The Very Hip Hipwaders

The Hipwaders found themselves at the forefront of hip children's music last month when they were invited to play at Kidzapalooza, the kids' music festival that is a part of the larger Lollapalooza concert held in Chicago.

It's easy to see why they caught the attention of organizers. The Hipwaders make instantly irresistible pop-rock tunes in a style that ranges from early 80's Elvis Costello to the 21st century power pop of the Candy Butchers. They mesh their influences into a consistently appealing sound.

Their second CD, Educated Kid, was released this week. It's even better than their first, which received a rave review from us last summer.

Singer Tito Uquillas puts a fresh spin on a few classic subjects, like dinosaurs, siblings, math, toys, and animals. He has a unique and pleasing voice that my kids both immediately recognized when I first played the CD for them. Some of the lyrics border on, gasp, educational, but are always imaginative and fun. We're all well versed on the Dewey Decimal System now after listening to The Hipwaders' funky take on the subject.

Both my kids say there's not a bad song on the disc. Have a listen to the two tracks below, which the band has also made available for downloading on their MySpace page. A definite must-have for kids of all ages.

Buy it at Amazon or at CDBaby.

Listen: The Hipwaders - "Little Baby Brother"

Listen: The Hipwaders - "Educated Kid"