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jasonsee/flickrSoundcheck Smackdown: The Rise of Kiddie Rock
They Might Be Giants and Dan Zanes have turned kid’s music into a booming business. While some grownup listeners love these juice-box heroes others would like to toss their music into the diaper pail. On today’s Soundcheck Smackdown: a debate on kids music. Plus: live music from local folk-rocker Pepi Ginsberg.
Kiddie Music: Great or Grating?
For years, children’s music was ruled by niche artists like Soupy Sales and Raffi. But these days, “big kid” acts like They Might Be Giants and former Del Fuegos member Dan Zanes are creating clever songs for kids and parents alike. It’s infectious stuff – sometimes too infectious. In another Soundcheck Smackdown, we debate the explosion of kids music. Joining us are Limor Tomer, WNYC's executive producer of music programming, and Andy Blackman Hurwitz, founder of the Baby Loves Music CD and event series.
Soundcheck blog: John Schaefer on the "100th Listen" test
Tell us: What do you think of today's parent-friendly kids' music: Great or Grating?
Pepi Ginsberg
Brooklyn singer/songwriter Pepi Ginsberg has combined her soulful and weathered voice with imaginatively folky arrangements to create her most recent release, Red, a meditation on city life, free will and starting anew. Today, she takes a takes some time from prepping her new album to join us in the studio and discuss the album, a collaboration with Scott McMicken, front man of psychedelic rock group Dr. Dog.
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Sound Off
Soundcheck
Throughout May, Soundcheck presents “Sound Off” a Friday series on the many aspects of noise in music and our lives. The series -- which coincides with “Better Hearing and Speech Month” -- looks at issues like New York’s noisiest neighborhoods, the latest research on iPods and hearing loss, and what happens when noise becomes a musical ingredient.
