A few weeks ago you may remember I wrote an awesome article about Pandora radio. It was all about how you could use it to create unique stations that your entire family would love.
After posting that article, I received an email from someone unexpected. Frances England’s publicist. She said that Frances was happy to see her name in my list of favorites. And she wanted to send me a copy of her new album.
I was so shocked I read the email several times then went to tell my husband the amazing news. He was pretty excited about it, too. After that, I told tons of people about this amazing artists and the amazing opportunity she’d offered me.
When the album came in the mail, I ripped the envelope open and immediately put the disk in the stereo. We listened to that album everywhere we drove for the next two months. My three-year-old daughter quickly learned the words and always sang along.
First Things First
First let me share some info about Frances. Her musical career began in 2006 when she recorded music for her son’s fundraiser. Little did she know that she would win the impressive Oppenheim Platinum Music Award in 2007 for her first album, Fascinating Creatures.
Frances released Family Tree in 2008. Many critics praised her for her folk-rock sound and originality. I personally love Family Tree. The whole album is about how each unique person comes together in a group to create a beautiful family.
My favorite song on the Family Tree album is You and Me. When I hear the lyrics my heart swells and I picture my own babies growing up. Frances has a gift for writing songs that capture how moms truly feel about their children. I’m sure it stems from her own experiences.
Mind of My Own
Now, let’s get to the meat. When I saw the album’s title, Mind of My Own, it immediately brought my daughter to mind. I constantly find myself reminding her who’s in charge. After listening to the title track, she realized that one day she will be in charge of herself. And at the same time, I learned that she does know a few things — maybe a little more than I give her credit for.
My daughter’s favorite song is Vacation Delight. When we get in the car, Annabelle says, “Mom, can you play that song about sitting in the car playing the guitar?” And she loves the chorus. It’s so fun to hear her sing, “Va-cation, va-cation, de-lights.”
Frances has provided all her music on her website. You can hear Mind of My Own here, too. On November 9, you can also buy the album on Amazon, on iTunes, or on her website.
I have had so much fun discovering Frances and sharing her with my family and friends. Have fun listening and discovering how special this artist is.
