"MY RULES," produced by Craig Clifford, inVoice Records, $15.99
Craig Clifford is on a mission. He wants the power of music to influence youths in a positive, uplifting way.
Clifford is the executive producer of the new CD “My Rules,” a collection of songs that focus on 12 values which he calls "rules." Each of the 14 songs on the CD has a unique sound, with a variety of artists including David Osmond, Aaron Edson, Jarrett Burns, Karsten Longhurst, Royce, Jason Salmond, Austin Jones and Clifford himself.
The music is geared toward tween and teens who are looking for good music while not giving up sounds that are popular. The title track gives hope by stating that following the rules will lead you to having peace of mind.
“When I was a youth I was taught many core values by my parents, religion, etc., but we didn't have cool music that reinforced those values or spoke to our power in proactively choosing to live by good principles,” Clifford said about his inspiration to put this CD together. “Being a father of three, I wanted my kids to have entertaining, uplifting music that portrays this idea that living a cheerful life is based on choosing to live by self-imposed rules. The title track, 'My Rules,' talks about this theme and lists all 12 of the rules separately covered in the CD.”
The vibe of this CD will be familiar to youths of today, with tracks in several genres. “Everything Will Go My Way” has a beachy pop/rock sound, “Clean” has a hip-hop feel, “The Home of the Brave” has edgy tones and “Make a Man a Man” has a country nature which speaks to how a man should act and behave.
“Help Me Help You,” is a joyful track that teaches how to help one another, and “Trust Me,” a rock-style cut, is filled with lyrics that encourage gaining trust through being there in tough times.
All songs on the CD are written by Aaron Edson (of "Popcorn Bopping"), who also lends his vocal talent to nine of the tracks.
“The songs speak of religious tolerance, being a loyal friend, being courteous, kind and helpful to others, taking care of your body, using your money wisely and being trustworthy,” Clifford said.
Amy Wilde is a writer living in Brigham City. She blogs at amywildeatmosphere.blogspot.com, follow her on twitter at wildeatmosphere or email her at wilde.amy@gmail.com.