Category: Reviews

CD Review: Norah Jones

Published by dee on November 22, 2010

The newest release from Norah Jones is anything but ordinary. I honestly don’t know of any other album that brings together so many artists from different genres so seamlessly. The common denominator, of course, being the incredibly talented Norah Jones.

...Featuring, released on November 16, 2010, is an amazing collection of cameos, duets, and collaborations with music legends such as Ray Charles, Dolly Parton, and Willie Nelson, as well as more contemporary artists such as Ryan Adams, Foo Fighters, and Outkast. The tracks on ...Featuring span Norah’s entire career and reveal her musical versatility, from jazz to country, hip-hop to rock.

“A lot of the people on this record are people I’ve worshiped since I was a kid, and some of them are younger and more my contemporaries,” says Norah. “Even though the musicians are so varied, the vibe of the songs makes sense when we put them all together.”

If you haven’t heard it yet, I recommend you give it a spin as soon as possible. You can find it at all the usual places, including Amazon. If you’d like to keep up with Norah and her future projects, you can also find her on Facebook.

A copy of …Featuring was provided by One2One Network for review purposes. All opinions stated above are the opinions of the author. For participating in this project, the author is eligible to be entered in a gift card drawing through the One2One Network.

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CD Review: KT Tunstall's Tiger Suit

Published by dee on October 13, 2010

September and October have bombarded me with new music from some of my favorite artists and KT Tunstall’s Tiger Suit (released October 5th, 2010) is no exception. KT has gone a bit more in the dance/pop direction with this one, but she still retains some of her rock guitar-driven style that I’ve come to love.

I’ve been listening to this album pretty much non-stop since I got my hands on it and I have yet to pick out a favorite, although “Fade Like A Shadow” and “Come On, Get In” are the ones that keep getting stuck in my head. The upbeat songs make me want to dance, while the the slower, heavier songs have me digging into the lyrics booklet for understanding. Each time I listen I pick up on something I didn’t hear before.

If you haven’t had a chance to hear Tiger Suit yet, you can check out a preview of the album on KT Tunstall’s web site by tweeting or sending a link to facebook. If you like what you hear, I suggest following KT Tunstall on Twitter or Facebook as well. She’ll be touring this fall (10/31-12/1) and you don’t want to miss out if she comes near your town!

The not-so-fine print: I received a copy of KT Tunstall’s Tiger Suit in exchange for posting this review and was not compensated in any other way.

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Giveaway: 250 Die-Cut Business Cards From UPrinting

Published by dee on October 1, 2010

And the winner is…..Steph! Enjoy your cards!

Whether you are a business person, a high-profile blogger, or a mom scheduling play dates, I think we can all agree that business cards are an essential these days. It is the best way to pass along your contact information. Stash a stack in your purse, laptop bag, or wallet and you’ll always have your information ready to hand out when you meet someone new.

UPrinting.com has some of the best business card options I’ve seen. You can use one of their pre-designed cards or create your own unique design. They have both standard and die-cut options, but I have to say I’m a sucker for the die-cut cards. I just love those rounded corners!

So that you guys can check out just how awesome UPrinting.com is, I have 250 die-cut cards to give away to one lucky reader!

Here’s are the details of what you’ll get:

250 Die-Cut Business Cards for One (1) Winner
2 x 3.5”, 2 x 2” (square card) or 1.75 x 3.5” (slim card)
Die cutting options available: Rounded Corners, Leaf, Rounded One-Corner, Half-Circle Side, Circle
Paper Type: 14pt Cardstock Gloss, Matte, or High Gloss; 13pt Cardstock Uncoated
Color: 4Color Front, Blank Back; 4Color Front, Black Back; 4Color Both Sides
Limited to US residents only 18 years old and above

How to Enter: Leave a comment below telling me you want the cards. That’s it! Just make sure to leave an e-mail address where you can be contacted if you win.

The not-so-fine print: This is a quickie, so get your entries in now. Contest will end Monday, October 4, 2010 at 11:59 pm. One winner will be selected by random.org and notified via e-mail.

Keeping the FTC happy: In exchange for hosting this giveaway, the author has received 250 business cards of her own from UPrinting.com to try out the service.

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School of Rock Free Preview Week

Published by dee on September 28, 2010

school of rock logo Do you have a budding musician in your household that is ready to rock out? If so, then this School of Rock offer is perfect for you!

School of Rock is the national leader in music education and has been teaching kids how to amaze audiences for more than ten years. They offer lessons in guitar, bass, vocals, drums and keyboards for kids ages 7 – 18. No experience necessary just eagerness to learn – School of Rock knows the best way to learn is by doing!

School of Rock Free Week School of Rock’s performance-based curriculum teaches kids to play rock music in a unique and interactive way, which is changing the way kids learn to play music across America. Professional musicians teach students of all levels, developing both their music skills and confidence. School of Rock operates 58 schools in 23 states.

Through the end of October, School of Rock is offering a free preview week at any of their 58 schools! The free week includes one private trial lesson and one Rock 101 group class. It is a great chance to try them out and see if School of Rock is for you.

FREE WEEK DETAILS:
* Includes one private trial lesson (30-45 min) and one Rock 101 group class (90 min).
* To redeem call 866-371-0557, use code SORBLOG
OR
* Complete the online form and input the SORBLOG code in the Questions/Comments field and the school will contact you directly.
* Free week must be completed by Oct. 31, 2010
* Offer available at participating locations and is subject to scheduling and availability.
* Must mention code SORBLOG when contacting the school to receive the free week.

You can find out more about School of Rock and their Free Preview Week by visiting their website, Facebook, or Twitter pages.

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CD Giveaway: Malea McGuinness

Published by dee on September 11, 2010

Who likes free music? I sure do, and I’m pretty sure most of you do too. That’s a good thing because I have not one, but THREE cd’s from Malea McGuinness to give away!

Malea McGuinness is a passionate pop/rock singer-songwriter who is has been been garnering lots of attention for ‘CLOSE AS AIR’, her inspirational and deeply personal sophomore album. She has spent the summer touring across the US, including a special one-time performance in Augora Hills, CA with Shawn Colvin. Most notably, she joined iconic pop singer Kenny Loggins for a 5-day stint on his 2010 national tour. In additon, Malea played at Milwaukee’s annual Summerfest Music Festival, opening for The Counting Crows, teamed up with The Crash Test Dummies for a special show in Redondo Beach, and participated in The Avon Foundation’s ‘Drink Pink Night’, a breast cancer charity concert.

Melea is also a devoted activist for animal rights, working in direct partnership with humane societies and animal shelters across the nation to raise funds and awareness for rescue and rehabilitation efforts. Most recently, she collaborated with her local animal rescue, The Amanda Foundation, to put on the ‘Paws For Patterns’ Fundraiser, a hugely successful charity event attended by “The Dog Whisperer” himself, world-renowned dog behavior specialist Cesar Millan, and stars including Bill Maher and Pauley Perrette (NCIS), Kaley Cuoco (Big Bang Theory), Kristen Bauer (True Blood) and Jenna Ushkowitz (Glee). Presently, Malea serves as a guest blogger on PetLvr.com.

(On a side note, aren’t those green boots amazing? I’d love to have a pair of those!)

So, who wants to get their hands on this hot new CD from Malea McGuinness? I have THREE of them to give away and would love to share them with people who truly dig discovering new music.

To enter, please fill out the form below completely. Entries will be open until Friday, September 17, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. (Central). Three winners will be chosen using Random.org. Contest is open to U.S. and Canada residents.

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Review: Pop Weaver Microwave Popcorn

Published by dee on August 11, 2010

Movie night just isn’t movie night without a bowl of popcorn in your lap to munch on. My 5-year-old never lets us forget that, so I was happy to have a sample of Pop Weaver’s new microwave popcorn on hand as we settled in for our most recent family movie night. As soon as I announced we were going to watch a movie, I heard, “Yay! I want popcorn!”

I had recently received a sample Pop Weaver’s Light Butter microwave popcorn cooked in their newly formulated canola oil blend to try out so I tossed a bag in the microwave. In addition to tasting great, the popcorn popped up light and fluffy with just two minutes in the microwave. Plus, with only 210 calories per bag popped, it is a snack I don’t feel bad feeding my children. That isn’t the only benefit though.

Pop Weaver’s Canola oil blend is primarily comprised of “heart healthy” polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, which help to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, and supply Omega-3, Omega-6 and Omega-9 fatty acids, helping to protect against coronary heart disease, heart attacks and strokes. And the popcorn provides other health benefits, as well, since it is a good source of whole grains. Not only does it contain fiber, but a study released this summer found that popcorn also provides healthy antioxidants. In fact, because it is unprocessed, according to the study, popped popcorn provided more antioxidants than any other snack food tested.

What more can you ask for in a quick, tasty snack? I have to admit that I would like a little more butter flavor on my popcorn, but Pop Weaver has that covered with the Butter and Extra Butter flavors for just a few more calories per bag. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for it the next time I’m strolling the aisles at the grocery store. At only 21 cents per bag, it’s a great snack to have on hand!

Giveaway Time!

If you would like to try out Pop Weaver’s new microwave popcorn made with canola oil, you’re in luck! I have two 8-count boxes of popcorn to give away to two lucky commenters!

How to enter:
All you have to do to enter the giveaway is leave a comment below. I’d love it if you would tell me what your favorite healthy snack is or what you like to munch on during movie night. Be sure to leave an e-mail address where you can be reached if you win!

Contest will close Wednesday, August 18th, at 11:59 p.m. CST. You must be a U.S. resident, or have a U.S. postal address to participate. Two winners will be chosen from all eligible comments via random.org and notified by e-mail.

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