Family music is some of the most underrated content offered to audiences year to year. If people can get past the stigma that has been created (and is maintained to this day, sadly), they will see for themselves just how much family music has to offer. The lyrical themes in many family music albums will appeal just as much to grown-ups as to children, believe it or not. Much of the music that accompanies that far-reaching lyrical content makes for its own appeal, too. Again, audiences will find this for themselves when they give the music a chance.
This year’s field of new family music albums do just as much to support the noted statements as records released in the past few years or so. From the rock leanings of Howdytoons’ latest dinosaur-centric record, Dinosaurs & Monsters, to the neo-folk sounds of Martin & Rose Music’s new album, Dear Heart to the wide range of sounds and styles of music from Tom Knight in his new album, Look Both Ways alongside its lyrical content that will appeal to kids, and so many others, this year’s crop of new family music albums offered families much to enjoy.
To that end, Phil’s Picks is offering up the list of this year’s top new Family Music albums. As with each list, this one offers up the year’s top 10 new albums and five additional honorable mention titles for a total of 15 records. The honorable mention titles are just as enjoyable as the Top 10 records in their own right, so there is no intent to lessen any one album over the others. Without any further ado, here is Phil’s Picks 2022 Top 10 New Family Music Albums.
PHIL’S PICKS 2022 TOP 10 NEW FAMILY MUSIC ALBUMS
Tom Knight – Look Both Ways
Eric Herman and the Puppy Dogs – Magic Beans
Martin & Rose Music – Dear Heart
Katie Dwyer – Let’s Move
Greg Lato – Adults These Days
Kelli Welli – Robots Don’t Tell Jokes
Jesse Jukebox – Just A Minute
Jenn Cleary – Happy Day
Howdytoons – Dinosaurs & Monsters
Raffi & Lindsay Munroe – Nursery Rhymes for Kinder Times
The Wiggles – Super Wiggles
Nicole Porter – You and Us
Triple Rainbow – You Are Magic
Again Again – Your Voice is Magic
You and Us – For Children of All Ages
That’s it for this list, but there is still more to go before the final seconds of 2022 tick away, with a list for the year’s top new World Music albums, Top New Jazz Albums, Top New Independent Albums and Top New Albums Overall. Stay tuned!
Family music act Triple Rainbow released its debut album, You Are Magic, Friday. The act, which is literally and figuratively a family act – it is comprised of founder Jared Mees and his daughters – released the album through Brave New People and is an applause worthy early entry to this year’s field of new family music albums. That is proven in part through the record’s featured musical arrangements, which will be discussed shortly. The album’s lyrical themes are just as notable as its musical content and will be examined a little later. The record’s sequencing rounds out its most important elements and will also be discussed later. Each item noted is important in its own way to the album’s presentation. All things considered, the noted items make the album a successful first outing for Triple Rainbow.
Triple Rainbow’s debut album, You Are Magic, is a positive start for the literal and figurative family music act. That is due in large part to its featured musical arrangements. As is the case with so many family music records, the arrangements here are diverse. Right from the album’s opener/title track, audiences get a touch of kindie-folk in this song’s arrangement. The use of the tambourine and bongos alongside the guitar and vocals gives the arrangement a unique identity from other folk and even kindie-folk compositions. ‘Dance Party,’ one of the album’s early entries, is a light, danceable kindie-fied EDM style composition. Its simple 2/4 beat, with its keyboards and electronics is in direct contrast to the folk sound of the album’s opener/title track. ‘Fam Jam,’ which immediately follows, offers audiences a touch of indie garage rock alongside its family friendly lyrical content, showing even more the variety in the album’s musical arrangements. ‘Beautiful All,’ which comes late in the album’s run, changes things even more with its gentle, flowing, guitar-centered arrangement. It is a complete change of pace for the record that maybe would have served better to be placed earlier in the album’s sequencing in order to break up the album’s energy. That is a discussion for another time. Getting back on the subject, the arrangement featured in this song is just as different from those of the other songs addressed here as they are from it, each other, and from the rest of the album’s arrangements. Keeping all of that in mind, the variety in the album’s musical content should be clear. That variety is just one part of what makes the album worth hearing. The album’s lyrical themes are just as important to address as the album’s musical content.
The lyrical themes featured throughout You Are Magic are just as diverse as the record’s musical arrangements if not more so. Throughout the course of the record, the themes take lefts, rights, and curves right to the end of the musical road. From the album’s title track, which encourages listeners to take pride in themselves (it is not the only song that delivers that theme. ‘Exactly Perfect’ does much the same, just in a slightly different way from ‘You Are Magic,’ which is a very good thing.) to a song that celebrates the sea (so to speak) in ‘Under The Water’ to the celebration of Halloween (yes, Halloween) in ‘Why Can’t Every Day Be Halloween’ to the celebration of playing with slime in the aptly titled ‘Slime,’ the themes in this record take audiences in so many directions. That in itself is reason enough for audiences to hear the album. Even in a case, such as ‘Dance Party,’ which yes gets young listeners on their feet, audiences get even more of something different, lyrically. So again, what audiences get here in terms of lyrical themes is clearly diversity. When it and the diversity in the album’s musical arrangements are considered together, the whole shows even more why this album is a positive debut for Triple Rainbow. It is just a part of what makes the album a success. The album’s sequencing rounds out its most important elements.
The sequencing of You Are Magic is important to the album’s presentation because it does just as much to keep listeners engaged and entertained as the record’s content. The sequencing takes into account, the diversity in the album’s content as it orders the songs. Even as the album’s content changes from one song to the next, the album’s energy remains stable through it all. Even in a moment such as in ‘Slime,’ whose subdued verses are contrasted by its more energetic choruses, that balance makes certain the energy remains stable. That stability in the record’s energy works with the continued diversity in the record’s content to create a fully immersive experience for listeners. That experience will definitely keep audiences engaged from beginning to end. That maintained engagement and entertainment through all three elements leaves no doubt that You Are Magic is a strong start for Triple Rainbow.
Triple Rainbow’s debut album, You Are Magic is a successful fist outing for the literal and figurative family music act. Its success comes in part through its featured musical arrangements. The arrangements are divers throughout the album. From some kindie folk to kindie dance and pop to a touch of family friendly rock and more, the arrangements offer something for a wide range of audiences. The lyrical themes featured alongside the album’s musical arrangements are just as diverse as the record’s musical content. There’s a song celebrating Halloween of all things. There are songs that encourage self-confidence among audiences. There are also random, fun songs about slim and diving beneath the waves and so much more. That variety is even more reason for audiences to take in this record. The sequencing of that content makes sure that the changes are constant throughout the album. It also ensures the album’s energy remains stable through it all. Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the album. All things considered, they make You Are Magic a strong first outing for Triple Rainbow.
You Are Magic is available now. More information on Triple Rainbow’s new album, single, and video is available along with all of the group’s latest news at https://www.instagam.com/triplerainbow.
Family music act Triple Rainbow will release its debut album this winter.
The band is scheduled to release its debut album, You Are Magic Jan. 21 through indie label Brave New People. In anticipation of the album’s release, the band — composed of the father/daughter trio of Jared Mees and his daughters July and Piper — debuted its new single, the album’s title track and its video Friday.
The musical arrangement featured in the new single is a light, flowing work. Its simple use of vocals and guitar alongside drums and tambourine gives the song a subtle kindie-pop style sound and stylistic approach.
The lyrical theme that accompanies the song’s musical arrangement delivers a message encouraging young listeners to use their imaginations. It additionally encourages those audiences to take pride in themselves for who they are and in their creativity.
The video was captured in what has to be assumed to be the family’s back yard. The visuals, including what is assumed to be one of Mees’ daughters in a race car, and another pretending to be an astronaut, are meant to help translate the noted messages.
More information on Triple Rainbow’s new album, single, and video is available along with all of the group’s latest news at https://www.instagam.com/triplerainbow.
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