The leaves are colorful, the air is crisp, and the harvest is bountiful for families looking for a new soundtrack for fall!
From the spooky sounds of Halloween to energetic kindie jams and timely topics such as staying masked-up to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s truly something for every interest, including a new podcast from a pair of furloughed Disney cast members.
Check out an assortment of new sounds from the kindie scene and beyond below!
Koo Koo Kanga Roo — “Face Mask”
The comedy dance party duo known as Koo Koo Kanga Roo dropped two versions of a new song called “Face Mask.” If it sounds familiar, you’re not wrong!
“In 2014 we released a song called ‘Fanny Pack’ and single-handedly made the ’90s fashion accessory relevant again,” says Koo Koo Kanga Roo’s Bryan and Neil. “We have reworked the song to highlight the most important fashion accessory of 2020: the ‘Face Mask’.”
While the song is available for streaming everywhere, proceeds from sales of the digital single will be donated to teachers and classrooms via donorschoose.org.
Lucy Kalantari and the Jazz Cats — “Haunting Days of Halloween”
What if supernatural creatures were real? What if they’ve been walking among us, hiding, pretending to be human? What if on the days leading to Halloween, they get to be just as they are? Those are the questions posited by Lucy Kalantari and the Jazz Cats in their new song that fuses orchestrated classical and jazz over a hip hop groove to celebrate the spooky season!
Frances England — “Glue” from Honey
On Nov. 6, Frances England will release Honey, a new EP recorded to tape at Tiny Telephone Studio in San Francisco. Her first release for the new 8 Pound Gorilla Records, Honey is described as “a soothing and intimate collection of new and reimagined acoustic, wind-down tunes for children and families.” The first single, “Glue,” is what England calls “a corona-coaster family anthem about appreciating the people you’re stuck with, in good times and bad.”
Story Pirates — “Happy Monster Day” from Very Merry Made-Up Holidays, Vol. 1
The Story Pirates take a seasonally inspired detour from their top-rated podcast to deliver Very Merry Made-Up Holidays, Vol. 1, an EP inspired by holidays that don’t exist but probably should.
The new single, “Happy Monster Day,” is a straight-up jam that was produced at the Relic Room in NYC by The Story Pirates’ team led by co-founders Lee Overtree and Jamie Salka. The song is based on a story contributed by Sophie, age 11. Kuhoo Verma tackles vocals atop music from composer Eli Bolin. The EP will be released on Nov. 20.
Caspar Babypants — “Five White Ducks” from Happy Heart
If you don’t know Caspar Babypants, there’s a high probability that you know his voice. After all, Chris Ballew has rocked the world as the frontman of The Presidents of the United States of America cranking out jams like “Lump,” “Peaches,” and my personal favorite, “Mach 5.” “Five White Ducks” is the first single from his new album, Happy Heart, which is out Nov. 13.
“This is the second Caspar album to come out during the pandemic because families need fresh songs during these trying times,” Ballew says. “I hope this album continues my intention of bringing the family together to love the same songs.”
Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could “Good Looking Mask”
Like Koo Koo Kanga Roo, Brady Rymer and his crew are all about celebrating the power of the mask as we get through the pandemic.
“We wrote this song to cast mask-wearing in a positive and creative light since some kids find masks a little scary and off-putting,” Rymer tells the Toy Insider. “I hope the video helps kids feel good about putting on their masks!”
Mista Cookie Jar — Don’t Gotta Be Cool
Los Angeles-based kindie rockstar Mista Cookie Jar closed out summer with the release of his fourth studio album, Don’t Gotta Be Cool. Cookie tells the Toy Insider that he’s got a music video coming soon, but we couldn’t wait to share the genre-spanning album that manages to spin multicultural goodness into each and every track. He hopes that the record “inspires singing, dancing and above all, inclusivity” with a message that “the REAL rockstar is the kid in all of us.”
‘The Super Secret Hive’ Podcast
Earlier this year, Julie Frost and Mike Dombrow found themselves among the thousands of Disney cast members that were furloughed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than sit still, the duo kept creating and developed a new audio series called “The Super Secret Hive.” The series debuts Monday, Oct. 19, exactly six months from the date its creators were furloughed. Kids and families will get to enjoy six full-length episodes, 14 original songs, and online activities that are based around the adventures of a cast of characters all voiced by Frost and Dombrow.
“The world can seem like an uncertain place for adults right now,” says Frost. “Imagine how scary it must be through the eyes of a child. We want to empower kids with the knowledge and confidence needed to take care of themselves, each other, and our planet.”
Topics include honeybees and pollinators; plastic in the oceans; germs and our immune system; inclusion and kindness vs. bullying; loneliness; and taking care of ourselves, each other, and the world we live in. Keep an eye out for the premiere at the official site.
