Berkner & Zanes DVDs

Mr. Zanes and entourage.

I watched a couple of real good kids' music DVDs this weekend by Laurie Berkner and Dan Zanes. Everybody talks about how these two are royalty among under-10 hipsters, and they're right. Wikiparticles here and here. They're part of a trend discussed in this recent Salon article titled Kindie Rock, which appeals to 20ish/30ish parents and their kids. (Interesting to note: On the Berkner DVD, the Starbucks (as in coffee) brand is referenced in the fine print. Both have been marketed heavily in Starbucks stores, along with the Jazz, Blues, World Music, and Indy Rock that you can find there.) CSM reviews here. Salon excerpt: So what does the music actually sound like? It ranges from folksy balladry to faux-ska and proto-punk... ...Zanes' new album tends toward roots rock and charming folk tunes; Berkner's perky songs feature jangling guitars and piano that wouldn't be totally out of place on a Sufjan Stevens record. But like most kindie rock, their music has a special quality that somehow transcends the divide between music for children and music for adults. "Somewhere in-between those two extremes," says Zanes, "there's this whole world of music where everybody can be emotionally engaged and sometimes the songs might lean more toward the super-young people and sometimes they might lean more toward the grandparents.

Ms. Berkner and entourage.