Good and Good for You!
There are plenty of "children's" albums that don't feature heavily marketed animated characters or a chorus of child laborers shouting "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" along to a Casiotone. What's more, many of them are truly educatonal!

Artists are getting wise to the wisdom of their kids and filling the vacuum of good children's music with tunes engaging for the whole family. Some are even blurring lines between genres, moving between childrens' music and alt-pop, rock and folk.

Most noteable among the new pioneers in this group is Dan Zanes, formerly of the Del Fuegos. He has organized what feels like a wide open studio for musician friends from NYC's fertile pop, world-music and folk scenes and produced some genuine, cozy family music in the spirit of Woody Guthrie.

They Might Be Giants sounded like they were singing children's music from the very biginning with songs about dirt bikes and spaceships prominently featuring an accordian, but now they're doing it for the kdis in earnest. Their recent albums "No!" and "Here Come the ABCs" exclusively feature songs about robots, bedtime, crossing the street and the alphabet and are aimed at the very people to whom this list is targeted. While the subject matter has slightly changed the band is carrying on as if everything else were exactly the same, including mild hints of indie subversiveness. The fact that they're a real band that plays music for kids without dressing up in matching outfits or cross promoting on Nickelodeon is pretty subversive on its own.

And the Bloodshot Records label put out "The Bottle Let Me Down," a comp that offers a friendly alt-country take on some standard kiddie fare as well as original material by the label's artists. To recap, check out...

Dan Zanes "Rocketship Beach" and "Parades & Panoramas"
They Might Be Giants "No!" "Here Come the ABCs" and "Flood"
Bloodshot Records "The Bottle Let Me Down: Songs for Bumpy Wagon Rides"
also
Elizabeth Mitchell "You Are My Sunshine"
Peter, Paul & Mary "Peter, Paul & Mommy" (old school)
School House Rock "Grammar Rock," "Math Rock" and "America Rock"
(and there is a pretty cool covers album featuring 90's alternative acts doing selections from School House Rock. Blind Melon's "Three is a Magic Number" far exceeds the original.)

What's Good for the Goose is good for the Gosling
Just because you like it doesn't mean little junior has to like it too, but she might. Plenty of "edgy" new music isn't edgy in an adults-only way. There is fun, rewarding and sonicly rich material everywhere if you know where to look. Here are a few places to start, but be sure to listen to each song - not all tracks are as kid-friendly as others...

Apples In Stereo "Velocity of Sound" and "The Discovery of a World Inside the Moone"
Billy Bragg & Wilco "Mermaid Avenue" Unrecorded songs of Woody Guthrie Vols. 1-2
Fiery Furnaces "Gallow Bird's Bark" (esp. "Inca Rag / Name Game")
Flaming Lips "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots"
Jolie Holland "Escondida"
The Jayhawks "Tomorrow the Green Grass" (esp. "Ten Little Kids")
M. Ward "Transistor Radio" (esp. "Big Boat," "Radio Campaign," and "Here Comes the Sun Again")
Wilco "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot"

Water is Always Sweeter Closer to the Well
The only thing worse than hearing my favorite Beatles tunes wrung dry by muzak is hearing them butchered by some smiling twit with a banjo and an audience of four year olds. Same goes for Leadbelly and Mozart.

Which brings me to Baby Einstein. They have the right idea, present the classics - simply. Unfortunately this seems to mean channeling great music through a digital slow motion circus ride full of primary colored cardboard characters. Stick with original compositions but find ones that aren't too dense or raucous, maybe a light piano concerto or arrangements for smaller string or woodwind ensembles. Live playing offers beneficial dynamic ranges and the role playing of instruments that canned electronic blippery can't. And why put up with a so-called children's musician's take on classic folk material or standards when you can get the originals themselves. There are tons of great early American folk and traditional recordings out there so go to the source. The same is true for play and dance time - the oldies and mainstream disco are pretty danceable and very safe for young ears.

And for those of you in the know, "Music Together" has me in a bind because I don't hate it as much as a good snob should. The recordings seem to be something out of a Christopher Guest spoof and the hands on classes, thanks to the genius of Karen Crane, are pretty doggone fun. Zoom zoom, riding in the car! But the classiscs are still the classics, so check 'em out.

ABBA
The Beach Boys
The Beatles
Woody Guthrie
Simon & Garfunkle
Townes Van Zandt
Smithsonian Folkways recordings of early American music, folk, blues and bluegrass

Sleepy Time (Zzzzz)
Bedtime is a great time to play your favorite chill out music because, if all goes to plan, your little one will fall asleep leaving you to quietly enjoy the songs by yourself. I've found a nice balance of whisper-soft melodies, down-tempo playing and a gentle upward lilt does the trick. Something you can sing along with is nice too, this lets you do the soothing while the music provides professionally recorded backing. Too much mope or shoegaze can be a downer, and if your toddler is like mine you may be listening for a while so make sure it's something you can handle on repeat. Also, if it works it may become part of a bed time routine so pick things with the staying power to last not just a few nights but a few years. Here are my few favorites...

Ryan Adams "Heartbreaker" (esp. "Oh My Sweet Carolina" and "In My Time of Need")
Great Lake Swimmers "s/t"
Iron & Wine "Creek Drank the Cradle"
Will Oldham "Master & Everyone"
James Taylor "Greatest Hits"
Gillian Welch "Revival"