Rod Stewart ~ New CD "Time" ~ A Review

Every now and again I get fun music reviews~ This time around it was Rod Stewart's new CD "Time." It's always interesting to see what some of the rock/pop icons are up to. It's amazing to look back and see all of the songs that Rod Stewart has put out over the course of the years. Rod Stewart has spent four decades being a rock star, three being a parent, and has a new album's worth of rollicking stories to tell. Time is his first album of new material in almost 20 years (and his hairstyle hasn't changed one bit!)  ;)


Time, released May 7th, 2013, marks Stewart's long-awaited return to his songwriting roots and features 12 tracks, 11 of which he wrote and produced. The album was born from a burst of inspiration that came while Rod was reviewing his life for his recent memoir. Rod rediscovered his voice as a songwriter and rekindled his gift for writing the honest, nerve-touching narratives that have been the cornerstone to the first three decades of his career.

Time is an eclectic set of songs. Musically I enjoyed the diversity and feel~ however, I felt like a bit of a prude when reading the lyrics, as you will see as I discuss each song below~ for the sake of a few gratuitous phrases, I was turned off of songs that I would otherwise enjoy... :(

1. She Makes Me Happy~ A fun, upbeat song that I'd like to listen to, if there weren't a crude turn of the phrase at the end of the first verse... :( 
2. Can't Stop Me Now~ Interesting "biographical" song~ not really a stand out~ but could be a good "motivator" 
3. It's Over~ Sad song~ not one that I would listen in my home~ I prefer to surround my children with the "positive" 
4. Brighton Beach~ Somewhat lamenting ballad~ not one I would listen to much, partially because of the rock-n-roll "love 'em and leave 'em theme" (although it was his love that left him...) that I don't ascribe to ~ however, there are phrases that really strike a chord of nostalgia that I enjoy
5. Beautiful Morning~ Rollicking, fun driving song~ unfortunately I wouldn't listen to it, particularly with my kids, as I don't need the "Adult" physical allusions. 
6. Live the Life~ I like this "inspiring" song ~ a "Good Advice" song for the youth of today. :) "Love the life you live, Live the life you love" 
7. Finest Woman~ I like this tribute to "The finest woman that I've ever known" who doesn't drink or smoke... ;)
8. Time~ Kind of tells it like it is: "Time waits for no one" 
9. Picture in a Frame~ Not an "inspirational" song content-wise, but done in a  slow"Spiritual" style a'la Rod Stewart... 
10. Sexual Religion~ well.... given the name of the song, I bet you can tell already that this momma isn't excited about this one... I really don't care for this one at all... 
11. Make Love to Me Tonight~ I like the general concept behind this song, but it's not a "listen with the kids" around song in this house... 
12. Pure Love ~ Nice strong, encouraging ballad about a love that endures... while my favorite example of pure love is that of God towards mankind, I appreciate the sentiment of this song about steadfast human love.

Along with the release of Time, Stewart is set to embark on the European leg of his Live the Life tour on June 1st, while American dates with Steve Winwood will kick off October 17th. 

You can follow Rod on Twitter  and you can purchase  Time on iTunes or Amazon

Blessings~

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. #TimeWithRod

The Sugar Creek Gang (Adventurous Audio Books)

Back when my father was a youngster, family entertainment included gathering around the radio to hear dramatized versions of all kinds of stories (With mysteries tending to be the favored genre, from what I've heard). Today the radio tends to be all music or all news/talk (with only the occasional children's/ family programming). Don't these children look sweet? Love their rapt attention!

Today we can approximate the general atmosphere by taking advantage of "Radio Dramatizations" like in "the good old days" by gathering around the cd player or computer (Or listening in the car, but I don't advise that unless you're on a long trip~ stopping mid-track or mid-story might cause a  ruckus) ! :) I recently received a series of these dramatized stories on CD.

Beloved Books has been involved with the manufacture and distribution of Moody Press' Sugar Creek Gang series in audio format since 1998. The TOS Review Crew received Volume 1 of the Sugar Creek Gang Audio books on CD.

Each disc contains 2 stories, and they are each about 2 hours long. The entire collection comprises 6 volumes, 36 stories, and over 70 hours of old-time Christian radio "Adventure Time" listening.

The stories on Volume 1:
The Swamp Robber (Click on the link to be taken to a download of this 1st, complete story for free)
The Killer Bear
The Winter Rescue
The Lost Campers
Chicago Adventure
The Secret Hideout

Our thoughts~
We listened to the first story together (mom, 5 yr old boy, 12 yr old boy, 15 yr old girl), and there were a variety of opinions and reactions.

Eldest~ (Con/Pro?) Felt that the story was a little too intense and perhaps not appropriate for her littlest brother to be listening to. She was concerned about the presentation of the reality of late 30's early 40's drunkenness (very straightforward "This is the way it is" with very little softening. No sheltering in these stories).  This could be considered a positive or a negative, depending on your viewpoint, so worth mentioning.

Middlest~ (Pro!) LOVED the stories~ wanted to listen to them constantly, and was prompted to ask for some good literature that would be similar in scope to read (with themes of fishing, and  adventure, and general boy clubbishness. I'll take suggestions in the comments!) He was highly engaged in the story! He said it put him in mind of stories that would go well with "The American Boy's Handy Book" :)

Youngest~ (Mostly Pro) well... he liked listening, but was a little nervous at times (he's less sensitive than my other two at that age, so that's helpful.... as the youngest). 

Mom~ (Pro)  pleased to find something that sparks Middlest's interest that is wholesome (With the exception of the characters who are in obvious need of redemption), adventurous, and not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. The need for the Gospel, and a respect for the Word of God, redemption and obedience are themes that run throughout the stories more than once. Appreciated the nature themes and poetry woven throughout. LOVE the exercise in using imaginations to picture the kids and the setting. *I* definitely had pictures in my head because of the descriptive language used throughout the stories!

Mom~ (Con) I have also tended NOT to address certain issues (like swearing, and others' drunkeness etc...) unless necessary, so I do tend to agree with Eldest, and might raise my recommendation for suggested age range to  8-12 (Although this could vary greatly, depending on the child), as the way some things are presented may not be quite as "Gentle" as I might want for a younger listener.

Some generic observations(neither pro nor con)~
The descriptions of church and services will be foreign to many children who live in today's urban areas and/or attend more modern "Seeker" churches~ But children growing up in the "heartland" and/or attending more conservative and/or dare I say it old-fashioned churches will be more likely to relate. Some of the phraseology is definitely more old-fashioned.

These will be used in our house mostly for Middlest's listening pleasure, with occasional "Family gathered around the Computer/CD Player" evening. They will also be a "Make sure they're packed" item for any cross-country trips we take in the next 7 or 8 years! :)

Not So Nutty Nitty Gritty 

• Company: Beloved Books
• Product: Sugar Creek Gang Vol 1 (CD's) (six stories, 12 CD's)
• Ages: Recommended ages 6-12
• Price: $54.95 

Readers of my blog can use the coupon ACORNS-20 to receive 20% off their entire order! Enjoy! 

Please click the banner below to visit the TOS Review Crew and see what others had to say. As always, I hope that this review was useful to you as you choose where best to spend your homeschool and/or gift budget.:) (Think Christmas?)

Blessings~

Disclaimer: I received this/these item(s)/service for free as part of the TOS Review Crew Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Maestro Classics~ Classical Music CD's for Children

After years of much research and study, I think that most educators are aware that there is much to be said for introducing children at a young age to classical music. Brain synapses and mathematics can only benefit.

From time immemorial it seems, music has also been paired with stories, to help to make them more memorable, and elevate the listener to a higher plane. In that vein, and with the belief that there is always room for something new, enter Maestro Classics.

The TOS Crew members each received a new CD of the story "The Tortoise and the Hare" by Maestro Classics, one of eight current titles in a series masterminded by Steven and Bonnie Ward Simon. The Simons are highly qualified to delight, entertain, and educate children and parents alike, with their expertise in Classical Music and education.

The CD comes complete with a musical selection (Either a traditional classical piece, or an original composition by Steven Simon) that accompanies a classic tale. There follows an discussion about the story and another brief treatise about the composition. This is reminiscent of Leonard Bernstein's "Young People's Concerts" at Carnegie Hall. They are actually outworkings of the "Concerts for Young People" at the Kennedy Center, which were founded by Bonnie Ward Simon.

The discussion of the music may help your children to listen more "discriminatingly" to the music that they hear, particularly music in the classical vein. They may also begin to wonder, ask questions, and even experiment with their own compositions, armed with the information that Mr. Simon gives them. His discourse is down to earth and interesting to listen to.

Included with the cd is a 24-page "program book", which effectively turns this package into a mini-unit lesson for all 3 types of learners. The booklet for "The Tortoise and the Hare" includes information on the instruments of the orchestra, notes and fractions, time signatures, a double page spread on Turtles & Tortoises, and Rabbits & Hares, a short but in-depth look at a featured instrument in the piece, the contrabasson. For the "hands-on" learners that like to do something while they listen, there is a dot-to-dot, a word jumble, and a crossword. The melody to a fun piece of music, "Pretzel Vendor of Paris" is also included.

I would say that Maestro Classics neatly fills the void between Baby Mozart and Classical Kids, and is best for children ages 4-10 or so. My children fall outside these ages, but can see my 2 year-old enjoying this in a couple of years. My 9 year old enjoyed the discussion on the music, and particularly the thought that a composer could include bits of other well-known pieces to help his musical picture, or landscape be more clear to the listener, but I really feel that he is on the upper end of "interest" for this particular series.

I recommend turning "The music is playing" button at the top of the page OFF, as it is annoyingly short and repetative, and instead, clicking on the individual titles to hear very nice samples of each portion of the CD's. The other titles currently available are:

• Swan Lake
• Peter and the Wolf
• The Sorcerer's Apprentice
• Casey at the Bat
• Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel
• Juanita the Spanish Lobster
• Juanita la longosta espanola

The cost:
$16.98 for each individual title
There is currently a special rate of $45 for any three titles, using the coupon code MAESTRO45

Final analysis: This gets a thumbs up from mom, particularly if used as the springboard for a mini "Break-week" unit. Please, do listen to the samples yourself, and as always, check out my fellow TOS Crewmates reviews, to help you make the most sound decisions on where to spend your homeschool budget.

Blessings~