Story Pirates Announce New Album and Podcast Episodes

 

The Story Pirates will release their fourth family music album, The Strawberry Band, on April 2nd. Every song on the adventurous mock concept album was inspired by a kid's idea, including today's first single, "Fun Crazy Weird Hair Store," by a 9 year old named Sylvia from New Jersey. The Strawberry Band features songwriting and performances by noted Broadway talent and is available for pre-orders today on various music platforms.

Members of the Story Pirates Creator Club will be able to access all the songs prior to release date.

"The Strawberry Band" is a Beatles-esque song based on a story by Nathaniel, a 5-year-old Californian. The fictional British rock band has big dreams. Trouble is, they turn into strawberries whenever they perform. The seedy crew decides to create a concept album, and they reappear throughout the album to avoid a strawberry-eating shark, ending up in a psychedelic freakout before the final track, "I Have a Cookie" (performed by Broadway's Eddie Cooper). The Strawberry Band's songs tell compelling and hilarious stories about musical cinnamon buns, weird sisters, a wingless fairy, and a dreamy little hedgehog.

The Strawberry Band's uptempo pop tunes were composed by Brendan O'Grady, Jack Mitchell, Eric Gersen, Melissa Gordon, Monique Moses, Michael Wells, James Harvey, Rachel Wenitsky and Ellen Winter. Guest vocalists include top Broadway talent like Lilli Cooper (Tony nominee for "Tootsie"), Alysha Deslorieux ("Hamilton"), and Stephanie Hsu ("Be More Chill," "Marvelous Mrs. Maisel"). As usual, the album's executive producers are the Story Pirates co-founders, Lee Overtree and Benjamin Salka.

Overtree, whose interactions with kids on the Story Pirates Podcast have earned him legions of followers, says that like the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart Club Band, this concept album is "like a party." One year into this pandemic, "We've all been cooped up for a long time, and we are ready to let loose. On The Strawberry Band, we invited kids and our creative team to express themselves in the wildest and wackiest ways they can. The Story Pirates offer a space where this is encouraged."

The Story Pirates are a nationally renowned group of top comedians, musicians, best-selling authors and highly engaged teachers with more than 15 years of experience creating content that celebrates the imaginations of kids. Their previous studio albums -- Cats Sit on You, Backstroke Raptor and Nothing Is Impossible -- have all won critical acclaim, international radio play and national awards. As SiriusXM Radio's Kids Place Live notes, The Story Pirates are "masterfully hilarious... some of the best creators and performers in kids' media today." The New York Times calls them "endlessly amusing." And Lin-Manuel Miranda (who was a guest on Backstroke Raptor), asks, "Have you not seen the Story Pirates yet? Get on that."

Season 4 of the Story Pirates Podcast (Gimlet Media) resumes on March 4th with a Johnny Cash-style song "I'm Toast, Man!," adapted from a story by 6 year old Sam from New York, and a new story, "The Adventures of Harold Jordan," adapted from a story by a 9 year old Phoebe from Iowa. The episode will include special guest Maulik Pancholy (30 Rock, Phineas and Ferb). In all, 20 more episodes of the podcast (which has been streamed more than 35 million times overall) will unroll weekly through July 2021.

The Story Pirates are also producing nine more episodes of SPTV. Story Pirates Creator Club members have full access to this show, which helps kids use their awesome imaginations to write great stories. Each week, Story Pirate Alex takes viewers on hilarious adventures showcasing original stories written by real kids and providing creative writing lessons filled with music, sketch comedy, and helpful tips from teaching artists. Episodes are currently airing on KLCS public television in Los Angeles and will be included in NYC public television station Thirteen's summer programs. Sample episodes also stream on YouTube.

SPTV gives kids permission to get weird as they write the stories only they can write.

In fact, The Story Pirates are always looking for kids' ideas. Parents and teachers are invited to submit kids' stories and drawings any time by going to StoryPirates.com.

 

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