Two Brooms Up

First I want to thank the wonderful One 2 One Network for sending me not only a copy to listen to but a copy of this great album to give away as well. I enjoy Harry Connick Jr anyway, but here he is doing some incredible songs that I already loved. Just take a look at the song list. It was enjoyable to listen to and it was something I could listen to with the kids. My favorite was Just the Way you Are. I would highly recommend this to anyone.

Make sure you check out Harry Connick Jr.’s website, Facebook page, as well as a Behind the Scenes look at the making of the album.

All The Way (Frank Sinatra)
Just The Way You Are (Billy Joel)
Can’t Help Falling In Love With You (Elvis Presley)
And I Love Her (The Beatles)
(They Long To Be) Close To You (The Carpenters)
Besame Mucho
The Way You Look Tonight
First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (Roberta Flack)
Your Song (Elton John)
Some Enchanted Evening
And I Love You So (Don McLean)
Who Can I Turn To? (Tony Bennett)
Smile (Charlie Chaplin)
Mona Lisa (Nat King Cole)

Now on to the giveaway!! The rules are simple

First Entry
1 entry post here (make sure your email address is here or I cannot contact you)

Additional Entries
1 Entry - Tweet about this Giveaway and post the link here (can tweet and post the link once a day)
5 Entries - Blog about this Giveaway.

It’s that simple. The giveaway will end Monday October 26th!!

Thanks to One2One Network I got this album for review. I admit, I was HIGHLY skeptical at first…I mean, come on. A MUSICAL created out of great hair band songs?? It seemed too contradictory, even for this extreme musical maniac.

Pluse, as a big fan of some of the music on this album…could they REALLY pull it off?  Or would it sound like hokey-not-quite-right remakes??

Well, truth be told a few of the songs DID come off as hokey remakes but it didn’t make me love this musical any less!!  I was belting out the songs with the album, driving down the road with my windows rolled down and the volume at top level! 

The way the album is made, you get parts narrated to you so that you have an idea what is happening in the story - you aren’t just listening to the songs. I mean, the character of Lonny addresses you DIRECTLY with some HILARIOUS asides (Rock stars are undeniable - like herpes!!)!!  I loved this aspect of it because even with the story line relatively clear, a few points were needed (like who the heck was Justice? He told you!).

The songs will take you back - and move you forward.  The writer says on the inside cover that he wrote this musical to “Make straight men love musicals”** And I think he probably converted a few - especially judging by the pictures on the insert.  This is a musical that I would pay to see on stage - the big hair, leather, half-naked chicks and ROCK STARS!! 

Believe it or not, this is a love story - one that’s easily followed even if you aren’t seeing it on stage in front of you. 

So relive the music - in a new way!!  You won’t be able to stop yourself from rocking out and singing along!

Tracklisting
Just Like Paradise / Nothin’ But A Good Time
Sister Christian
We Built This City / Too Much Time On My Hands
I Wanna Rock
We’re Not Gonna Take It
Heaven/More Than Words / To Be With You
Waiting For A Girl Like You
Wanted Dead Or Alive
I Want To Know What Love Is
Cum On Feel The Noize / We’re Not Gonna Take It (Reprise)
Harden My Heart / Shadows Of The Night
Here I Go Again
The Final Countdown
Any Way You Want It / I Wanna Rock (Reprise)
High Enough
I Hate Myself For Loving You / Heat Of The Moment
Hit Me With Your Best Shot
Can’t Fight This Feeling
Every Rose Has Its Thorn
Oh Sherrie
The Search Is Over
Don’t Stop Believin

A few months ago I was invited to see a concert here in Indianapolis by the wonderful people at One2One Network. It was to see this artist, Diana Birch. I was directed to her myspace page and listened to a couple of songs. I immediately signed up - but the night my tickets were confirmed I was in the hospital prepping to have gall bladder surgery the next day. I was due to come home 4-holes richer, 1 gall bladder poorer the day of the concert. I was so disappointed.

I was thrilled when a couple of weeks later I was presented with the opportunity to review the album. Within another week my mail was bursting with the envelopes. I’d been sent an extra one by mistake - which is to your benefit because I get to give a copy of this wonderful album away!

Diane Birch’s sultry and emotional music pulls you in with a bit of nostalgia. As I popped the music into my computer to let it fill my need for background music I found myself hit with a wave of nostalgia. Her musical influences like Carol King and The Carpenters are the same as the groups I grew up listening to as my mother controlled the radio.

Her music is filled with touches of those influences filled with the heart and sould that you can tell she put into them when writing them. This music doesn’t hit you over the head with it’s brilliance and uniqueness. It pulls you in with just a hint enough of the old influences to make you pay attention to find the beautiful voice and unique talent she has.

Now onto the giveaway…

If you want to win this CD, what do you have to do? Simple to get entries…

1. Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
2. Twitter this contest w/ a linkback to me (sadiecass) - and leave that link in the comments (1 entry)
3. Blog about this contest (5 entries)
4. Stumble this giveaway (2 Entries)
5. Subscribe to this blog by email (top left - 1 entry)

That’s it! Just leave one comment for each item you do (I’ll tally all total entries myself) and you’re entered!!

Contest will end on July 22, winner to be announced on July 23!!!

Recently I received another CD to review from One2One Network. When I first saw it I was skeptical. It was for Yanni. Yes I listen to all kinds of music and I grew up with instrumentals from my ballet days but Yanni? He was not something I listened to regularly. When I first read the premise behind the album I was intrigued. He was reinterpreting his old music and putting words to it. The fact that he was attempting this impressed me right there. From the moment the CD started I was surprised. You could actually feel what he was trying to get across through the music. And it only got better from there. The more I listened the more impressed I was. The singers he chose seemed to fit what he wanted to portray beautifully. I would definitely recommend this as something you should pick up.

I have to admit I was a little skeptical when I first saw the email about the Ballas Hough Band (BHB). I mean I’ve seen both of them on Dancing with the Stars and they are both phenomenal dancers but I was still a little hesitant. They are both cuties too. I mean…come on just look at them.

But I still had that worry that you get when someone who is very talented in one area and decides they are going to try another area out. I was pleasantly surprised though. The group, whose original name was Almost Amy, definitely delivered. My favorite track on the album was Fall, followed by Devastated. I would definitely recommend that you pick this up. The fact that they wrote the majority of the album impressed me even more.

You can pick it up at Amazon as well as Target and iTunes.

Here’s the track list from the album:

1. Do You Love Me
   
2. Devastated
   
3. Closer
   
4. She Was The One
   
5. Longing For
   
6. Birthday
   
7. Fall
   
8. Do It For You
   
9. Breakthrough
   
10. Together Faraway
    
11. Underwater

You can check out their website too http://ballashough.com/ and also on Dancing with the Stars on ABC.