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Kids' music superstar Justin Roberts knocks it out of the park with his sixth CD for kids, Pop Fly.

The Artist

Chicago-area resident Justin Roberts has been making music for kids since 1998 when he released his debut, Great Big Sun. Since then, he's become one of the most popular children's music stars in terms of both music sales and concert attendance. Roberts released his sixth CD for kids, Pop Fly, in 2008, continuing his string of hit albums.

The Music

If anything, Pop Fly sounds more like a cross between Chicago's Cheap Trick and the countless jangly indie rock bands that live in the Windy City than your typical kids' music fare. Radio-ready songs like the title track, "The Backyard Super Kid," and "Stay-at-Home Dad" (which bears a more-than-passing resemblance to Andrew Gold's "Lonely Boy") are as good as any pop music on the airwaves today.

Roberts makes great use of wordless choruses in "The Backyard Super Kid" and "Big Field Trip," guaranteeing audience singalong participation at concerts. The tune "She Sits" sounds very much like Brit popsters Squeeze, while the acoustic tracks "Henrietta's Hair" (a witty Bob Dylan pastiche), "From Scratch," "Giant-Sized Butterflies," and "Fruit Jar" gently bring down the energy level.

But one of the best songs on the album has to be the Beach Boys-inspired superpop ode to summer, "Kickboard, Baby, Yeah." This tune'll get stuck in your head for days, and in the best way possible.

Roberts refuses to dumb down his lyrics or simplify his musical style, and this commitment to quality shines through on Pop Fly.

A great collection of tunes for the whole family.

Released April 15, 2008; Carpet Square Records