Tag: brady rymer

Family music artist Brady Rymer and his fellow performers in the Little Band That Could put the “rock” in kindie rock. From the very beginning of their children’s music career, the group never shied away from featuring electric guitars, keyboards, and drums to create a musical sound that kids and their parents alike would enjoy. With That Friday Feeling, the band’s 12th studio album, that rock and roll tradition continues.

From the first note of the title track to the last beat of the final song, listeners are treated to Rymer’s rockin’ signature melodies combined with lyrics that not only entertain, but emphasize the importance of living lives filled with joy, hope, and kindness. The eleven original songs include ideas for how to cheer someone up, an appreciation for the adorable animal babies of summer, the soft jam that follows the bunny tracks through the snow, and answers to that age-old-question, “If you had a super power, what would it be?” Also included is the beautiful tune, “Outline,” which says that we are simply outlines that are being filled with precious attributes like light and love which are represented by different colors of the rainbow and the upbeat “Gonna Sleep Well Tonight” whose goal it is to get kids moving and dancing and ready to fall into bed. The only cover on That Friday Feeling is “Yes We Can Can,” a funk song about helping one another out that was written by Allen Toussaint and made popular by the Pointer Sisters. Rymer and the Little Band That Could dig right in and give a performance that would make them all proud.

Even in its quieter moments, That Friday Feeling is filled with a joyful celebration of things in life both big and small. Listeners will quickly find themselves bopping their heads and singing along. That Friday Feeling is available this Friday, June 17. 

“Different is beautiful, just like a rainbow, just like the colors that shine. Different is beautiful, just let your colors show. Yours go perfect with mine.”
– “Different is Beautiful” from Under the Big Umbrella

Brady Rymer’s 10th studio album with The Little Band That Could is filled with important messages for every listener that are inspired by those striving to create cultures of kindness in their families, schools, and communities. The opening, title track, “Under the Big Umbrella” was written for Lincoln Center’s inaugural Big Umbrella Festival, a celebration for children with autism and their families. The perfect way to kick-off the album, this song invites everyone to sing and dance however they want under the accepting protection of the big umbrella.

The upbeat, positive messages continue throughout the album in a collection of original and cover songs that encourage listeners to be kind to themselves and one another as well as to do good out in the world. In a departure from his kindie rock style, Rymer is joined by Sonia De Los Santos on a country-tinged bilingual version of the Woody Guthrie tune, “Don’t You Push Me Down,” while on his groovy take on “I’m Coming Out,” Rymer fills breaks in the song with children’s answers to the question, “What do you want the world to know?” Additional covers include Jimmy Cliff’s “You Can Get It If You Really Want,” and the Beatles “With a Little Help From My Friends.”

Children will enjoy the original songs just as much as the covers. From “You Do You” to “Thank You for Being You” the importance of being happy and confident in yourself is emphasized without ever becoming overly didactic or touchy-feely in sentiment. My personal favorite is “The Smile Shop.” I love the concept of a store that has aisles and aisles of smiles for every occasion – the school picture smile, the shy smile, the playing in the park smile. Backed by a rhythm that demands listeners clap along, this tune would be a perfect introduction to activities where children talk about, write about or draw those things in life that make them smile.

Rain or shine, families will find themselves right at home Under the Big Umbrella.