Review and Giveaway: The Okee Dokee Brothers' Take It Outside

Thank you to the Okee Dokee Bros. and Sugar Mountain P.R. for participating in the Bloggy Birthday Blowout Event on Goodie Goodie Gumdrops!

It seems like summer just arrived and already it's nearing its end. The kids are heading back to school. Soon, the weather will grow cooler. We'll trade swimsuits for sweaters and the pool for the pumpkin patch. But the spirit of summer doesn't have to fade. You can capture the warmth and wonder of the season year-round with the Okee Dokee Brothers.

This Twin Cities duo aren't actually brothers at all. Childhood best friends Joe Mailander and Justin Lansing first got their start in a bluegrass band, touring the Midwest and fulfilling their lifelong dream of being professional singer-songwriters. Staying true to their folk roots, they tapped into where it all began: their childhood. So, they picked up and moved to Minneapolis to start the kindie band that would become the Okee Dokee Brothers. Following on the heels of their critically-acclaimed 2008 debut album, Kids with Beards, comes their brand new sophomore album Take it Outside. This collection of 13 original songs encapsulates one magical day in the life of a child, and is designed to get kids - and families - on their feet and out the door.

Track Listing:

1. Bluegrass for Breakfast
2. Neighbors
3. Tippy Toes
4. Hero
5. Wash Your Face
6. Lucy and Tighty
7. Water Balloon
8. Antidisestablishmentarianism
9. Auctioneer
10. What We Got
11. The Naked Truth
12. The Extraterrestrials
13. Sweet Dreams

If Sesame Street changed its backdrop to the backwoods of Tennessee, then the Okee Dokee Brothers would be your musical tour guides.

Listening to the album made me flash back to my youthful days, when tire swings didn't make me dizzy, when I loved the feeling of grass between my toes and a film of dirt on my skin and I didn't think twice about jumping into a lake fully clothed. From the time you wake up to "Bluegrass for Breakfast" until you tuck yourself into bed for "Sweet Dreams", you're in for wholesome, homegrown fun.

Each song tells a story or teaches a lesson, with a sense of humor that kids and parents alike can appreciate. Learn the longest word in the English language ("Antidisestablishmentarianism"), boost your vocabulary with words like "lackadaisically" or "introvertedly" ("Lucy and Tighty"), or try to speak fast like an "Auctioneer". My personal favorites are "Neighbors", which encourages the acceptance of differences - even those who "think it's cruel to murder a vegetable" - and "Hero", a country-pop ditty that makes you wonder if you have the "guts or the glory" to be a caped crusader. "The Naked Truth", about none other than a boy in the buff, describes my little nudist perfectly and made me laugh out loud. Even thought he couldn't understand the lyrics, Nate was jumping and dancing around to the organic bluegrass sound. The Okee Dokee Brothers sure know how to host a toe-tapping, knee-slapping, heck of a time.

BUY IT: You can listen to samples and/or purchase Take it Outside from www.okeedokee.org or CDBaby.com (ARV $12.97).

WIN IT: One lucky reader is going to win a copy of the album!

MAIN COURSE (MANDATORY ENTRY): Listen to the album track samples and tell me which song you like best. Remember to please leave your email address in your comment if it isn't visible on your profile or if you are not a blogger!

SUGAR ON TOP (BONUS ENTRIES): To maximize your chances of winning, you may do any or all of the following. Be sure to complete the above mandatory entry or your bonus entries will not count!

1.) Follow my blog or subscribe via reader or email. Comment telling me which method you chose. If you already follow or subscribe, that counts! (1 entry)

2.) Follow me and the Okee Dokee Brothers on Twitter and tweet about this contest. You may use the following tweet or come up with one of your own:

Win the newest album from the @OkeeDokeeBrothers, Take it Outside, from @kris10chumley Ends 9/8 http://bit.ly/aNTuZ5

Just leave a comment with your tweet link. (1 entry)

3.) Become a fan of the Okee Dokee Brothers on Facebook. (1 entry)

4.) "Like" Goodie Goodie Gumdrops on Facebook. (1 entry)

5.) Add my button to your site and leave a comment with the link to where I can find it. (1 entry)

Giveaway will end on September 8, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. Open to U.S. only. Winners will be chosen via Random.org and will have 48 hours to respond to congratulatory email or prize will be forfeited and another winner will be chosen.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this album from Beth at Sugar Mountain P.R. to facilitate my candid review. I was not compensated in any other way for this post. The opinions expressed in this review and purely my own. Your experience may differ.