“The queen of children’s music.” – People Magazine
“The Adele of the preschool crowd.” – The New York Times
“In the world of children’s music, Laurie Berkner isn’t just popular, she’s an icon. Her earworm tunes have taken her from The Today Show to the White House.” – The Denver Post
NEW YORK (July 5, 2016) – Eight years coming, and it’s almost here! The Laurie Berkner Band, authentic superstars of kids’ music, proudly announces the September 23rd release of Superhero, the highly anticipated first full album since 2008 loaded with all-new songs by beloved children’s musician Laurie Berkner.
Jam-packed with 21 freshly composed Laurie Berkner originals plus two “bonus” tracks, Superhero is indeed the album Laurie’s fans have been waiting for. With music ranging from quiet, a cappella finger plays to get-up-and-dance full band anthems, this is Laurie Berkner at her absolute best.
Says Laurie Berkner, “I wrote Superhero thinking about many things that I found fun as a kid, and I’m so thrilled to have such wonderful guests to share that fun, including superstar crown prince of reggae, Ziggy Marley, super musical yogini Kira Willey, and our own superbassman, Brady Rymer, who gets a special slot up front in addition to his regular vocal and instrumental contributions as a member of The Laurie Berkner Band, along with bandmates Susie Lampert (keyboards and vocals) and Bobby Golden (drums, percussion, and the occasional frog sound).”
Superhero soars through a spectrum of musical styles, including ‘60s pop, rootsy rock, lullabies, reggae, Latin, and more. As fans have come to expect, all of Laurie Berkner’s songs on Superhero speak to kids without talking down to them, through imaginative lyrics that both enchant and empower.
Laurie Berkner explains, “To me, Superhero is about self-empowerment – being our best selves and discovering the superhero in all of us.”
Brimming with contemporary edge and energy, Superhero leaps into action with a single bound, taking flight with the title track’s splendid horn line and Laurie Berkner’s exuberant vocals. “Superhero” has all the earmarks of a Laurie Berkner blockbuster: a powerhouse vocal showpiece that offers plenty of contrast, uncluttered instrumental and vocal textures, tremendous dance energy, and an empowering, joyful message for kids and grownups alike.
Selected highlights – in an album abounding with great moments – include the Caribbean flavored “My My Marisol,” featuring 5-time Grammy® winner Ziggy Marley, and “Bubbles,” a track that delivers driving pop music with lots of “pop” as it celebrates the joys of bath time.
It is easy to see why a singer with a voice of the richness and depth of Laurie Berkner’swould devote a portion of her recordings to solo and a cappella singing. On “Face to Face” Laurie employs an intimate a cappella to capture a lovely parent/child moment. At the other end of the spectrum, “Pajama Time!” utilizes a Bo Diddley-like rhythmic undercurrent of kaleidoscopic layers to display an impressive battery of percussion sounds. In such a setting practically any lyrics would do, but with Laurie Berkner’s ebullient humor and creative word play, “Pajama Time!” is over-the-top fun.
“Swing Me” showcases both Kira Willey’s elegant violin playing and the sweet way her voice joins with Laurie Berkner’s. Brady Rymer shares the vocal lead on “Opelika Alabama,” a track that explodes with the sonic energy of David Mann’s terrific alto saxophone solo. Laurie’s daughter, Lucy Mueller, charms listeners by singing with her mom on “Elephant In There,” a story-song that offers a cure for imaginary internal elephants. Superhero comes to an emphatically empowering close with the ultimate superhero message in the shape of an eternally positive “Yes!”
A former preschool music teacher by day and indie rocker by night, Laurie Berkner started marketing her music more than fifteen years ago from her living room on her own label, Two Tomatoes Records. She is now widely recognized as a pioneer in the “kindie” music genre and was crowned “the undisputed queen of kindie rock” by USA Today. The Wall Street Journal noted “Her music is distinctive because it speaks to kids without talking down to them, charming youngsters without boring grown-ups.”
Laurie was the first artist to ever appear in music videos on Nick Jr. and was featured in nearly all the episodes of its popular Jack’s Big Music Show. She currently stars in the animated musical short-form series Sing It, Laurie! on the Sprout preschool channel and has been a frequent guest on Sprout’s Sunny Side Up morning show. Laurie has written the music and lyrics for two Off-Broadway children’s musicals, and she has authored four books based on her songs. Beginning in spring 2017, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers will publish a series of three new picture books by Laurie. The first of these books, We Are the Dinosaurs, illustrated by Ben Clanton, may now be pre-ordered on Amazon.com.
Visit www.laurieberkner.com for more about The Laurie Berkner Band, including press photos and tour dates. Media assets and press photos are also available at www.razorandtiepublicity.com
Superhero will be available wherever favorite albums are sold, at www.laurieberkner.com, and at all digital retailers, including iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Spotify, and more.
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CD Details: Superhero
Release date: September 23, 2016
For ages 1 – 7
Label: Two Tomatoes Records; distributed by Razor & Tie
SRP: $12.98 physical CD; $9.99 digital download
Run time: 59 minutes
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SUPERHERO TRACK LIST:
Superhero
Tallulah Jones
Bicycle
My My Marisol (featuring Ziggy Marley)
This Is How I Do It
I’ve Got So Much To Give
Bubbles
Tea Party
When I Woke Up Today
Umbrella
Face To Face
Opelika Alabama (featuring Brady Rymer)
Juniper Square
Pajama Time!
Swing Me (featuring Kira Willey)
Elephant In There
Fireworks
The Music In Me
In and Out (Take a Trip)
1-2 Hands
Yes!
BONUS: Pool Safely
BONUS: We Are The Dinosaurs (Dance Remix)
