Modeled on a Bohemian folk tale about how a blacksmith tricks the Devil out of collecting him to take him to Hell, I wrote "The Baker and the Monsters" to provide a less ominous, yet still plenty spooky, story for our nearly five-year-old daughter Z. I turned the Devil into a host of monsters, Hell into a dark cave, and the blacksmith into a baker who has decided to set up shop in an unlikely spot.

What emerged in the process was a protagonist with an absurdly sunny disposition he used to disarm as well as press forward toward his goals. Our audio producer, Joshua McNichols, took the theme and ran with it - the musical selections, and their nearly complete dissolution by the cheery words of the baker, had me laughing throughout this story, even as Z sat stock still to find out what monster was coming next.

Z asserted that this story wasn't too scary for her, and I believe her.



Enjoy, and let us know what you (or your kids) think of it! - Jeremiah

Late folk legend Dave Van Ronk recorded a version of "Peter and the Wolf" that we've been digging on lately. Z is intimately familiar with both the story and the music of Peter and the Wolf - a favorite game of ours around the house is to quiz each other: "Which sound does the wolf make Z?" "Buuuuuh dah dah dah dah dah dah da da da da daaaaaa" (Yeah, it's hard to type - you can find a clip of each character's theme here.) Van Ronk put his on twist on the story by recording Peter and the Wolf using jug band instruments, and it's so much fun. Seriously, could there possibly be anything cooler?

Peter is the fiddle, the bird a penny whistle, the duck a kuzoo, grandpa is a mandolin, cat is a clarinet, hunters are a "snappy guitar," the wolf is "three deep voices" humming the wolf theme. Also included are a guitar, banjo, a jug and more instruments! Really, you've got to hear it to appreciate it!

The CD also includes six other songs, including one which Van Ronk describes as his "theme song," "Green, Green Rocky Road." It's a bit mellower than the "Peter and the Wolf" but you can get a taste of Van Ronk's talent and style in the video below.



This fun album is an easy ZRecs Top Pick. Its fusion of the jug band style and instrumentation with the classic story and music of "Peter and the Wolf" is a treat for any family. - Jennifer

The debt to Royksopp's "Remind Me" is clear - and mentioned by many viewers - but despite the familiarity of the format, Nilsson's student project, embedded below, still had me laughing out loud in surprise at several points.



[Via balmeras]

- Jeremiah