MommyB Knows Best » Music

Yo Gabba Gabba: Music is Awesome Review

MommyB — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 12:00:10 +0000

Introducing Yo Gabba Gabba: Music is…AWESOME! Volume 2. Yo Gabba Gabba’s 2010 release and second volume of fun tracks rock my socks off! We love Yo Gabba Gabba, one of the top children’s television shows on Nick Jr. Yo Gabba Gabba:Music is…AWESOME! Volume 2. really is awesome for so many reasons including great artists, songs with lessons, and most importantly, they’re fun to dance to.

First, a little background onYo Gabba Gabba. The show first premiered on August 20, 2007, began broadcasting on February 23, 2008, and has become a huge hit since. On April 30, 2008 the television show received a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design/Styling.

This CD is chock full of Yo Gabba Gabba favorites including, but not limited to; “Hold Still,” “Hi Five,” and “Happy Birthday.”Yo Gabba Gabba: Music is…AWESOME! Volume 2 includes lots of great upbeat songs from super friends Weezer, The Ting Tings, Jimmy Eat World, and a couple more artists that both you and your children will love to listen and dance to.

Even though I’m not a huge fan of Solange Knowles personally, it’s my favorite song on the album. My daughter and I both love her song, “Momma Loves Baby.” It has great rhythm even though it’s one of the more mellow songs on the CD.

Not only does Yo Gabba Gabba:Music is…AWESOME! Volume 2 have great music, but some good lessons for children too. The most valuable songs on the album are: “Hugs Are Fun,” “I Love Bugs,” and “Don’t Be Afriad/It’s OK.” My daughter is terrified of bugs but she loves singing about bugs along with the CD and I’m hoping this may help her to overcome her fear.

Really there’s nothing on this album we don’t like. At 20 songs it’s a great length and has great variety and the replay-ability factor is high. Yo Gabba Gabba:Music is…AWESOME! Volume 2 is a great album for both parents and their kids to enjoy together.

What’s your favorite Yo Gabba Gabba song?

Enrique Eglesias Euphoria CD Review

MommyB — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 12:00:29 +0000

If you’re like me and many other people around the world, the lyrics of Enrique Iglesias are on your tongue. Now, for the first time, an Iglesias record features bilingual lyrics with the release of his new album Euphoria, which features both English and Spanish songs.
While I’m very surprised after nine studio albums that this is Iglesias’s first bilingual record, I’m even more surprised that this US album is more than half Spanish while the UK version contains only two Spanish songs.

Unfortunately, I, unlike 450 million people across the world, do not speak Spanish. But that doesn’t mean that I was not able to enjoy this album. However, I probably would not have purchased an album with the majority of a language I do not speak.

Not only is Enrique Iglesias at it again, but this time he’s mixing it up with the oh-so-popular Auto-Tune. If you live on the planet Earth and listen to popular radio, you’ve heard “I Like It.” It hit #4 on the Billboard Top 100 chart and also made it to #1 on the Billboard Hot/Dance Club Play chart. This gave Iglesias his 24th single at #1 on Billboard. This second single from the record features Reggaeton rapper Pitbull and also has a Jersey Shore remix and video featuring the hit MTV show’s cast members.

Along with Pitbull, Iglesias’s songs also feature Pop, Hip-Hop, and R&B stars Akon, Usher, and Nicole Scherzinger from The Pussy Cat Dolls. It seems like Euphoria’s Spanish songs are more mellow and typical of the Enrique Iglesias style, while the English songs have a variety of styles, including a Jason Mraz feel with “One Day at a Time,” Auto-Tunes as I previously mentioned, techno and even a slow pop song. It’s definitely got something for everyone packed into one 10-song album.

With all of the #1 digital download honors and Billboard rankings, Euphoria definitely has a place in today’s music. Though the album itself may not be cohesive or speak to those who can’t understand the Spanish language, the singles themselves can stand up on their own. So while I may not recommend everyone purchasing the album as a whole, I would definitely encourage people to check out his singles and download them legally.

Unfortunately I often find, “I Like It,” stuck in my head and end up dancing around the house to that song. What song do you really like dancing to?

Read more: http://blogcritics.org/music/article/music-review-enrique-iglesias-euphoria/#ixzz0z2NnPjO1

Anni Zola-My Story CD Review

MommyB — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:00:33 +0000

I know I’m old when I start saying, “I just don’t get what things kids are into these days.” From music, to clothing styles, I just don’t understand. Anni Zola is no exception to my aged misunderstandings. She is sweeping the nation and I have never heard of her until now!

What or who is Anni Zola you may be asking, unless you are or have a teenager, you may be as confused as I was when I first started listening to her musical audiobook titled My Story. Even though I don’t quite understand something doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing though.

In fact, this cute anime inspired fictional teen has great message for her fans including encouraging teens to do something to make their planet a better place.

In her song Share My Dream, she speaks of seeing how beautiful the world can be and even has lyrics to tell her listeners to do something to contribute to a beautiful world:

“Are you angry by what you see,

coz if you’re like me,

you wanna go and fix it.”

Anni Zola’s CD has 4 songs, each different in their own right. My Story is most like a poem/talking song while Come On Out and Play is more techno-pop. These songs are very under produced and sound like they were created in someone’s home recording studio. Even though Anni Zola will most likely not be featured on hit-radio the songs on the album are fun and get a great message across in a cute way.

The stories on Anni Zola My Story gives great background into Anni Zola and her hometown of Orfea and her life story. Overall I applaud the efforts of Anni Zola on creating a better world and would be excited if my teen sister liked something like this. Aside from the album Anni Zola has a great website: http://www.annizola.com The website is full of media, games, and background story that compliments the album nicely.

If you’re trying to teach your tweens or teens how to love their world and be eco-friendly check out Anni Zola’s website and if they like that then I would definitely recommend getting the album.

What materials do you use to teach your children about being earth-friendly??

Jason Derulo CD Review

MommyB — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 12:01:31 +0000

If you’re looking for an album from an artist with endless talent, Billboard hits, and award nominations, look no further. Jason Derülo’s self-titled debut album is one you could listen to over and over again.

Since the age of five, Miami-born Jason Derülo has been performing for crowds. He attended Dillard Center for the Arts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and graduated from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York. Derülo began his music career at the age of 16 producing hit songs for other great artists including Diddy, Sean Kingston, Cassie, Lil Mama, and several artists on the Cash Money Records label.

This amazingly talented young man became the first artist signed to Warner Bros. Records’ joint venture with the Beluga Heights label. He has had quite the year and is quickly establishing himself as one of the breakout stars of 2010. This album is taking him to great places; his biggest single, “Whatcha Say,” was released in May 2009 and not only went triple platinum, but also had five million digital downloads topping two of the U.S. Billboard charts and the New Zealand singles chart. Between “Whatcha Say” and “In My Head,” Derülo became the first male solo artist to score consecutive No. 1’s on Billboard’s Pop Songs radio airplay chart in the chart’s 17-year history.

If that wasn’t enough, his third single, “Ridin’ Solo,” is quickly approaching one million units sold, top ten on the U.S. Billboard charts and is also ranking high on the U.K. charts as well. I can totally see why! “Ridin’ Solo” really got my attention — I love the beat. For those of you who are conscious of explicit lyrics this song does have a few curse words in it, so you may want to get the clean version.

Going back to the actual album, I love the mixes, and how fun and upbeat these love-themed songs are. Being mommy to a three-year-old and four-month-old I’m at the point where if I listen to “The Wheels on the Bus” one more time my head will fall off. Luckily, I get to listen to adult music occasionally when the girls aren’t with me. “Whatcha Say” and “In My Head” are both great songs to dance to, total club songs or songs to rock out to in the car. Derülo reminds me of a mix of Usher, Ne-Yo, and Rihanna and whatever he’s doing, it’s working. I want to listen to this CD over and over again and wish there were even more songs on this album. I can’t wait to see what else he has in store for his listeners in the future.

Jason Derülo just keeps getting hotter and has recently been nominated for three 2010 Teen Choice Awards in the music category, including the highly coveted Choice Music: Breakout Artist – Male. His double platinum-selling single “In My Head,” has been nominated for Choice Music: R&B Track, while the album has been nominated for Choice Music: Album – R&B. Check out the Teen Choice Awards when they air August 9 and be sure to get your album. Jason Derülo is a great addition to your collection.

What’s your favorite album right now?

Article first published as Music Review: Jason Derülo – Jason Derülo on Blogcritics.

Lee DeWyze Double CD Giveaway Day #7

MommyB — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 12:42:26 +0000

Today is the last day of the Lee DeWyze Giveaway! Could you be the winner?