Naked Brothers' sophomore album strikes cord with tweens

This Tuesday, Nickelodeon stars Nat and Alex Wolff - better known as the Naked Brothers Band - debut their second album in less than a year. "I Don't Want To Go To School" features songs from the "Naked Brothers Band' second season.

Tweens and younger like the show because the kids are a little dorky, but in that way they are cool. The show premiered in February 2007 on Nickelodeon with the highest rating among 6- to 11-year-old kids in seven years, according to the folks at Nick. The band members are into their music and friends and being true to themselves. There's a bit of comedy in how the adults act more like kids and the kids are just so mature. It IS a cable sit-com.

Back to the music, this second album is much better than the first. It has a bit of a rock edge, and you can definitely hear how they were influenced by the Beatles.

Songs that stand out are “Eventually,” If You Can Make It Through the Rain,“ and ”Mystery Girl,” but also good are “Everybody’s Cried at Least Once” and “Body I Occupy.”

The songs seem to resonate with their fans, mostly 6 to 12 year olds. And the content is totally appropriate - puppy love, hope, perseverance, school and feelings.

There's much better consistency in the quality of the songs. Translation: fewer total duds. As a mom, I'm not looking for ways to avoid playing their CD, as I did with the first Naked Brothers CD or anything Barney when my kids were little. (I was grateful when they discovered the Wiggles, ironically, on a Barney video.)

I do let my kids listen to their favorite artists. I just have veto authority. "You don't want to annoy the driver," I say. From the first album, "Alien Clones" was banned. So that you don't think I'm picking on this group, there were songs on the “High School Musical” CDs that I banned, too. Not "Fabulous," though, or Sharpay's version of "You Are the Music In Me." Love those!

The first single off the Naked Brothers' new album is “I Don’t Want To Go To School,” which was performed at the Kids’ Choice Awards. My kids instantly liked, this one, especially my son. Other tweens must like it, given its popularity on iTunes, The single has been out a few weeks now.

You can sample a few songs off the TV show's web site, Click here for the link.

My rating: 3 1/2 stars (I don't cringe when the kids ask me to play it. That's a good thing.)

Alex Carr, 11: 4 stars (His favorite song is "Three is Enough.")

Julia Carr, 7: 5 stars (Yes, she thinks this is as good as Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana. Why? A good album to her is one that makes her sing along. This one does that. Her favorite song is "Mystery Girl.")

Arizona Moms Editor Yvette Armendariz shares stories about raising her kids and tips for busy parents in her Time-starved (goddess) Mom blog. She and her husband are raising two children, ages 8 and 11.