Dads Rock!

Father’s day is right around the corner and what better gift for dad than music he can enjoy with his kids? And if your kids’ dad is a rocker, then we have some funky cool suggestions for you.

StarFish may be the ultimate children’s rock band. They even say that their shows “teach kids how to go to a rock concert…. The first thing the audience learns is to cheer when they hear their hometown mentioned. Then, we invite them down to the mosh pit and everyone gets to play air guitar.”

This band of five dads just released a new album, Enter Sandbox, this month and it’s a rockin’ good time. Our favorite song is My Name is No, which you can download for free here. You’ll also want to listen to Learning To Rock to get an idea of just how guitar-driven StarFish’s music really is.

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If Calvin & Hobbes had a soundtrack, this would be it. Ratboy Jr’s new album, Smorgasbord, has a classic rock sound with just enough mischief thrown in for good measure.

Ratboy Jr sings about worms (my favorite song on the CD) and dirt. These are great little boy songs, but sung in a style that dad will enjoy too. And who can turn down the chance to sing along to songs about snowmen who never melt and robot pirates?

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Putumayo is at it again with another stellar collection of songs. Putumayo is by far the best music label producing children’s compilation CDs and the latest installment, Rock & Roll Playground, won’t disappoint. With songs from artists like Brady Rymer and our friends from StarFish, you’ll find enough rhythm to bop and dance to all day long!

Putumayo often thinks outside the box when selecting their songs, so when you see that the hilarious story teller & singer Bill Harley is on this rock album alongside artists like Uncle Rock and Charity and the JAMband, you may scratch your head. But believe me, Bill Harley’s Sleep the Whole Day Through is clearly a rock song, with electric guitar and a sassy saxophone to boot. No need to second guess Putumayo; they know what they’re doing!

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The new album from The Dream Jam Band, Leave it in the Soup, isn’t coming out ’til July 13th, which will be too late for Father’s Day, but it’s still a good one to check out for rock dads.

Their songs range from the silly, like Dance like a Skeleton, to just plain fun, like Have a Party When You Get the Blues, but the theme of the album is pretty clear: Have a good time, dance, party, and appreciate your friends. They sound like one of those happy bands out of the ’70s who just can’t get enough of life. Another great album for dads to share with their kids!