Pop! #13: Gwen Gladeyes - Lullabye

When I first contacted Auckland, New Zealand duo The Gladeyes about The Pop! For Kids Project a year ago, I quickly learned the band was soon going to go on hiatus, because Jade would move far far away to Sweden. Thankfully, Gwen then decided to try to record something on her own, and today you can be witness of how well she succeeded! Lullabye is a lovely, dreamy song about the magic of dreaming, and about how everything is possible in your dreams. And if you dream hard enough, in real life too, of course.

The Gladeyes' discography is filled with gems like this. You can buy their two albums from their bandcamp (from where you can also download a lot of free songs) or at Lil' Chief Records. The future of The Gladeyes seems somewhat uncertain, but if Gwen can make such pretty music all by herself, I don't think we need to really worry.

[MP3]

Pop! #12: Sweater Girls - I'm a little dinosaur

Jackie! Joey! Diana! Tatiana! Cary! They're not all girls, but they're all Sweater Girls. They're a sparkly indiepop band from Los Angeles, California, who make jangly guitar songs influenced by, they say, "friendships, loneliness and laughter."

So far, the 'Girls' have released two 7" singles and one split cassette on Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records, and I've loved their sound since the very first time I heard their debut 'Do the sweater' one and a half years ago. Fresh from their facebook page comes the exciting news that they've just finished recording their debut full length which we can expect this year.

Especially for The Pop! For Kids Project the band recorded a lovely and warmly sincere cover of the great Jonathan Richman classic 'I'm a little dinosaur', which I haven't been able to stop playing since they sent it to me. I'm quite certain you (and your kids) will love it too!

You can buy Sweater Girls' records here.

[MP3]

Pop! #11: When Nalda Became Punk - Truffaut, the dog

When Nalda Became Punk are a lo-fi punky popgroup from Vigo, Spain. The band started out as a solo project for Elena Sestelo, but earlier this year she was joined by Roberto Cibeira and José Oliveira. This summer the trio released their debut single (theme song When Nalda Became Punk) as a 7" on Pebble Records. Earlier, WNBP released a couple of lof-fi demo's to the internet, which can be heard on the band's myspace, bandcamp or soundcloud. Mix the sounds of their listed influences like Heavenly, Clap your hands say yeah!, Helen Love and Belle & Sebastian and add a charming Spanish accent, and you should get a pretty good idea of what to expect from this band.

Their lovely song contribution to TP!FKP is Truffaut, the dog, a sweet but edgy (and catchy!) song about Elena's own cool sausage dog. It's obviously a song born out of friendship, but also with the knowledge of the dog's nature mixed in. "You wag your tail / But you always wag your tail." It's been claimed that, small and cute as they are, sausage dogs are perhaps the most aggressive dogs around. When Nalda Became Punk know it too: "You use your eyes to look kind /But it doesn´t work when you bite."

Elena was so kind to provide the complete lyrics and lovely, specially made cover art for the song, both of which you can download below.

You can still buy the When Nalda Became Punk 7" here.

[MP3] [cover] [lyrics]

Pop! Classic #6

I've always had a big soft spot for The Smittens from Burlington, Vermont, and I think a video like this one should make it clear why. They're sweet and fun, and most often very child friendly too. A long, long time ago (well, two years) I interviewed this band on my other blog, so if you're interested after watching this, go check it out.

This quote from that interview says a lot, I think: "Sometimes we will all be in the same room with whomever's singing or playing and we remind each other to sing with a love thought in our hearts - kind of like answering the telephone with a smile - to get the most sweet feeling into each track."



Libraries, books, cats and kids! What's not to like?

Pop! #10: World Of Fox - Pure imagination

World Of Fox is Simon Fox from Birmingham, England. Simon usually makes lovely, mostly acoustic music as Fox, World Of Fox, Lonesome Fox, and other fox monikers. In the past, he sometimes also used to be a bit louder as a member of the band Grover. For The Pop! For Kids Project, World Of Fox recorded a wonderful version of the classic Pure imagination, originally sung by actor Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka in the movie Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory. Pure imagination is a magical song with a beautiful melody written by Leslie Briscusse and delightful lyrics by Anthony Newley. World Of Fox takes this beauty and turns it into something intimately his own, a great new perspective on such a well loved tune. I can only say: very well done!

World Of Fox released two albums, Respect and Jeane, simultaneously on the last day of last year on the Where It's At Is Where You Are label. You can stream all Simon's releases on his website, and download some for free as well.

This weekend Simon will be playing at the Indietracks festival on Saturday afternoon in the church.

[MP3]

5+1=6 questions for... Zipper

It's been a couple of months since I've posted the song contributed to TP!FKP by Spanish band Zipper. Now Maria and David are back with their answers to '5+1=6 questions for...'

The Pop! For Kids Project: Hello Zipper, nice to have you back here! What have you been up to recently?

Maria & David: In 2010 we've released three singles: a CD-single in Glasgow for Bubblegum Records, a 7" vinyl in Miami for Cloudberry Records and another 7" vinyl in Madrid for Elefant Records. The three of them have different and new songs, though Last chance and Lunes por la mañana have the same music but different lyrics (in English and Spanish, but different meanings). This year we've played at the first Madrid Popfest and we're going to play at the Indietracks festival, at the Contempopranea festival (Spain) and at the Glasgow Popfest.

TP!FKP: What are your earliest musical memories?

M: I remember having sung all my life. I loved and knew all the typical children songs and my mother says that I used to sing a lot when I was little. I attended piano lessons when I was around 4-5 in a house where the family owned a little monkey. The monkey is the only thing I remember from my piano lessons (I moved from that town and my parents didn't sign me in any other accademy...). I was very good at flute in school because I really loved music and I used to have the little casio keyboads everywhere at home (the one with the lights that you had to follow was my favourite). Then, when I was fourteen, I learnt how to play the guitar and formed a band with some girls at school where I changed into the bass guitar player because I had a bass at home from my sister. Finally, at the university, I met David and Oscar and decided to form Zipper.

D: I had an older brother who showed me Spanish 80's bands. He's 14 years older so I was influenced by his bands and he also had a band so, when I was around 6 or 7 I started taking his guitar and learnt how to play it. I knew Oscar from the high-school and then, at the university he presented me to Maria and another girl and started Zipper.

TP!FKP: Do you think good music is important for young children?

D+M: Definitively yes!! I think it makes you more imaginitive, sensitive and happier. I think children who sing (although they may not sing well) are happier than the ones who don't.

TP!FKP: What's the best bit about being a musician?

M: You can express youself. For example, I'm very shy and the only place where I don't feel so shy is when I sing, I feel more confident.

D: It feels good when someone tells you that they like your music.

TP!FKP: Do you have any favourite children's songs?

D+M: When we were little, we grew up with the Spanish bands Parchis and Enrique y Ana. I think they were the best. I can't think of any like them nowadays. They were also children and they sang about typical children themes, funny, easy to learn, easy to sing...

TP!FKP: The song you contributed, Tamagotchi, is a live recording. Do you think we'll ever see the song released as a studio recording?

M: Tamagotchi is one of our first songs, probably from 1996. I've loved it since David wrote it, but we've stop playing it 5 or 6 years ago. It's not very likely that we'll record it again, though I might convince David to start playing it again and perhaps, we change our minds. But I don't think it may be in a close future...

TP!FKP: Thanks Zipper!

Pop! #9: Liechtenstein - How much is that doggie in the window

Liechtenstein from Sweden have been spoiling us with perfect popsongs since 2007. Most recent example is the lovely new single, Meantime. Especially for this project the girls recorded an absolutely wonderful version of the classic How much is that doggie in the window. The song was written by Bob Merill in 1952, and made famous by Patti Page and Lita Roza in the following year. Almost 60 years later, Liechtenstein manage to keep all the charm of those famous recordings but add their own little magic to it, effortlessly owning the song from start to finish.

An interview I did with Liechtenstein in 2008 is still online on my other blog, for those of you who want to find out more about this great band. (Since the interview, Ulrika has taken Naemi's place on the bass.)

You can buy Liechtenstein's records from here and here.

[MP3]

Pop! Classic #5

Fishboy is one of those bands that don't really play kid's music, but most of their music is definitely as fun for kids as it is for us, the adults. And indeed, when I wrote Eric Fishboy about this project he said "I have always gravitated towards making my music open to all ages and would say that about 95% of my songs are accessible to everyone." The below song - Parachute (Using The Ghost Of Buddy Holly As A) - is one of my favourite Fishboy songs, and it's got a fun video as well.



You can download this song for free from here.

Fishboy have a new album out this month called Classic creeps, which you can buy here and here.

Pop! #8: The Indelicates - The sad gnome song

The Indelicates are an English popgroup formed around Julia and Simon Indelicate. In their usual 'grown up' style they mix influences from folk, punk, classical music and indiepop/rock, resulting in edgy, catchy and original songs with great melodies and insightful lyrics. The Indelicates' contribution to this project is quite a bit different, but no less fun. It's an amusing (but sad) little tale of a gnome who doesn't have very much room in his mushroom house. The song was recorded a couple of years ago, but hasn't appeared on any of their releases so far, even though it had a record label named after it!

You can buy The Indelicates' records here, here, here and here.

[MP3]

5+1=6 questions for... Vom Vorton

It's been already over a month since Vom Vorton contributed his great original song The world is round to this project. It's more than time to throw our 5+1 questions at Tom, and see what answers he comes up with.

The Pop! For Kids Project: Hello Tom! What have you been up to recently?

Tom Morton: Well, I've been writing and recording a lot due to the time of year, but more on that later! I'm trying to have quite a busy musical year in 2011 to follow up the EP that I released at the end of last year (Plots & Plans), so I've got quite a few gigs coming up. I also provided some science based songs for the Geek Pop festival recently, although the science involved is dubious at best!

TP!FKP: What are your earliest musical memories?

TM: I had a tape of songs recorded off the radio called Tom's Favourites that I used to play all the time. I think the songs became my favourites because they were the only ones I had rather than being picked for any specific reason, but some of the better ones included Letter from America by The Proclaimers, Heaven Is a Place On Earth by Belinda Carlisle and of course the incomparable Rick Astley with Never Gonna Give You Up. I guess I would have been about five at the time. I also used to put on 'musical' shows with my cousins throughout my childhood and most of us have carried on making music to this day. They're mostly doing better than me, but that's OK - I'm proud of them!

TP!FKP: Do you think good music is important for young children?

TM: I think music in general is important for young children, and if that music happens to be good (and bearable for grown ups as well) then it can't hurt!

TP!FKP: What's the best bit about being a musician?

TM: When it all goes right - finishing off a new song and feeling proud of it, or realising in the middle of a gig that everyone is having a really good time. Getting to do something really fun and have other people enjoy it too!

TP!FKP: Do you have any favourite children's songs?

TM: I certainly do! I don't want to live on the moon first appeared on Sesame Street in 1978, and is sung by Jim Henson as Ernie. It is absolutely wonderful! So sweet and with a nice melancholy tinge. I've thought about covering it in the past, but there's no improving on perfection. I also think the child-friendly Beatles songs get a bit too much stick - if you can write a catchy song about an octopus or a brightly coloured submarine then go for it, I reckon.

TP!FKP: You recorded The world is round as part of FAWM. Can you tell us a little bit about this yearly challenge?

TM: FAWM stands for February Album Writing Month, and it's a timed songwriting event that, this year, generated over 10,000 new songs. It's a hugely positive event where people upload their songs and encourage each other to reach the goal - 14 songs, in theory, but it's a personal challenge and people's output varies from a couple of lo-fi webcam recordings to huge studio-recorded opuses (opii?). I managed 19 songs this year, which I'll be trimming down to the best ones, polishing up and releasing as a free album sometime in the next couple of months.
The Pop! For Kids song request arrived just in time for the start of February and The World Is Round was the first song I posted. Thanks for getting me started!

TP!FKP: You're very welcome Tom, and thank YOU!

Pop! #7: Mascot Fight - Dance like robots

Mascot Fight are a joyful sounding English indiepop quartet, who make songs with lyrics full of social commentary and wit. I was excited when they promised to contribute a song especially written and recorded for this project. The result is this, the bouncy and very catchy Dance like robots. It's lovely. If you like this song you'll be up for a treat with their albums. Most songs tell nice stories that lift you up, make you think or laugh for a minute, and put your mind in a unique place for a while. But now first: "...come on let's dance everyone, let's all dance like robots!" With a tune like this, who could possibly resist?

You can buy Mascot Fight's albums here, or give them a listen first, here.

[MP3]

5+1=6 questions for... Nat Johnson

A week ago I posted Monkey Swallows The Universe's lovely song Inspector Flamingo. Today, it's time to ask singer and songwriter Nat Johnson our 5+1 questions.

The Pop! For Kids Project: Hello Nat! What have you been up to recently?

Nat Johnson: Hello! The Figureheads and I have been quite busy lately releasing a new EP, called What the Heart Pours Into. We thought it would be a nice idea to do some handmade cd copies of it, so we've spent a lot of time playing at arts and crafts. I managed to get spraypaint all over the house but luckily it cleaned up with a lot of scrubbing. We've also been recording some more and have been playing a few gigs as well. It's been great fun.

TP!FKP: What are your earliest musical memories?

NJ: Being scared of putting the needle on the record player, but desperately wanting to listen to my parents' records, so holding the needle above and dropping it from quite a height whilst cringing away. Taping over the laugh on the end of Michael Jackson's Thriller cos I was scared of that too. Writing little pop songs on my casio keyboard from the age of about 7. Being caught recording myself singing the song from the Aristocats and being very embarrassed about it.

TP!FKP: Do you think good music is important for young children?

NJ: Well good quality from the start can't hurt can it? Though people will always make their own decisions about what they like when they get older, you'll always remember what your parents listened to and sang to you when you were little and if it's something pretty cool then that's a bonus.

TP!FKP: What's the best bit about being a musician?

NJ: I love creating something out of thin air. One minute there's nothing, then suddenly there's a whole new song that never existed before. I love it if a song I've written can mean something to someone.

TP!FKP: Do you have any favourite children's songs?

NJ: I always liked the one that goes... In a tiny house, by a tiny stream, lived a lovely lass, who had a lovely dream, and her dream came true, quite unexpectedly... in... Gilly Gilly Ossenfeffer Katzenellenbogen by the Sea!

TP!FKP: What was the inspiration for writing Inspector Flamingo?

NJ: I just sat down with my guitar, opened my gob and out came Inspector Flamingo. I must have been in an odd mood I suppose, but I hadn't planned to write a murder mystery song about flamingos and crocodiles. I remember coming up with the first couple of lines, quite liking the sound of them, and by the end just laughing to/at myself.

TP!FKP: Thank you Nat!

Interview with TP!FKP

Tyo from Indonesia was so kind to interview me for the Heart Fanclub Radio blog about this project. Go and have a look, in case you're interested!

Picture: our son Sam having a good time posing in an attempt to get a nice photo to go with this interview.

Pop! #6: Monkey Swallows The Universe - Inspector Flamingo

Nat Johnson is widely known for making beautiful pop music with gorgeous vocals and melancholy melodies. For this reason I asked Nat for a contibution from her and her new band the Figureheads, but what I got instead is at least as nice: an unreleased song by her previous band Monkey Swallows The Universe. "We did put it up on our website for a bit just after we split as it was the only thing we'd recorded that no one had heard, but otherwise it's not been available," says Nat. Written by her in a silly mood in 2007, this is actually a delightful song perfectly suited for this project: a lovely melody and an entertaining story, with sweet intrumentation that fits this song perfectly. And then there's that voice of course.

Monkey Swallows The Universe were an English acoustic folk-pop/indiepop band, centred around the original founding duo of Nat Johnson and Kevin Gori. When the band disbanded in 2008, Nat went solo for a short while and is she's now making pretty music with her new backing band The Figureheads.

You can buy Nat Johnson's releases here and here, and Monkey Swallows The Universe's albums are also still available, here.

[MP3]

Pop! Classic #4

The Alphabet Song has been done by countless artists in all kinds of versions, quite some of which are probably better than this one here. But it's Tilly & the Wall! How could I possibly not post their version on this blog that's all about pop with a capital P?



They do attempt to turn it into a real Tilly & the Wall song of course, with the tapdancing, the shouting, the boys and the girls. It all nice, and the ABC Song is a classic in every language anyway (at least I know it in Dutch, English and German), no matter who sings it.

5+1=6 questions for... A Smile And A Ribbon

Yesterday I posted the song Honey bee by A Smile And A Ribbon. Today singer Rebecca Mehlman returns in '5+1=6 questions for...'

The Pop! For Kids Project: Hello Rebecca! What have you been up to recently?

Rebecca Mehlman: We've been rehearsing and recording the songs for our second album. Martin and I recorded the last album on our own, but this time around the other four members of the band will be an important part of the process as well. Instead of Martin's bedroom, we plan on recording most of the songs in our rehearsal room or in a studio. If you thought the lyrics on our debut album The Boy I Wish I Never Met were depressing, you've seen nothing yet!

TP!FKP: What are your earliest musical memories?

RM: My mom played Mozart's Elvira Madigan repeatedly for me when I was in the womb, and then again when I was born, so I would feel at home.

TP!FKP: Do you think good music is important for young children?

RM: Absolutely! Children remind me of people who are high, their senses are so keen and open to the world around them: colors, songs, beauty, feelings, and their imagination knows no limits.

TP!FKP: What's the best bit about being a musician?

RM: You get to travel even if you're too poor to afford a ticket, being in a band is like having a family, you get to turn life into art, people think you're cool, and I've heard you get lots of boys.

TP!FKP: Do you have any favourite children's songs?

RM: Disney has made some memorable tunes. I loved Once Upon a Dream from Sleeping Beauty when I was a kid, and I still do.

TP!FKP: What can you tell us about the recording of Honey bee, both the 1986 part and the grown-up part?

RM: Well the 1986 part is pretty personal, and I think listening to the song says it all. As for the grown-up part, I remember being inspired by Pascal Comelade and children's instruments. I went to the toystore and bought a xylophone (wood) among other things. 'Honey Bee' is a pretty bittersweet song, especially when I hear the distance between who I was in 1986 and and who I am today in that tiny voice. I don't think I knew what bitterweet was.

TP!FKP: Thank you Rebecca!

Pop! #5: A Smile And A Ribbon - Honey bee

This next contribution by A Smile And A Ribbon from Sweden is really something very special. The foundation of the recording of this traditional nursery rhyme was built in 1986: it's vocals and piano by a then four year old Rebecca Mehlman plus the voice of her father making the announcements. Then in the present day Rebecca and Martin Lindqvist took that old recording and added the rest of the intruments. The result is this really intimate and innocent, previously unreleased song.

For those of you still unfamiliar with A Smile And A Ribbon, make sure to at least download the three free MP3s from their last.fm website to hear what a grown up Rebecca sounds like. You might just find yourself a new favourite band richer.

You can buy A Smile And A Ribbon's wonderful records here, here and here, or see what the band's up to on myspace and facebook.

[MP3]

Pop! Classic #3

While we're waiting for some new exclusive TP!FKP-contributions to come in, let's have a look at another classic for some inspiration. I promise new songs will appear here soon, but these things do take time! The first three kind contributors just worked amazingly fast.

I don't believe that this below song is really filled with drug references as some people still claim. To me, it's only a sweet and pretty song about the lost innocence of childhood. A bit sad it is, isn't it ("A dragon lives forever, but not so little boys. Painted wings and giant rings make way for other toys...")? But the melody is so lovely, and it always works very well to create a peaceful, quiet mood.



One of the things I love best about being a parent, is that it allows me to go back without any reservations to that almost forgotten fantasy world, be it Honah Lee or any other.

5+1=6 questions for... MJ Hibbett

Last week MJ Hibbett presented us with his first effort to write a children's song in the form of his lovely Monster Island. Today is as good a day as any to ask Mark a little bit more about himself and his inspirations, in what will be a returning item on this blog: 5+1=6 questions for...

The Pop! For Kids Project: Hello Mark! What have you been up to recently?

MJ Hibbett: Lots! I'm just finishing off touring the two-man show version of my musical Dinosaur Planet whilst simultaneously writing the follow-up, 'Moon Horse VS The Mars Men Of Jupiter', which we'll be taking up to the Edinburgh Fringe this year. Me and The Validators are also busy doing final mixes for the huge concept album version of 'Dinosaur Planet', and any spare time I have left over after all that is currently being spent on February Album Writing Month, where you sign up to write a 14 track album in February. I'm five songs in so far, just about on schedule!

TP!FKP: What are your earliest musical memories?

MJH: Listening to my Mum singing in the kitchen - a song that involved someone's mum disappearing, which terrified me - and the song Yellow River being on the radio all the time. My Dad playing Tommy Gun's Theme on the guitar, which for about twenty years was the only song he could play, and would at very little provocation! And, of course, for anyone of my age, the arrival of the double album War Of The Worlds was an introduction to a whole world of excitement!

TP!FKP: Do you think good music is important for young children?

MJH: I think music is very important for children and for everyone - I didn't come from a particularly musical family and so it took me ages to get round to learning an instrument, but when it did it comepletely changed my life, for the better. The more people are involved with making music the better, but only when it's strictly for fun. I know loads of people who were forced to learn instruments like the violin or piano, which are much to difficult and boring for kids, and ended up being put off it for life.

I don't, however, think we need to worry about whether the music is 'good' or not. Children have very different needs and tastes from adults, so we shouldn't go around trying to make them listen to the sort of stuff we like - let them make their own mind up, they'll probably end up teaching us all a thing or two!

TP!FKP: What's the best bit about being a musician?

MJH: It opens up MASSIVE opportunities for Showing Off, which is pretty much my favourite thing in the world! It also allows you to be like a little kid again, grabbing people and saying "Listen to ME! Listen to what I MADE!" People are generally too polite to tell you to get lost, even as an adult!

TP!FKP: Do you have any favourite children's songs?

MJH: The songs I most enjoyed singing as a child were Christmas Carols with rude words put in - "We three kings of Leicester Square/Selling ladies' underwear" or "While Shepherds washed their socks by night", that sort of thing. They still fill me with exactly the kind of delight they always did!

TP!FKP: What gave you the idea for your musical 'Dinosaur Planet'?

MJH: I went to see someone doing a one-man version of Jeff Wayne's 'War Of The Worlds' a couple of years ago. As I say, I LOVE 'War Of The Worlds' and was very excited, but the whole thing was a bit dull and disappointing, so I decided to do my own one-man rock opera, and used various ideas I'd been talking about in the pub for years, based on cheap novels one of my friends used to read. That was more of a stand-up kind of show, with me explaining the story, which wouldn't really work as a recorded album so I wrote it all out with the intention of making a record and enjoyed it so much that I ended up turning it into a musical. The rest has been a) history b) expensive!

TP!FKP: Thanks Mark!

Not a review blog

To all the kind people sending music with review requests to my mailbox: thank you very much, but I'm sorry. I do listen, and I'm sure your music is often great and worth writing about... but I won't. That's just not the kind of blog this is.