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Toys & Gifts > Movies & Music
Product Roundup
Summer Jams for Grandkids
Pirates, pink records, restless frogs, and family island-fun make our listening picks this summer
Reviewed by Mike Ayers
Our reviews
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Captain Bogg & Salty: Emphatical Piratical
Captain Bogg & Salty's fourth record of sea shanties, Emphatical Piratical, is sure to satisfy listeners who are new swashbucklers and old buccaneers alike. Some of the songs, like "Don’t Drink Sea Water" and the accordion-driven title track "Emphatical Piratical," are playful and absurd. And there are also tunes for mellower tots like the organ-tinged reggae sound of "Frogg Island" and the 1960s-inspired surf track "The Plank Walker." With all the bad press surrounding real-life pirates these days, these musical, sea-roving tales provide a fun, basically mythical version of pirate life.
Age: 4+
Retail Price: $15
Available at: amazon.com
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Rocknoceros: Pink!
Rocknoceros is a three-piece, pop-rock act from Washington D.C.; its members are Coach Cotton, Williebob, and Boogie Woogie Bennie — but don’t let their silly names fool you — they are hardly amateurs. Pink! is the trio’s third album, and its full of lively, well-crafted pop songs that provide instruction and fun at the same time. The swing-music sounds of "Basic Training" are paired with lyrics about the benefits of physical exercise, "Don’t Give Up" is a fast and clever song about welcoming a new baby brother or sister, and the Beatles-esque "Can You Tell Time?" quickly explains how the world of clocks guides our every day. Tunes such as "Virginia" and "Lucky Lindy," might be a bit difficult for younger kids to follow; but, on the whole, Pink! captures the fun and whimsical ways of early learning in a simple and wholesome presentation.
Age: 3+
Retail Price: $9
Available at: multiple sellers
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Ben Rudnick & Friends: A Frog Named Sam
Put A Frog Named Sam in the CD player and the title track will instantly remind you of the Grateful Dead. The psychedelic, swirling guitars might not immediately sound like something a toddler would like, but the rhythmic croaking of Sam (a frog who doesn’t like water and is heading for the big city) is genuinely lovable. And that’s how Ben Rudnick, an award winning, New England-based musician, has always made children’s records. Rudnick melds highly skilled musicianship with fun spins on kids’ interests like milk shakes and race cars, and adds a youthful slant to traditional songs.
Age: 4+
Retail Price: $14
Available at: amazon.com
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Ziggy Marley: Family Time
Bob Marley’s oldest son, Ziggy, has been involved in the kids’ music scene for decades, contributing to various Disney soundtracks, Sesame Street, and the 2004 film Shark Tale. On his new record, Family Time, Marley rounds up a few friends — Willie Nelson, Paul Simon, Jack Johnson, and Jamie Lee Curtis — to help out on this mostly original set of reggae jams. The genre itself is traditionally warm, mellow, and tranquil, and makes for great children’s music. Marley takes listeners through a fun rendition of the "ABC" song, a tale about a rather stubborn donkey on "Hold 'Em Joe," and a funny, updated version of "Simon Says" on "Ziggy Says." The CD is packaged with a poster for your grandchildren to color.
Age: 3+
Retail Price: $9
Available at: multiple sellers
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 about the author
Mike Ayers
is a pop-culture writer in New York City.
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