Classical Recordings Take Top Honors As 2015’s Top New Children’s Albums

The mainstream and independent music industry have both generated their fair share of impressive records in 2015. This includes both full-length albums and EPs. Of course for all of the success that both realms have shown one would be remiss to ignore the realm of music for the whole family. That realm has seen the release of a number of impressive records, too. Recess Monkey returned again this year with yet another fun new album. And children’s classical label Maestro Classics released a pair of interesting releases, too. New entries from Jazzy Ash, Josh and the Jamtones, and Alex & The Kaleidoscope among others have proven to be just as impressive. Those acts’ albums are all on this year’s list of the year’s best new children’s albums along with five more that have once again gotten honorable mention. Without any further ado here is the Phil’s Picks Best New Children’s Albums.

2015 TOP NEW CHILDREN’S ALBUMS

1. MAESTRO CLASSICS — THE NUTCRACKER
2. MAESTRO CLASSICS — MERRY PRANKS OF MASTER TILL
3. RECESS MONKEY — HOT AIR
4. JOSH AND THE JAMTONES — ROCKSTEADY
5. ROCK ‘N RAINBOW — LET’S BOOGIE
6. CATHY FINK & MARCY MARXER — DANCIN’ IN THE KITCHEN: SONGS FOR ALL FAMILIES

7. ALASTAIR MOOK AND FRIENDS — ALL KINDS OF YOU AND ME
8. JAZZY ASH — BON VOYAGE
9. THE BAZILLIONS — ON THE BRIGHT SIDE
10. FUTURE HITS — TODAY IS FOREVER
11. THE POP UPS — GREAT PRETENDERS CLUB
12. ROCKNOCEROS — PLYMOUTH ROCKERS
13. ALEX & THE KALEIDOSCOPE — GET ON BOARD
14. LUCKY DIAZ AND THE FAMILY JAM BAND — ADELANTE
15. MIL’S TRILS — NOW THAT WE’RE FRIENDS

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The Pop Ups Prove They’re The Real Deal With Their New LP

Courtesy: Pop Up City Records

When the kindie rock duo The Pop Ups released its album Appetite For Construction last year, it released an album that was one of the year’s best new children’s albums. That is because it was one of the most creative both in regards to its musical and lyrical content. Now a little more than a year after the record’s release–the pair’s third full-length studio offering–Jason Rabinowitz and Jacob Stein have followed it up with what is some of its best work to date in its fourth full-length recording Great Pretenders Club. This record is *pardon the bad pun* proof that The Pop Ups are no pretenders. Rather the pair has proven with this record that it is the real deal. Over the course of its eleven tracks and thirty-eight minutes, Rabinowitz and Stein show that they have re-invented themselves yet again all while maintaining some sense of their previous records. This applies largely to the record’s musical content. In regards to the record’s lyrical content that is just as family friendly as ever. As important as both elements are to the whole of this record, the sequencing of the songs is just as important to the album’s overall presentation as the songs’ content. The combination of all three elements makes Great Pretender’s Club a record that is a real contender for a spot on this year’s list of the best new children’s albums once again.

The Pop Ups’ new full-length studio recording Great Pretender’s Club is a real candidate for a spot on the list for this year’s best new children’s album. There is a number of reasons that this is the case. The central reason for its success is its musical content. Throughout the course of the record’s eleven songs and thirty-eight minutes Jason Rabinowitz and Jacob Stein show time and again that they have re-invented their sound once again all without losing the elements that made their previous albums so entertaining. The 80s sound that served as the foundation for 2014’s Appetite For Construction is included once again here. But it is far less prevalent in this record than its predecessor. The only place in which that sound is truly evident is in the synth-driven ‘Googly Eyes.’ There are just as many elements of the pair’s 2011 debut album Outside Voices and its followup, 2012’s Radio Jungle throughout the rest of the record beginning with the infectious danceable vibes of the album’s opener ‘Pretend We Forget’ and ‘We Live in An Orchestra.’ The more airy, indie rock sound of ‘On Air’ is just as entertaining as is the R&B-influenced ‘Bird & Rhino’ and the upbeat rocker that is ‘Treasure Hunter.’ Those that are familiar with The Pop Ups’ body of work so far will even catch the band’s throwback to its previous albums in the semi-reggae-infused ‘Stuff.’ These are just a handful of examples of how the musical content exhibited throughout Great Pretenders Club makes it an impressive new release. That is not to take anything away from any of the songs not noted here. All eleven songs show in their own right just how enjoyable Great Pretenders Club is for listeners. Collectively they are plenty of proof in the argument for the album’s place in the list of this year’s best new children’s albums. They are just one reason that this record proves so impressive, too. The lyrical content put on display throughout each of the record’s songs is even more proof in that argument.

The musical content put on display over the course of The Pop Ups’ new album is plenty of proof in itself why this latest offering from the kindie rock duo is deserving yet again of a spot on any critic’s list of the year’s best new children’s albums. That is because it shows the pair doesn’t rest easy on its laurels. It takes the best elements of its predecessors and mixes them into a wholly new record here. It is just one reason that this album proves so enjoyable, too. The lyrical content exhibited throughout the course of the record’s near forty-minute run time is just as important to note in the album’s enjoyment as its musical content. In the simply titled ‘Bird & Rhino’ Rabinowitz and Stein in fact present the story of a bird and a rhinoceros that are best friends. On the surface, it’s just a fun story about a bird and a rhino. On a deeper level, it is a basic biology lesson about animal symbiosis. It also plays on the legend about rhinos stamping out fires. To this day there is no real proof of rhinos’ tendency to stamp out fires. It is just a fun little tale. And The Pop Ups have made it even more fun here. Audiences can hear the song for themselves right now and even see the song’s companion video via The Pop Ups’ official Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/thepopups. It’s just one example of how the lyrical content exhibited throughout this record makes it enjoyable. The upbeat indie-rock tune ‘Treasure Hunter’ is another example of how Great Pretenders proves to be the real deal. It comes from the vantage point of a young child using his or her imagination as he or she hunts for “treasure.” The treasure in question doesn’t even have to be gold. As the pair sings in the song’s second verse, “I drew a map/To help you find your keys/You’re gonna find it when you find it/You’re gonna find it when you look right under your keys/I took your hat/Hid it underneath the stairs/You’re gonna find it when you find it/You’re gonna find it when you go to get some extra chairs.” It celebrates the joys of a child’s innocence in just this one way. It could even be argued that it encourages parents to spend time with their kids being treasure hunters with them, building that all too important family bond. The simply titled, infectious ‘Indoor Picnic’ is one more example of how Great Pretenders Club’s lyrical content makes it just as enjoyable as its musical content. Rabinowitz and Stein sing here about children using their imaginations to make…well…an indoor picnic. The pair sings about using their imaginations and that they don’t necessarily have to use real food for said picnic. Of course, it could serve as the catalyst for parents and children taking something bad such as a rainy day and making it great by in fact having a real indoor picnic. It’s one more way in which the song’s lyrical content not only promotes the use of a child’s imagination but the interaction of children and their parents. If for no reason other than that of encouraging parents and children to spend time together, the song’s lyrical content shows why it is just as important to the song as its musical content. It is hardly the last example of how the album’s lyrical content overall plays an important role in the album’s success. There are eight other songs presented here that could show just as much the importance of the album’s lyrical content to its success. Whether for those songs or for the ones directly noted here, it can be said of all eleven songs that their combined lyrical content works hand in hand with their musical content to make a completely clear argument in favor of the album’s placement on any critic’s list of the year’s best new children’s albums.

Both the musical and lyrical content displayed over the course of Great Pretenders Club is more than enough reason for this album earning a spot on any critic’s list of the year’s best new children’s albums. For all of the importance that both elements exhibit, they are hardly the only elements that make this album so enjoyable. The sequencing of the featured songs is just as important to the album as their musical and lyrical content. As audiences will note from start to finish the songs’ different sounds change from one song to the next. But through it all, the album never once loses its listeners. It all opens with the infectious vibes of ‘Pretend We Forgot’ before moving on to the equally danceable ‘We Live in an Orchestra.’ The EDM style sound of ‘On Air’ and 80s-influenced ‘Googly Eyes’ are as different as can be stylistically speaking. But the energy exuded by both songs is just enough to keep listeners engaged regardless. ‘Indoor Picnic’ is just as infectious with its upbeat pop rock sound. The funk style sound in ‘Bird & Rhino’ is just as certain to keep listeners engaged, even in its tamer moments. The songs noted here represent just the first half of Great Pretenders Club. The album’s remaining five compositions will each keep listeners’ ears just as much as those that make up the first half of the album. All things considered, the sequencing of this record’s songs coupled with the songs’ musical and lyrical content makes the album in whole one that is, again, a clear candidate for a spot on any critic’s list of the year’s best new children’s albums.

The Pop Ups’ latest full-length studio offering Great Pretender’s Club is an aptly titled collection of songs. That is because it shows that this kindie rock band is anything but a pretender. It is in fact that real deal in the world of children’s music. It proves this through music that despite throwing back to all three of its previous albums, is completely original from beginning to end. The album’s lyrical content is just as original. It strays in large part from the standard material presented in so many children’s albums. And the sequencing of the album’s songs solidifies the album, ensuring listeners’ engagement from beginning to end. Each element in its own right plays its own important part in the album’s overall presentation. In whole, all three elements make this record a presentation that is just as much the real deal as the musicians that crafted and recorded it. Great Pretenders Club is available now in stores and online. It can be downloaded direct via Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0159HEDVK?ref=dmm_sm_fb_92515_pua_ald. More information on Great Pretenders Club is available online now along with The Pop Ups’ latest news at:

Website: http://www.thepopups.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thepopups

Twitter: http://twitter.com/thepopups

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Phil’s Picks Is Giving Away Two Great Grammy-Nominated Albums For The Whole Family

The 2015 awards season is officially underway. The Golden Globes has come and gone and so has the annual People’s Choice Awards show. Next up is the biggest night of the year for the music industry–Grammy night. The Grammys will be broadcast live Sunday, February 8th on CBS. Obviously there are varying opinions on the legitimacy of the annual awards show. That is mainly because it focuses mainly on the mainstream acts that everyone knows about. Sadly, that leaves out the acts that really deserve some coverage, including artists and bands in the realm of children’s music. This year, a number of the bands and artists in the children’s music genre that have been nominated are also acts whose releases this critic personally reviewed throughout 2014. And in honor of their nominations, Phil’s Picks is giving away CDs from two of this year’s nominees in the Children’s music genre. Those acts are The Okee Dokee Brothers, and The Pop Ups. Both acts released albums that in their own way have proven to be anything but albums solely for children. If anything, both The Okee Dokee Brothers’ Through The Woods and The Pop Ups’ Appetite For Construction prove to be albums that are just as much for children as for their parents. And now two lucky families will get a chance to win one of those CDs courtesy of Phil’s Picks. For those that haven’t had the pleasure of experiencing either of them, a short overview of both albums follows.

Through The Woods

Courtesy: Okee Dokee Music

Through The Woods is a wonderful album not just for children but for adults, too. That’s first and foremost because of its music. It is clear that it isn’t aimed just at children. In the same vein, older audiences will recognize the likes of David Holt, Cathy Fink, Marcy Marxer, and Hubby Jenkins of the Carolina Chocolate Drops on this record. The inclusion of older musicians, music, and lyrical themes that are aimed more at general audiences than specifically at children goes even farther to prove just how enjoyable this record is for listeners of all ages. It serves to show that Lansing and Mailander are perhaps branching out of their niche realm without alienating the parents and children that they entertained early on. It’s even more reason to applaud this album.

The music and special guest appearances on the album’s songs collectively create a solid foundation for Through The Woods. That foundation having been established, Lansing and Mailander make their latest album even more enjoyable for audiences thanks to the inclusion of a bonus companion DVD that comes with the CD. The album’s bonus DVD documents the journey undertaken by Lansing and Mailander. Along the course of their trip, the men interview a number of individuals who share the history of Appalachian/Mountain Music in their given region. As noted previously, well-known North Carolina musician David Holt is one of those individuals. He makes the interesting statement that he prefers to call Appalachian music “Mountain Music.” That’s because as he puts it, it encompasses the music of every region along the Appalachian Trail. It makes sense. The other interviews featured through the pair’s journey are just as interesting as they come from ordinary people who live along the trail. Audiences will be able to relate to these average, every day figures. And because of that ability to relate, audiences will enjoy the presentation even more.

The documentary following the Okee Dokee Brothers included on the album’s bonus DVD is a wonderful addition to the disc. It’s not all that the bonus DVD offers audiences. The Okee Dokee Brothers sweeten the deal even more by including their album in its entirety on the DVD, too. So not only do listeners get to hear Through The Woods on CD, they also get to hear it on DVD. It makes the bonus DVD that much more of a true bonus and welcome companion to the album. It seals the deal for this album that has justifiably earned itself a spot on the list of this year’s nominees for “Best Children’s Album.”

Appetite For Construction

Courtesy: Pop Up City Records

Appetite for Construction, the latest new release from kindie-pop rock band The Pop-Ups is an interesting work. The twelve-track album from the Brooklyn, NY based band will take parents all the way back to the 1970s and 80s with its mix of sounds all while celebrating the joys of childhood with its lyrical side. That lyrical side will also entertain parents as it will take them back to their own childhoods with songs such as ‘Craft Night,’ ‘Costume Party,’ and ‘All These Shapes.’ That these songs and those not mentioned could reach audiences of so many ages and entertain them at the same time proves once more why children’s music can be and often is just as good as anything crafted specifically for grown-ups.

In ‘Craft Night’ The Pop Ups—Jason Rabinowitz and Jacob Stein—sing about the fun of creating a picture collage. The duo sings about sitting at a table, taking those old tubes of glue, and gluing pictures to sheets of construction paper. Any grown-up that ever did this as a kid will understand and appreciate this song just as much as any child today provided schools still teach children about making collages. Any parent that ever took part in such craft making as children will be taken back in time thanks to the song’s vivid imagery provided via its lyrical content. And any children that actually still take part in such activities in schools today—apparently there are children that focus more on computer-based learning than on arts and crafts—will relate to it just as much. The addition of an old school 1970s/80s sound will entertain parents just as much. The end result is a song that as already noted, is just one prime example of what makes ‘Craft Night’ one of so many examples of the joy offered on this record.

Sitting down and making arts and crafts has been a time-honored tradition for children for generations. Hopefully it hasn’t become an entirely extinct tradition considering the increased emphasis being placed on computer-based learning in schools across the country. Just as much of a time-honored tradition among children is that of the costume party. Boys and girls alike dress up all the time. And their parents did, too. Such a tradition crossing generations, it makes for another great topic for a children’s song. Thus the aptly titled ‘Costume Party’ in which the duo sings of getting dressed up in different outfits. It’s one that both boys and girls will enjoy. That’s because there’s mention of girls getting dressed up in princess dresses and of boys getting dressed in a relative’s clothes. That set against the song’s 80s pop vibe will help the song to connect both with kids and their parents. Speaking of 80s pop, parents that grew up in the 80s will also appreciate the equally creative ‘All These Shapes.’ That song is one more piece from this album that serves as a solid example of what audiences have to expect from this record.

‘All These Shapes’ is another piece that is set against a 1980s era sound for all the grown-up children of the 80s out there. Stein and Rabinowitz sing in this song about all the possible things that could be drawn from the shapes. Parents will appreciate how this song really encourages thinking and creativity. And they will also appreciate that in its own right, that emphasis on creativity makes the song itself creative. It’s just one more piece that shows the extent of creativity and originality that fills this record. There are nine other tracks that display that creativity and originality just as much as this song and those previously noted. Audiences will be able to hear those songs for themselves when Appetite for Construction is released next month.

All three songs are prime examples of what makes Appetite for Construction worth the listen by both children and their parents. And together with the album’s other works the album in whole has also justifiably made a solid case for its nomination to this year’s Grammy category of the Year’s Best New Children’s albums, just as The Okee Dokee Brothers’ Through The Woods. Regardless of who takes this year’s trophy, it can be said that both acts are equally qualified and deserving of the title. They are yet more proof of why children’s music is just as good as music for adults if not more so. For that mater it proves to be just as enjoyable for adults as for children.

Before the Grammys goes live February 8th, Phil’s Picks will give away one copy of each album Friday, January 30th. One family will win a copy of one album while the other will win the other. It is up to the winning families which CD they want when they win. The winning families’ names will be drawn Friday, January 30th at 5pm ET and their names will be announced on the Phil’s Picks Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/philspicks. Any family that wants the chance to win one of these CDs need only go to the Phil’s Picks Facebook page, “Like” it and write on the Phil’s Picks FB page, noting that they want to enter for a chance at one of the CDs. It’s that simple. So don’t let this chance to win a Grammy nominated band slip away. Enter now! Spread the word and good luck!

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

The Pop Ups’ Latest LP Is Fun For Children and Children Of The 80s

Courtesy: Pop Up City Records

Appetite for Construction, the latest new release from kindie-pop rock band The Pop-Ups is an interesting work. The twelve-track album from the Brooklyn, NY based band will take parents all the way back to the 1970s and 80s with its mix of sounds all while celebrating the joys of childhood with its lyrical side. That lyrical side will also entertain parents as it will take them back to their own childhoods with songs such as ‘Craft Night,’ ‘Costume Party,’ and ‘All These Shapes.’ That these songs and those not mentioned could reach audiences of so many ages and entertain them at the same time proves once more why children’s music can be and often is just as good as anything crafted specifically for grown-ups.

The Pop Ups’ latest album is such a joy for parents and children alike because of its ability to reach audiences of all ages. It reaches so many audiences thanks to a combination of music and lyrics that takes listeners back to the 1970s and 80s musically while celebrating the joys of childhood through various avenues. One of the best examples of that mix comes late in the album in the form of ‘Craft Night.’ The duo—Jason Rabinowitz and Jacob Stein—sing about the fun of creating a picture collage. They sing about sitting at a table, taking those old tubes of glue, and gluing pictures to sheets of construction paper. Anyone that ever did this as a kid will understand and appreciate this song just as much as any child today provided schools still teach children about making collages. The men sing, “Can you find some macaroni/Glitter too/Find some pink construction paper and some glue/And you’ll make some beautiful things on craft night/Beautiful things that’ll make the world delight.” They go on to sing about cutting out a heart and combining that with the glitter and macaroni to make a child’s own work of art. From there, the pair sings about finger painting and other crafts. Any parent that ever took part in such craft making as children will be taken back in time thanks to such vivid imagery. And any children that actually still take part in such activities in schools today—apparently there are children that focus more on computer-based learning than on arts and crafts—will relate to it just as much. The addition of an old school 1970s/80s sound will entertain parents just as much. The end result is a song that as already noted, is just one prime example of what makes ‘Craft Night’ one of so many examples of the joy offered on this record.

Sitting down and making arts and crafts has been a time-honored tradition for children for generations. Hopefully it hasn’t become an entirely extinct tradition considering the increased emphasis being placed on computer-based learning in schools across the country. Just as much of a time-honored tradition among children is that of the costume party. Boys and girls alike dress up all the time. And their parents did, too. Such a tradition crossing generations, it makes for another great topic for a children’s song. Thus the aptly titled ‘Costume Party’ in which the duo sings of getting dressed up in different outfits. It’s one that both boys and girls will enjoy. That’s because there’s mention of girls getting dressed up in princess dresses and of boys getting dressed in a relative’s clothes. That set against the song’s 80s pop vibe will help the song to connect both with kids and their parents. Speaking of 80s pop, parents that grew up in the 80s will also appreciate the equally creative ‘All These Shapes.’ That song is one more piece from this album that serves as a solid example of what audiences have to expect from this record.

‘All These Shapes’ is another piece that is set against a 1980s era sound for all the grown-up children of the 80s out there. Stein and Rabinowitz sing in this song about all the possible things that could be drawn from the shapes. They sing, “What can you make with all these shapes/Little circle magnet on my fridge/Just like a baseball we could pitch/Round as an eye that you could wink/Or a head filled with a brain that thinks/Could be a planet or the moon/A floating helium balloon/Maybe a wheel to steer a car/Or the top of a big ol’ pickle jar.” Parents will appreciate how this song really encourages thinking and creativity. And they will also appreciate that in its own right, that emphasis on creativity makes the song itself creative. It’s just one more piece that shows the extent of creativity and originality that fills this record. There are nine other tracks that display that creativity and originality just as much as this song and those previously noted. Audiences will be able to hear those songs for themselves when Appetite for Construction is released next month.

Appetite for Construction will be available in stores and online Tuesday, August 19^th.  It can be downloaded online via iTunes at https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/appetite-for-construction/id899582693.  The Pop Ups will hit the road in support of its new album beginning Wednesday, August 6^th at 4pm ET at The Springfield Museum in Springfield, MA. From there, The Pop Ups will head to New York, New York for a performance at Riverside Park on August 7^th. A complete listing of The Pop Ups’ current tour schedule is available online along with all of the latest news from the band at http://www.thepopups.com, http://www/facebook.com/thepopups, and http://twitter.com/thepopups. To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.