Yanni Music Review and CD Giveaway!

And the Winner is: Dr. Di! Hope you enjoy the CD!

I haven't heard Yanni in years (it's been more than 8 years since his last album), but I'll be honest, I never get tired of hearing his astounding music, even today with his latest album, "Truth of Touch."

But let me warn you, just as most musicians do over the years, Yanni has updated his music somewhat with a little more rhythm and a little bit of electronic sound thrown into the mix. Still, even with the new sounds, his music is still worth listening to. His album, "Truth of Touch" is compiled of 15 beautiful songs that include:

1. Truth of Touch
2. Echo of a Dream
3. Seasons
4. Voyage
5. Flash of Color
6. Vertigo
7. Nine
8. Can’t Wait
9. Guilty Pleasure
10. O Luce Che Brilla Nell’ Oscurità
11. I’m So
12. Long Way Home
13. Yanni & Arturo
14. Mist of a Kiss 
15. Secret

And while each song is beautiful in it's own way, I must say my favorite is,  "Echo of a Dream."  I must admit, this album is very relaxing and I can easily see myself getting into writing mode with one of my stories while this CD plays in the background.

In addition to his latest CD, Yanni is also playing live with tour-dates available on his official website at: http://www.yanni.com/tour/ So if he happens to be in your area, you should definitely check him out.

Yanni also has an official Twitter account and a Facebook page. How insanely cool is that?

Or if you really want more, thanks to One2One Network, I have the privilege of giving away Yanni's CD, Truth of Touch, to one lucky reader of my blog. Interested? I'll make it simple. Just leave a comment in this blog post with your email address and tell me why you want this CD. I'll draw a winner on April 11th, 2011 at 5pm CST. This Giveaway is only available to U.S Residents. Sorry. Good Luck!

Please Note: This blogpost is my opinion of Yanni's  latest CD, Truth of Touch and I was given a CD to review by One2One Network.


Joy Smith also known as The Insane Writer, is the author of the Sci-Fi novel, The Generation. You can email her at silent_beautie@yahoo.com She can also be found on Twitter @theinsanewriter.










WomenFreebies.com - Enter to Win Royal Secret II Perfume

Featuring... Norah Jones

In today's music, it's not uncommon to find an artist whose songs are just a little diverse, and some, a lot. But, you may never find an artist who brings such a unique and diverse experience to music as Norah Jones.

So when I was offered the opportunity to review her latest CD, "Featuring...", I just had to say yes. Not only are you able to enjoy the beautiful sounds of Norah herself, you also get to experience such talent as, the Foo Fighters, Willie Nelson, Outkast, Ray Charles, Dolly Parton and many other great artists. No doubt a little something for everyone.

The CD is compiled of recordings that have spanned over the past 9 years, from 2001 to 2010. There are 18 songs with over an hour of music. What better way to experience a variety of music and with the holidays already here, it makes the perfect gift for the person who loves all music.



Joy Smith also known as The Insane Writer, is the author of the Sci-Fi novel, The Generation. You can email her at silent_beautie@yahoo.com She can also be found on Twitter @theinsanewriter and you visit her official website at www.theinsanewriter.com.



WomenFreebies.com - Enter to Win Royal Secret II Perfume

Transferring

My laptop has been extremely slow lately and I'm wondering if it's due to the fact that I have a lot of family photos on my hard drive. I also have a lot of articles I've done for various companies stored on my hard drive. So I think I might grab some office supplies like CD's and burn the photos to CD.

I have not done so in the past because my biggest fear is that the laptop or computer I use won't be able to read the CDs due to scratches, etc. I had that problem with disks and lost some of the stories I'd written because of that. But, I guess I need to set that fear aside and give it a shot.

Editing my Audio and Video Files for Work

Sometimes I am in need of a decent software to edit my audio and video files for work. I don't want to have to spend a fortune on several programs just to get all of the features I need on something I rare use, so what's a girl to do?

I just found out about Blaze Media and it's perfect for me. Ripping, converting, burning.... This program looks like it does it all. I can convert from MP3 to WAV for my audio files or vice versa. I can burn my audio and video files on CD and DVD. There's even a free trial version. I most definitely have to try it!





Please Note: This is a paid post and is sponsored by Blaze MP and Payperpost.

To Ipod or Not to Ipod, That is the True Question

I really don't understand all of the hub bub when it comes to ipods, but the teenagers and even some adults around here, certainly love them. I guess I am still faithful to my cd player since it accomplishes just as much as an ipod can.

I mean sure, ipods are a lot smaller and you don't need a cd to play the tunes, but you can listen to just about the same amount of music. Cd's have advanced as well and I can guarantee my husband has a cd or two which contains about 1,000 full version songs on each cd.

But then I noticed that some ipods can go up to 40 hours on battery life. Very cool! They also allow you to play videos, something that cd players cannot. So maybe there really are some advantages to owning an ipod. right now however, an ipod is just not in my vocabulary.

Maxim Magazine a Fraud???

Since when do well-known magazines just guess on how a band's new album is going to sound? Apparently that's what Maxim is now doing, according to Yahoo News and the band, The Black Crowes.

The Black Crowes claim that the writer of the review has never even heard their new album, "Warpaint," since the CD has not been made available in advance. Hmmm.

So what do the magazine's creators have to say about this? According to the band's manager, the magazine told him that it was an "Educated Guess." They also went on to say that they could not confirm or deny that the review was a fraud, but assured the press that they would continue to provide readers with what was important to them.

So, I guess their readers' interest in bands like, The Black Crowes isn't really important, huh? I'm going to guess that reading their magazine is more important than listening to music? Of course. They get more money that way! I can guess that that is the only reason their readers are important. It's all about the money.

It just makes me wonder if, their music reviews are a fraud, what about the rest of the magazine? Maybe they should become a part of the ever growing fake tabloids/newspapers like the SUN, Enquirer, etc. We could at least then be able to truly laugh at their phony publication.

Music To Your Child's Ears

A few months ago I was sent a CD from Name Your Tune and promised a review. With personal problems on the rise and my busy schedule I must apologize for this long overdue review. Also, due to the late review, I am placing a link for Name Your Tune's website until after 2008 at the sponsored area to the right of my page. I also want to thank Name Your Tune for sending me the CD and allowing me to review it. Now, on to the review!

Name Your Tune's CD for children isn't any ordinary kid's music CD. It's far from it. Each musical CD allows your child the experience of hearing their name over and over again through each individual song on the CD. Your child can sing along to classic favorites like, Wheels On the Bus, Head And Shoulders and the ABC's Song.

At first when I presented my kids with their music CDs, the look on their face was, "Uhh Okay." However, after hearing their names in each of the songs, their eyes lit up and they were non-stop talk about the CD for hours. It's a CD I know they'll enjoy for a long time.

Each CD is special since it is specifically made for your child. Your child's name is used over 80 times in 14 fun songs your he or she will want to sing along to. And with Over 3,000 names to choose from, you're sure to find your child's name. If not however, you can simply let them know and they'll record your child's name to their next recording session. You can also personalize your child's CD with a message to him or her, making it a gift that will be cherished for years to come.

The best part about it is the price. For a personalized CD, I expected an expensive price tag. Not so with Name Your Tune. Their CD's are only $20 each or $18 when you purchase two or more at the same time. Even greater is the fact that Name Your Tune donates a portion of their sales to Hear Here, a non-profit organization that purchases hearing aids for children in need. How cool is that?

The fun thing about it is, even celebrity moms and dads like, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Reese Witherspoon and Adam Sandler have a Name Your Tune's music CD.

If this sounds like something your little one would enjoy, please be sure to drop by Name Your Tune's website. If you do decide to purchase a music CD from them, please feel free to drop me a comment and let me know what you think of the CD. Keep in mind that the CD would make a wonderful birthday or Christmas gift. I gave mine as birthday gifts. :)

I'm Still Alive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Create Your Own PaloozaHead - Visit Lollapalooza.com