summer is in full swing. You know that means – it’s time to have some fun! The three albums highlighted today bring the fun and so much more. Take a listen, have a laugh, do some dancing, then take a nap because that’s what summers are made for!
Let’s get the fun started with Jesse Jukebox Sells Out, the fifth album from Jesse Jukebox (aka Jesse Friedberg). Jesse kicks things off with “Hey Little Rockstar,” then carries the rock ‘n’ roll vibe through songs about being knowledgeable about a lot of things, making friends, and the empowering “Afraid But Brave,” a fantastic song with the important message, “Being scared doesn’t mean I’m out,” when it comes to things like learning to ride a bike or being the new kid at school. The tempo and tone slows and quiets with “Not at Your Best,” a tune that emphasizes we still love and are loved even when we’re having a bad moment or day, and the entertaining, “Farted on the Bus.” With a topic that kids love, everyone can relate to, and a chorus that listeners will have a hard time getting out of their heads, this track will be a hit. Sprinkled throughout the album are “ads” for a wide range of silly products from Squeens Beans to toothpaste that tastes like orange juice, to the newest musical sensation The Bland Boys to a very horrifying type of smellovision. With this album, Jesse sells out in the best way, creating songs with themes that will appeal to kids while crafting music and a flow to the album that will keep the whole family listening from beginning to end!
Next up is a duo that are known for always having a good time and Todd ‘n’ Tina do not disappoint with their newest album, The Color Weasel. There is so much fun packed into the ten tracks in this collection. If you need to tire some kiddoes out, the frenetic “Chicken Pot Pie” will have them running in circles and jumping around while “Freeze” would be a great addition to outdoor storytimes or summer camp activities. The joyful “Popsicle Party” adds to the summer vibe as does “Travelin’ Man” about the freedom that comes with riding around on your bike. Creating songs that entertain while also being filled with heart is a staple of the music from Todd ‘n’ Tina and that is on full display in the title track, “The Color Weasel” about a weasel who only sees things in black in white until he learns that different points of view are important to “a world of technicolor and to break down barriers.”
Last, but certainly not least, is the silliest, funniest, laugh-out-loudiest album of them all – Slippery When Peeled from Go Banana Go! and Flula Borg. The result of this latest collaboration from comedy music performers Jim Roach and Brian Wecht and German actor/comedian Flula Borg is 10 ridiculous, often absurd tracks that will keep listeners young and old giggling from beginning to end as the story in each song unfolds. The album opens with “Hot Coco!,” a spot-on parody of Chappell Roan’s “HOT TO GO!” before tackling additional dance songs covering topics like “Eggs”, and a “Party Goat.” Also included is “I’m Gonna Clean My Room,” which has a musical theater feel and devolves into the main character singing only to annoy his sister, and the lounge singer, jazzy tune “That’s Breakfast,” as well as “Sleep Meditation” which quickly takes an unexpected turn. As with all of Go Banana Go!’s outings, this album is filled with clever lyrics that are paired with instrumentations that perfectly match the tone of each song. No matter your age, if you need a little pick me up, take a listen to any of the songs on Slippery When Peeled!
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