So as of lately, I’ve been having a secret love affair. Well, some people know about it. I just get embarrassed talking about it. That’s because I’ve become totally infatuated with a children’s television show.

It’s called Yo Gabba Gabba!, and it’s a show about 5 creatures living in a Thomas Campbell-esque forest, which are governed by a giant, lanky black man who wears thick glasses, and orange-red spandex called DJ Lance Rock. The whole thing sounds completely ridiculous, and it is, it’s a kid show, but it’s the people who created the show and what they’re doing with it is what excites me.

The show was created by Scott Schultz and Christian Jacobs, who set out to make something that kids and parents alike could enjoy. So for example, you have a guy on the show who teaches the kids how to make funny sounds, but teaching them about rhythm at the same time. But you, as the ultra-hip parent of that child, know that the guy making the funny sounds is actually beat-boxing, and that THAT guy is Biz Markie, probably one of the best beat-boxers in the world.
But it doesn’t end there. So far they’ve gotten Mark Mothersbaugh, The Shins, The Aquabats, Elijah Wood, and Tony Hawk all on the show to do something cool… I mean teach your kids something.

So I’ve become so inspired by the show, I’ve decided to create a mix of cool indie artists with some songs that could be considered educational, or are at least kid related.
And the image above is the cover for the mix, which was drawn by my best friend since the third grade, Garrett Vander Leun, and colored by myself. The guy on the cover is supposed to be Devendra Banhart in a crazy wizard outfit, because we all know that’s what he really is, haha!

01 Little Yellow Spider by Devendra Banhart
02 Fur Soft as Fur by Boy Least Likely To
03 Colours by Hot Chip
04 Who Could Win a Rabbit by Animal Collective
05 Chocolate Milk by MF Doom
06 Carousels by Beirut
07 Phantasies by Stephen Malkmus
08 Japan is an Island by The Spinto Band
09 Little Monsters by Charlotte Gainsbourg
10 One Two Three Four by Feist

Bobby