What I am Listening to: Farmer Jason

 If these posts are ostensibly ‘what I am listening to this week’, then I guess I better mention Farmer Jason.

Having conversation about 2019’s Stand Tall, a close friend told me that if I liked Jason and the Scorchers and had small kids, I should check out Jason Ringenberg’s kid albums as Farmer Jason.

Needless to say, they have been a hit. 2003’s Day at the Farm with Farmer Jason has been an every day listen for the last six months with my newly turned five year old.

You can’t beat songs about the farm with kids and if I have to listen to kids’ songs, make them by someone with as much wit as Jason Ringenberg.

I would suggest that we are reaching the upper age limits of this record, but it’s been a hoot. Each song starts with an educational monologue which gets repetitive, but the songs are infectious and fun.

2006’s follow up Rockin in the Forest is a bit more *ahem* evergreen. It isn’t terribly different than his recent solo adult work. “Arrowhead” is a plaintive historical statement. While Punk Rock Skunk, Opossum in a Pocket and Moose on the Loose betrays that this is the same guy who led a band best known for ripping through Absolutely Sweet Marie and Take Me Home Country Roads.

I don’t know that I would listen to Rockin in the Forest if I didn’t have kids, but I also don’t know that I wouldn’t.

Outside of a Christmas album, the last we heard from Farmer Jason before his alter ego returned is 2012’s Nature Jams which is credited to Farmer Jason and Buddies with each song has a friend of Jason’s guesting.

Mike Mills, Tom Petterson of Cheap Trick, Iris DeMent, Brandi Carlile, Todd Snider and (most unexpectedly on Manatee) Hank Williams III and Tommy Ramone are some of the A-Listers who help out.

I also crowdsourced some music for my kids because I know some musicians have a career moonlighting with kids records. Between that and our regular listening habits- I thought I’d share some thoughts

I suspect everyone knows They Might Be Giants have been prolific in their Kids records (Five in 13 years). Adults have likely heard them on Mickey Mouse shows on Disney. Needless to say, these songs are huge in my household. Of course, as niche as TMBG are in their ‘adult’ records, it seems like it could be a blurry line between the two separate projects.

We are fans of the Amazon Prime series Pete the Cat. More musical than most, I always find it interesting that (for the first season, at least) Pete’s “parents” are Elvis Costello and Dianna Krall.

Jad and David Fair made an album called 26 Monster Songs for Kids in 1998 for Kill Rock Stars. I think it’s too out there for my boys currently but we will see.

In a similar direction, if you are so inclined check out the Wee Hairy Beasties. The kids don’t love it or hate it, but from an adult perspective, it is one of the most enjoyable Rated G records I have heard. Who are the Beasties? Well, they are the already genre-defying have-done-it-all Sally Timms and Jon Langford of the Mekons with Kelly Hogan and eccentric Chicago folk band Devil in a Woodpile.

There is surely more music now than one can imagine and don’t be surprised if a lost favorite (say Velocity Girl’s Sarah Shannon) is making kids music (in the Not-It’s in this case).

I did do something I normally wouldn’t, and did send Jason Ringenberg a short fan letter via social media for bringing so much joy in the last six months (and indeed 35 years) and was nice to have him have read it and thank me for it.