Summer weekend getaways mean bumper-to-bumper traffic and cloying kids’ music in the car. Your only option is to spice things up with a little variety. Check out these new releases to get you and your brood through the dog days of summer.
Jerzy the Giant by the Terrible Twos: This collection of upbeat “playground pop songs” is the second album from the Terrible Twos. Matt Pryor (also of the New Amsterdams) gives parents and kids alike a true gift: a pleasant and inviting voice that is easy on the ears. Shades of Weezer pop up throughout, and the feel-good music and snappy tempo make it impossible to be in a bad mood. Can’t-miss numbers include Jerzy the Giant, The Plan, Elliott Oooh, Jump, Jump, Jump and Watch Out for the Lions.
Rocketship Run by the Laurie Berkner Band: Laurie Berkner is the closest thing children’s music has to a rock legend. And she doesn’t disappoint with Rocketship Run, her first new album in six years. With quirky lyrics and an indie-folk style, it’s hallmark Berkner. This time she introduces us to Candy Cane Jane, who owns a horse with a candy cane mane, and Gumdrop Joe, who likes to play in that snow. Berkner closes by paying homage to Frank Sinatra, with a captivating rendition of Fly Me to the Moon.
Alphabet Rockers: Get rid of the kiddie lyrics, and this music might actually make it onto your iPod. The standouts? The Seven Days of the Week, which has a sort of Dido/Sheryl Crow thing going on, and the happy soul-infused The Rainbow Song, which sounds very India Arie. Listeners will also detect hints of Salt ‘n’ Pepa and The Beastie Boys from these two San Fran musicians.
Ladybug One by the Harmonica Pocket: Don’t be turned off by the insect soliloquies peppered throughout the album. With their soothing voices, Harmonica Pocket, an indie-pop-folk group that hails from the land of Starbucks and grunge rockers, can be quite Simon & Garfunkel at times. Particularly ear-worthy are the two instrumental songs at the end of the album, which are so mesmerizing you’ll swear you’re back in college chilling out to George Winston.