CD/Music Review: Anastacia: Evolution

 

Evolution, released in 2017, is Anastacia's seventh studio album. Like most of her prior albums, this one blends elements of pop, dance, rock, R&B, and soul, mixing slower ballads with faster, more upbeat tracks. There are 13 tracks in all. The only single released for the album was "Caught in the Middle". The album charted modestly overseas in Europe, but did not really get much traction in the US. If you want the physical CD, you will likely have to pay for an import, but it is available digitally. The CD liner contains the lyrics for each track, production notes, a handful of pictures of Anastacia, and a couple of pages of thank-you notes. 

Those who have followed her career know it has been interesting. Although Anastacia hit the music scene around the time people like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera were dominating the US Top 40, she never achieved the same level of popularity in the States as they did. I think her sound was similar enough to younger pop stars that people who had outgrown pop were probably not interested in it, but different enough that the teenagers and college kids who were listening to pop at the time never got behind her. Even though she is much more popular in Europe, she does have a solid fanbase in the US. Even though the album was not a massive hit, it is still good and absolutely worth listening to. Ultimately, if you liked her prior albums, you will probably enjoy this one. 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 8

Day 8 was the start of week 2, which was the first upper-body circuit again.  It is much easier to follow after you have done it once. That is not to say the workout itself gets easier, but once you know what to expect, you can flow from one exercise to the next more smoothly. I was able to slightly increase the weight I used for some of the exercises. However, since you are still doing 20, 16, and 12 reps in the three sets in each circuit, you will probably not be able to significantly increase the weight unless you went way too light on the weights in week one. 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Days 6 & 7

Days 6 and 7 in Dig Deeper are rest days; alternatively, there is a steady-state cardio workout. I just took both days off; however, I walked about 2 miles each morning and did quite a bit of yard work each day, so I was still quite active. It was definitely nice to get a break, given how many reps of weighted exercises you do during the week in each workout. 

Product Review: Zulay Rechargeable Frother

 

This is a rechargeable frother with three interchangeable heads: a single frother, a double frother, and a traditional whisk, which can be used for tasks like beating eggs. The frothing heads are perfect for mixing coffee and hot chocolate, especially if you are adding creamer or protein powder. It also comes with a USB-C charging cable. It has three different speeds. The only negative is that there is only one button, so you have to cycle through all three speeds after it is turned on in order to turn it off. It would be better if it had a separate power button so you can just turn it off and remove it from what you are mixing without having to speed it up, even for a second. That said, it still works well and is absolutely worth the price.

Product Review: ENJOYBASICS 3 Tier Expandable Shoe Rack

 

This is a shoe rack that can expand from just under 18 inches wide to just under 33 inches wide. It is an all-metal rack that is extremely easy to put together. There are six expandable rails that are secured to the end pieces with screws that have a knob end. It does not require any tools to put together. One person can put it together in under ten minutes. They say it can hold up to 12 pairs of shoes. I think it depends on how wide the shoes are, but realistically, it can probably hold six pairs if it is collapsed, and nine to twelve when fully extended. A couple of caveats. It is probably not something that would hold high heels well. It is best for flats or small-heeled shoes. Also, if you have something with a higher top, those will only be able to go on the top rack, and very large boots will not fit on it. It also probably would not hold really small children's shoes because they would probably fall through the rails. However, for a single person, or even a two-adult household, it is perfect and will easily fit in a mudroom, front entry, or front closet. It is absolutely worth the price if you are looking for an inexpensive way to keep a handful of shoes organized. 

Magazine Review: FHM July/Aug 2000 (Issue #3)

 

FHM is a magazine that debuted in 2000 (the July/Aug edition was actually the third edition of the magazine to be printed). It was much in the vein of Maxim, in that it was tailored to late-teen to mid-twentysomething males, both in terms of the articles' content and the pictorials and interviews with models and actresses. The featured interview and pictorial in this issue is with Alicia Silverstone, who is also on the cover. The interview covered her acting career up to that point (including the notorious Batman and Robin film), her animal rights stance, and lame attempts by guys to pick her up. Ali Landry was also interviewed about her rise to fame after being featured in a Doritos Super Bowl commercial. This issue also included interviews with Cheech Marin, David Blaine, Jack Black, and Stan Lee. 

The articles are mostly tailored to topics such as sex, great vacation destinations, men's fashion, and things that were big in pop culture at the time. The most serious article involves the rise of piracy in different waterways.  The advertisements were pretty interesting as well. There are a lot of ads for DVDs (which were gaining in popularity at the time) and the requisite cigarette ads that were still prevalent in magazines. Ultimately, FHM was a good fluff magazine with lots of pictures of hot women and articles geared toward young men. And unlike the few remaining print magazines still around today that are razor-thin and barely have 50 pages, this actually had quite a bit of content and was nearly 200 pages long. It is worth reading if you can track down a copy, as long as you do not expect award-winning journalism. 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 5

 Day 5 is the end of the first week of Dig Deeper (unless you do the optional steady-state cardio routine on one of the two off days). It is the second lower-body circuit of the week. It follows a very similar format to yesterday's workout, with two blocks/circuits with weighted exercises and a core exercise. Each block has three rounds/set, and you perform 12 reps of each exercise in every set. Also, like yesterday's workout, it goes quickly and has a bit of a cardio effect, even though you are not doing any traditional cardio. 

CD/Music Review: Anastacia: Resurrection

 

Resurrection is the 2014 studio album by Anastacia. It was her sixth studio album, and, when it was released, her first album with original material in over five years. Like most of her albums, this one did not gain much traction in the US but was a hit in several European countries. Also, like her prior albums, the songs are a mix of pop, rock, soul, and R&B. It contains more slow, ballad-like tracks than the upbeat dance tracks featured on her earlier albums. Although there are a couple that fall in the latter category.

It contains 10 tracks in all, some of which were written and recorded during her second cancer diagnosis, so some of them are absolutely inspired by her personal experiences. The CD liner includes lyrics and production notes for each track, a few pictures of Anastacia, and the usual thank-you notes on the final page. Overall, the album is very similar in style and tone to her prior albums. I would not say that there is one or two standout tracks on the album, but there are no bad songs. Ultimately, if you have liked or loved her previous albums, you will likely enjoy this one. 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 4

Day 4 is the second upper-body circuit workout of Phase 1. This one has two blocks/circuits, each with 4-5 resistance exercises (mostly using dumbbells, with a couple of bodyweight-only exercises) and an ab/core-focused exercise. As with the other workouts in this phase, each circuit is performed three times, but in this workout, each set has 12 reps. The total workout time, including the warm-up and cooldown, is just under 50 minutes. The "main" portion of the workout goes by quickly, however, since you are almost constantly moving, and the rest periods are short. I was not sweating as much as I was in yesterday's total body circuit workout, but my heart rate did get over 130 a few times. 

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 3

Day 3 of Dig Deeper is a total-body circuit workout. It follows a similar format as the first two workouts. In this one, you do four circuits of three exercises: an upper-body exercise, a lower-body exercise, and a core-focused exercise. You also do three sets for each circuit/block. The main difference between this one and the first two workouts is that you do 16 reps in each set, as opposed to the 20, 16, 12 format.  

It is a good workout, but tough. It goes by fast. In some of the exercises I fell behind the cast and was ending the prior exercise while they were starting the next one. There is very little rest between sets or blocks, so your heart rate will get up there, and you will be sweating by the end, even if you do not sweat much while weight lifting. 

Book Review: David Copperfield

 

David Copperfield is a novel by Charles Dickens that was first published in the mid 1800s. It is a fictional coming-of-age story of a boy named David Copperfield who survives a traumatic childhood dealing with a cruel stepfather, being sent to a horrible boarding school, forced to work in a factory, etc. He eventually begins to study law, becomes a successful author, and marries his lifelong friend. Although it is a fictional story, it is based on elements of Dickens' own life. 

The Easton Press version of the book, which is included in Easton Press' 100 Greatest Books Ever Written collection, is just over 820 pages and leather-bound. It is, honestly, a very hard book to read. The pace is slow, there is no tight central plot, and the main character is just recounting what he observes. Unlike some of Dickens' other novels, such as A Tale of Two Cities and Great Expectations, this one was hard for me to get into, and I often found my mind wandering while reading it.  I never connected with any of the characters, and just found it a slog to get through. While it is interesting because it is based on aspects of Dickens' life, and I wanted to like it more than I did, I would not say it is a must-read. 

Product Review: Pestie

 

Pestie is a bug control subscription service. It claims to be customized to the types of bugs in the area you live. It ships throughout the year, basically quarterly, just before winter, early spring, mid-summer, and early fall. You have the option to pay as you go, when each shipment is sent out, or pay once a year, which has a higher upfront cost but is ultimately less expensive. There are also options for a single application or, if you have a larger area to spray (such as a large deck or patio), a double (XL) application. The first shipment includes a spray applicator and charging cable (which you keep and reuse), a bottle of concentrate, a pair of latex gloves, and a bag for mixing the concentrate (to which the applicator attaches). In every other shipment, you get a new bottle of concentrate, gloves, and bag. The price for a single application, if you pay per shipment, is about $43; on the XL plan, it's about $90 per shipment (as of this writing). On the yearly XL plan (which is what I subscribe to), you pay a little over $200. Either way, it is much less expensive than paying for a pest control company to come out and spray. 

Basically, you fill the bag with water up to the fill line, pour the bottle of concentrate in the bag (and rinse the bottle with water to get everything out), then attach the applicator to the bag, and start spraying. Primarily, you go around the perimeter of your house and spray from the ground about 2 feet up. I also spray around the windows on the ground floor and doors, around my garage doors, and my back deck and patio. I also spray in the unfinished storage room in the basement, around my sliding door, and inside the garage. 

I originally purchased a subscription when I lived in my old townhouse, because my association would not spray around individual units. The main issue at the townhouse was paper wasps, and Pestie really helped reduce their numbers. I moved into a new house last year and had a lot of spiders and boxelder bugs both inside and outside. It took a couple of applications, but I now notice a drastic decrease in the amount of boxelders and spiders inside the house. When I first moved in, there were tons of spiders on the back patio off the basement, and now there are almost none. So, it is definitely working.

The company has wonderful customer service. I had an applicator that was not working correctly, and they immediately shipped a new one. Also, when I discovered that one application would not provide enough coverage for my new house, they sent a second kit out free of charge and switched my subscription to an XL plan. Ultimately, if you are looking for a more affordable pest control option, this is a very good one. 

Revisiting P90X 20 Years Later

 

As readers of this page know, I recently did the original P90X program. The program, which was originally released in 2004 on DVD (and VHS), took the home workout market by storm. Before it came along, most at-home workouts (aside from the handful of other BeachBody workouts that existed at the time) were cardio-based and required little or no equipment. It was created by trainer Tony Horton and released by BeachBody (now BODI). While BODI has stopped releasing DVD workouts, the vast majority of the programs they have released over the years, including P90X, can be streamed through their websites and apps. 

P90X is actually a follow-up program to Horton's original Power 90 program. It contains some of the same exercises, but P90X has more workouts, and they tend to be longer. The program is structured into three phases, each lasting 4 weeks, with a recovery week between Phases 1 and 2 and after Phase 3. In each phase, there are three weight-based workouts, two cardio-based workouts (plyometrics and Kenpo karate), a yoga routine, and an ab routine performed on lifting days. There is also an optional cardio workout that can be substituted for the plyometrics workout and an optional stretching routine that can be performed on the rest day (usually Sunday). In the recovery weeks, you do the yoga routine twice, the stretching routine, the Kenpo workout, and a core-focused workout called Core Synergistics, which you also do twice. In each workout, there is a modifier who performs alternate (usually less intense) versions of the exercises or uses bands instead of weights.

Some things about the program are very good and hold up well over time. Other things are not. The overall mix of exercises and workouts is good, but because you do the same workouts over and over, they do get repetitive. Many of BODI's newer workouts are real-time, with a new workout performed nearly every day. This not only helps avoid repetition and boredom, but does the "muscle confusion" thing (basically switching up workouts so your body does not adapt to what you are doing, which was a big selling point for the program if you watched the P90X infomercials) much better than P90X does. Having a modifier to show alternative versions of the exercises was good, and there is enough time between exercises to get new weights (which some newer programs do not always provide). The things that did not age well over time (or were just silly) include:

First, the warm-ups in each workout were absolutely ridiculous. You do about 3 minutes of calisthenics warm-ups like running in place, jumping jacks, etc. (which is plenty), then 5 minutes or so of stretching. In the Kenpo workout, you do 11 minutes of cold stretching. In a different workout, Tony makes a point of saying you never want to stretch an ice-cold body, then does it in the Kenpo workout. The stretching would have been much better post-workout, and I usually skipped it when I did the program.

Second, the yoga routine was insanely hard and way too long. In Power 90, the only yoga was about 3 minutes of moving asanas (which is the warm-up in P90X) at the beginning of the cardio routines. There was no separate yoga routine. P90X then throws 90 minutes of yoga at you, with some moves so advanced you have no shot at doing them (even if you are in good shape) unless you have been doing yoga for years. Then, he includes a core routine toward the end, despite saying in the ab-ripper-x routine not to work abs every day, so each week you do abs three days in a row. It would be one thing if Power 90 had a 45-minute yoga routine with some of the easier moves included to prepare people for the P90X routine, but this is like going from a backyard kiddie pool to being thrown into the deep end of an Olympic pool.

Third, some of the scripted elements that were meant to be spontaneous were really cheesy. For example, during the shoulders-and-arms workout, the guy in the back "loses track" of how many reps he is doing, and Tony tells the audience to keep track of their rep counts. However, the first time he does it, Tony misses the cue, so he does it again on the next exercise.

Ultimately, P90X is a good program that helped many people get in shape. There are definitely things that could have been done differently or better. For example, I think they should have done totally new routines in each phase of the program, if nothing else, to keep people from getting bored with the repetition. I also think some of the routines could have been shorter, and the muscle groups being targeted in the workouts should have been switched up more. But, hindsight is always 20/20, and while it may not be the revolutionary program it once was, it is still worth going back to from time to time.

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 2

Day 2 of Dig Deeper is the first of two lower-body circuit workouts in the program's first four-week phase.  It follows a very similar format to yesterday's workout. You have two blocks of work that form a circuit, and within each of the circuits/blocks, you perform 3 sets of 4-5 exercises, with minimal rest between the exercises and a short rest between sets. The workout is just under 50 minutes in length, but it is so fast-paced that it goes by very quickly. Most of the exercises are variations of squats or lunges, but the first circuit does include bench step-ups. There is no cardio in this workout (or the entire program), but because the first phase focuses on muscle endurance, and you are doing a lot of reps, your heart will get up into zone 2 or even 3 at times, and you will sweat a bit. As with all of Shaun T's workouts, he does get a bit goofy, and he loves saying the name of the workout multiple times. But if you have done any of his other programs, you know to expect it.  

Workout Update: Dig Deeper: Day 1

Today was day 1 of my next program, Dig Deeper, which is a muscle-building workout by Shaun T on the BODI platform. After finishing P90X, I was trying to figure out what to do next, so I did the 10-minute muscle program and then did the first two weeks of Joel Freeman's 10-minute speed train program. Those are good, especially if you are a beginner, have had a long layoff or break from working out, or want to de-load/recover and still work out in a way that prevents you from losing too much muscle. 

The first day is an upper-body circuit workout. The first month focuses on muscle endurance, so you do a high number of reps with light to moderate weight. This workout has two circuits, each containing 4 exercises (chest, back, biceps, and triceps), performed for 3 sets. In each set, you do all four exercises back-to-back, with little to no rest. At the end of each set, you do a core/ab exercise, then you get a 45-second break before the next set starts. In the first set, you do 20 reps; in the second, you do 16; and in the third, you do 12.  All four exercises in the first block/circuit use weights, and in the second circuit/block, two of the four are performed just using your bodyweight, and the other two use weights. 

You definitely need an assortment of dumbbells and an adjustable weight bench. The transitions between exercises are very quick, especially in sets 2 and 3 of each circuit, so it would be very hard to do this workout with adjustable dumbbells like Bowflex SelectTech or Power-Blocks. That is not to say you cannot use them, but you would need to be very proficient and quick at changing the weight. 

The workout is good, but it is tough. It will get your heart rate up a bit, and you will probably be sweating and tired by the end of it. 

4K-UHD/Movie Review: E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial - 40th Anniversary Edition

 

E.T. is the iconic 1982 film directed and produced by Steven Spielberg about an alien who becomes stranded on Earth and befriends a young boy and his family. It stars Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore, Robert MacNaughton, Dee Wallace, and Peter Coyote in the main roles. The supporting cast includes C. Thomas Howell, K.C Martel, Sean Frye, and future original Baywatch babe, Erika Eleniak. In the film, an alien becomes stranded on Earth after his ship leaves without him. He hides in the shed of a family who live near where he was stranded and is discovered by a young boy named Elliot (played by Thomas), who befriends E.T. and helps him attempt to contact his species so he can get back home. 

The 40th Anniversary 4k set is a two-disc set with a UHD disc and a standard blu-ray disc. Both contain the same content. The original theatrical edition of the film, and several hours of bonus features. Note that this release does not include the 2002 re-release with the additional footage and the CGI enhancements, which is the only thing that knocks it down a star for me. The bonus content includes two new featurettes made for this release, original making-of and behind-the-scenes footage filmed during production, and content created for the film's 20th Anniversary. The bonus content also includes the trailer and promotional content, as well as multiple picture galleries featuring photos taken during the film's production and promotional stills. The A/V quality is very good, and the movie looks and sounds great in UHD. Neither the audio nor the video transfers are quite reference-quality, but if you have a large screen and/or a multi-channel surround-sound system, you will probably not be disappointed.

This is an extremely good, but not great, release. Of course, the movie is wonderful and holds up well even (as of this writing) 44 years after it was made. Some of the cultural references in the movie are dated; however, the overall story holds up very well. It does have a little swearing and includes things that probably would not be included (like the teenagers smoking at the beginning of the movie) if it were made today, but overall it is very family-friendly, mixing drama, humor, and action. And, of course, John Williams' score is outstanding. The bonus content is excellent. The highlight of the archival material is a young Drew Barrymore (who was six when the film was shot) hamming it up on set and being interviewed at the movie's premiere. If this release had included both versions of the film, it would absolutely be a five-star set. Hopefully, when Universal releases a 45th- and/or 50th-anniversary edition, they will include both versions of the film. That is the only thing that would get me to double-dip for a new edition. Ultimately, it is a wonderful film that takes you on an emotional roller coaster, going from suspenseful to funny to dramatic to sad to uplifting. It is well-written, very well-acted, and absolutely worth watching.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Bates Motel: Season 1

 

Bates Motel is partially a prequel to and partially a reboot of the Psycho franchise, which started with the iconic 1960s Horror film by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Anthony Perkins. The series ran for five seasons on A&E from 2013 to 2017, with the 10-episode first season airing in the spring of 2013. The main cast members in season 1 include Vera Farmiga, Freddie Highmore, Max Thieriot, Olivia Cooke, and Nicola Peltz. The recurring and supporting cast includes Nestor Carbonell, Mike Vogel, Keegan Connor Tracy, and Jere Burns. The series tells the story of a young Norman Bates (played by Highmore), who moves with his mother, Norma (played by Farmiga), from Arizona to White Pine Bay, Oregon, where she has purchased a property with a house and hotel out of Bankruptcy after the death of Norman's father. Throughout the season, we learn more about Norma and Norman's past, Norman's mental health issues (which, if you have seen the movie and any of the sequels, you already know about), and that the town and its residents have many secrets.

The blu-ray set is a two-disc set. The A/V quality is excellent, and the episodes look and sound great in HD. The bonus content includes deleted scenes on both discs (about 20 minutes on the first disc and a little under 10 minutes on the second) and a 45-minute interview/Q&A session with some cast members and two of the series' creators. 

The first season is very good. Because it is set in the modern day rather than being a pure prequel to the original film, the writers and cast members have more creative license to tell their own story. While there are certainly elements of Perkins' Norman Bates in Freddie Highmore's performance, he does not try to copy Perkins. Farmiga is outstanding as Norma, playing her as a mix of concerned, overprotected, and creepy when it comes to her relationship with Norman, and combative with almost everyone else. Thieriot is wonderful in his role, which is a bit of a spoiler, so I will not reveal it here, as is Cooke, who plays a friend and classmate of Norman's at his new school and works for Norma at the hotel. Ultimately, it is a great first season that is well-written and very well-acted. The writers do a great job not revealing too much about the various storylines, yet still revealing enough to satisfy the viewers. The series draws inspiration from shows like Twin Peaks and The Killing, so if you were a fan of either of those shows, and/or a fan of any of the films, this is absolutely worth watching.

4k-UHD/Movie Review: Erin Brockovich

 

Erin Brockovich is a 2000 fictionalized biographical film about the legal assistant who helped build the toxic-tort case against Pacific Gas and Electric for groundwater contamination in Hinkley, California. It was directed by Steven Soderbergh and stars Julia Roberts, Albert Finney, Aaron Eckhart, and Marg Helgenberger in the main roles, and includes Cherry Jones, T.J. Thyne, and Tracey Walter in supporting roles. Brockovich and the attorney she worked for, Ed Masry, also have cameo appearances in the film.

In it, Roberts plays Erin Brockovich, an unemployed single mother who is injured in a car accident. She is referred to attorney Ed Masry (played by Finney), who assures her that he expects to win her case at trial. After a loss at trial, Erin shows up at his law firm and talks him into giving her a job. She begins working on a real estate case in which the owners of a power plant are offering to purchase a family's house in Hinkley, California. Brockovich discovers that the city's water is contaminated with toxic Chromium being used at the plant.

The 4k set is a two-disc set containing a UHD disc and a standard blu-ray disc. Both discs contain the same content. The A/V quality of the UHD disc is very good. I would not call either the audio or video transfer reference-quality, but for a film that is dialogue-heavy and does not use computer-generated effects, it looks and sounds great, especially on a large screen with a good sound system. All bonus content is included on the UHD disc and carries over from the original Blu-Ray release. That includes deleted scenes that can be played with or without Soderbergh's commentary, a short interview with the real Erin Brockovich, a making-of featurette featuring interviews with cast members, as well as Brockovich and Ed Masry, the theatrical trailer, and two featurettes centered on the 100th anniversary of Universal Studios.

The film is well-written and very well-acted. It is arguably Roberts' best movie and role, and she absolutely deserved the Academy Award for best actress. It mixed humor and drama very effectively and balanced showing Erin Brockovich's complicated personal life with her devotion to the people she was trying to help. There is a lot of swearing, including a lot of sexual humor, but no nudity. The film is a fictionalized docu-drama. The film mostly stayed true to actual events, but some things were changed or added to the story for dramatic effect. Ultimately, it is a great film that is absolutely worth watching and adding to a physical media collection. 

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Frasier: Season 7

 

The 24-episode seventh season of Frasier aired during the 1999/2000 TV season. All of the main cast members returned for this season. The character of Bulldog was once again made a recurring character, so Dan Butler made fewer appearances this season than in the past couple of seasons. The guest cast this season includes Rita Wilson, Jane Adams, Marg Helgenberger, Jean Smart, Robert Loggia, S. Epatha Merkerson, and Anthony LaPaglia. There were fewer guest callers this season, as the show's focus was mostly outside the radio station. Gloria Estefan was the most recognizable caller this season. Bebe Neuwirth and Trevor Einhorn also reprised their roles as Lilith and Frederick in a great Thanksgiving episode. 

As of this writing, the Blu-Rays are only available in a complete series set. In the set, each season is packaged in its own keep case, and the seventh season has three discs. There are no bonus features on the seventh-season discs, but the episodes can be played with English captions. The individual seasons are available on DVD, and season 7 is a four-disc set with no bonus material.

The show remains very funny in season seven, with many laugh-out-loud moments. It continues to mix story-of-the-week procedural storylines with longer serial arcs. This season, the main serial arc involves Daphne's impending wedding to Simon, and the ongoing teasing of Niles and Daphne getting together. The writers keep finding ways to keep the characters apart; however, the season-ending scene takes a huge leap forward in advancing their storyline. David Hyde Pierce and Jane Leeves continue to be outstanding in their roles as Niles and Daphne, but all the characters are given great material this season, and all of the primary characters get at least one episode centered around them. Ultimately, if you have enjoyed the series up to this point, season 7 is well worth watching.

CD/Music Review: Anastacia: It's a Man's World

 

It's a Man's World, released in 2012, is Anastacia's fifth studio album. It is a collection of 10 cover songs sung by male rock artists. The songs include covers of The Foo Fighters' "Best of You", Guns N' Roses' "Sweet Child o' Mine", Oasis' "Wonderwall", and Aerosmith's "Dream On". The physical CD was only released overseas, so you'll have to pay for an import if you want the actual CD. The album can be streamed in the US and includes a bonus track where she covers Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun". The CD liner includes the lyrics and production notes for each track, a few pictures of Anastacia, and a "Thank You" page. Anastacia does a great job covering all the songs on the album. She stays true to the original tracks and does not heavily adapt their arrangements. That said, she incorporates her own sound and style into each one so they are not just carbon copies of the original songs. Ultimately, if you are a fan of her prior albums, especially the more rock-oriented tracks on her prior albums, this is absolutely worth checking out.