Music Monday: Action Item Resolution

Katie January 7, 2013 0 Comments

Where We Left Off
Good Or Bad
Brave
Better Than Perfect
Lucky
Bad For You
Moments

Action Item kicked off 2013 with the release of their new album Resolution at midnight.  The CD has 7 tracks and they will be touring this winter to support it.  The tour has already begun so be sure to check out their tour dates to see if they are coming to a city near you! (And be on the look out for my review of their show here in February!)

Appropriately enough, the album starts off with an instrumental version of auld lang syne before Where We Left Off. I really like the lyrics to this song, they seem to be very personal which I always love to get an inside look into some of my favorites heads.

After the first listen through (which admittedly took me far too many days than I had hoped to get around to listening to it!)  my favorite tracks are Brave and Bad For You.

After a couple more listens, my favorites remained the same, but a couple of the other songs that I didn’t like on first listen are slowly beginning to grow on me.  I have to give everything a couple of listens before I can truly give my opinion because typically I spend one listen deciphering lyrics, one listening to the music, etc. And finally after I’ve dissected everything I can enjoy it all together.

Find out more about the band, tour and all things Resolution at http://actionitemband.com/

Music Monday: One Direction Take Me Home

Katie December 31, 2012 0 Comments

Live While We’re Young
Kiss You
Little Things
Cmon Cmon
Last First Kiss
Heart Attack
Rock Me
Change My Mind
I Would
Over Again
Back For You
They Dont Know About Us
Summer Love

–

She’s Not Afraid
Loved You First
Nobody Compares
Still The One

–

Truly, Madly, Deeply
Magic
Irresistible

On November 13th One Direction released their much anticipated sophomore album, Take Me Home.  This CD seems to have a more even spread of singing by all 5 of the boys – where as the last CD seemed to be more focused on Liam and Harry.  I can hear more Zayn and solos from Louis and Niall on more songs on Take Me Home.

I have 2 versions of the CD – the yearbook edition that has a few extra tracks and I also picked up the Target edition that has 5 extra tracks (though 2 are just live versions of older songs.)  The funny thing is – I love the cover of the album and yet the 2 versions I have don’t have the cover pictured above.  The yearbook edition comes in a book and the Target edition cover is grayscale. Yes, I am thinking about getting a 3rd copy just to have the color cover. (#fangirlproblems)

The CD is good, very catchy and everything I’d expect a boyband CD to be – but it is also a little strange.  Some songs sound very much like songs that I could hear Big Time Rush singing and others sound more like Backstreet Boys songs.  I don’t know if One Direction has a distinct sound, yet, but it is just weird that so many songs made me do a bit of a double take while I was listening.   I’m not trying to be negative – I love all of the bands I mentioned.

I think my favorite tracks are Rock You and Nobody Compares – but ask me again tomorrow and I will probably tell you something completely different.   It is worth noting that 2 songs are cowritten by Ed Sheeran – Little Things and Over Again.  The One Direction boys also have writing credits on Last First Kiss, Back For You, Summer Love and Irresistible.

Music Monday: Carly Rae Jepsen Kiss

Katie December 24, 2012 0 Comments

Tiny Little Bows
This Kiss
Call Me Maybe
Curiosity
Good Time (w/ Owl City)
More Than a Memory
Turn Me Up
Hurt So Good
Beautiful (w/ Justin Bieber)
Tonight I’m Getting Over You
Guitar String / Wedding Ring
Your Heart is a Muscle
—–
Drive
Wrong Feels So Right
Sweetie
I Know You Have A Girlfriend
Almost Said It

Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Kiss” was recently released.  I think it is safe to say that I am incredibly sick of and “over” Call Me Maybe and Good Time.  Both have been over played like crazy over the summer and I think I’ll be ok if I never hear either song again.  (Remember when I went to 5 shows in a row that had someone singing Call Me Maybe? 2 of the 5 were Carly Rae herself, but still!!)

I won’t say that Kiss is some sort of earth shattering musical masterpiece, but if you take it for what it is – a guilty pleasure pop record – it is fantastic.  Pretty much all the songs have a great beat to them which would make them great for dancing (or easily remixed for the club) and the songs are all pretty catchy.

I had mentioned that from seeing Carly Rae live that Guitar String / Wedding Ring was my favorite from her set – and I think that it is my favorite on the album as well. (Let’s just hope it doesn’t get released as a single though because then I will for sure become too over exposed to it and grow to hate it)

There’s been some crticism with Beautiful (her duet with Bieber) being a bit too much like One Direction’s “What Makes You Beautiful” due to the lyrics “What makes you so beautiful is you don’t know how beautiful you are”.  Honestly though, there have been SO many songs released lately about letting girls know how beautiful they really are and all that, that I don’t think it was a purposeful at all, and just a coincidence. (Selena Gomez’s Who Says and Tyler Hilton’s Prince of Nothing Charming come to mind)

Music Monday: No Doubt Push and Shove

Katie December 17, 2012 0 Comments

Settle Down
Looking Hot
One More Summer
Push and Shove
Easy
Gravity
Undercover
Undone
Sparkle
Heaven
Dreaming The Same Dream

No Doubt’s “Push and Shove” was their first release in over 10 years, having taken a bit of a hiatus while Gwen pursued her solo career.  I used to love Tragic Kingdom back when I was in middle / high school, so I am glad that Push and Shove does still have some of that sound to it.  I didn’t really follow them any more when Return to Saturn came out – at that point I had already moved on to all things boybands. The same for Rock Steady, which was released in 2001.

I think that this is a really solid release from No Doubt, and has dragged me back in.  I’d love to see them on tour!  These songs are fun and up beat and I’d love to see Gwen on stage in person!

CD Review: A Very Merry Golden Records Christmas

Katie December 12, 2012 0 Comments

A Very Merry Golden Records Christmas fetures Malin Akerman, Ed Asner, Cheryl Hines, Busy Phillips, Miss Pyle, Wallace Shawn, Dermot Mulrony, John O’Hurley, Didi Donn and many more.  (Check it out on Amazon!)

Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas (Didi Conn and The Golden Orchestra)
Santa Claus is Coming To Town (John O Hurley)
Jingle Bells (Malin Akerman)
12 Days of Christmas (Missi Pyle)
A Christmas Carol (Wallace Shawn)
Crackerjack Christmas (The Golden Orchestra)
I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas (Didi Conn)
Christmas Morning (Sabelle and The Golden Orchestra)
Winter Wonderland (Durmot Mulroney)
Frosty The Snowman Story (Busy Phillips)
Frosty The Snowman (John O Hurley)
Little Stowaway on Santas Sleigh (Missi Pyle)
Sleigh Ride (Dermot Mulroney and The Golden Orchestra)
When Santa Claus Gets our Letter (Malin Akerman)
Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer Story (Cheryl Hines)
Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (John O Hurley)
Reindeer Dance (Missi Pyle)
I Just Cant Wait Till Christmas (The Golden Orchestra)
Twas The Night Before Christmas Story (Ed Asner)

A Very Merry Golden Records Christmas is a compilation of 20 tracks.  Most of them are short, just a minute or two, and are sung by some names you may recognize.  I have to say, the people that they got to do these tracks are pretty perfect.  Wallace Shawn re-telling a Christmas Carol was perfect and I loved all of Didi Conn’s songs as well. John O’Hurley’s tracks were perfect for him as well.

I know there are a ton of Christmas CDs out there (I have so many that I have to pick and choose favorite tracks each year or I’d never have time to listen to them all during the Christmas season!) but this one is really great, especially if you have kids.  It is one that kids and adults will both enjoy, great for car rides after snow. Or to have on while baking cookies for Santa’s arrival!

In addition to songs – there are also the stories of Frosty (as told by Busy Phillips), Rudolph (as told by Cheryl Hines) and Twas The Night Before Christmas (told by Ed Asner).  This is a great addition to the CD, so you and your child can share the story that is behind the songs that they know and love (or will know and love after listening to the CD a few times!)

Some helpful links:

NEW Official Website: http://littlegoldenrecords.com/

Facebook (Link to Free Download Here): http://www.facebook.com/LittleGoldenRecords/app_108468622525037

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/GoldenRecords

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/goldenrecords

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/goldenrecords/

I received a free copy of this album in order to write this review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.

Music Monday: Hunter Hayes

Katie December 10, 2012 0 Comments

Storm Warning
Wanted
If You Told Me To
Love Makes Me
Faith to Fall Back On
Somebody’s Heartbreak
Rainy Season
Cry With You
Everybody’s Got Somebody But Me
What You Gonna Do
More Than I Should
All You Ever

I was first introduced to Hunter when he opened for Carrie Underwood in September.  I loved his set and came home and bought his self titled CD.  I didn’t have time to listen to it for a bit though… but better late than never. (Though I do wish I got a head start because I can not stop playing it now!)  There are a few songs on the CD I remember him performing live and they were part of the reason why I ended up liking him so much (the fact that he is adorable didn’t hurt either) Those songs are Storm Warning, Wanted and Everybody’s Got Somebody But Me.

I really think that Hunter could cross genres if he wanted – and I’m not just saying that because I am still too stubborn to admit that I like country singers.  Some of the songs sound much more country than others, some are rock and others have a bit of a John Mayerish blues quality to them. (Or maybe it is the guitar that reminds me of John)

Keep and eye out for the name Hunter Hayes – I think he will be really, really huge really, really soon!

Hunter is still out there on tour with Carrie if you get the chance to see the show – Carrie puts on a phenomenal show and Hunter is so high energy opening for her – I don’t think you will regret it if you go!

Cd Review: Kylie Minogue The Abbey Road Sessions

Katie November 5, 2012 0 Comments

All The Lovers
On a Night Like This
Better the Devil You Know
Hand On Your Heart
I Believe In You
Come Into My World
Finer Feelings
Confide In Me
Slow
Locomotion
Can’t Get You Out Of My Head
Where The Wild Roses Grow
Flower
I Should Be So Lucky
Love at First Sight
Never Too Late

The Abbey Road Sessions will be released tomorrow, November 6!  The album features 16 tracks, all radically reworked, spanning Kylie’s incredibly twenty-five-year career! (Impressive!) The album was recorded in London’s legendary Abbey Road Studios with Kylie’s band and a full orchestra.

Throughout 2012 Kylie has been celebrating K25, her 25th Anniversary in music. It has been an extraordinary career so far – 60 million global album sales, multiple hit singles, spectacular global tours, amazing collaborations, countless accolades, acting roles and regular TV appearances. All of which has permanently cemented her place in music history as a bona-fide superstar.

The album is a really nice compilation of Kylie’s career.  It is a bit more stripped down and slow than you might be expecting, but that is due to the addition of the full orchestra which really adds a nice new element to the songs. While not technically a greatest hits – it is nice that all the songs were reworked and it isn’t just a forced release – it is a worth while purchase to hear all the songs with their new layers.

There are really only a few of the songs that I was familiar with before listening to the CD – with most of them being her big singles – “Locomotion”, “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head” and “Love at First Sight”  The reworking of the song “Love at First Sight” is really well done as well.  I think I like this orchestra version better than the original!

I didn’t realize that Kylie had been at it for so long – 25 years – wow! But I guess time flies when you are having fun!

The song “Flower” is her latest single and it is a song she wrote several years ago following  her battle with breast cancer, the song is written to the child she wishes she might one day have.  It is a beautiful song and the lyrics are really touching.

If you are a Kylie fan then you won’t want to miss out on this great new CD that is being released tomorrow   If you’re not a fan, check it out anyway!

For more information on Kylie check out her website: www.Kylie.com

Follow Kylie on Twitter @KylieMinogue 

Buy the album:

iTunes

Amazon (Deluxe)

Amazon (Standard)

Want to see Kylie on TV? She’ll be on Dancing With The Stars on November 13th and on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on November 14th! Set those DVRs!

I participated in this campaign for One2One Network. I received a free copy of the CD to facilitate my review. By posting, I am eligible for incentives. All opinions stated are my own.

Album Review: Chris Mann – Roads (#Roads)

Katie November 2, 2012 0 Comments

Roads
Need You Now
Cuore
The Blower’s Daughter
My Way
Unless You Mean It
Always On My Mind
On a Night Like This
Ave Maria
Falling
Viva La Vida

Chris Mann, Team XTina’s runner up from The Voice has released an album called Roads.  Influenced by Pavarotti, Robbie Williams and vintage Sinatra, Chris’ blend of classically-trained tenor and contemporary pop vocals is a sound that’s rare in music today. Said Cee Lo, “He is by far one of the most incomparable vocalists I have ever heard.” Christina Aguilera told him “I feel the heavens open up when you sing”

Roads was released on October 30, a follow up to his Christmas EP that was released on October 9.  The album includes producers Keith Thomas (Amy Grant, Vanessa Williams, Charlotte Church, Heather Headley), Walter Afanasieff (Andrea Boecelli, Josh Groban, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey) and Marius de Vries (Jackie Evancho, Josh Groban, PJ Harvey).

Chris was by far not one of my favorites on The Voice last season (but when you are up against Tony Lucca, someone I have had a crush on since I was in 5th grade – it is hard for anyone else to compete!)

The Roads album is really well put together – the accompaniment for each of the songs is simply beautiful when combined with Chris’ voice.  I especially love his rendition of Lady A’s “Need You Now”, the second track on the CD.

Christina joins Chris on the track “The Blower’s Daughter” and the duet gave me goosebumps! It is just so beautiful and moving. Wow. I’m impressed.

The combination of songs on the CD is great and it really showcases Chris’ amazing voice.  (Especially that note he holds out on My Way! Wow. Wow. Wow.)  If you’ve never heard of him or if you weren’t all that into him during The Voice – I recommend you check out the album anyway – I find it hard to believe that you would not be impressed with it.

PREVIEW 4 songs from the album here: http://soundcloud.com/universalrepublic/sets/chris-mann/s-e7O63

Roads is available for purchase at the following links:

iTunes – http://bit.ly/SgkwJb
Amazon – http://amzn.to/XQpJc8

Find out more about Chris at ChrisMannMusic.com

I received a free copy of this CD through One2One Network in order to write this review. By posting this review, I am entered to win a prize drawing.  All opinions are 100% mine.

Music Monday: P!NK The Truth About Love

Katie October 22, 2012 0 Comments

Are We All We Are
Blow Me (One Last Kiss)
Try
Just Give Me A Reason (feat Nate Ruess)
True Love (feat Lily Rose Cooper)
How Come You’re Not Here
Slut Like You
The Truth About Love
Beam Me Up
Walk of Shame
Here Comes The Weekend (feat. Eminem)
Where Did The Beat Go?
The Great Escape
——-
My Signature Move – Target Exclusive
Is This Thing On? – Target Exclusive
Run – Target Exclusive
Good Old Days – Target Exclusive

Let’s start first with how I used to HATE P!NK.  When she first came out – with her pink hair, my hair was dyed pink too so I hated her. (Hey, in high school that is a perfectly good reason to hate someone)  Then I saw her open up for NSYNC (twice) and decided that she was a bad ass.  On her mizzundastood tour, I got 2nd row tickets in a radio presale which I believe at that time was the closest I had ever been at a show.  But cameras weren’t allowed so I had to check mine at the venue.

Anyway… now I love pink though I haven’t been keeping up with her albums too much lately- just the radio singles.  But I figured I’d get back in to it with her latest release – The Truth About Love.  (The fact that she’d finally be coming back to CT on tour may have had a bit to do with it)

Before I had the album, I had heard that it was “a lot of filler” and the first few times listening to it I had this in the back of my mind and I think it made me a bit biased because the first couple times through I was like.. you know this album isn’t all this great it is a lot of filler.

But then I got out my headphones and listened to it straight through (previously I had been listening in the car).  With headphones on I got to pay more attention to everything.  While there are a lot more slower songs than I would like, I wouldn’t really call them “filler”, they are all beautiful in their own way.

Another of the complaints that I had seen before listening to the album was that she swears for no reason.  I do have the explicit version and I do dislike when bands swear and use the F-word just to sound “cooler”, but I don’t get that vibe from her songs.  I think that the words serve their purpose in each of the songs that they appear in without it making it seem like she is trying too hard.

As far as the songs featuring other artists – I’d love Just Give Me A Reason a lot more if it didn’t have Nate from fun. on it.  But as far as Eminem’s song, I think it is perfect with his additions to it.

A lot of the songs I am hoping get added to her set list for her tour – because I can’t wait to see what she decides to do with them with a large scale stage show (have you seen her stage yet? it looks freaking AWESOME!)

Music Monday: Honor Society Serendipity

Katie October 15, 2012 0 Comments

Obsession
Serendipity
This Bed Is An Ocean
House on the Hill
Kaleidoscope

After a successful Kickstarter campaign, Honor Society was able to release their latest EP “Serendipity” on September 18th.  The EP includes 5 tracks – Obsession was one of the free tracks that they released a while back, but it has been reworked a bit for the EP.  Serendipity is their latest single, the song and the tune is really, really catchy – but I’m not really a fan of all the pop culture references and name drops.  But that doesn’t mean you won’t hear me humming or singing it for days after hearing it.  This Bed is an Ocean was the first Honor Society song I ever heard live.  We’ve been waiting since 2008 for it to show up recorded – and after a teaser of it on A Tale of Risky Business Part 2 – they had to record it in its entirety for this album!  It sounds absolutely amazing – way better than I could ever have imagine and I have to say it was most definitely worth the wait.  House on the Hill and Kaleidoscope are the previously not heard tracks on the EP and they do not disappoint.   House on the Hill is simply an amazing track.

The EP is available on iTunes and Amazon with limited hard copy CDs available at the bands merch site – http://www.honorsocietymerch.com or you can get one in person with your paid concert ticket to their NYC EP release party that will be going down November 13th at the Bowery Ballroom! I’ll be there – and you should be too!