Servings from the Cereal Bowl

by Dave Loftin

Yosi & The Superdads

Super Kids Rock!

© 2009 Yosi Levin, Joe Geisler, Gary Hoffman, Steve Brown

Yosi Levin has put in quite a bit of time as a children’s music performer. On his live shows, his band The Superdads (Joe Geisler, Gary Hoffman and Steve Brown) accompanies him. Well, Yosi and the ’Dads have finally recorded an entire album together. Super Kids Rock! jumps right out of the gate with “Rockin’ Band.” Yosi introduces everyone to the band, but moves right into letting the kids know how they can be a part of the music, too. Later, Yosi conjures up the voice of Joey Ramone on “Squeaky, the Line Leader.” And for those who prefer blue to red, the song “Yes We Can” will delight. Super Kids Rock! has elements of many styles of music, but, bottom line, it’s a rock and roll record for the whole family. Bonus: Don’t miss Yosi’s twist on The Byrds’ “So You Wanna Be a Rock ’N’ Roll Star.”

Ben Rudnick & Friends

A Frog Named Sam

© 2009 Ben Rudnick

Trying to pinpoint exactly what style of music Ben Rudnick performs is almost impossible. That’s not to say that he’s trying multiple genres, but rather that he and the band are so musically gifted that they almost create their own style of music. Ben Rudnick & Friends are pushing 10 years in the family music industry, and they show no signs of slowing down. A Frog Named Sam opens with what sounds to me like jam music for the tots. (I can picture small children across the country swaying like trees in their living rooms.) I’m not a jam band fan, but the title track is pretty darn catchy.  The disc keeps going with the folksy, hoedown sound of “Race Car” and “Old Joe Clark.” If you’d like to get your entire family dancing and just having an overall great time together, pop in this CD, and have fun.

Rocknoceros

Pink!

© 2009 Rocknoceros, LLC (ASCAP)

Although it’s intended for kids, Pink! is pop rock at its finest. Unless you really pay attention to the lyrics, you’d think Rocknoceros was a hot new college band. Well, they are fairly new, and they are hot. The title track sounds as if Fountains of Wayne traveled back to the late ’50s and decided to record some songs. And then there’s “The Train Song,” the band’s take on a perennial favorite. As all parents know, kids like trains; that’s why there are so many kids’ songs about them. Some work and some fail. “The Train Song” is brilliant. Another winner is “Virginia,” a great, CSNY-inspired song about the band’s home state. Rocknoceros’ Pink! is the third disc in their collection, and the band only gets better with each new batch of tunes. Pink! is a delightful album that everyone in your family will enjoy.