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You’re running late, stalled in traffic. Your child is tired of being stuck in the car seat, and neither one of you is pleased with the situation. Time for the magic of music. You tell yourself that you can stand the 1,001st listen to that one Raffi song, but really, isn’t it time for a change? Here are a few recent albums that offer something a little different. And you just might like them too.

by Frances England
Sweet and infectious, Frances England’s folky pop sound will appeal to fans of artists like Ingrid Michaelson. Nature provides inspiration for many of the songs. You’ll be hooked from the first song, the title track. Further along, take a lazy walk on the beach in your imagination with “Salt Water Spin.” Lovely. (Frances England Music)

by Justin Roberts
Get ready to rock. Roberts’s goofy music is a little frenetic, but it offers a welcome dose of humor for your children as he sings about recess, checkout lines, robots, and a favorite elevator. In the title song he croons, “There’s more beauty in this world than you could guess,” and he’s out to sing about it all. (Carpet Square)

with Ella Jenkins
Okay, so this one might not be the best for a kid strapped into a car seat. But you’ll want to play it when you get home. Each song, though simple and quiet, encourages movement of some sort, with spoken instruction from Jenkins, a music educator. Think of it as “Just Dance” meets PBS. (Smithsonian Folkways