I love the fact that Eric's wife made this video. Plus, his kids are going to be on his next CD, due out next month. Awesome family!



- Phil

Tim bugged me. He saved me a space. He reminded me. And yet, I failed to deliver. I'm talking about his Contrast Podcast #51 Cool Choones for Children. No matter, he didn't need my contribution-- it's wildly cool without me. There are few bands/tunes we've featured here, like the Innocence Mission, Dan Zanes, Medeski, Martin & Wood and The Real Tuesday Weld, but there are also some great suggestions that I've yet to mention or even, dare I say, think of! So head on over and check it out and grab your kiddles and pull 'em close to the computer and they can listen old-school to the "radio" with you.

Tim has listed the contents of the Podcast on his site, so you can search out the tunes you like, and the blogs they came from, afterward. Go and listen and leave him a comment that you heard it from me so he doesn't think I'm a total loser.

Contrast Podcast #51

Daylight savings time really did a number on me. I am one hyper, happy girl. The extra sunshine is doing me good. And Central Services is working with me through it. This is some sunny pop that just makes me hap, hap, happy. They are a great Seattle group that's been making lovely music together since at least 2004. Those of you who follow the music blogs are sure familliar with them. They say their songwriting influences range "from Wilco to Steely Dan, Ben Folds to Paul McCartney, Aimee Mann to The Shins, and Elliott Smith to early Genesis." Yep. That pretty much sizes it up for me. Here are a couple of tunes off their self-titled LP. Buy it! It's fab. Sha-la-la-la...

Central Services, get to you
Central Services, song 89

and BONUS! One of the guys - Lead singer and drummer Kevin Emerson is an author of kid novels (Clea!). So, they also have an alter-ego - Central Services Board of Education doing super smart and fun songs directly for the littles. And, if you live in the Bay Area, they're coming down here for some shows - both CS and CSkids! Yahoo! I can't wait.

Central Services Board of Education, the lonely tomato

Check out their myspace page for more...


enjoy!
--deb in sf

When I yearn for a pretty voice, and sometimes I do, there is one in particular that always hits the right place for me: Karen Perris of the Innocence Mission. It has an other-worldly tinge to it that doesn't distract from the sheer beauty of it one bit. I suppose it's her accent, but no matter. I feel it in my gut somewhere, the ache in her voice translates to one in my body.

There is a new CD from the Innocence Mission, out this week, entitled We Walk in Song. I can't say I've heard much off of it, only two songs (haven't made it out to our local store yet this week) but what I have heard is more of the same glorious, gorgeous stuff that would make for the most ideal soothing lullaby for children of any age. This isn't a children's CD, like their 04 CD Now the Day is Over, but really, that just means the subject matter isn't all candy and slumber.

Here is one of the songs I've heard. It has the sound of early morning indeed. I love love love the background boy ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba's.

The Innocence Mission, "Into Brooklyn, Early in the Morning"

Buy the Innocence Mission CD :: Visit their site