New - PopMarket from Sony Music plus a Hall & Oates Box Set Giveaway!

With the Holidays right around the corner and an ever-growing shopping list, it's increasingly harder to seek out the best deals and sales. Sony Music's new online shopping club, PopMarket.com is here to help! This brand new, members-only web store offers limited-time private and exclusive sales on the world's coolest music at deep discounts. With a free membership, users can access 24 hour flash sales on music box sets and memorabilia at up to 70% off as well as weekly curated genre and theme sales. Featured artists include Johnny Cash, Celine Dion, Michael Jackson, Hall & Oates, Neil Diamond and more!

"Sony Music Entertainment is proud to be the first music company to open its vaults to music lovers and provide them with an elegant direct-to-consumer online shopping experience," said Adam Block, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Legacy Recordings, Sony Music Entertainment's catalog division. "Secure, seamless and convenient, PopMarket is open 24-7, offering fans exceptional values on great music."

Now live, PopMarket.com provides a rare window of opportunity to purchase rare and collectible albums, boxed sets, memorabilia and more at deeply-discounted member's-only prices. PopMarket's inventory is limited and products are sold on a first come basis.

PopMarket has already offered deluxe boxed sets by Santana, Alabama, Ken Burns Jazz, Simon & Garfunkel and The Clash with future Daily Deals to include albums and collections by Dave Brubeck, Neil Diamond, Billie Holiday, Dolly Parton, Elvis Presley, Janis Joplin, Aerosmith and many more.  Product channel categories have included Country Legends (classic recordings from American country artists, 30th Anniversary (deluxe box sets of recordings that have stood the test of time), framed Gold Records from music's biggest artists, Singer Songwriters, and limited edition artist-specific Collector Crates sets including a classic album, t-shirt and branded CD crate.  Upcoming weekly channel categories will include deals from the British Invasion, Romantic Hits, Diva Sets, Folk/Rock Legends, Punk & Glam Rock, American Jazz & Soul, Complete Artist Collections, Pop Sensations and dedicated campaigns focusing on music from the '60s, '70s and '80s.

Win a great item from Sony's new PopMarket -

Giveaway Details!

Sony PopMarket would love to send one winner a , Do What You Want Be What You Are Box Set: The Music of Daryl Hall & John Oates (spanning the years 1966-2009), the definitive Hall & Oates anthology, collects 74 sublime tracks, culled from seven different labels on its four discs. The set showcases 16 previously unreleased cuts including a host of wonderful live performances, as well as never before heard studio tracks and remixes. This giveaway is open to US only and will end on December 20th at 10:00PM Central. I’ll email the winner who will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen!

Mandatory Entry

Visit PopMarket.com (if you’re a music lover, you’ll want to become a member) or Sony Music and let me know an artist you would love to see featured on PopMarket.com and any specific memorabilia or collectible items you might be shopping for!

Extra Entries

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Tweet up to 3x daily, must be 1hr apart, leave one comment with the link to your tweet (up to 3 extra entries daily): 

Win a Daryl Hall & John Oates box set @ monkeyswashtub from Sony Music's @popmarketmusic! http://goo.gl/fb/HNWLj Ends 12/20!

Vote for me on the Fence (+2 extra entries daily)

Include the Dear Santa button (code on the upper left-hand side) on your blog's sidebar for 10 additional entries in every giveaway on every participating blog!

Disclosure:  This is a giveaway post only and is meant to let you know about a great new site that can help you save money buying rare and collectible items from your favorite artists.  No compensation was received for this post!

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DiDiPop Goes to Hawaii Children's Music Review & Giveaway!

Are you ready for a Hawaiian family vacation? Come along with DidiPop on DidiPop Goes to Hawaii.  Fast becoming one of L.A.’s hottest kids’ musicians, Deborah Poppink – aka DidiPop – invites families to join her on a vacation to Maui with her new CD, DidiPop Goes to Hawaii. Allowing her own distinctive artistry to blossom in the gentle atmosphere of the tropical Hawaiian Islands, DidiPop encourages kids and their caregivers to joyfully dance, sing, laugh, and feel the “Aloha Spirit” while picking up some good information about the Hawaiian alphabet, mangos and the hula!

Co-produced by Deborah Poppink and renowned indie producer/musician Brad Jones (Jill Sobule, Josh Rouse) and recorded with a first-rate team of Nashville musicians, DidiPop Goes to Hawaii is a musical travelogue inspired by Deborah’s actual visits to the Aloha State with her own family. The album captures every subtle nuance of their Hawaiian adventures, from the excitement of the plane ride (“Wowie Gazowi”) to enjoying the lovely beaches (“Kapalua Bay”) to riding the steam train around Maui (“Sugar Cane Train”), to reading road signs and trying to pronounce the words (“The Hawaiian Alphabet Song”).

An award-winning songwriter, performer, and music teacher, Deborah Poppink’s resume includes more than 350 compositions, including several for such film and TV projects as The X-Files and the Jack and Jill show. With 28 stamps on her passport, Deborah has collected a treasure trove of unique experiences playing and teaching music in such exotic locales as Bali, Montreal, Laos, Turkey, Belize, Tahiti, Morocco and Malaysia, in addition to performances at such L.A. clubs as The House of Blues and McCabe’s. Deborah’s “The Cool Alphabet Song” won a John Lennon Songwriting Contest Award (2009), and her “The Cool Alphabet Song” video has become one of the most popular children’s music videos on the Internet, receiving nearly 1,000,000 views on YouTube.







So what did we really think of this CD?
DiDiPop Goes to Hawaii is such a fun CD!  I love when we find children's music that is just as much fun for the parent's to listen to...we listened to this CD on a cool fall afternoon and felt like we were swept away to the tropics (or at least a beach since we could picture that)!  The beat was great, the music was fun, and the kids could understand the words so that after a song repeated a couple times they were singing right along while dancing!  Coconut Candy and The Keiki Hula were probably two of our favorite songs but we really liked them all and had fun dancing (jumping around and being silly) while we listened!  It's a great CD for families to listen to together!

Buy It!

You can order your copy of DiDiPop Goes to Hawaii CD - plus free shipping is offered for the holidays!

Win It - Giveaway Details!

One winner will receive their own copy of DidPop Goes to Hawaii!  This giveaway is open to US and Canada and will end on December 17th at 10:00PM Central.  I'll email the winner who will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen!

Mandatory Entry!

Visit DidiPop's website and let me know something you learned about the musician or another song you absolutely love (you can listen to samples of the tracks before you buy)!

Extra Entries!

(If it states 2 extra entries, please leave 2 comments)

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Tweet up to 3x daily, must be 1hr apart, leave one comment with the link to your tweet (up to 3 extra entries daily): 

Win DiDiPop Goes to Hawaii Children's Music CD @monkeyswashtub from @didipop *US&CAN*  http://goo.gl/fb/ykjFb Ends 12/17!

Vote for me on the Fence (+2 extra entries daily)

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Disclosure:  We received a copy of this CD in exchange for our honest review.  No additional compensation was received.

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Music for Little People Review & Giveaway!

During the Healthy Families, Happy Kids event, I reviewed Music for Little People!  We love their CDs and I can honestly say that I am truly jealous of whoever wins this amazing prize package of CDs!  My kids love to get up and dance whenever Music for Little People CDs are playing and we take these CDs with us pretty much everywhere!  Music for Little People definitely allows us to expose our kids to all different styles of music from across the world!

Sweet Slumbers offers songs from many cultures including African, Cuban, Irish, Italian, British, Welsh, Japanese, Jewish, Shaker and African-American performed in a wide variety of musical styles including classical, folk, blues, country and much more. The delicate thread that holds all of these songs together is the sweet and gentle ambiance they share to create the perfect bridge to dreamland.

Giggling & Laughing is a special 25th anniversary collection that brings together the funniest favorites in the long, rich history of Music for Little People performed by some of the most talented and funniest musicians around, a great addition to any family music collection.  You can listen to samples of the music online for this one too!

Singin & Groovin is a collection of 25 of the most singable and fun songs ever created! Chosen from our award-winning, platinum selling Toddler Favorites series, these timeless classics have inspired family sing-alongs and dance parties for generations. Unique arrangements with professional singers and an endearing children’s chorus and styles ranging from Rock 'N' Roll, Blues, Hip Hop, Folk and Country, this collection is the perfect choice to bring music into your family! (AGES 2-7)

Pickin & Grinnin'  is a 25th anniversary special edition CD that includes vivacious vocals, dazzling guitars, dueling banjos and merry mandolins join together in joyous harmony! Experience the spirited performances of some of our country's greatest folksingers singing their favorite tunes especially for children. These award winning songs will inspire spontaneous singing and dancing and offer your family a rich history of this beloved style of American music.

Love & Peace is a Special 25th Anniversary Recording that includes such names as Willie Nelson, Raffi, Laurie Berkner, Ladymith Black Mambazo, Faith Hill, Los Lobos & more.  It's a collection of favorite songs from the over 120 recordings we have produced, with a myriad of styles and instrumentation, and some of the most magical musical moments from our rich musical history. Designed to inspire spontaneous sing-alongs and family dance parties, this is a special recording your family won't want to miss. 16 songs including Baby Beluga by Raffi, The Lion Sleeps Tonight by Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and La Bamba by Los Lobos.

World Travels is a 25th Anniversary world music collection for a breathtaking multi-cultural adventure around the world! Classic tunes from Ireland, South Africa, France and Louisiana to Columbia, Mexico, Jamaica, Italy, Ghana, and many points in between. Featuring 15 songs from some of the world’s most gifted musicians including multi-Grammy winner Ladysmith Black Mambazo singing The Lion Sleeps Tonight, renowned blues artist, Taj Mahal, performing Quavi Quavi, and the international acclaimed pied piper of children’s music, Raffi, performing Like Me and You.

Buy It!

You can purchase CDs, child-sized musical instruments, and more at Music for Little People!  If you've never visited their site, you really should, I think you'll be impressed with the selection!

Win It - Giveaway Details!

One lucky winner will receive a set of 6-CDs from Music for Little People containing the following titles:  Love & Peace, Pickin & Grinnin, Giggling & Laughing, Singin & Groovin, World Travels,  and Sweet Slumbers!  This giveaway is open to US only and will end on December 16th at 10:00PM Central.  I'll email the winner who will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Mandatory Entry!

Visit Music for Little People and let me know something you learned about the company, a favorite product or what CD you think the little people in your house will love the most!

Extra Entries!

(If it states 2 extra entries, please leave 2 comments)

Follow me on Google Friend Connect (see right hand side bar) (+1 extra entry)

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Follow monkeyswashtub on Twitter (+1 extra entry)

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Tweet up to 3x daily, must be 1hr apart, leave one comment with the link to your tweet (up to 3 extra entries daily): 

Win a 6-CD MusicForLittlePeople Prize Pack @monkeyswashtub from @mflp_com! *US* http://goo.gl/fb/VbqMI  Ends 12/16!

Vote for me on the Fence (+2 extra entries daily)

Include the Dear Santa button (code on the upper left-hand side) on your blog's sidebar for 10 additional entries in every giveaway on every participating blog!

Disclosure: This is a giveaway post online. Review products were received in connection with the Healthy Families, Happy Kids event! No additional compensation was received

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Cradle Rock Children's Music Review & Giveaway

I knew my kids would love hearing new music and I was excited to be able to introduce them to albums that I knew they would love and I would be able to hum along to as well!  These acoustic albums are great for little ears and you'll probably enjoy listening to each CD as well!  We received Cradle Rock's first three albums for review and can't wait to hear even more of their albums as they are released!

“Cradle Rock”, a series of children’s lullaby albums produced and created by Brash Music and Tree Top Records, hit stores and digital distribution channels October 25th. Cradle Rock uses vibraphones, glockenspiels and mellotrons to turn iconic songs and albums by top artists such as Kenny Chesney and Johnny Cash into naptime-friendly listening material. 

With Cradle Rock, parents can introduce their children to some of the greatest albums ever recorded including the first ever urban album turned into lullabies, Michael Jackson’s Thriller (released 29 years ago November 30th). “Parents will appreciate that Cradle Rock keeps melodic structure and tempos in tact,” says Steve Jones, CEO of Brash Music. “Moms and dads write us saying they can sing right along to Cradle Rock while rocking baby to sleep.”

Cradle Rock albums in development include U2’s “The Joshua Sleep Tree,” Black Eyed Peas’ “Sleep-pea Hits” as well as lullaby albums inspired by Nickelback, Carrie Underwood and The Eagles.  You'll definitely enjoy the lullaby versions of your favorite songs and sharing your favorite songs with your children!

Buy It!

You can listen to snippets of each Cradle Rock album before you purchase and then buy online for $11.98!  When you purchase the CD, you'll also receive an automatic MP3 download too so you can listen immediately waiting for your CD to arrive!

Win It!

One lucky reader will win their choice of one Cradle Rock CD from the three mentioned above! This giveaway is open to US addresses only and will end on December 9th at 10:30PM.  I'll email the winner who will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Mandatory Entry!

Visit Treetop records and listen to the snippets of each album and let me know which album you'd love to have for yourself or your kids!

Extra Entries!

(If it states 2 extra entries, please leave 2 comments)

Follow me on Google Friend Connect (see right hand side bar) (+1 extra entry)

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Like TreeTop Records on Facebook (+3 extra entries)

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Follow monkeyswashtub on Twitter (+1 extra entry)
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Tweet up to 3x daily, must be 1hr apart, leave one comment with the link to your tweet (up to 3 extra entries daily): 

Win a CradleRock lullaby CD! @monkeyswashtub from @treetoprecords http://goo.gl/fb/1eJ5K Ends 12/9!


Vote for me on the Fence (+2 extra entries daily)

Disclosure:  This post was written for Family Review Network & Cradle Rock who provided the complimentary product for review and giveaway in exchange for my honest opinions.

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It's Santa Claus! : Ben Rudnick & Friends Music Review & Giveaway

First I want to give you a little background about the band, previous CD releases, and more about It's Santa Claus!  Ben Rudnick & Friends have been bringing families, music and fun together in their own, one-of-a-kind “American Roots” style from their first CD release, Emily Songs, in 2000 to their tremendously acclaimed 2009 album, A Frog Named Sam, to this year’s celebration of the band’s 10th anniversary. With countless awards and kudos to their credit, including five Parents’ Choice Awards, Ben Rudnick & Friends focus on providing a common ground where all family members can, without compromise, enjoy a shared musical experience.

Since the band’s creation back in 2000, Ben Rudnick & Friends have wrapped up each busy year by playing December holiday shows -- taking the spirit of the season and turning it into fun energy. And every year they’ve been asked, “Do you guys have a holiday CD?” The answer has always been “no,” until now. Ben and the band have taken their trademark “fun for all” attitude and finally recorded the oft-requested holiday CD.

It’s Santa Claus! —named for the album’s original title track—is full of holiday cheer and stocking-stuffer priced at only $9.95. In addition to “It’s Santa Claus!,” Ben and the band have recorded seven classic holiday tunes enhanced by the charming twists and turns that come from playing holiday shows for nearly a decade. (Think a mariachi saxophone section on “Jingle Bells” ... ) Songs include “Jingle Bells,” “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” “Let It Snow, “Frosty the Snowman,” “Here Comes Santa Claus,” “Auld Lang Syne,” and “Greensleeves.”

Okay, so now that you know more about the band and a little bit more about the CD, what did we really think about it?

I love finding children's music that is fun, has great rhythm, and doesn't sound like everything else out there!  I've also enjoyed listening to the samplers of Ben Rudnick & Friends on their site and can't wait to share additional CDs with my boys because I know they will love songs like Macaroni & Cheese (on The Challenger Baseball CD) and Dads Can Dance (Blast Off CD)!  It's Santa Claus includes classic songs with a new twist and great background music that will definitely have you dancing around the house as you decorate this holiday season and will help keep you in the season all the way until Christmas!  This CD is suitable for anyone, not just kids and we plan to add it to our array of Christmas CDs that will played over and over again this holiday season!

Buy It:

You can purchase It's Santa Claus and the various other recordings from Ben Rudnick & Friends.  Before purchasing, you can sample all the tunes so you know you'll love what you're buying!  Shipping is included in your purchase price too, so there aren't any surprises at checkout!  If you're on the east coast, you may still be able to catch them live!  Check out their show schedule for dates near you!

Win It - Giveaway Details:

One winner will win a copy of It's Santa Claus! by Ben Rudnick & Friends!  This giveaway is open to US & Canada and will end on December 3rd at 10:00PM Central.  I'll email the winner who will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen!

Mandatory Entry:

Visit Ben Rudnick & Friends and let me know a favorite song, something you learned about the band, or another album you would love to own!

Extra Entries:

(If it states 2 extra entries, please leave 2 comments)

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Tweet up to 3x daily, must be 1hr apart, leave one comment with the link to your tweet (up to 3 extra entries daily): 

Win a copy of It's Santa Claus! @monkeyswashtub from @BenRudnickKids http://goo.gl/fb/DyWJW Ends 12/3!  US*CAN
Vote for me on the Fence (+2 extra entries daily)

Disclosure:  We received a copy of It's Santa Claus & A Frog Named Sam for review in exchange for our honest opinion.  No additional compensation was received.

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Music for Little People Review & Giveaway (3 winners)! - CLOSED

CLOSED!

Music is definitely a staple in our home...the kids love pretty much any type of music and we love exposing them to all varieties of music so that they can sing and dance and have fun with it!  We also make sure to always have "kid music" in the car for any trips longer than 15 minutes so that they really get a chance to listen to the music and ask any questions they might have!

Music for Little People® has created over one hundred and twenty recordings specializing in music that parents will love as much as the children.  Music for Little People is celebrating their 25th anniversary this year with some great composition CDs and great new releases too!  In addition, Music For Little People has garnered over 140 awards, including 53 Parents' Choice awards (20 Gold and 2 Classic Gold), 16 American Library Association "Notable Children's Recording" awards, 10 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio awards (including 4 Gold and 6 Platinum), 20 National Association of Parenting Publications (NAPPA) awards (including 11 Gold) and 2 Grammy® nominations in the "Best Children's Recording" category. Music for Little People has also received Parents' Magazine Parents' Prize awards and National Association of Independent Record Distributors "Indie" awards.

If your kids like to get up and dance like mine do, then I think you'll love Music for Little People as much as we do!  We received a sampling of CDs including:  Maria Muldaur's, "Barnyard Dance", Aaron Nigel Smith's, "Everyone Loves to Dance", and Buckwheat Zydeco's, "Bayou Boogie"!

From Music for Little People:  Platinum selling songstress extraordinaire, Maria Muldaur returns with the newest in her series of award winning music for children and families.  Maria Muldaur's upcoming release, "Barnyard Dance" is a great jugband collection that includes some of the happiest music ever written and will have your family giggling, tappin' their toes and singing along. This "barnyard collection" is the perfect recording to get your family joining together in a musical party. Bring out the pots and pans and washboards and kazoos for a swinging journey to a wonderful, innocent, carefree time in American musical history.

What we thought:  My kids really loved "Barnyard Dance", but I wish we would have taken the time to really pull out the pots and pans and kazoos and tried to emulate the music...we could have really had fun with this CD and plan to in the future (but we listened to it in the car)!  My kids loved "The Barnyard Dance" the best and I'm guessing once we make a homemade band to play along, more songs will become favorites too!

From Music for Little People:  Aaron Nigel Smith's hip, original songs keep the whole family moving and grooving and his new CD. Everyone Loves To Dance features 15 songs with special guest performances by Ziggy Marley, Kevin Richardson (BackStreet Boys), DJ Drez and Junior Rhythm (Rhythm Child).  Aaron regularly appears as a musical guest on the Emmy Award Winning PBS Kids' show Between The Lions. His music and movement enrichment program, FUNdamentals Of Music And Movement, serve thousands of children in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City and Boston, with over 3,000 schools, centers and daycares in his network.

What we thought:  Aaron Nigel Smith's, "Everyone Loves To Dance" will really get those little booties moving and grooving!  This was a new style of music for my kids since they are used to typical children's music, country, or 80's playing in the CD player or on the radio.  They loved the beat of the music and the sing along lyrics were fun too!  This is definitely a CD to listen to when you are trying to fill the, "mom, I'm bored" moment with great songs like "Simon Says", "Let's Pretend", and "Head, Shoulders, Knees, & Toes"!  This is definitely a fun CD that will get your kids up and moving!  For a limited time, you can even hear a sample of the songs at Music for Little People!

From Music for Little People:  The Grammy-winning worldwide ambassador of Zydeco music is back again with a family dance party collection from the Bayou country of southwest Louisiana that pulls out all the stops in "Bayou Boogie"…Smokin’ accordion, rockin’ Hammond B3 organ, rollicking rubboard and tasty guitar licks join together to create a musical gumbo of Creole culture that can almost be smelled and tasted. Buck, his young friends, and some very familiar guest stars including Laurie Berkner, Dan Zanes, Aaron Nigel Smith and Maria Muldaur, guide children and parents through a mix of songs including some of the most family-friendly classic rock ‘n’ roll tunes – done in a Zydeco style as only Buckwheat can – plus great original songs that entertain and get kids moving while they teach. The result is a rich tribute to this unique melting pot of American culture.

What we thought:  This is definitely new music for my kids...we loved the beat of the music and being able to expose them to new culture through music!  Buckwheat Zydeco's "Bayou Boogie" was fitting too because right after listening to this CD we visited the State Fair of Texas and there was a tribute to Zydeco music in the greenhouse display so my kids knew all about it!  It's great when music can be used as a learning opportunity!  My boys loved Twist and Shout and the Hokey Pokey on this CD and couldn't wait to get out of the car and listen to it at home where they could dance!

Not only can you purchase wonderful music at Music for Little People, they also carry child-sized instruments from guitars to ukuleles, and even mini-baby grand pianos!  You'll also find a great selection of toys, DVDs, and Nature Kits at Music for Little People!  There are also some fabulous compilation CDs celebrating 25 years of the best in children's music!

Buy It!

You can purchase "Everyone Loves to Dance" now at Music for Little People!  "Barnyard Dance" and "Bayou Boogie" are available for pre-order at Music for Little People!  Don't forget to check out all their amazing compilation CDs, musical instruments, and even child-sized headphones.  We've purchased from Music for Little People in the past and have never been disappointed!

Win It - Giveaway Details!

Three will win a prize pack containing all three CD's mentioned above ("Barnyard Dance", "Everyone Loves to Dance", and "Bayou Boogie")!  This giveaway will end on November 1st at 10:00PM Central.  I'll email the winners who will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen! (US Only)

Mandatory Entry!

Visit Music for Little People and let me know a CD you'd love to listen to, your favorite child-sized musical instrument that you never knew existed or something else you find really cool about Music for Little People!

Extra Entries!

(If it states 2 extra entries, please leave 2 comments)

Follow me on Google Friend Connect (see right hand side bar) (+1 extra entry)

Like Two Monkeys & a Washtub on Facebook (+3 extra entries)

Like Music for Little People on Facebook and let them know your favorite CD and that Two Monkeys & a Washtub sent you! (+2 extra entries)

Follow Two Monkeys & a Washtub on Networked Blogs (+2 extra entries)

Subscribe to Two Monkeys & a Washtub by e-mail/RSS feed (+2 extra entries, you can do both)

Follow monkeyswashtub on Twitter (+1 extra entry)

Follow Music for Little People on Twitter (+1 extra entry)

Tweet up to 3x daily, must be 1hr apart, leave one comment with the link to your tweet (up to 3 extra entries daily): 

Three will win a MusicForLittlePeople prize pack @monkeyswashtub from @mflp_com http://goo.gl/fb/oJa3y !Ends 11/1!

Vote for me on the Fence (+2 extra entries daily)

If you have the Healthy Families, Happy Kids Button on your blog's main page include 10 additional entries in the comments!

Disclosure:  We received the three CD's mentioned above in addition to a few other CDs from Music for Little People.  We've also purchased from Music for Little People in the past and loved their products so we were excited to share!  No additional compensation was received!

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Music Review: Paula Cole - Ithaca

The GRAMMY Award-winner, and one of the preeminent female singer/songwriters of our generation, Paula Cole, journeys to ITHACA on her deeply personal new album to be released on September 21st (Universal/Decca Records).

From the press release:
On her fifth album ITHACA, Cole takes listeners on an intensely emotional, yet uplifting journey through divorce ("The Hard Way," "P.R.E.N.U.P") and the struggle to recover one's identity ("Elegy," "Waiting on a Miracle") before allowing herself to revel in the healing. Along the way, she acknowledges being torn between work and her daughter ("Somethin' I've Gotta Say"), and ultimately celebrates having music to get her through it all ("Music In Me").


The 42-year-old mother, who’s young daughter suffers from severe asthma, has penned some defining music over the years for women, including “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?” and the theme to Dawson’s Creek, “I Don’t Wanna Wait.” Says Cole, "My albums are like Polaroid snapshots of my life. The writing is the hard part because my process is highly personal and autobiographical. This new album reflects me processing the things in life we all face on a daily basis."

My thoughts:
If you're looking for an album that is honest music that leaves you feeling like you know the singer, then this is the album for you.  I was drawn into Paula Cole's music, her voice, the lyrics, and the story that was being told as I listened.  I felt a need to listen to the entire CD to understand the entire story and to feel the raw emotion.  The background music went well with her vocals and  you could feel the honesty in her voice.  I am not normally drawn into listening to an entire CD, but Paula Cole's Ithaca was definitely a must listen for me!  This CD is real life and the struggles that go along with living it.  It truly defines the life of being a woman in all the details (pleasant or not).
You can find out more about Paula Cole and the new album on her MySpace page!  You can also follow her on Twitter or like her on Facebook!  You can purchase the CD beginning today (September 21, 2010) at retailers or online.

Disclosure:  I received a pre-release review copy of this CD to facilitate my review.  No further compensation was received.

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Review & Giveaway: The Flannery Brothers, The New Explorers Club (children's music)

Children's music that the whole family can be silly with, laugh with, and truly enjoy is hard to find.  The Flannery Brothers are inventive with their lyrics, innovative with their sound because the music is not just one single style throughout the CD, and definitely entertaining to both kids and adults. This is definitely music that will make you want to get up and dance – there will be no sleeping allowed with this fun music playing in the background! The Flannerys are Mike and Dan, who are accompanied by their “honorary brother,” Jonathan Merrifield (percussion).

The New Explorers Club includes songs that will allow your kids to just be kids (and you the chance to be a kid right along with them)! Songs include: “Big Kite,” “Hi 5 Dance,” “In the Middle,” “Pirate or Parrot?,” “Green Submarine,” “Boots,” “Sea Glass,” “Quiet Place,” “Kitchen Floor,” “Let’s Go!,” “The Elements,” and “Best Adventures.” It’s a terrific collection of songs that kids can easily learn and be silly about! Our favorite song had to be, “Boots”! We loved the rhythm and my kids thought the lyrics were really fun too!

The Flannery Brothers New Explorers Club CD will be released in mid-October and this is a definite must-buy! I won’t be lending my copy out to anyone!  If you want to check out songs on their first two albums, you can download them at iTunes or on Amazon!  You can purchase their first two release through their website!

Giveaway Details:

One Two Monkeys & a Washtub reader will win a copy of The New Explorers Club! This giveaway will end on September 24th at 10:00PM Central. I’ll email the winner who will have 48-hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Mandatory Entry:

Visit the Flannery Brothers website and let me know something about the group, one of their first two CDs, or what you think your favorite song will be on The New Explorers Club based on title alone and why!

Extra Entries:

Follow Two Monkeys & a Washtub on Google Friend Connect (2 extra entries)

Follow monkeyswashtub on Twitter (1 extra entry)

Follow The Flannery Brothers on Twitter (1 extra entry)

Tweet about this giveaway (up to 3x daily, at least 1 hour apart for up to 3 extra entries daily)

#win FlanneryBrothers, TheNewExplorersClub Kid’s CD @monkeyswashtub @FlanneryBros http://goo.gl/fb/PBcCA ! Ends 9/24! RT

Follow Two Monkeys & a Washtub on Facebook (3 extra entries)

Follow The Flannery Brothers on Facebook and let them know you’re visiting from Two Monkeys & a Washtub (3 extra entries)

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Enter any of my other giveaways (1 entry for each giveaway entered)

Add this giveaway to a linky, come back and leave me the link and approximate # (3 extra entries)

Disclosure:  This post was written for Family Review Network & the Flannery Brothers who provided the complimentary product in exchange for my honest review.  No additional compensation was provided!

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Children’s Music Review & Giveaway: The Rattles - CLOSD

This giveaway has ended!  Thanks for entering!

If you haven’t heard of The Rattles yet, you probably will soon ! The Rattles are a lively band of furry animals that make music for your children to get up and dance along with. The Rattles release their debut album, Rattle On, on September 25th. The colorful group of animal musicians has developed a fresh, modern mix of classic rock and power pop, which reminds me of The Beatles and They Might Be Giants! It’s definitely trendy music that won’t drive mom and dad crazy while your kids have fun! Not only will your kids learn music, tempo, and rhythm while listening, they will have fun too! The Rattles mix animation with music to give you toe-tapping music that kids and parents will enjoy! I know my kids have truly enjoyed listening to the music!

Their debut album contains nine songs: "Rattle On," "Lucky Sam's Banana Stand," "Shipwreck in the Sky," "Wavy Lane," "Goodbye Yesterday," "1-2-3 Count on Me," "R-A-T-T-L-E-S," "Monday Morning Drive" and "Apple of My Eye."







The Rattles Band was created by Tony Caio, who is best known for his animation direction for well-known licensed creations like The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss, Curious George Goes to a Chocolate Factory for Scholastic, and Hollywood Betty Boop for Bally Gaming. He created The Rattles Band so parents and their children would have a way to connect through a family friendly music experience.

Don’t forget to join The Rattles Fan Club! and be the first to know about upcoming releases, special deals, and possible tour dates!

Mandatory Entry & Giveaway Details:

Visit The Rattles home page and let me know something you learned about this great new children’s group! This giveaway will end on September 27th at 10:00PM. The winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. Please be sure to leave your email in your comment or verify that it’s visible in your profile so I know how to contact you! (US Only)

Extra Entries:

(if it states 2 extra entries, please leave 2 comments, etc.)

Follow The Rattles on Twitter and let them know you’re stopping by to say hi from @monkeyswashtub (3 extra entries)

Like The Rattles on Facebook and let them know you’re stopping by from @Two Monkeys & a Washtub (3 extra entries)

Follow Two Monkeys & a Washtub on Twitter (@monkeyswashtub) and tweet about this giveaway - up to 3x daily at least 1 hour apart - come back and leave me a link to your tweet!

(up to 3 extra entries per day)

#win The Rattles children’s music @therattlesband @monkeyswashtub at http://goo.gl/fb/yfZLW ! Ends 9/27! RT Pls

Vote for me (2 extra entries each day just for clicking)!

 Follow Two Monkeys & a Washtub on Networked Blogs (2 extra entries)

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Subscribe to my blog via email or RSS feed (2 extra entries for each, you can do both)

Enter this giveaway in a linky, come back and let me know where you left it and the # (3 extra entries)

Blog about this giveaway.  Come back and leave me a link to your post (5 extra entries)

Wow - that's a lot of ways to win great products for your kids!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of The Rattles debut album in exchange for my honest review and opinions.  No additional compensation was provided.

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Music Review: Lang Lang: Live in Vienna

From the initial news release:  "Sony Classical is proud to announce its debut release “LIVE IN VIENNA” from one of the most thrilling and inspiring musicians of our time, the world-renowned pianist LANG LANG. Recorded and filmed live in Vienna’s legendary Musikverein concert hall, the Sony Classical debuted on August 24th in multiple formats. This release represents Lang Lang’s second live recorded recital to date after the best-selling “Live at Carnegie Hall” in 2004, which marked his international breakthrough as a recording artist. He has performed the new album’s program at the world’s major concert venues and will continue to tour with it throughout 2011."

So that you can see Lang Lang perform in person, here are the upcoming 2010 U.S. Tour Dates:

September 18 – Dallas, TX – Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center

September 20 – Santa Fe, NM – Santa Fe Opera House

September 22 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Hall

September 25 – Washington D.C. – John F. Kennedy Center Concert Hall

September 29 – NYC – Carnegie Hall

December 31 – NYC – Avery Fisher Hall

So what did I think:  Unbeatable combination for an enjoyable musical listening experience. Lang Lang's recital in Vienna features Beethoven Sonatas, and works of Albeniz, Prokofiev and Chopin.  I enjoy hearing his performance of old favorites, as well as, pieces that are less frequently performed. The music is varied though almost too soft at times but always keeps your attention. Enjoyable, entertaining and a good listen! This live recording is a good venue for his performance and definitely worth the listen, though I usually prefer studio recordings.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of Lang Lang: Live in Vienna from Sony Music in exchange for my honest review and opinion. No additional compensation was received.

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Review: Monkey Monkey Music: What Are The Odds CD

Meredith LeVande developed Monkey Monkey Music to make learning through music a fun and joyous experience for kids! What Are The Odds, her 2nd CD release, definitely has songs that are not only fun, but include lyrics that teach kids with every song! Okay, so what do I mean by that? Take the title song, What are the Odds?, this song teachs odd numbers, days of the week, the planets, and objects within a single song. The music is very upbeat and kept my kids dancing and engaged throughout the entire CD.

Want to hear samples of Meredith's music? You can listen to tidbits here and read the lyrics of additional songs (although just reading the words really doesn't do justice to the music that accompanies them). If your kids love music, and you're looking for something that's got a fresh sound and will keep your kids entertained, pre-order your copy of Monkey Monkey Music: What Are The Odds now! CD will release on August 31st!  If you live in the New York area, you can also book your child's birthday party with Meredith (see website for more information) - I'm so jealous!

Disclosure: This post was written for Family Review Network & Monkey Monkey Music who provided the complimentary product in exchange for my honest review. No additional compensation was received.

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Promises, Promises - Music Review & Giveaway

Released today (June 21, 2010), Promises, Promises, is the new Broadway cast recording based on the 1960 Academy Award-winning Billy Wilder film The Apartment. Promises, Promises tells the story of the Consolidated Life Insurance Company and Chuck Baxter (Sean Hayes), one of its charming young employees. In an effort to advance at the company, Chuck lends executives his apartment for their extramarital romantic trysts. But things become slightly complicated when Fran Kubelik (Kristin Chenoweth), the object of Chuck's affection, becomes the mistress of one of his executives.

The hit-packed score for Promises, Promises was the one and only Broadway foray of Burt Bacharach and Hal David and includes the gems I Say A Little Prayer, A House Is Not A Home, I'll Never Fall In Love Again, Promises, Promises, Knowing When to Leave and Turkey Lurkey Time.  As with any CD from a Broadway musical, I think it's always easier if you've seen the musical to really appreciate the music, but the score is still enjoyable!

Promises, Promises has been nominated for four 2010 Tony Awards and stars Emmy Award-winner Sean Hayes (TV s Will and Grace), Tony and Emmy Award-winner Kristin Chenoweth (TV s Glee, Wicked on Broadway), Tony Goldwyn (the movie Ghost), Tony Award-winner Katie Finneran (Noises Off on Broadway) and Tony Award-winner Dick Latessa (Hairspray on Broadway).

Giveaway Details:
I have a review copy of the CD to giveaway to one of my readers.  To enter this giveaway, let me know your favorite Broadway musical.  It's that simple!  I'll be picking the winner at random, but if I don't hear back from them I might just choose the runner-up based on your answers! This giveaway will end on July 5, 2010 at 9:30PM Central and I'll e-mail the winner who will have 48 hours to respond!

(Please include your e-mail so it's easy to contact you. It's no fun to determine a winner and have no way to get a hold of them! If you're new to this whole blog giveaway thing - check your profile, your e-mail may be hidden!)

Want to earn additional entries? I make it really easy (and you can earn lots of extra entries) As you can tell, I love my Google Friends, subscribers, tweets and comments!
** Earn two extra entries each day for returning to this post and just letting me know you are a Google Friend (I friend back, just let me know if you have a blog you'd like me to friend). Leave two separate comments.

** Earn two additional entries each day for being an e-mail/feed subscriber (yes, you can be a subscriber and friend). Leave two separate comments.

** Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway! Come back and leave me a comment for each tweet you make with your twitter name (you can do this daily) – if I don’t already follow you, I’ll follow you back too. @monkeyswashtub Promises, Promises CD Giveaway at Two Monkeys & a Washtub at http://goo.gl/fb/DeNU3

** E-mail your friends and cc: me on the e-mail. Come back and leave a comment letting me know that you sent an e-mail out to your friends.

** Leave a meaningful comment on another post on my blog, and leave me a comment letting me know where you commented! You can do this daily too, just leave an additional comment here too! I want to know what you like/dislike about this blog, so let me know so I can tailor it to work for my readers! Thanks!

** Grab my button and post it on your blog, come back and leave me a comment letting me know that you did just that or add me to your blogroll and come back and let me know that you linked me up!

This giveaway has ended!  Thanks for visiting!

Disclosure:  I received a digital review copy and a CD review copy of this CD  from Sony Records in exchange for writing up this review.  I opted to giveaway my CD copy since I have access to the review copy.  No other compensation was provided.

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