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Rascal Flatts’ Changed. Music Review

April 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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My absolute favorite genre of music is Country. That is what I grew up listening to. What I learned to sing harmony to and what I always go to when I just need to sit and think or relax. One of my favorite country/crossover bands is Rascal Flatts, comprised of singer Gary LeVox, bassist Jay DeMarcus and guitarist Joe Don Rooney, and I recently received for review, their newest album, Changed.

Changed is their eighth studio album and their first with brand new material in two years. Since their musical debut in 2000, the band has sold over 21 million albums, 25 million digital downloads and delivered 13 #1 singles to the top of the charts!

Along with hitting the big time, Rascal Flatts have also had ups and downs in their career like changing labels. Their first album (Nothing Like This) on their new label was a huge success and showed the guys that sometimes, “Change” is a good thing. I have to agree. Their newest album is fantastic. It features upbeat songs to get you in the dancing mood but it also features slow, lilting and emotional songs that I happen to enjoy most from Rascal Flatts. I’m moving on is my all time FAVORITE Rascal Flatts song along with God Bless the Broken Road. Those are the songs, in my own opinion, these guys do best. With that said, though, “BANJO” hits right up there among my favorites because it gets my toe tapping and puts me in a great, bouncy mood. It’s COUNTRY through and through and it FABULOUS! The entire album is wonderful. Rascal Flatts harmonies are as tight as ever. While the title of the album is “Changed”, their talent has not!

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CHECK IT OUT:

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of Rascal Flatts’ “Changed” as a member of the One2One Network. All opinions are my own.


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Mat Kearney. Young Love Album Review.

August 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

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I am always on the lookout for new music to listen to. Growing up, my family listened to country and southern rock. As an adult, I like to expand to every genre. I’ve found that even if a certain style of music isn’t what you normally listen to, there are always songs within that style that will grab you and pull you in.

I hadn’t heard of Mat Kearney before this week. But I was excited to learn more about him and after hearing the first song (Hey Mama) of his 3rd album, Young Love, I was hooked and ready to hear more. The entire album got my toes tapping and had me swaying in my seat. The music is uplifting and helped me go from bad mood to good mood very quickly. I admit that not all the lyrics ‘called to me’.  Maybe because it isn’t my usual style of music,  I didn’t understand some of what he was singing about. Mat also seems to have a pattern throughout this album using the same several phrases often. In several songs he referred to “Purple Boots”, Backs against the Wall” and “Phones to Call”. And while do that right here in our own blog posts, daily talking, etc. I’m not used to hearing it in an album so some of the songs started to sound repetitive.  But that is my opinion. Yours might be totally different. I did fall head over heals for the music though and could listen to it all day long. You can hear a sample below:

Young Love Tracklisting

1 Hey Mama
2 Ships In The Night
3 Count On Me
4 Sooner Or Later
5 Chasing The Light
6 Learning To Love Again
7 Down
8 She Got The Honey
9 Young Dumb And In Love
10 Rochester
11 Seventeen

If you aren’t familiar with Mat’s music you’ve probably heard some of his previous hits on your favorite TV shows.  Past songs have appeared on 30 Rock, Grey’s Anatomy, The Hills, Friday Night Lights, Scrubs, NCIS, and numerous other television shows.  Mat’s been winning over crowds on tours with everyone from John Mayer and Sheryl Crow to Keane and The Fray.

Mat on Tour This Fall

Mat is hitting the road in September playing nearly 40 shows in US & Canada.  Tickets on sale now.

9/14          Jacksonville, FL       Murray Hill
9/16          Charleston, SC         Music Farm
9/17          Athens, GA               GA Theater
9/18          Carrboro, NC            Cat’s Cradle
9/20          Charlottesville, VA   Jefferson Theater
9/23          Louisville, KY           Headliners
9/24          Cincinnati, OH          Bogart’s
9/25          Cleveland, OH          House of Blues
9/27           Interlochen, MI        Corson Aud
9/29           Urbana, IL                Canopy Club
9/30           Milwaukee, WI         Turner Hall
10/1           Des Moines, IA        People’s Court
10/2           Omaha, NE              Sokol Auditorium
10/4           Bloomington, IN      Bluebird
10/5           St Louis, MO           The Pageant
10/7           Oxford, MS              The Lyric
10/8           Pine Mountain, GA   Callaway Gardens
10/9           Birmingham, AL      Workplay Theatre
10/20         Nashville, TN            Cannery
10/23         Washington, DC       9:30 Club
10/24         Baltimore, MD           Ram’s Head
10/25         Lancaster, PA            Chameleon
10/27         Allentown, PA           Crocodile Rock         10/28         New York, NY            Webster Hall
10/29         Philadelphia, PA       Theater of LIving Arts
10/30         Albany, NY                 Northern Lights       11/1           Northampton, MA      Pearl Street
11/2           New Haven, CT          Toad’s Place            11/4           Boston, MA                House of Blues
11/5           Portland, ME              State Theatre
11/6           Burlington, VT            Higher Ground
11/8           Montreal, QC              Petite Campus
11/9           Toronto, ON                Opera House
11/11         Buffalo, NY                 Town Ballroom
11/12         Pittsburgh, PA            Rex Theater
11/13         Detroit, MI                   St. Andrews
11/15         Columbus, OH            Newport Music Hall
11/17         Chicago, IL                 House of Blues
11/19         Madison, WI               The Majestic
11/20         Minneapolis, MN       First Avenue

I received a copy of “Young Love” as a member of One2One Network. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

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Gummibar (I am a Gummy Bear) on DVD and CD. Review

April 28, 2011 By 1 Comment

Gummibar DVD

Unless you’ve been living under a rock this last year, you have most likely seen or heard of the extremely viral Gummibär (I am a Gummy Bear) song. It is HILARIOUS! There are parts of the video that may seem a little crude like the Gummy Bear dancing in his hip-hugger underwear and jiggly buns but the song is extremely catchy and my children are addicted to it. No. Seriously. We’re talking about kids who ask to listen to the song and watch the DVD multiple times a day. Every day. EVERY DAY! And the funny part is, I DON’T MIND! I am as addicted to this song as they are. It is that catchy. It is fast too. I know the Gummibär lyrics (English version) and still can’t keep up with the song!

We were sent the new DVD for review and have been enjoying it each day. It has cute graphics in bright, vibrant colors. The music is great and the little green Gummy Bear is too cute. = It is the first thing my 2 and 4 year old’s want to listen to each morning. The thing I like the best is that it gets them up and moving first thing in the morning. They are getting some physical activity to start the day by singing and dancing and laughing with this cute song and video. I’m pleasantly surprised that it caught on and while I’m hearing the same song every day, I’m finding myself dancing, singing and laughing right along with my children. And I love that! It sets the mood for a wonderful day.

The Gummibar: I am a Gummy Bear DVD includes the “I am a Gummy Bear Song” in several languages as well as other songs.:

Includes:
I Am A Gummy Bear (The Gummy Bear Song)
Cho Ka Ka O
Nuki Nuki (The Nuki Song) (Nuki as in Pacifier)
Je M’Appelle Gummy Bear (French Version)
Yo Soy Tu Gummy Bear (Spanish Version)
Ich Bin Dein Gummibär (German Version)
Itt Van A Gumimaci (Hungarian Version)
Jag Är En Gummybjörn (Swedish Version)
Eu Sou O Ursinho (Portuguese Version)
The Gummy Bear Song (Hebrew Version)
Choco Choco Choco
Nuki Nuki (The Nuki Song) (Short Edit)

Buy DVD $12.99 (Free USA Shipping)

You didn’t think I could resist posting the YouTube video to “I am a Gummy Bear” did you?

The are several links with tons of goodies on the Gummibar site, including printable coloring pages, mp3 downloads, iPhone game apps and more. I have been looking over the main site for days and still haven’t seen everything!

“Like” Gummibär on Facebook

Subscribe to Gummibär on YouTube.

Follow Gummibär on Twitter.

Hi. My name is Gummibär. I’m a gummy bear. I’m green, jiggly and cute. You might know me from my videos on the internet. Maybe you’ve
seen me on YouTube or MySpace, I am one of the most viewed viral
videos of all time. People from every country of the world love to
watch me sing and dance. I sing in English, Hungarian, French, Spanish and Swedish and I am learning new languages every day. My debut CD is called I Am Your Gummy Bear. Not only does it include 15 groovy tunes such as I Am A Gummy Bear (The Gummy Bear Song), Funny DJ, Cho Ka Ka O, Gummy From Bom Bom Bay, Buj Buj Polka, and many others, but it even includes the Spanish and Hungarian versions of The Gummy Bear Song as bonus tracks and 2 versions of the I Am A Gummy Bear video as well as wallpapers for your computer. You’ll have to visit the Gummibar site to see what all is there.

I received a complimentary DVD for review purposes. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

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Norah Jones …Featuring. Album Review

November 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Norah Jones Album Cover. ...Featuring

I recently received an express copy of the multi-platinum selling,  multi-Grammy winning artist, Norah Jones, new album entitled “…Featuring” for review. This album is unique because each of the 18 songs features a cameo, duet or collaboration with other artists such as Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Ray Charles, OutKast, Foo Fighters, etc. All musical artists that Norah Jones looks up to in her love of music.

The thing I like best about this album is the variety of talents included. You have everything from Country to Rock to Contemporary all on one album and all featuring Norah Jones soulful voice lending to outstanding melodies. Some of that songs are Norah Jones featuring the artist of choice and some are reversed with Norah being the accompanying voice!

My absolute favorite song on the album is “Virginia Moon” by Foo Fighters featuring Norah Jones. The harmonies are beautiful and the songs music lifts you up and gets you ready for the day.

The track listing for …Featuring is as follows:
1. Love Me – The Little Willies
2. Virginia Moon – The Foo Fighters featuring Norah Jones
3. Turn Them – Sean Bones featuring Norah Jones
4. Baby It’s Cold Outside – Willie Nelson featuring Norah Jones
5. Bull Rider – Norah Jones and Sasha Dobson
6. Ruler Of My Heart – Dirty Dozen Brass Band featuring Norah Jones
7. The Best Part – El Madmo
8. Take Off Your Cool – OutKast featuring Norah Jones
9. Life Is Better – Q-Tip featuring Norah Jones

In case you are wondering when you can purchase this great CD… well, the answer is TODAY!

Purchase on Amazon.com or at your local retailer.

Follow the Norah Jones YouTube Channel
“Like” Norah Jone on Facebook
And check out Norah Jones official website

…Featuring Norah Jones

I received an advance copy of “…Featuring” for review purposes as a member of One2One Network. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are strictly my own and were not influenced in any way.

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Sarah McLachlan Laws of Illusion Review

June 15, 2010 By 1 Comment

Sarah McLachlan’s new album “Laws of Illusion” hits store shelves TODAY! This is Sarah’s first studio album of brand new material in 7 years. Did you know that a career spanning more than two decades, Sarah has over 20 million career sales to date and, every one of Sarah McLachlan’s studio and live albums has been certified gold, platinum, or multi-platinum by the RIAA. As a fan of Sarah and her beautiful song “Angel”, I can see why! She is an amazing artist! I received a complimentary copy as a member of One 2 One Network and the songs are just as awesome as you’d expect. I love “Heartbreak”. It is soft and uplifting telling heartbreak it can’t catch me. All of the songs on “Laws of Illusion” fit Sara’s beautiful voice perfectly and bring a smile to your face. They all deal with aspects of love and the heart. The album was recorded in Montreal and Vancouver with Sarah’s longtime collaborator/producer Pierre Marchand. The album’s first single “Loving You is Easy,” is a Top Ten hit at Adult Alternative radio and is available for sale at all digital providers

Songs on “Laws of Illusion”

  1. AWAKENINGS
  2. ILLUSIONS OF BLISS
  3. LOVING YOU IS EASY
  4. CHANGES
  5. FORGIVENESS
  6. RIVERS OF LOVE
  7. LOVE COME
  8. OUT OF TUNE
  9. HEARTBREAK
  10. DON’T GIVE UP ON US
  11. U WANT ME 2
  12. BRING ON THE WONDER

Did you see Sarah performing the medley of her hit songs on Dancing With the Stars? I watched it that night and she was awesome!

This year also marks the historic all-female Lilith Fair festival this summer!  From 1997 through 1999, Lilith Fair was one of the highest grossing touring festivals in the world, with over 2 million fans in attendance and raising over $10 million dollars for national and local women’s charities.


Artists joing Sarah at Lilith Fair:
Colbie Caillat, Mary J. Blige, Sheryl Crow, Erykah Badu, Ke$ha, Norah Jones, Sugarland, Heart, Miranda Lambert, Beth Orton, Brandi Carlile, Cat Power, Chantel Kreviazuk, Corinne Bailey Rae, Emmylou Harris, Gossip, Indigo Girls, Ingrid Michaelson, Jill Scott, Loretta Lynn, Metric, Sara Bareilles, Tegan and Sara and more!
LILITH FAIR TOUR DATES

  • Jun 27   Calgary, AB McMahon Stadium
  • Jun 28   Edmonton, AB Northlands Spectrum
  • Jul 1     Vancouver, BC, Canada Pitt Meadows Airport
  • Jul 2     Portland, OR Sleep Country Amphitheatre
  • Jul 3     Seattle/George, WA The Gorge Amphitheatre
  • Jul 5     San Francisco, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre at Mountain View
  • Jul 7     San Diego, CA Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
  • Jul 8     Phoenix, AZ Cricket Wireless Pavilion
  • Jul 9     Las Vegas, NV Mandalay Bay Events Center
  • Jul 10   Los Angeles, CA Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
  • Jul 12   Salt Lake City, UT USANA Amphitheatre
  • Jul 13   Denver, CO Comfort Dental Amphitheatre
  • Jul 15   Kansas City, MO Capitol Federal Park @ Sandstone
  • Jul 16 St. Louis, MO Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
  • Jul 17   Chicago, IL First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
  • Jul 18   Minneapolis, MN Canterbury Park
  • Jul 20   Indianapolis, IN Verizon Wireless Music Center Indianapolis
  • Jul 21   Detroit, MI DTE Energy Music Theatre
  • Jul 23   Montreal, QC Parc Jean Drapaeu
  • Jul 24   Toronto, ON Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
  • Jul 27   Cleveland, OH Blossom Music Center
  • Jul 28   Philadelphia, PA Susquehanna Bank Center
  • Jul 30   Boston, MA Comcast Center
  • Jul 31   New York, NY PNC Bank Arts Center
  • Aug 1   Hartford, CT Comcast Theatre
  • Aug 3   Washington, DC TBA
  • Aug 4    Raleigh, NC Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek
  • Aug 6    Charlotte, NC Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Charlotte
  • Aug 7    Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena
  • Aug 8    Atlanta, GA Aarons Amphitheatre at Lakewood
  • Aug 10   West Palm Beach, FL Cruzan Amphitheatre
  • Aug 11   Tampa, FL Ford Amphitheatre
  • Aug 12   Birmingham, AL Verizon Wireless Music Center
  • Aug 14   Austin, TX TBA
  • Aug 15   Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
  • Aug 16   Dallas, TX Superpages.com Center

Buy it on Amazon!

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A complimentary CD was received via the One 2 One Network. No monetary compensation was received.


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