Sound choices

Indian Elephant Tea

Rounder Records

Ages 4 to 8; CD: $14.98

(800) ROUNDER

www.rounder.com

www.bigkidzband.com

Skip Ewing, a veteran Nashville artist whose hits have been recorded by country stars from Shania Twain to Willie Nelson, sets classic children’s songs and other familiar tunes to a new beat. Parents may want to climb the walls halfway through Ewing’s raucous “B-I-N-G-O,” but you’ve got to love his Ellington homage in “The Itsy Bitsy Spider Took the ‘A’ Train” and the tuba part in “Dueling Banjos.” For his next album, Ewing might consider writing more songs like his title track: a heartfelt, imaginative story-song about a child’s fascination with an old, elephant-shaped tea pot. Ewing is smoothly accompanied by the “Big Kidz Band” -- more Nashville veterans.

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Rockin’ With the Goose

Bluto Songs/BMI

Ages 4 to 8; CD: $14.95

www.rockinwiththegoose.com

H. Lynn Kitchens is another A-list Nashville musician who has updated traditional children’s songs. With electric guitar licks and a lot of percussive riffs, Kitchens gives classic nursery rhymes from “Humpty Dumpty” to “Simple Simon” a classic rock ‘n’ roll treatment, tailor-made for parents and kids who groove on radio’s golden oldies stations. Adults can see how many of Kitchens’ inspirations -- ranging from the Beatles and Phil Collins to Led Zeppelin and James Brown -- they can identify.

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Doc Possum: Pouch Music

Ages 3 to 8; CD: $10

www.docpossum.com

Singer-guitarist David “Doc” Cavallaro covers familiar territory -- animals, the ABC’s, best friends and superhero dreams -- with a pleasant rock beat. While some lyrics flow more smoothly than others, Cavallaro doesn’t lose sight of his target audience. Among the best tracks: a reassuring “Boogie Man” and “Morning Sunshine,” an expression

of solidarity for early-rising sleepyheads (with a homage to the Beatles’ “Good Day Sunshine”).

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Bad Mood Mom (and Other Good-Mood Songs)

Ages 2 to 8; CD: $16.98

www.badmoodmom.com

Backseat squabbles, scattered toys, waking up to pots-and-pans drumming sessions -- accomplished musician and TV, film and stage composer Jamie Broza nails the rewards and challenges of parenthood with resonant wisdom, empathy and humor from both parents’ and kids’ points of view in his first children’s album. With an expert, creative touch, Broza’s tracks play like catchy numbers from a stage-worthy musical. His varied pop portraits of children at different ages include know-it-all first-graders, siblings in conflict, a 5-year-old’s penchant for pushing the limits, a 2-year-old’s favorite word (“no!”), a 7-year-old who needs his space (“It’s Complicated”) and a 3-year-old who needs the door to babyhood left open just a bit longer (“Blanky, Piggie, Pacie”).

-- Lynne Heffley