Gone are the days when saccharine-sweetness, singsongy silliness and forced good cheer reigned supreme in children's music. Now, a wide range of tunes for the small set is climbing the music charts -- and much of it is acceptable to adult ears.
Stefan Shepherd writes a children's music Web blog called Zooglobble. He's also father to a 9-month-old son and a 4-and-a-half-year-old daughter.
He says he's writing his reviews for parents who share his musical tastes. Among his favorite bands (for adults!) are Wilco, the Replacements and R.E.M.; he's also a fan of Miles Davis and classical music.
In a recent review of the new CD Every Day is a Birthday by Brady Rymer, Shepherd writes: "Fans of the Wallflowers, Counting Crows, and the Jayhawks will probably enjoy the musical textures here."
Shepherd talks to Melissa Block about why he started his blog, some of his current favorite songs and artists and why he thinks pop music for adults sometimes isn't appropriate for children.
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