Happy Halloween … here’s free Music!!!!!

First off ….. I hope you and your family had a fantastic Halloween filled with fun, laughter, costumes, candy and tricks or treats depending on how you swing. I’ve seen some really awesome costume pictures posted, and not quite as many pumpkins posted but I can’t say much cause for the first time in years I haven’t carved a pumpkin this year either. To say the last week of my life was insane is a HUGE understatement. 10-14 hour work days were not fun at all.

Second off …. FREE MUSIC!!!! Loyal readers know I LOVE music and if it’s free then it’s even better. A few years ago a friend of mine came into town for Bayfest (RIP Bayfest) and before Eric Church hit the stage The Springs hit the stage. I LOVED it. They were a fun group to watch live and I immediately came home and bought their EP off Itunes. I’ve been watching them from a far ever sense. By far the best song from that album was Stand for those who can’t … and Summer all year long. :D

This group has gone through some changes but at it’s core is their need to get their music out there for the fans, with 7 free songs available on their website, some of which were on their EP. In 2014 they released a 12 track “CD” released on Itunes. Worth every penny. They are growing with every track they create, and every song they cover on YouTube. Seriously check out their version of

Tim McGraw’s Meanwhile Back at Mama’s and you’ll fall in love with this group https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-sGU26A5L0

Another good one is their cover of the Florida Georgia Line song “Dirt”.      https://youtu.be/0pNMW7IGNNI   

(I really wish these were one the 7 or even on the CD but oh well that’s why I have you tube right?! :D

They’ve done it again. So who are the Springs Band? They are a country group, now a duo, consisting of Stewart Halcomb and Holly Helms, I mean my bad Stewart and Holly Halcomb (they recently got married) who are both Alabama natives. Stewart was born on Halloween (10/31) and as a gift to the fans they released not only 7 new songs but a brand new website. Check it out here ..

http://www.thespringsband.com

They are asking for feedback on their new songs so I thought BLOG POST (I’m a multitasker after all) !!! :D so here goes … Like with my review of Start Here by Maddie and Tae I’m posting my initial reaction to each song as I listened to it for the first time, then I refine my “critique” as I listen a few more times. It’s my belief that when you listen to music for the first time you hear the words but not the melody, or vice versa. Then after a few listens you start taking in the entire track. :D

I love that so many of these tracks are original to this band, after so many covers it’s nice to hear their voice come out on these tracks! :D

As Long As I’m With You

I really like this song I do … I like the melody, the harmony they create and I like the idea behind this song, I do NOT however like they “hey” in the middle of the lyrics of the chorus, I guess at a live  show it’s a good place to introduce audience participation, but it just takes away from what they are trying to do with the song.

Everybody Runs

I LOVE THIS SONG!!!! Any song that paints a picture into my head from the first lyric makes me happy. I like how it showcases the range of Holly without blowing out my ear drums to do it. Upon my second or third listen I was already singing along with this one. I could TOTALLY see this as a Highway Find, I hope someone at the Highway hears it and makes that happen. I’ve done my part by tweeting the Highway (I assume that’s how a Highway Find is … well found …) I wish they had a spot on their site where you could really recommend Highway Finds.

Hey Time

This is another that I’ve heard before, they posted it on youtube (if you have exclusive access … which I do) and both versions are perfect. I love the melody of this song, it reminded me of Amen written by Bryan White, performed by Love and Theft and as I’ve said before any songs that makes me think of Bryan White is a winner in my book. This one showcases the talents of Holly and was written by Holly and Stewart with their friend Daisy Mallory.

I Just Might

Not gonna lie I’ve heard this one before. They posted it somewhere (Facebook maybe?) and I loved it. I like having a more “professional” version of it cause it showcases Stewart so well.

I Just Wanna Know

This song perfectly showcases the harmony that happens when Stewart and Holly sing together. That makes me happy. Can we talk about how the fast tongue twisterness of this track just really works with this song. (that’s right I said Twisterness). Gotta love a good harmony. When this track starts immediately think of Garth Brook’s song but I can’t put my finger on which track. Something about the guitar riff makes me thing of the Garth Brooks song. I wish I could remember which one it was cause it is distracting me from this song.

One Thing

This is a really great “beat bullying” song but with a new twist. I’d tell you most but you need to hear it. It’s more about celebrating what makes you different than about what the “bully did” at least to me.

Good Night

This one starts off very aggressive … it also feels me with anxiety cause it’s basically a list of everything that can go wrong in a day … however what I love about is the message that anyone can make any day better for someone else. The right word at the right time, a hug, a smile it all makes a difference. Giving someone a smile in a store, telling a coworker good job on a project they are working on, anything could literally make their day better and this song is a good reminder of that. Thank you Holly and Stewart for this track … it made me smile and that is always a good thing.

Final thoughts …. I love how this group complements one another perfectly and yet also know their strengths and how to showcase each other at the right time on a single track. I love the way they blend together. Each track they release they grow as a team, they are better as artist because of it. I can’t wait to hear what they do next.

So there you have it. Those are my thoughts on their new music but what I LOVE about music is that you might feel entirely different about these songs. So check out their new website, get their music, and then tell them what you think about their music and wish Stewart a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! (they are super active on social media) . . .

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/TheSpringsBand

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesprings/
Instagram:  https://instagram.com/thesprings/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/thespringsband
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thespringsband
ITunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-springs/id890654834

Happy Halloween!!!!! I hope you got more than Rocks, unlike the kids here who were stuck at home due to the weather :( boooooo Mother Nature!!!!!

Marcy (@beaslma)

Have you enjoyed October ?

I know .... I know .... we suck. It's been a while since we posted but it's October, my favorite time of the year, and my waking minutes not spent working have been spent watching some horror movie awesomeness.

Some of my favorites have included the Halloween series, but not the 3^rd one or the 1^st one that Rob Zombie did, tho I admit the 2^nd Rob Zombie Halloween IS one of my favorites. He totally tanked the first one, he even admits that so I’m not scared he’s going to come after me about that, but he redeemed himself, in my opinion, with the 2^nd one. If you haven’t seen it you totally should.

It’s been fun watching old classics again like The Shining, the Curse of Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Little Shop of Horrors, Poltergeist, and the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre, which isn’t really a classic but a darn good movie.

It’s been fun watching old favorites too like the Addams Family, Casper, Hocus Pocus, anything by Tim Burton, Toy Story of Terror, and of course It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown. It’s not Halloween without watching it at least once, but if you can swing watching it more than once you will be happier because of it.

I do however admit I've slept through more of these movies than I'd like to admit. I remember as a child being terrified by some of these movies, staying up late at night cause I couldn't sleep with the image of Michael Myers burned into my head. Yet as of late I lay down to watch one of these shows/movies and I’m really into it and then boom I’m waking up and the movie is over... it’s annoying really. The question is am I falling asleep cause they are boring now or am I falling asleep after a long day and it’s totally justified. Either way I don't like it!

For the record it’s not just movies, I’ve fallen asleep or struggled to stay awake for hour long dramas, or crappy “terror” related shows like Scream Queens on Fox, or American Horror Story Hotel on FX. I just can’t with either of those shows. I gave up on Scream Queens about 3 episodes in. It wasn’t entertaining, it wasn’t cleaver, it wasn’t something I wanted to be a part of, and when it first started I totally wanted to be a part of it. I wanted it to be good. I’m about an episode away from giving up on AHS too because it’s just … well gross. It’s not scary, it’s not even something that makes me jump, I spend most of the episode thinking well that’s not how something like that would happen or thinking about how many diseases must be spread in that hotel on a daily basis.

It's not even sexy, which is sadly what I think they are going for, it’s just … gross. I will however say that Lady Gaga has impressed the heck out of me. I am not a fan of her music, but it’s cause I don’t like repetitive music and her songs seem to be 6-8 lyrics repeated over and over and again to a technoish beat. I just can’t with that kind of music, it makes my brain feel it will seep out of my ear, and frankly I like my brain where it is at the moment, so I'll pass. I admit it .... My name is Marcy and I'll never be a club kid. However I admit that LG has embodied the character she has been given and you have to give her credit for that.

I hope you have all enjoyed your October found some new moves/shows to enjoy and took some time to enjoy the good weather with your family if not there’s still time. Go carve a pumpkin, go on a walk, watch some good TV and relax, that’s what this time of the year is all about.

PS we are going to get back to posting more frequent, we may even attempt the 27 days of thankfulness again, tho I make no promises. I do wish we could get some chatter going on this blog, otherwise it becomes more of a diary that isn’t really about me and that seems to be stilly. So join us …. Let us know you are out there.

-Marcy

TIME FOR HALOWEEN WARS !!!!

My all time favorite thing on Earth is back…. That’s right people it’s time for Halloween Wars on Food Network!! This is such a uniqe and fun take on a “Halloween” special that I look forward to it every year. I LIVE for new episodes every Sunday. As I type this up I’m watching a replay of last years Halloween Wars cause I missed it that much. Incase you haven’t heard of this amazing wonderful thing Halloween Wars consists of a Pumpkin Carver, Candy Craftsman and a Master Cake Artist (AKA rice Cereal Treat Artist) who team together to create a cohesive show piece that wows the judges and keeps them in the game. It’s a 4 part series and this will be the 5^th season of the show. I truly hope it NEVER ends. Each episode, each year is so different because the competitors are different, even when contestants come back for a 2^nd time they have a different team which changes everything. Did I mention the winning team gets $50,000?

http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/halloween-wars.html

The 2015 Teams:

Maroon–Spell Binders (Kristen Lovulla, Joseph Yakovetic and Charity George)
Orange– Scream Team (Robert Teddy, Adam Bierton and Darci Rochau)
Purple – Morbid Morticians (Renay Zamora, Rebecca Wortman and Doug Goodreau)
Green– Gore Mayhem (Heidi Trelstad, Rocio Varela and Dean Murray)
Yellow– 2 Ghouls and a Guy (Diane Fehder, Jeff Munchel and Bridget McCarty)

Learn more about the teams here…

http://blog.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/tag/halloween-wars-interview/

The setup of an episode:

Each episode has 2 rounds…. Round 1 is the Small scare challenge (45 minutes) in which the winner gets an advantage going into round 2 known as the Spine Chiller challenge (5 hours) which includes a tasting element for the judges and could be the difference in staying or going home. Each round has a specific theme that the teams have to focus their displays on. At the end of each episode a team is sent home.


L-R Brian Kimney, Shinmin Li, and your new host Rossi Morreale

Judges:

The series is judged by 2 main judges who remain through all the competitions and a guest judge who is a fresh pair of eyes every week. The main judges, who return for another season, include Shinmin Li, a pastry chef, and Brian Kinney a make-up artist known for the movie Dark Skies. 

Guest judges for this season include: Episode 1: Robin Atkin Downes (The Strain). Episode 2: Benjamin Papac (Walking Dead). Episode 3: Bex Taylor-Klaus (MTV’s Scream). Episode 4: Elvira (if you don’t know Google or Bing her & you'll fall in love with her).

NEW HOST!!!!

I’m sad to report that my buddy Justin Willman will NOT be the host for this year’s War as he has gone back to his day job. He’s a comedian/magician if you didn’t know. Check him out cause he’s awesome but that’s a post for another day.  

However, I digress….. as I said the new host is Rossi Morreale a former college football player at the University of Arkansas and is now an actor/producer/TV host. He appeared on the 2^nd season of “Temptation Island” and was the host of Junkyard Wars on TLC. He’s was listed in People Magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive" edition. He’s also hosted shows on G4, TBS, Extra, and On Air with Ryan Seacrest. I look forward to getting to know him better as this series progresses.

Follow Rossi on twitter @rossimorreale and welcome him to the War :D

Weekly Themes for the Spine Chiller Round include:

Week 1 – Infestation
Week 2 – Hybrid Horror
Week 3 – Grave Robber
Week 4 – Undead Dinner Party

Each team has a “leader” but all 4 have to come together to make it from week to week. There is a ton of chatter on Twitter each week so join the conversation by Tweeting #HalloweenWars and also hit @FoodNetwork so they will continue this event next year and for years to come.

It’s fascinating seeing these guys take these highly different mediums and get them to all work together to create a fantastic show piece. I love how each showpiece is so different even though they all have the same theme. The creativity of it is just awesome! Sometimes there are EPIC wins and other times epic fails but watching the steps it took to get there is great getting to see their creativity come to life and how working as a team affects the end result. One wrong move from one of them could ruin them all and send the team home.

This awesome show is on every Sunday with a new episode 9/8c. It’s only 4 weeks so jump on the bandwagon now and hopefully we’ll be back next year and for many years to come.

-Marcy (@beaslma)

Annual Halloween TV calendar

That’s right people it’s time for the annual Halloween TV calendar!!! Where has the year gone I mean seriously didn’t we just do this?! 

 

As always …. a few guidelines:

• I live in the central time zone, the times on this calendar reflect that, adjust accordingly.
• Unless otherwise stated the times are PM
  • Also the times may vary (my Tivo could be wrong, the website could be wrong) don’t call cause you missed Casper and now little Timmy is sad. Be an adult and check it before Timmy gets involved. Better yet tell Timmy we all have to grow up sometimes! K-thanks
• This calendar reflects the channels I get, I didn’t include HBO, Encore, Suspense, Sundance, Stars, Showtime etc., as those are NOT channels I get. That’s right people it’s all about me not you I’m just sharing the wealth! You are welcome!
• This calendar contains shows I want to see, so it includes a mixture of adult themed shows/movies and kid themed shows/movies. Some are classics and some are new, so PLEASE be mindful of what is on before you sit the kids down with popcorn to watch Michael Myers in Halloween.
  • Don’t call me cause Timmy watched Halloween and can’t sleep because that shadow looks like a guy holding a knife … that’s your mess not mine. Seriously don’t call, or that shadow won’t just be a shadow anymore.
• NOTE: there are several channels like ABC Family & SYFY who show round the clock shows this time of year. Due to space limitations I have picked the ones I want to see, and figure if you are watching those you will learn about Casper coming on next so again check listings in and around shows as there’s far more on than what made the calendar this year.

I am sad to report that there are several classics that haven’t made the calendar, but not because they aren’t loved. From Halloween to Beetlejuice, to Gremlins, to It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown etc., their showtimes aren’t posted yet. I’m sure they are showing it, I mean why wouldn’t they? It would be stupid not to show them. The sites are more concerned about their fall lineups at the moment than my Halloween calendar which frankly is just rude! Heck even AMC was like hey we have the Walking Dead, and Fear the Walking Dead, and Talking About the Walking Dead, (I mean really take an idea and run it into the ground why don’t you) what more do you need and the internet was all we need FEAR FEST! So the AMC Gods replied, ok fine it’s happening but we can’t release the line up yet so hold tight guys until Oct. 19^th in the meantime have you seen the Walking Dead?! … Sigh … All of this is to say PLEASE watch out additional programing to pop up throughout the month, as some of them are just too much fun to miss.

 

A few programs of note:

• Halloween Wars is back on Food Network starting Oct. 4th this is a 4 part completion series where teams of pumpkin carvers, cake decorators, and candy makers try to prove they are the best. Each episode has a different theme. My boy Justin Willman will not be the host this time around and I’m trying really hard to not be angry at him about it. Check it out every Sunday night! It’s awesome, even without Justin! :D
• Fox is showing the Simpson’s Treehouse of Horrors on Sunday Oct. 25^th. Rumor has it Bart is going to have a very interesting episode. *cough* Sideshow Bob *cough* so check that out then turn over to Food Network for Halloween Wars, seriously I live for Halloween Wars!  
• AMC is once again doing their FEAR FEST starting on Oct. 19^th through Oct. 31^st. Again the lineup hasn’t been set yet, but last year they showed Halloween, Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, Misery, and had Steven King and Child Play movie marathons.  It’s good fun!
• SYFY is also celebrating 31 days of Halloween starting Oct. 1^st showing great “cult” horror movies and science fiction awesomeness which includes original movies and classics. It also includes original programming like Scare Factor and Ghost Hunters, but that’s not what this calendar is for.
• ABC Family is once again celebrating the 13 Nights of Halloween starting October 19th lots of fun animation and family friendly movies and Halloween themed shows. ABC is showing Casper, Hocus Pocus, Toy Story of Terror, Adams Family, and so many others! Fun for the whole family !
• The Disney Channel  is having Monstober from Oct. 2nd through the 31st showing movies and Halloween themed shows as well. Another spot for family friendly fun!
• The Travel Channel has some fun programs that highlight decorating and celebrating the holiday across the country with shows like Halloween Crazy (Halloween Crazier) and my favorites America’s Scariest Halloween Attractions and Making Monsters.

This calendar does not focus on regular show “Halloween theme episodes” so no a Halloween themed Reba, or Roseanne won’t appear on this calendar. It’s more for movies and TV specials tho I admit Roseanne should be required viewing for TV writiers tasked with writing a Halloween Themed episode. If you are home and one comes on definitely stop and watch it.

 

If you are interested a partial list of these kind of shows (being added to daily) can be found here ….

http://www.mostlychristmas.com/others/halloweentv.php

 

The intention of this calendar, much like the Christmas one is to get your family to pause and spend some time together making memories. Maybe carve a pumpkin while watching, or create some fantastic Halloween Treats from your various Social Media sites and RELAX with your family. I loved watching the Garfield Halloween special as a kid, and am sad that it no longer comes on. That’s the other reason for this calendar, if we stop watching they will stop showing. So just because you have the Great Pumpkin on a shelf, take the time to watch it with your family when it FINALLY airs on ABC.

 

So sit back, scare yourself, and have a GREAT Halloween! It’s fall people enjoy it!

 

 

Marcy

@beaslma