My Green Kite (by Peter Himmelman, Children's Music)

Peter Himmelman is the kid's musician of choice for parents who really love music. Himmelman has his hands in many creative pots: He creates adult rock, children's music, and soundtracks for movies and television shows such as Judging Amy. He has a robust fan base and is known for exuberant live shows involving spontaneous audience participation. MY GREEN KITE is Himmelman's fourth children's album, following familiar Himmelman ground with its clever ruminations on family life, seen both from an adult and child's point of view. "My Father's an Accountant" is both funny and sad -- a grown man's appreciation for the dad he used to consider dull because he crunched numbers instead of wearing "a hero's cape." The lyrics "One day I saw what my father really did. He spent his whole life taking care of his wife and kid" are even more poignant considering Himmelman lost his father to lymphoma as a young man.

Himmelman's approach keeps these songs crisp and funny and the layering of audio effects (like the sound of his "dad" clacking away on an adding machine while muttering numbers to himself), along with jazzy backup singing, make the tracks feel almost like performance art. Himmelman also writes intros to the lyrics for each song on the beautifully designed liner notes explaining his inspiration. Indeed, Himmelman's sense of fun is contagious, and parents may find themselves enjoying My Green Kite as much as their youngsters. It's almost like being a kid again.

Released on: February 20, 2007
Label: Rounder
Genre: Children's Music