The Okee Dokee Brothers is the acclaimed Twin Cities duo of Joe Mailander and Justin Lansing, who won national notice for their first release, Kids with Beards (2008). Their newest release, Take It Outside (2010), has won a Parent's Choice award, a NAPPA Gold Award, and was voted 6th on the Fids and Kamily Poll for best albums of the year. One NAPPA reviewer said, "Seamlessly threading bluegrass and rock, this sassy musical hybrid album reminds us that fantasy and fun are right in our own backyard". Take It Outside captures one full day of childhood, from waking up for a little Bluegrass for Breakfast to hitting the hay at night with Sweet Dreams. Mailander and Lansing blend a little bit of country, quite a bit of bluegrass, and add in pop and funk influences for good measure. The crisp new sound for Take It Outside is helped along by Grammy award nominated producer Tor Hyams (known for creating Kidzapalooza and Austin Kiddie Limits, among other kindie music events). Guest artist Adam Levy (Honeydogs and Bunnyclogs) performs the rocking lead electric guitar on the song Hero. Take It Outside provides themes for thought, trending toward both the silly and the serious. Whether it s the memorable bluegrassy Wash Your Face sing-along song, or the bare-naked folksiness of The Naked Truth, kids and parents will find a lot to sing and laugh along with. Some songs are educational in the broadest sense, such as the introduction of the longest word in the English language (Antidisestablishmentarianism) or the fast-talking challenge of Auctioneer. Others offer important messages delivered without preachiness, as in the environmental theme of What We Got and the social acceptance of Neighbors. Some songs tell a little story (Lucy and Tighty) and others simply jump to zany flights of fancy (The Extraterrestrials). We think kids deserve quality music, says Mailander. We put a lot of heart and soul into this recording and all of our live performances. From start to finish, we want to encourage kids to get outside and have fun with their families. Lansing adds, We believe that by going outside and enjoying nature, we are able to gain a greater understanding of the world around us. This can only lead to respect for our neighbors, cultures and earth.