Kathy's Best Of 2014

The Kids' Corner host picks her top music of 2014

If there’s love at first listen, The Pop Ups’ Appetite for Construction has been Number One in my heart for most of this remarkable musical year. I expanded my Top Favorites list to 20 to accommodate the wealth of outstanding music for families. Think of every title on this list as the No. 2 CD of 2014. It was a very good year.

1. Appetite for Construction — The Pop Ups: Songs about stuff set to an ’80s beat.
2. If We Must We Must — The Good Ms Padgett: Clever lyrics that never get cutesy.
3. Good Egg — Joanie Leeds: Energetic rock makes you feel like a band member.
4. Night Lights — Zee Avi: Brilliant reimagining of classic rock as lullabies.
5. Raise Your Hand — The Not-Its: The band matures into ’80s-based rhythms.
6. Animal Tales — Key Wilde & Mr. Clarke: The new gold standard for animal-themed albums.
7. The Perfect Quirk — Secret Agent 23 Skidoo: The hiphop genius of kindie celebrates our collective weirdness.
8. Home — Jazzy Ash: Like a trip to New Orleans with a native.
9. Through the Woods — The Okee Dokee Brothers: The bluegrass adventure continues through the Appalachian Trail.
10. Wired — Recess Monkey: Technocentric themes with brilliant Beatles-influenced melodies.
11. Build It Back Again — Billy Jonas: Inspiring, never preachy harmonies around the theme of renewal.
12. Shy Kid Blues — Hullabaloo: Hopeful tunes showing a depth of feeling that isn’t always expressed.
13. Year-Round Sounds — The Hipwaders: A calendar-free holiday CD.
14. American Heroes 4 — Jonathan Sprout: Bringing American history to new audiences by focusing on personal stories.
15. Uno, Dos, Tres con Andres — Andres Salguero: Expressing universal themes through personal narrative.
16. The Bossy E — Mister G: Infectious fun with language and learning.
17. Aqui Alla — Lucky Diaz & the Family Jam Band: Spanish-language rhythmic brilliance.
18. Wishing Well — Nick Bayard: Intelligent, original folkie family tunes.
19. Follow Me — Little Miss Ann: A little woman’s big voice that pleases little ears.
20. Love Songs for My Baby — Alex Mitnick: Heartfelt tunes inspired by his son’s birth.

Kathy O’Connell is a contributing writer to MetroKids and host of Kids Corner, weekdays 7-8pm on WXPN 88.5 FM.