The Jolly Pops – “Rock Song” from the album “Bad Bad Dinosaur”
University studies have shown that musical experiences in childhood can actually accelerate brain development, particularly in the areas of language acquisition and reading skills, while learning to play an instrument can improve mathematical learning and even increase SAT scores. But academic achievement isn’t the only benefit of music education and exposure. Music ignites all areas of child development and skills for school readiness, including intellectual, social-emotional, motor, language, and overall literacy. It helps the body and the mind work together. Dancing to music helps children build motor skills while allowing them to practice self-expression. Furthermore, we know that, for both children and adults, music helps strengthen memory skills. Of course, in addition to the developmental benefits, simply put: music bring us joy.
If course not just any music will do for you kids, if you want them to have a positive learning experience beyond just the joy of rhythm and sound. Usually if you want clean pure singalong fun, you’ll need to grab a collection of nursery rhymes or lullabies, put to tinny, happy-go-lucky music made with a banjo and a penny-whistle.
Now imagine finding someone who made real music of a technically high caliber, which included rock, urban, folk, jazz and pop sounds that were catchy enough to bring parents and kids together in a multi-timbral listening experience for all?
The person for that task is without a doubt, Billy Hartong, aka “Mr. Billy” and his children’s music and entertainment group, The Jolly Pops. They have just dropped the 12 track album “Bad Bad Dinosaur”. This is the real deal – crunchy hard rocking guitars, banging drums, solid momentum pushing rhythms, soaring vocals, and edgy rap verses, where needed.
You’ll love this as much as the kids. The only difference to your regular rock star music, is that The Jolly Pops, keeps things clean and positive, with narratives carefully studied for educational purposes, over and above the fun lyrical imagery.
From the pure pleasure of listening to the vibrant sounds and rhythmic melodies, to gaining new language and social skills, “Bad Bad Dinosaur” can enliven and enrich the lives of children and the people who care for them.
Billy Hartong reminds of a Weird Al Yankovic for kids – the same colorful exuberance, performance dynamism, multi-genre skillset, attention to detail, and a knack for making really fun music, without ever being banal. That takes a special kind of skill when doing it for kids. Yet The Jolly Pops, succeed…not one time, but twelve times in a row on the album “Bad Bad Dinosaur”!
Listening to this album, is better than a kid sitting in the car listening to you talk on the phone or holding a tablet watching a TV show or playing video game. “Bad Bad Dinosaur” brings parents and kids together. You don’t even need to know what the tracks are here. Just hit play and let it run through until the end.
You’ll love the music, adore the performances and relish the stories. In essence, The Jolly Pops make grown up music for kids. How cool is that! Now you can turn down the nihilistic, hedonistic and misogynistic fairytales riding the captivating sounds of your radio station, and turn up “Bad Bad Dinosaur”. It’s the same captivating sound, but a whole different story for your kids!
