Tal & Acadia

*TAL & ACACIA, 'WAKE ME' CD Not to long ago I received a message through my 'Contact Us' blog site tab sent to my email from a woman by the name of Kristen from Provident Music Group asking me if I would be willing and interested in listening to one of their newer Christian artist Cd's, duo sisters Tal & Acacia and then asking if I would share my feedback about their music on a blog posting. This is the first time I had been approached by a company to ask for my thoughts about some music they would be sending me and since it was of a Christian Faith, naturally I was intrigued so I agreed. Well just yesterday I received the two Cd's (one to keep for myself and the other to us as a give away). I listened to 'Wake Me' by the duo—sisters Tal & Acacia and I've gotta say that while listening to their music in my truck with my two young kids in the back seat that it was very different, yet invigorating and fresh. Tal & Acacia music is defined under the category as Pop/Alternative/Christian and rightfully so; it matches this league yet is also in a league of its own. My initial first impression of this CD was that the music had a little too much of a 'twang' for my taste and I also felt that it had a childlike, kind of teenage type of style to it, yet it didn't take me long to find that after just listening to their songs but a couple of times that I began singing the chorus to their words in my mind, craving to listen to their soundtrack again.

The beat from the music in this CD, Wake Me, is somewhat 'different' (if you will) but also very moving and alive, and the lyrics are very catchy. But for me what changes my 'like it' to 'love it' was the words and common life conflicts that they display through their talented writing of songs. For me this is a BIG hit with any music I listen to; if I can relate to the message in what the song is producing than I am more often than not won over by the piece of melody, which was the case with 'Wake Me'. For instance the song 'Garbage In', was a very convicting one that challenged me to look at my own reflection in the mirror at what potential 'garbage' I have allowed in my own personal life. Same goes for the song 'Merry Go Round', which for me, spoke to me on a Spiritual level about moving out of my own comfort zone of everyday routines to venture out and seek God for His will and desire for my life, and less of my own fleshly wants.

I began to very much enjoy the music and as a HUGE bonus it was very family friendly in that I could listen to it while in the company of my almost 6 yr. old and almost 4 yr. old children. In fact my soon to be 6 year old daughter continually asked that I replay 'Garbage In' repeatedly as she loved the way it sounded; she even began to try to memorize the words! I explained the meaning behind the song; that the Garbage (meaning if you put the wrong information in your mind/heart, the results coming out will also be wrong) and she actually seemed to have gotten that concept. I don't know how well she's gotten the understanding of it, but all I can say is later during the evening when she was playing in her younger brother bedroom I overheard her telling him what the song represents. This is what I heard her say as I quietly listened to her convere with Little Jesse, her younger brother: 'The 'garbage' is what Satan fills your mind with like when you want to watch a cartoon with guns then you'll start to pretend to be that garbage and want to use guns too and I don't want you to use guns because they hurt people, okay little Jesse?!' Pronounced with a firm exclamation at the end of her instructions to him.

Such is the case in the adult world as well, or any age for that matter. So whether that it be watching a seductive TV show, viewing pornography on the Internet, hanging around crowds that try to persuade you into doing inappropriate activities such as drinking, driving and drinking, drugs, robbery, cursing, etc, anything that would move you further away from the Lord is to be considered garbage. Doing such things long enough is going to come out in the one who is surrounding themselves with it. So for me personally, this song, 'Garbage In', was my favorite, maybe it's because the song really spoke to me on a personal and spiritual note of conviction or maybe it's because I was touched by how much my own 5 year old daughter quickly was drawn to the lyrics; I'm not sure, but for me it has always been and will always be that anytime a song forces or prompts me to view my own convictions in my life, drawing me to serve Him better and stronger, than the song almost immediately has me wrapped around it's finger!!!

Soon after I received a request to review the CD 'Wake Me' I received another email from a Christian Homeschooling Company asking if I would be interested in reviewing some of their homeschooling products and also doing a blog posting about my review on it as well. I was in shock because both of these companies contacted me through my blog within just weeks of one another, and in the same way that I agreed to review the Christian CD I also agreed to review Crossway's Homeschooling supplies, which I am awaiting for now. I am excited about this product since I will be able to give an accurate review by applying the homeschooling material to my own kindergartner and preschooler and watch to see how they measure up with their understanding of the academics involved. I only hope that it lives up to our expectations, which I don't doubt it will. Please keep your eye out for this review as I hope to post it hopefully before school begin.