The kids' music field was full of top-notch albums for children and their families in 2009. This short list by no means represents all of the great kids' CDs that were released this year, it just goes to show that the quality and diversity of kids' music just keeps growing. Here are some prime examples of the best kids' music of 2009.
Apple Brains - 'Get Fruity!!'
Courtesy Bouncy Ball Records
Sounding like nothing less than an amalgamation of The Flaming Lips, The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, Jonathan Richman, Ween, Dr. Demento, and Frank Zappa, Allen Bleyle's lo-fi kids' music debut Get Fruity!! extolls the greatness of fruits and vegetables while having ridiculous fun all the while.
Caspar Babypants - 'Here I Am!'
Courtesy Aurora Elephant Music
This is modern folk music at its best, and some of these tunes are destined to become classics. Chris Ballew, formerly of the indie rock band The Presidents of the United States of America, delivers a debut children's album that's full of witty, wordy, silly, gentle, quietly acoustic new traditional tunes. Ballew's CD, recorded under the guise of Caspar Babypants, is definitely the best kids' music CD of 2009.
Dog On Fleas - 'Beautiful World'
Courtesy Dog On Fleas
Kids' music veterans Dog On Fleas have released five albums over the past ten years, and, doggone it, they just keep getting better. Their latest, Beautiful World, throws a little Moog synth action into the otherwise earthy and cosmic tunes this band is known for. Beautiful World is sometimes silly, sometimes thought-provoking, but always entertaining.
The Dreyer Family Band - 'Family Photograph'
Courtesy Mighty Toad Music
What started out as a musical whim resulted in a great collection of Americana tunes for and about families everywhere. Family Photograph is a remarkable collaboration between East and West Coast members of the Dreyer family, who pull together musical influences from across time and around the world to create their impressive kids' music debut.
Billy Kelly and The Blah Blah Blahs - 'Thank You for Joining the Happy Club'
Courtesy Billy Kelly
Billy Kelly and The Blah Blah Blahs present a super set of indie rock songs for kids on their debut CD Thank You For Joining the Happy Club. Their musical mix will remind you of Jonathan Richman, They Might Be Giants, R.E.M., and Wilco, and those influences perfectly compliment the band's breezy, slyly humorous tunes.
Ziggy Marley - 'Family Time'
Courtesy Tuff Gong Worldwide
Ziggy Marley, Bob Marley's oldest son, has been making music pretty much all his life, but Family Time is his first album for kids and their grownups. Some well-known friends (Paul Simon, Toots Hibbert, Elizabeth Mitchell, and several family members) dropped by to help Ziggy, resulting in an album of loving, fun tunes backed by rootsy, poppy reggae.
Recess Monkey - 'Field Trip'
Courtesy Monkey Mama
Recess Monkey are one of the hottest kids bands around today, not only because of their popularity, but because of the sheer volume of tremendously creative music they've put out over the past five years. Heavily influenced by The Beatles, these three elementary school teachers from Seattle again reference The Fab Four on Field Trip, their fifth CD for children.
