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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After exploring the Blues on their last two family albums, Wendy & DB return to their pop roots with Get Your Sunny Side UP. The album kicks off with the title track, featuring Wendy’s powerful vocals, encouraging listeners to start each day with a new, positive attitude. This is followed by the bluesy “I’m in a Mood,” “Never Give Up” starring some ethereal vocals from Pierce Freelon, the bilingual “Ouchie Ya Ya” with Flor Bromley, and “Talk About It,” an important song for children and adults about not just talking to one another, but listening to each other in order to find a middle ground. Wendy & DB continue to celebrate and urge everyone to protect the environment with “Recycling Bins” and “Little Bird/Big World” featuring the incredible vocal stylings of Secret Agent 23 Skidoo. In a departure from their usual vibes, they mix things up with the loud, cacophony that aptly matches tone with subject matter with “Let’s Make a MeSs.” Two tracks that would be perfect in storytime include the love and joy filled “Rainbow in My Heart” which would pair well with ribbons or scarves, and “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” a high octane, fresh take on an old standard. Get Your Sunny Side Up will be a hit with children and adults of all ages. Take a peek at their latest video, “Seymour the Sloth.”
For Brady Rymer and The Little Band That Could, life is Sunny Side Up. For 25 years. Rymer’s music has always been imbued with positivity and kindness, and this latest collection is no different. His hallmark pop-rock-folk sound lifts each of the songs up, filling them with happiness and a sense of joy that is underscored by the band’s effortless harmonies. The album opens with the title track, an upbeat tune that emphasizes that every day is a fresh start. The themes of friendship and togetherness are explored on “Me and My Friends” and “The Reason is You” while kindness is the star in “When You’re Kind,” a lovely duet between Rymer and Laurie Berkner. Additional songs celebrate the simple pleasures in life like laundry on the line, a baby bird preparing to fly, and a dandelion in the wind making this album perfect for family listening as we continue our journey from spring into the lazy, hazy days of summer. 
To kick things off, here is “
From defending the Earth to celebrating the Earth, next up is the third album from St. Louis’s own 
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As a child, whenever I heard adults use the phrase, “where does the time go?” I always thought, “I don’t know where it goes, but it sure goes slow.” Now, as an adult, I too wonder where the time goes, and why it goes so quickly. It feels like Halloween was just yesterday yet the first day of 2025 is only two weeks away. I had every intention of writing several posts over the course of the past month highlighting various new holiday songs, but alas, best laid plans and all. Instead, here is one bigger post to celebrate the sounds of Christmas. 
Grief has been on a lot of people’s minds lately, mine included. So often it is correlated to the death of a loved one, but among other things, it could also be the result of the loss of a pet, or the end of dreams that will never be realized. I consider myself lucky that while growing up, whenever I was grieving a loss, however big or small, my parents never said, “Don’t cry. Everything will be ok.” Instead they let me cry, or talk, or just be alone for a while.
Set to be released this Friday, October 18, children’s indie folk band Little Coyotes’ debut album Songs to Howl & Sing is a real delight. The ten tracks in this collection are a love letter to the outdoors that celebrates many of the facets of nature, while also conveying messages of positivity and empowerment for young listeners. Whether learning about the national parks, shapes, sunny or rainy days, or the power of vowels, children will be enchanted by the lyrical prose found in each of the musical phrases.