“You are so afraid to say anything wrong that you are risking not saying anything at all. You’ve got to be brave. If you’re feeling mad as hell, then we’re going to write a mad-as-hell song. If you’re feeling broken beyond measure, we’re going to write a broken-beyond-measure song.”—Matt Morris on a conversation with Joy Williams

 

Have you ever been afraid to say what is in your heart? Have you ever censored yourself so much that you’ve forgotten what it was like to truly express an opinion outside of your immediate circle? Have you ever lived your life in a way that didn’t feel like it was authentically you? If you answered yes, then I think you will have an inkling of what Joy Williams is trying to express in her new album, VENUS. I didn’t listen to The Civil Wars much, prior to listening to this album. I knew they had broken up, but their departure from making music didn’t affect me because their melodies had yet to connect to my spirit. Don’t get me wrong, I was curious to know about them more after the myriad of accolades they received, but it was never more than in passing. Knowing that, here is my review of Joy Williams’ next solo venture: VENUS which is set for release on June 29.

At first listen, I could hear heartbreak. I heard sadness. I heard vulnerability. I heard honesty. I heard hope. I heard bravery. I heard courage. But this album isn’t an anthem for overcoming pain, nor is it one championing the heartbroken spirit. It is a collection of songs of one woman’s journey out of her own darkness, defining herself, and accepting her truth—as she defines it. Acceptance of self is a beautiful thing.  Many of the songs are quite relatable and are beautifully arranged.  Initially, I didn’t understand some of what she was singing about, so I dug into her personal history a little more. After twenty minutes lost into a Wikipedia wormhole, I learned that in her time since the departure of The Civil Wars, she’s been enjoying her time as a mother. She remains married to her husband and her former bandmate is married to his wife and has children himself. The duo that made up the Civil Wars met at a writing camp and shared a creative connection. The fruits of their labors were beautiful, but you know what, it was a relationship that had an eventual demise and deserved to be mourned. In the passing of such relationships, there exists a space of full of ache and lamentation, where remnants of all of the broken relationships from your past exist. And so I listened again with different ears. I better understood the pain she was feeling, as well as that optimism. This was especially evident in “One Day I Will.”

“Perfect is just not good enough” is probably my favorite line in this album. You will find it on the fifth track: “Not Good Enough.” I can see “Until the Levee” turned into a dance club remix with the powerful vocals and strong lyrics, like “drink the lonely down” and “stand here in the ache until the levee of my heart breaks.”

This album grew on me more and more after each listen. She has a beautiful voice and one that deserves to be heard. If you give it a listen, I hope you enjoy it, even if it isn’t until the third or fourth time you listen.

 

Find her online:

• I-Tunes:http://bit.ly/JOYWILLIAMSVENUS
• Amazon: http://bit.ly/VenusAlbumJoyWIlliams
• Official Joy Williams website: www.joywilliams.com
• Twitter - @joywilliams
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/joywilliamsmusic
• YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JoyWilliamsVEVO
• Instagram - https://instagram.com/joy__williams/

**I participated in the Joy WIlliams Venus album review program as a member of One2One Network. I was provided an album to review but all opinions are my own.**

Music Review: Madonna’s Rebel Heart #O2O #RebelHeart

Madonna is an icon.

I don’t say that as a supreme fan girl. I say it because it is a reality. She broke rules, stereotypes, and gender norms. She showed that strong is sexy. She proved that dancing unapologetically is worthy of celebration. She balances motherhood and work. Her eldest is away studying at a university and like any parent, she is proud of her. I find myself relating to her and grateful for the road she paved.

When One2One Network gave me the opportunity to review her 13th studio album, Rebel Heart, I jumped on it. I enjoy Madonna’s music. Not every single song, but most of it. I appreciate that she makes music I can dance to, but I love her slower ballads, too (Cherish is one of my all time faves). In a recent interview for Billboard for this album, she says, “Rebel Heart explores two very distinct sides of my personality, the rebellious renegade side of me and the romantic side of me.”

This album is chock full of collaborations and some of the best producers in the industry. My two favorite tracks are Ghosttown and Wash All Over Me. Living for Love punches you immediately in the face and makes you wanna dance. Of course, it makes you ask, what are you living for?  Check it yourself:

 

Even if you aren’t a big fan of hers, I think you will enjoy this album. The lyrics are very personal and the title seems true to her image…someone with a Rebel Heart. There are explicit tracks, so those of you with smaller ones around be aware of some of the songs—I’m staring at you Holy Water.  There are 19 tracks on Rebel Heart (deluxe edition), for an hour and 14 minutes of listening pleasure. She will have a World Tour starting this August. In true Madonna fashion, the concert is an event you will certainly not want to miss, because she puts on a show, full of dancing, visual eye-candy, and an army of dancers. It is truly a SHOW!

Rebel Heart Track List

1. “Living For Love”
2. “Devil Pray”
3. “Ghosttown”
4. “Unapologetic Bitch”
5. “Illuminati”
6. “Bitch I’m Madonna” (Feat. Nicki Minaj)
7. “Hold Tight”
8. “Joan Of Arc”
9. “Iconic” (Feat. Chance The Rapper & Mike Tyson)
10. “HeartBreakCity”
11. “Body Shop”
12. “Holy Water”
13. “Inside Out”
14. “Wash All Over Me”
15. “Best Night”
16. “Veni Vidi Vici” (Feat. Nas)
17. “S.E.X.”
18. “Messiah”
19. “Rebel Heart”

 

REBEL HEART WORLD TOUR 2015

• Aug. 29 Miami, FL American Airlines Arena On Sale Mar. 9
• Sept. 2 Atlanta, GA Philips Arena On Sale Mar. 16
• Sept. 5 San Juan, PR Coliseo de Puerto Rico On Sale Mar. 21
• Sept. 9 Montreal, QC Bell Centre On Sale Mar. 14
• Sept. 12 Washington, DC Verizon Center On Sale Mar. 16
• Sept. 16 New York, NY Madison Square Garden On Sale Mar. 9
• Sept. 19 Brooklyn, NY Barclays Center On Sale Mar. 9
• Sept. 24 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center On Sale Mar. 16
• Sept. 26 Boston, MA TD Garden On Sale Mar. 16
• Sept. 28 Chicago, IL United Center On Sale Mar. 9
• Oct. 1 Detroit, MI Joe Louis Arena On Sale Mar. 23
• Oct. 3 Atlantic City, NJ Boardwalk Hall On Sale Mar. 16
• Oct. 5 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre On Sale Mar. 9
• Oct. 8 St. Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center On Sale Mar. 16
• Oct. 11 Edmonton, AB Rexall Place On Sale Mar. 9
• Oct. 14 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena On Sale Mar. 9
• Oct. 17 Portland, OR MODA Center On Sale Mar. 23
• Oct. 19 San Jose, CA SAP Center at San Jose On Sale Mar. 9
• Oct. 22 Glendale, AZ Gila River Arena On Sale Mar. 23
• Oct. 24 Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena On Sale Mar. 16
• Oct. 27 Los Angeles, CA Forum On Sale Mar. 16

 

ITUNES: http://bit.ly/REBELHEART

WEB: www.madonna.com

INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/madonna

TWITTER: www.twitter.com/madonna

YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/madonna

**I participated in the Madonna Rebel Heart album review program as a member of One2One Network. I was provided an album to review but all opinions are my own.**

Book Review: “After” by Anna Todd #O2O #AfterSaga

I was a reader. I inhaled books, not nearly as quickly as some of my other reader friends, but certainly had a love for getting lost in the written word. When One2One Network approached me to do a book review, I jumped on it! I wasn’t too aware of what I would be reading, I just knew the backstory of this book and how it came to be. (It is a tale of how an author becomes published through technology and social media…intriguing—to me.)  Let me introduce you to Anna Todd:

 

Twenty-five year-old Anna Todd is a first-time writer spending her days in Texas with her husband, with whom she beat half the statistics by getting married one month after graduating high school.

Anna never thought she’d be an author. In fact, between her husband’s three deployments to Iraq, she worked a number of odd jobs - from a makeup counter to the IRS processing center. It wasn’t until 2013 that Anna combined her love of reading and One Direction to create After on Wattpad, a free social reading and writing app. 
Writing the majority of After from her mobile phone while in and out of appointments and running errands, Anna extended the After story world beyond Wattpad, using Instagram and Twitter to share photos, videos, songs, and art created by readers. By 2014, Anna’s story had over 1 billion reads and more than 6 million comments (and counting!)

Find her on Wattpad as Imaginator1D: http://www.wattpad.com/user/imaginator1D
Twitter at @Imaginator1Dx https://twitter.com/imaginator1dx
Instagram at @Imaginator1D http://instagram.com/imaginator1d

What?? She wrote the majority of this book on her phone??? Talk about some serious maximization of time! I need to be honest here. I don’t know anything about One Direction. I think that one singer used to date Taylor Swift.? maybe? Dunno. (I like Taylor Swift.—Hi Taylor! Thanks for making music that I can listen to with my girls without having to explain things that I’m not usually prepared to explain.) In any case, I looked them up to see a picture of this guy and channeled my inner teen, remembering the time when Joey McIntyre made my 11-year old heart swoon.

When my book arrived, I was immediately intimidated by the size. 582 pages!! So much content and on a phone, no less! Wow! This is a 4-book series published by Simon & Schuster AND Paramount Pictures picked up the film rights to adapt it to the big screen. I am now further intrigued to read--Very cool!  So, what IS After?

The After series tells the story of Tessa Young, an optimistic freshman at Washington State University, and the dark, troubled British bad boy who has stolen her heart.
Since becoming one of the most talked about stories on the internet, the After series garnered attention from Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, who published the first installment of the novel, which went on sale on October 21, 2014.   On Wattpad*, After has over 1 billion reads, more than 6 million comments and the print edition is available in 26 countries.  

Hmm… ok. I chalked it up to being on a similar level of Twilight with possibly more accelerated romance. First off, I like how each chapter is divided up into to bite sized nuggets. I was curious how you would take something from Wattpad and translate it to print. Being a busy person, I was grateful for shorter chapters to read when I only had 10-minute breaks in my day. I didn’t feel like I would have to play significant catch up for the characters. Admittedly, it took me a bit of time to get into it. This is how I am, though. It usually takes me between 50 and hundred pages before I’m invested into a book.

I liked that this book forced me to take my mind away from all of the directions I am pulled at this stage in my life. I was forced back into my late teens/early 20s thinking. (I am not the only person who gets fully submerged into the books as an observer of the time, right? You do that too!) I was quite frustrated by the relationship that Tessa and Hardin share. Then again, I get frustrated by many literary couples, so there’s that. One thing I wasn’t quite prepared for was the graphic and detailed scenes of passion (sex, people, there’s sex in this book. lots of hot sex.) Wowsa! I’m no prude, but I wasn’t entirely prepared to read some of those scenes. It was a wait, whaaaaaa??? moment. Like, am I reading this? I felt like I’d just seen something naughty on my phone and wanted to hide it, but didn’t feel as exposed because they were written words, but still. Especially the moments when my 6-year old would walk up to me. I didn’t want her reading over my shoulder! ha ha ha! (She just needs see her parents reading and will think reading is cool and will pick up on that. It matters not the content.) I’ve not read the 50 Shades series, but from what I have heard, there are similar levels of lasciviousness to it, so be forewarned. This isn’t appropriate for tweens to read. Also, I understand why it was so popular. You want to know what direction the characters will go. You inevitably have the same questions they have and you want answers. So if you like fiction novels about romance and passion, then give this book (and series) a whirl.

You can find After - Barnes & Noble: http://w.tt/wp | E-reader: http://w.tt/sns2

*Wattpad is the world’s largest community of readers and writers. It has connected over 40 million people around the world who share a love of reading and writing. 
Wattpad is a new storytelling experience that’s mobile and social.   Wattpad stories are free. 

Mobile: With Wattpad you can read and share stories from your phone, tablet or computer. Whether you’re online or off, use the devices you already own to carry an entire library of stories wherever you go. 

Social: Wattpad creates direct connections between readers and writers. Everyone participates in storytelling on Wattpad. Some people may not identify with being a writer, but they can share plot suggestions via comments and messages or create original art/music to go along with the stories they’ve read. 

Anyone can share a story on Wattpad. Whether you’ve never written before, or published multiple books, Wattpad offers benefits for writers of all levels. One of the greatest benefits of Wattpad is a direct connection between readers and writers. Readers receive notifications whenever a new chapter of a story is posted. Many writers share their work serially: posting stories one chapter at a time, so readers keep coming back. As soon as a story is uploaded it can be accessed by millions of readers around the world.

 

***I participated in the After by Anna Todd blog program as a member of One2One Network. I received compensation but all opinions are my own.***

Music Review: Idina Menzel’s Holiday Wishes #HolidayWishes #O2O

 

It is the Holiday season. I like to think the Holiday season begins in October with Halloween. Immediately afterwards, you have Dia de los Muertos, All Saints Day, Thanksgiving, then Hanukkah, Festivus, Christmas, Kwanzaa, New Year’s Eve, 3 Kings Day, and then Valentine’s Day will roll right along. Whew…It is a lot of celebrating, but you know what? I don’t mind having something to celebrate, especially on dark days, when the sun has taken a break, the leaves fall, and the world tries to manufacture a bit of warmth to get us through. I don’t know about you, but I get such a overwhelming melancholy in December, I rely on my many traditions to cope. Celebrations with friends, gazing at lights, sending Christmas Cards filled with love to those far away. All the while, trying to curb the urge to spend, spend, spend and eat, eat, eat.

When One2One Network invited me to review Idina Menzel’s new album Holiday Wishes, I jumped at the opportunity. No, I’ve not tired of her version of “Let it Go,” nor do I think her voice is too nasally for my liking. Much like the power ballads of the 80s, I am unashamed to admit I like it when she builds up the song and belts it out.

Listening to the album, I know the words to the songs because I grew up singing many of them. If you are someone who likes to sing along to music, then this album will be for you, even if the arrangements may not be too familiar. Her duet with Michael Buble for Baby It’s Cold Outside is fun, but then again, I loved it when Buddy the Elf sings it, too. It is a great song! I will also say that I was not happy about her performance for All I Want For Christmas. It is a much beloved favorite because of Mariah Carey in her heyday.  I think my favorite on her album is What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? This is the song I can sing in my car, pretending I’m in a glittering gown on a stage, singing with a piano accompaniment. Immediately following, December Prayer…this is the one you listen in the dark of night when fat snow trickles down from the unseen clouds above. “Hear the song within the silence. See the beauty when there is nothing there. Sing a song within a silence that hope and love are everywhere…” River is also a tremendous favorite of mine. I’ll let you take a listen and form your own opinion. Overall, I know some of her songs will make it to my playlist and my girls will grow up listening to the songs I heard as a child, but they will also hear her voice, too. You can check out her album now at  iTunes : http://bit.ly/IMHolidayWishes and on Amazon:  http://bit.ly/IDINAHOLIDAY. (or you can listen on Spotify, too!)

About Idina Menzel & Holiday Wishes

Holiday Wishes, a Christmas album recorded by Tony Award-winning singer/actor Idina Menzel, is out now on Warner Bros. Records.
The album was produced by Grammy Award-winner Walter Afanasieff (Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey) and features such classic favorites as “All I Want For Christmas Is You” and “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” as well as Joni Mitchell’s Christmas-themed “River,” one of Menzel’s favorites. Another highlight is a duet with international superstar Michael Bublé on “Baby It’s Cold Outside.” An exclusive Target edition of Holiday Wishes features two bonus tracks, including “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!”.

Idina’s career has traversed stage, film, television, and music. She was most recently heard as Elsa in Disney’s global box-office smash Frozen, in which she sings the film’s Oscar-winning song “Let It Go.” After her performance of the multi-platinum song at the 86th annual Academy Awards, she made history as the first person with both a Billboard Top 10 hit and a Tony Award for acting.

Idina currently stars as Elizabeth in the original Broadway production of If/Then.

Holiday Wishes Track Listing

1. Do You Hear What I Hear
2. The Christmas Song
3. Baby It’s Cold Outside (Duet with Michael Buble)
4. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
5. All I Want For Christmas
6. What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?
7. December Prayer
8. When You Wish Upon A Star
9. Silent Night
10. River
11. Holly Jolly Christmas
12. White Christmas

Bonus Tracks on Target Exclusive

1. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
2. Mothers Spiritual

 

Online Presence:

* iTunes: http://bit.ly/IMHolidayWishes
  * Amazon:  http://bit.ly/IDINAHOLIDAY
* Official Idina Menzel website: www.idinamenzel.com
* Twitter - @idinamenzel
* Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/IdinaMenzel
* YouTube - http://bit.ly/IMHWVID

 

**I participated in the Idina Menzel Holiday Wishes album review program as a member of One2One Network. I was provided an album to review but all opinions are my own.**

Album Review: Mary J. Blige The London Sessions #TheLondonSessions #O2O

If you were of some kind of age in the '90s, then you are intimately familiar with that melodic and enchanting voice filled with so much heartache and pain that oozed soulful hip hop. Mary J. Blige personified that era perfectly as the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul. She remained true to her roots. To this day, her tracks Real Love and pretty much anything from What's the 411? is iconic, classic and music for now. 

When I was given the opportunity to review her album by One 2 One Network, I jumped at the chance. Are you kidding me? Mary J. Blige has once again confounded expectations and ventured into new musical territory by crossing the Atlantic to collaborate with some of this decade’s most celebrated UK musical talent – including Disclosure, Eg White, Emile Sandé, Jimmy Napes, Naughty Boy, SAM ROMANS and Sam Smith – and recorded a new studio album, The London Sessions. This extraordinary new collection will be released December 2 on Capitol Records. 

With a track record of eight multi-platinum albums, nine Grammy Awards (plus a staggering 31 nominations), a 2012 Golden Globe nomination, and four American Music Awards, Mary J Blige is a global superstar. And in ensuing years, the singer/songwriter has attracted an intensely loyal fan base – responsible for propelling worldwide sales of more than 50 million albums. I am among those fans. 



I have given the album a thorough listening a few times. I can't listen to the lyrics for some of those songs without feeling an overwhelming sense of melancholy, but the beats, the groove, her voice, all of those things combined get me going. Dancing to the beat, I find myself singing along. I can definitely foresee many of these tracks being remixed to play at clubs around the world. 
Off the bat, Therapy is a reminder of been there, done that in relationships where you hit the tipping point of where you need to leave because neither of you are doing anything about making the relationship better. However, it still hurts when you are gone. If you've ever suffered a broken heart from that kind of relationship, then you know what I'm talking about. That first song also reminded me of how her lyrics are always tough, but optimistic, too. They are like an internal dialog of feeling worthless, but then a reminder to pick yourself and keep going. That's why I like her music. Then there is Right Now, a groovy beat of self-empowerment, not taking the bad any longer. Finally, with Whole Damn Year there is reflection of a relationship gone bad, but then surviving the heartache. 
Overall, I enjoyed this album. I have it playing while sitting in traffic, singing along to her, because let's face it, she has a good voice and I can feel like I'm singing along with her. This  is quite a change from constantly singing Let it Go with my girls. Singing grown up music makes me feel more like an adult and helps the commute go faster. The album releases on December 2 and you can find it on iTunes : http://bit.ly/MJBLondon and  Amazon:  http://bit.ly/MJBLS or view some of the videos on her YouTube page. 

Online presence located here: 
* iTunes: http://bit.ly/MJBLondon  
* Amazon:  http://bit.ly/MJBLS 
*Official Mary J Blige Website: www.maryjblige.com
* Twitter - @maryjblige
* Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/maryjblige  
* YouTube - http://bit.ly/MJBVIDEO   
Track Listing1. Therapy
2. Doubt
3. Not Loving You
4. When You're Gone
5. Right Now
6. My Loving
7.Long Hard Look
8. Whole Damn Year
9 .Nobody But You
10. Pick Me Up
11. Follow
12. Worth My Time
**** I participated in the Mary J Blige The London Sessions album review program as a member of One2One Network. I was provided a free album to review but all opinions are my own. ****

Music Review: Neil Diamond’s Melody Road #MelodyRoad #O2O

Neil Diamond has sold over 125 MILLION albums worldwide and he’s been inducted into the Songwriter Hall of Fame AND the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. You know him, you love him, and now Neil Diamond has a new album, Melody Road, which arrived in stores October 21. The album, marks his first original studio release in six years and first since signing with Capitol Records.

I am quite a bit Neil Diamond fan. I’ve been listening to his voice for about as long as I can remember falling in love with music. I was so jealous of my friend Caroline growing up because he sang a song about Caroline! And who doesn’t have a good time when they listen to Cracklin’ Rosie get on board” even though, I learned that it was a song about alcohol, but whatever.

In any case, I had the chance to listen to his new album and wanted to share what I thought. Here’s the thing, Neil Diamond is a no-frills, no auto-tune singer, with a guitar, maybe some backing instruments, and really strong lyrics. Throw in a bit of country twang and well, there you go, you have some Neil Diamond music. I’ve listened to the album a few times and it hasn’t gripped me—the album as a whole. The lyrics, though, the lyrics are beautiful and wonderfully put together and just give you the smiles. Wholesome and good music that I can share with my kiddos. “Melody Road” the title track with the finger pickings on the guitar and add the whistling tune in the middle, is just fun. There is one song, “Ooo Do I Wanna Be Yours” that is a surprise and a punch in the throat. It has so much emotion filled with desire from a loved one to another. It is filled with the kind of love that we all desire to have. It is worth a listen, but if you aren’t a Neil Diamond fan, then you probably aren’t going to really understand what you are listening to. If you are, and are interested in listening to music familiar from your childhood or from different times, then yeah, check out his album. I’ve included the details of where you can find his stuff below. Also, he’s going on tour!! (Why are tickets so expensive??)

 

* iTunes: http://bit.ly/NDMelody

* Amazon: http://bit.ly/MelodyRdND

* Official Neil Diamond Website – www.neildiamond.com
* Twitter – @NeilDiamond
* Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/neildiamond
* YouTube – http://bit.ly/NDMelody

**I participated in the Neil Diamond Melody Road album review program as a member of One2One Network. I was provided a free album to review but all opinions are my own.**