Butterviews

I was recently sent Heather Payne’s Sweet Exchange CD to review.

Before I do that, here’s Heather’s biography, so you know who it is I’m talking about.

Heather Payne does not miss the stage. Make no mistake – she treasures the nearly 18 years she experienced as a founding member of Point of Grace. But she has not – not even once – looked back and thought, I wish I was back on the road. These days, as wife of a pastor and educator and mother of four adorable kids, living a fairly quiet life away from the Nashville scene, Heather Payne is the very voice of contentment.

But, oh, that voice! That remarkable range, that honest delivery, that effortless power – how it has been missed. In 2008, when Payne retired from Point of Grace, she declared that she would sing again one day. A good friend gave her this advice: “When the time comes, don’t sing because you have to, sing because you want to.” Now, finally, the time has come. Heather Payne is singing again.

“Sweet Exchange” is a fresh take on the timeless hymns of the church. Modern arrangements, new choruses, and sometimes-complete re-imaginations help these deep and meaningful songs shine.

So what makes a retired artist from one of the most successful groups in Christian music history decide to record a new album full of old hymns? A childhood memory helps explain: “I remember when I was very young, and my mom used to let me stand on the pew beside her in church. She let me hold the hymnal, even though I couldn’t even read! I felt so big. I learned the hymns that way, just singing along. I want that for my kids now.”

Payne tells of her 2-year-old getting a head start, singing Holy, Holy, Holy like only a toddler can: “Ho-wy, Ho-wy, Ho-wy!” That desire to pass these old hymns to her children merged with a goal to give the church a new worship tool, and “Sweet Exchange” was the result. The album makes classic hymns accessible to modern listeners, and sets the stage for worship that is not just about emotion.

“Emotions go just so far in worship,” Payne says. “With the rich doctrine in hymns, truth sinks in. Some modern worship music is so repetitive that it almost creates a frenzy, but is it truth or emotion driving it?” In the arrangements on “Sweet Exchange”, Payne made a point to allow the vivid portraits of God’s love and grace to be the focus in hymns like Hallelujah, What a Savior, Pass Me Not, and Jesus Paid it All.

If modern listeners ever thought the lyrics of hymns were stale, these presentations will draw them in and open both their hearts and minds. Alas and Did My Savior Bleed is given an appropriately solemn, almost theatrical treatment. O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing drives to a pulsing kick drum and features a rousing new chorus and provocative bridge: “And even with a chorus of 10,000 voices strong, and even with a day that was 10,000 lifetimes long / And even with a melody that spanned 10,000 songs, I’ll never cease to sing Your praise / Creation sings along!”

Payne gets philosophical in discussing the motivation for the title track, a new hymn that declares the album’s theme. Her husband was preaching on imputed righteousness, a big theological term, and he was explaining it with a quote from a first century Greek writer’s Letter to Diognetus. The fact that this old letter could explain a difficult concept in an embraceable way, and then overflow in worship, embodied exactly what Payne hoped to accomplish with this album. Consider these words, almost 2,000 years old: “O sweet exchange! O unsearchable operation! O benefits surpassing all expectation! That the wickedness of many should be hid in a single righteous One, and that the righteousness of One should justify many transgressors!”

From this beautiful description an equally beautiful song was born, and the idea carries the album. Ironically, while it will certainly serve to introduce hymns to a new generation, the fresh approach has already been a way to reintroduce hymns to folks who grew up singing them. “My mom played the album for the lady that cuts her hair – typical proud mama,” Payne recalls, “and as she was listening the lady said, ‘Oh! So that’s what that hymn says!’ She had never really listened to the words before because she just sang them monotonously.”

This desire to serve future generations with the theology and worship of hymns stems from the same Scripture that played a role in Payne’s decision to leave Point of Grace. It was the Shema from Deuteronomy 6, the compelling call to impress the commands of the Lord on your children all day long, that struck Payne when she moved to Louisville in 2002. “I memorized that passage because we were starting to have kids and I wanted that in my mind and heart. As more kids were born, the Lord kept bringing it back up. Are you teaching them diligently? When you’re traveling the way I was, there was no diligence or consistency or excellence.”

Payne began discussing alternative plans with the other members of Point of Grace and eventually, in the most unlikely of places, retired completely. “We were backstage, getting ready to sing at the Dove Awards. I was getting makeup done and nursing a 4-month-old baby when our manager came in and said one of our songs was getting airplay on country radio. He wanted us to head out to California for a week-and-a-half promo tour. I sat there holding my baby and thinking of my husband and other 3 kids, and it was the first time I saw clearly that this is not what I want to do anymore. So right then and there backstage before I had to sing on TV, I said, ‘I don’t want to do this anymore. I’m not kidding, this is it for me.’”

Today, that baby’s a happy toddler. Heather is thrilled that Point of Grace has thrived and continues to impact country radio. (Fellow PoG alumna Terry Jones even sings background vocals on a few of the tracks on “Sweet Exchange”.) And that same passage in Deuteronomy, that same desire to pass the truths of God on to her children, and the realization that those truths are so richly conveyed in the old hymns, that’s why the time has come. That’s why Heather Payne is singing again.

So, what did I think of the music?

It was wonderful! It was upbeat, it was full of joy, and it was full of reverence. This will most certainly be a part of my CD collection. These are basically refreshes of old hymns. Remixes, if you will. It really really works. It keeps the beauty of the old, but with a contemporary feel that you can take them with you and enjoy them. That you don’t have to be in a church to enjoy them. That’s a beautiful gift. You can purchase the CD at Amazon, or at any other music retailer.

Here’s the track listing:

1. Holy Holy Holy
2. O For A Thousand Tongues
3. Rock of Ages
4. Hallelujah What A Savior
5. My Jesus
6. Sweet Exchange
7. O The Deep, Deep Love
8. Pass Me Not
9. Be Thou My Vision
10. Jesus Paid It All
11. Alas My Savior Did Bleed
12. Come Ye Sinners
13. The Gospel Song

The publishers of The Ultimate Mom by Maria Bailey sent me a copy of the book for review.

EQUATION: The Ultimate Mom; uplifting stories, endearing photos, and the best experts’ tips on the toughest job you’ll ever love is just that. They’re rather specific on the cover!  Personal essays interspersed with photographs, and an appendix of tips.  From the publisher:

Whether you become a mom through adoption, by giving birth, or through marriage, your heart is never completely your own again . . . and that is one of the miracles of being a mom.

Just as no two women are the same, the experience of being a mom is different for each of us. In The Ultimate Mom, you’ll follow the journeys of mothers through a diverse collection of stories about this rewarding and challenging job. While some stories are humorous, some are inspirational, and others are poignant, all are filled with the passion, devotion, and dedication every mother feels toward her child.

Words may paint a picture, but photos tell their own story, too. The Ultimate Mom is filled with eye-catching photo of moms and their children celebrating life’s events, both big and small. You’ll also find expert advice from moms in the trenches about finding ‘me’ time, dealing with sibling rivalry, parenting a spirited child, achieving a healthy life balance, and many more timely and provocative subjects.

Join in the celebration of mothers with The Ultimate Mom.

PLUS: I’ll be honest with you.  I wasn’t looking forward to this one.  Books about motherhood – especially essays – have a tendency towards being mushy and sentimental.  I’m not exactly mushy.  I love my kids.  I’m a good mother.  I’m loving and affectionate with them.  But when people wax poetic about motherhood, it makes me cringe.  I was extremely pleasantly surprised.  The essays are simply wonderful.  They capture the good and bad, the wonderful and the grievous.  I really enjoyed reading them.  I was glad to be exposed to these particular writers as well; most of them were new to me.

MINUS: The photographs are all well done.  But I would have loved the photographs to be of the individuals in the essays.  They definitely are not.  The other minus is the appendix of experts.  While it says they are there right in the title, they are more clinical in nature, and a bit jarring when you jump into them after the essays.

EQUALS: A positive review.  The essays are so well done, and – especially if you’re a mother- relatable.  I would definitely recommend this book to other moms.

The opinions of this review are all mine.  The book was given to me gratis.

EQUATION: The Momfluence Network sent me a Nerf Pocket Vortex flying football for their upcoming gift guide for review.  The particular one sent was branded for the Steelers.  The label says “Pocket-Sized Football Fun!  The Farthest Flying Footballs!”  I, alas, do not play with footballs.  So, I tasked the usage to my sons.  Or tried to, anyway – my husband took over instead, and allowed them to play with him.

PLUS: According to my son, Joseph, the football is “Great!  Incredibly awesome!  And I got bonked in the head and it didn’t hurt!”  According to my husband, it turns “awesome,” is easy to throw, and corrects itself.  He also mentioned that when it hits the ground, it flies straight up first, making it easy to retrieve.

MINUS: My son didn’t have any negatives.  My husband said that it could be bigger, to which I replied, “Honey, it’s not made for adults.”  He poo-pooed that notion.

EQUALS: A positive review!  It’s a welcome addition to the outside toys.  My husband enjoyed playing catch with it with the kids – and the kids enjoyed playing with it.  At only $3.99 at Amazon – you cannot go wrong.

Out of the Box Publishing sent me Back Seat Drawing Junior to review with my kids.

EQUATION:  Out of the Box Publishing creates innovative party, card and board games that provide fresh, fun and engaging ways to enjoy time with friends and family. Games that:

* can be learned in minutes.
* are colorfully illustrated and fun to play.
* can easily be played in less than an hour.
* are efficiently designed in smart packaging.
* feature dynamic player interaction from start to finish.

In Back Seat Drawing Junior Players race to identify a drawing done by the “artist”— but the artist doesn’t know what he or she is drawing!  It’s up to the “director” to tell the artist how to draw the picture without giving away the name of the item shown on the picture card.

My kids, husband, and I sat down and played two games worth.

PLUS:  The kids “got it” immediately, once explained to them.  It was extremely interesting to see their thought process as they explained what to draw as the director.  One son, I noticed, was very general in his descriptions and would get frustrated with the artist when they didn’t draw what they had in their head.  The other son was extremely precise.  “Draw one line straight up.  A little shorter.  Good job, that’s perfect.  Now draw another line from the top pointing right.  Exactly.  Now…”  It was hysterical watching him, and his little signs.  They weren’t, however, so good at guessing what was being drawn – but they were trying.

MINUS:  The games were very short.  Probably great if it’s just kids (as it’s intended for.)  The scoring system is such that one person can win in a very short amount of time.  Also, we had a little trouble with the dry-erase markers deciding not to draw if the lid was off for a bit (such as when listening to the Director explain what they want drawn.)

EQUALS:  A positive review.  The kids had a great time, and vociferously demanded we play again.  Of course, it’s too easy for my husband and I, but for the kids, it’s great.  Pictionary fans would probably love this game.  It kept my kids engaged.  It moved fast.  It was understandable for the kids.  I would definitely recommend this one for some good old fashioned family time.  Also – would probably be a great thing to do while waiting on other stuff – for dinner to come out of the oven, that sort of thing.

This opinions in this review are my own.  I was sent the game gratis.

I’ve been doing quite a few music reviews lately and it occurs to me that you might need to know my “process.”

I am by NO means a good critic.  I have an inbred appreciation for music having been a musician many years ago, with many years of instruction.  As a result, my tastes are rather eclectic.  I know what I like, I know what I don’t like, I’m just not very good at expressing it poetically with words that scream “music critic.”

So how do I do my reviews?  I sit and listen to the music while I do something else – usually work.  I have my blogging notebook open next to me, and when a thought pops into my head in regards to what I’m listening to, I write it down.  That’s it.  So while you’re not going to get flowery prose strewn about with musician’s vernacular – you ARE going to get my base opinion.

Moving on…

The One2One Network sent me the Michael Buble’ CD, Crazy Love, for my take.  If you’ve heard of Michael Buble’ the thought that comes to mind is a modern version of the old Rat Pack classics from the likes of Frank Sinatra.  And there is that feel on this CD, however, not in total.  It’s really a broad spectrum of songs.

The first song  – “Cry me a River” – does have that Rat Pack feel.  It’s a great version, and I love the opening.  This song (and really the whole CD) has this really sexy sultry feel, envisioning 3 inch heels, wrap dresses, hats, stockings with garters, cigarettes in long holders, dark back rooms full of music, and sexuality holding back.  When dancing was dancing, and that was a form of courtship and foreplay.  Sorry for the rather graphic display, but that’s really what this CD feels like.  Back when the air fairly hummed – and less was more.

I tend to keep music in sections.  Not Rock vs. Classical, but more along my moods.  These are for when I’m depressed.  These are for when I’m cleaning the house.  These are for when I’m feeling sexy.  These are for when I need to relax.  This CD is going in the section for when I’m on the prowl.

The album released on October 9th – Debuted at number 1 I believe, which is awesome.

Album Tracklisting:
1. Cry Me A River
2. All Of Me
3. Georgia On My Mind
4. Crazy Love
5. Haven’t Met You Yet
6. All I Do Is Dream Of You
7. Hold On
8. Heartache Tonight
9. You’re Nobody Till Somebody Loves You
10. Baby (You’ve Got What It Takes)
11. At This Moment
12. Stardust
13. Whatever It Takes (bonus track)

Here are some links to take you away:

Michael Buble’s Website

His Facebook Page

Buy the CD

Safety Tat recently sent me their product to use and review.  Scroll to the bottom for a discount code especially for my readers!

EQUATION: Safety Tats are temporary tattoos designed to be better able to locate your child – or have your child/adult locate you for that matter.  They come as writable, or custom made.  Safety Tat sent me both.  The custom ones came with my cel phone number pre-printed on them.

I wouldn’t use them as an every day thing, but figured it would be perfect for a family outing.  I held on to them for the right opportunity, and last weekend that opportunity cropped up.  My family and I went to the L.A. County Fair.  Lots of people, big new place – perfect.

PLUS: They went on easy.  They stayed put.  We used the custom pre-printed ones, so I haven’t used the writables.  We didn’t put sunscreen on the tat itself, but I’m sure that the sunscreen from the surrounding area made it’s way onto the tat, but didn’t effect in in the least.  It was clear and readable.  We even used the “Medical Condition” one on my youngest.  He has a medic-alert bracelet, and figured we’d be extra clear since we were using them anyway.  The didn’t make the kids’ skin itchy, which was a concern of mine as my oldest son has very sensitive skin.

MINUS: I actually don’t have a minus.  I usually like to give constructive criticism whether I like the product or not – how else will companies know what the consumer would like improved?  However, in this case…  I got nothin’.

EQUALS: A positive review.  I am definitely keeping the leftovers, and when those are gone buying more.  The truth is – I’m not sure if my kids will panic and forget my phone number.  They don’t use the phone all that much (Yet.  Heh.)  I feel an added sense of security of my phone number being right there for either me or the adult that helps them if they get lost.  Bottom line – this is a product that adds a layer of security in going out with my kids, and is a product that does exactly what it is meant to do.

EXTRA CREDIT: Just for my readers…  A special coupon code!  If you want to receive 15% off your order of $15 or more, use Butterviews10.  Note – it must be typed as seen, and it’s case sensitive.

Rock of Ages

Some info on the CD:

New Line Records just hammered the in-store release of the Original Broadway Cast Recording of five-time Tony Award nominated “ROCK OF AGES.” For those of you not in the know, Rock of Ages is the new Broadway musical starring American Idol finalist Constantine Maroulis. Set in 1987 in a legendary Sunset Strip rock club, a small-town girl meets a big-city dreamer and they fall in love to the greatest metal songs of the 80′s. The musical is an arena-rock love story told through the mind-blowing, face-melting hits of Journey, Bon Jovi, Styx, Reo Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Foreigner, Twisted Sister, Poison, Asia, Whitesnake and more.

I’ll be honest… I wasn’t sure what this was. I agreed, because, well, Rock!! When I agreed, I didn’t know that this was a Broadway show. It also took me checking out the artwork and such to realize that Constantine Maroulis is a castmember. At that point I realized that I would have to add a disclaimer here, because I am no longer objective. I had a serious (totally married, pious) crush on Constantine on American Idol. I wanted to pet him and put him in my pocket.

Once I found out this was a musical, using already established rock, I was a little concerned. I was really really hoping it wouldn’t be like those covers you hear, where a really rocking song ends up sounding like Muzak. But this is… Amazing. While they changed the songs a smidge to fit the storyline of the musical, the music is straight on. And in fact I want to see if they use a live orchestra, because it is GREAT. And then I was concerned about the voices. Nothing would be worse than a wimpy version of rock. I was amazed by them!!

And seriously – I thought it WAS Jon Bon Jovi singing “Wanted Dead or Alive.” By the way – My husband was a HUGE Young Guns fan, and this song sold him on the CD. And of course “Final Countdown” reminds me of every 80′s martial arts movie there ever was. Heh.

So, this CD took me completely by surprise. I absolutely loved it. And I maybe might have made an idiot out of myself headbanging singing to it. My husband has learned to just smile and nod. If you’re into rock (think leather and hair and slow dancing in junior high) than this is for you.

I want you to buy it. No, I do have a giveaway, but since only one of you will win, you should totally buy it. See the bottom of the post for the giveaway…

Tracklisting:
Just Like Paradise / Nothin’ But A Good Time
Sister Christian
We Built This City / Too Much Time On My Hands
I Wanna Rock
We’re Not Gonna Take It
Heaven/More Than Words / To Be With You
Waiting For A Girl Like You
Wanted Dead Or Alive
I Want To Know What Love Is
Cum On Feel The Noize / We’re Not Gonna Take It (Reprise)
Harden My Heart / Shadows Of The Night
Here I Go Again
The Final Countdown
Any Way You Want It / I Wanna Rock (Reprise)
High Enough
I Hate Myself For Loving You / Heat Of The Moment
Hit Me With Your Best Shot
Can’t Fight This Feeling
Every Rose Has Its Thorn
Oh Sherrie
The Search Is Over
Don’t Stop Believin

If you’d like to enter for a free CD of Rock of Ages for your own, I have a simple giveaway here… Nothing fancy. No extra entries for tweets or writing about it (I simply don’t have the time to do a full blown thing right now,) just a straight up comment giveaway. Comment on this entry, and make sure you leave your email address in the proper slot. That’s it. One entry each, please. Giveaway ends (and your comments must be there) by Sunday, 8/16 at 11:59pm pacific. Good luck!

The Equation:
When I came home from working full time outside the home, I had several interests I wanted to explore with my new-found time (ha.) One of those things was seriously preparing for emergencies. I have a family of four, plus my parents next door make six. The two kids both have special needs, and my parents are elderly and my mom is in very frail health. Between us, we have two homes and their properties to maintain, and 5 running vehicles. In this time of economic crises, both personally (my parents are on a fixed income, and my husband is laid off) and nationally, proven terrorist activity, not to mention natural disasters (we live in wildfire and earthquake country) – I wanted to put together a plan that is more concrete than “3 days of water per person on hand.” That is truly the extent of my emergency preparedness. But if you’ve ever researched preparedness and survival in any depth – you know how daunting and overwhelming it truly is. I’m still stuck, kind of not knowing where to turn first.

When the publishers of Emergency: This Book Will Save Your Life
by Neil Strauss contacted me (about several books actually) I jumped at the chance to read this one, and told them to go ahead and send it. When I read up a little bit on the author – I was a little leery. Author of The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists, I wasn’t looking forward to a serious take.

PLUS:
This book is chock full of information from a first person account. It makes you think. It really takes you on the author’s journey to KNOW what to do in emergency – to have the supplies, life skills, and experience to survive when it comes right down to it. It was absolutely fascinating to experience it vicariously.

MINUS:
I was looking forward to more “this is what you do” information. This isn’t exactly what I was looking for in terms of resources.

EQUALS:
A neutral/positive review. One the one hand – it’s a GREAT book. I really enjoyed it, and I couldn’t put it down. Mr. Strauss is a gifted writer who really pulls you into the journey. But it’s touted a bit as a resource guide, and this isn’t it. So really, it drops down to neutral from positive – probably because of marketing reasons. It’s marketed wrong. I highly recommend the book, especially if you have any interest in the survival community. And while it’s NOT a resource book, it certainly got me to thinking and doing a lot of research on my own, which I think is an incredibly positive effect.

I have another one from the people at the One2One Network. They sent me the new Yanni Voices [CD/DVD] to review. I should add that it comes with both a CD and a DVD – I’m just reviewing the CD.

EQUATION: Yanni – a memorable name in instrumentals and composition is known for his sweeping music. This time around, he threw a curveball… He has brought vocals to the forefront. The CD takes some of his classic stuff as well as new music – but introduces four vocalists: Nathan Pacheco, Chloe, Ender Thomas, and Leslie Mills. All of them were discovered and mentored by Yanni. The album was released on March 24th. The Yanni Voices world tour kicks off in the U.S. on April 10th.

PLUS: There’s music and then there’s music. Due to my background, I’ll admit, I’m biased to this kind of orchestral music. I just am – can’t get around that. The composition is gorgeous, the instrumentals amazingly executed, and the vocalists are so talented I’m surprised we’ve not heard of them until now. There’s a little of everything tempo wise, so it’s not the same feel throughout. Each piece feels as though it’s a complete story – so when you move on to the next, it really feels like a new story. As for the individual tracks – while all of it is great: Track 1, Omaggio (Tribute), made me cry. Tracks 3 & 4, Our Days and Never Leave the Sun, both made me want to dance for my husband. Track 5, Before the Night Ends, is just plain beautiful.

MINUS: I’m not sure if it’s a plus or minus, but my husband listened to it with me, and his response was, “You can’t tell it’s Yanni.” The other minus I would say is – really – you’ve got to love it. I don’t think it’s a “so-so” kind of thing. I think you’ll either love it or hate it, it feels like that kind of extreme to me.

EQUALS: A positive review. A rave, actually. I simply love this CD.

Ballas Hough Band

The wonderful peeps at the One2One Network sent me the newly released Ballas Hough Band CD to review.

EQUATION: You all know all about Dancing with the Stars. What you may not know is that Mark Ballas and Derek Hough – two of the professional dancers paired with the stars – sing too! So – not only are they great teachers and dancers (they’ve each led their partners to victory) they’ve got this side gig going and recently released a CD, the self titled Ballas Hough Band, on March 10th. Maybe you can’t call it a side gig. They’ve been making music together for over 10 years. They wrote over half the songs themselves, and “Do it for You” was cowritten with American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi. The Ballas Hough Band will be hitting the road for a national US tour in the summer of ’09, and the One2One Network is getting them some much deserved attention. Along with those two headliners, you’ve got: Emily Grace (keyboard/vocals), Sam Marder (bass), and Harry Sullivan (drums).

The track listing for BHB is as follows:
1. Do You Love Me
2. Devastated
3. Closer
4. She Was The One
5. Longing For
6. Birthday
7. Fall
8. Do It For You
9. Breakthrough
10. Together Faraway
11. Underwater

You can follow them on facebook, MySpace, and their website.

As for the review – I should tell you where I’m coming from.  First – I have eclectic tastes.  I like a little bit of everything, and while I don’t play any more for a host of reasons, I’m trained in clarinet, flute, piano, and pit percussion.  I’ve played everything from the classics, to marches, to scores, to pop.  So – I listen to everything, but I always have a different spin on things.

PLUS: It’s catchy.  It’s really catchy.  It’s pop-y.  I found myself bouncing my head before a lot of the songs really got started.  It’s musically sound.  They can sing.  For me – this would be perfect music to clean to.  I know that doesn’t sound like a plus – but it is in my head.  It’s something that I can get things done to.  It’s a bit boy-bandish which could be a plus or a minus.  I can’t decide which category THAT little tidbit should go in, but hey – boy bands can rock it, so I’m putting it on the plus side.

MINUS: It’s a little bit formulaic.  There’s no surprises here.  I hesitate to say this – but I think that they may attract a younger demographic.  I’m not saying ‘tweens young – but say early 20′s females.  That’s not necessarily a minus, but it does limit their reach.

EQUALS: I think that this is a fine starting effort.  They’ve all been playing together forever, so I think they’re going to go through some growing pains finding their market and making their true voices shine.  But if they plow through and do the work, they can really come through to become a successful band that lasts.   So, all in all – I’m keeping the CD, and giving them a positive review!