The Whizpops will release its newest collection of original educational songs, Sea Blue Sea, the band’s third album. All 10 songs on this album feature key facts about the ocean and its inhabitants in a lighthearted and engaging way, masking all the knowledge and brain power kids are gaining under pure, upbeat fun. The lyrics may be best suited for kids ages 4 to 9, but the music that backs them won’t have Mom and Dad pulling their hair out during repeat plays in the car.
The lyrics are really memorable so kids will learn them fast (which secretly means they are learning and memorizing oceanic facts very quickly in a super fun way). The album opens with the funky, Hammon B3 organ-riffing “Coral Reef,” which is bold and catchy. Relaxing tracks, such as the ukelele-heavy “Manatee” and “Octopus” give a reggae vibe with a bit more of a tranquil sound. “Dolphin Disco (Super Pod Party)” has a strong ’70s dance feel, which further proves that The Whizpops can make learning fun in any music style. My favorite song “Sea Turtle” has a happy jazzy dance-y feel to it (It’s also the longest song on the album, clocking in at six minutes!), and is told from the point of view of the titular character, who tells us all about what she thinks is “totally tubular.” It’s also got a great instrumental break in the middle, showing off The Whizpops’ high degree of musical talent.
Sea Blue Sea (and a picture book called Talkin’ Bout Dinosaurs) gained hundreds of supporters through a successful Kickstarter campaign that raise more than $15,500. The popularity and feedback the band is seeing from such campaigns has proved to them that the topics of science and nature that they tackle are important to parents who want to educate their children about the environment. And with President Obama’s goal of creating the world’s largest marine sanctuary in the Pacific Ocean, and celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio taking a stand on ocean conservation, it certainly is a hot topic right now.
An animated music video for “Sea Turtle,” created by Eric Kreidler, will debut on August 17 (check back here—we’ll post it!). The album will be released nationwide on August 19.
