DVD Reviews

Tori Amos - a sorta fairytale (Epic)

This is one of those DVD singles & a pretty packed one at that. You get the bizarre little video for "a sorta fairytale" that features Amos as a human leg and Oscar winner Adrien Brody as a human arm. It's a twistedly interesting visual. In addition, there is a short interview with Amos, biographical material, and a "making of the video" featurette. Well worth it for Tori Amos fans everywhere.

Arena - Caught In The Act (MVD / Metal Mind)

I'd always heard that Arena were a dreadful live band with zero stagecraft. If that is so, why is this DVD so very good? "Caught In The Act" is a great document of Arena's 2003 shows. Vocalist Rob Sowden has an almost futuristic look about him - he commands the stage well & his voice is powerful without ever being shrill.

The band is in top form on pieces like "Double Vision" and "Salamander." The camera work is great and image & audio are first rate. Lots of bonuses as well. Mick Pointer and the lads have a real winner here!

Asia - Fantasia: Live In Tokyo (Eagle Vision)

This is one of those DVDs where they got everything right. Great camera work with crisp images and well saturated color. Great sound. Caught the band on a hot night. No songs are interrupted. Nice bonus footage. The DVD captures the original Asia in March 2007, on their 25th anniversary tour. John Wetton, Carl Palmer, Steve Howe, & Geoff Downes have never been in better form.

Downes lays down some cool keyboard work on Cutting It Fine. Wetton is in fine voice on Here Comes The Feeling. Howe plays a mean acoustic on Intersection Blues. Palmer runs the kit on a dizzying solo during The Heat Goes On. It's a treat to see these guys enjoying themselves - you'll never see Steve Howe grin more than he does on this DVD!

As a bonus there's a fascinating set of interviews with all four members, taking the viewer from the inception of the band to the current reunion. Sweet booklet, nice package overall. A DVD you'll treasure.

Barclay James Harvest - Berlin - A Concert For The People (Eagle Vision)

What a pleasant surprise to see this DVD released in the United States! 2010 marks the 30 year anniversary of this concert held before 250,000 fans in Berlin. Barclay James Harvest were basically playing for an entire city! For this show, we see the five piece line up of Barclay James Harvest with John Lees, Les Holroyd, and Mel Pritchard joined by Kevin McAlea and Colin Browne.

The main program is about an hour of the concert: Berlin, Loving Is Easy, Mockingbird, Sip Of Wine, Nova Lepidoptera, In Memory Of The Martyrs, Life Is For Living, Child Of The Universe, Hymn. I love the vocal harmonies on Sip Of Wine and Life Is For Living. Musically, all is tight and note perfect as is expected from this ensemble.

As a bonus, the DVD includes five videos recorded by the classic four piece with Woolly Wolstenholme joining Lees, Holroyd, and Pritchard. They call it Time Honoured Tales and it was obviously made to promote 1975's Time Honoured Ghosts. The promo clips are for Jonathan, Titles, Moongirl, One Night, and Beyond The Grave. The guys look like kids, and Les Holroyd has an impossibly huge moustache! Tons of fun to see these promos. Berlin - A Concert For The People is a no-brainer must own!

The Bears - Live At Club Cafe (Merging Media)

Attention all bands! THIS is how a live DVD is supposed to be! None of the songs are interrupted by patter, backstage interviews, conceptual video, black & white crap, slow motion footage, or any of the other traps far too many live DVDs fall into. "Live At Cafe Club" does a daring thing: it shows the band in concert uninterrupted. It has all the bonus footage as a separate entity. How very cool!

The Bears are in the groove on this DVD. Drummer Chris Arduser is on some sort of supercrack to pull off the things he does. Bassist Bob Nyswonger is solid and melodic - not to mention fun. Adrian Belew and Rob Fetters are frethounds with their twin guitar attack. The set covers material from all 3 Bears studio albums. "Superboy," "Safe In Hell," "Caveman," and "Complicated Potatoes" are bursting with energy, and grins abound. The sole cover tune is an energetic version of King Crimson's "Red." The camera work is solid, the bonus features are relaxed and informative, and Arduser plays a mean mandolin on top of it all! This is the reference standard for all live DVDs.

The Beatles - HELP! (Capitol / Apple)

Oh, shocking! Monstrous! This is so! For years, we have endured the absence of the 2nd Beatles feature film from our DVD collections. Yes, there was a long out of print version from MPI, but it was fairly washed out and looked like it came off a decent videotape. We need wait no more. HELP! is here - looking spiffy and sounding fab!

The print is gorgeous and presented in its proper 16.9 aspect ratio. Colors are vibrant and crisp. The sound is much improved, and on numbers like You're Going To Lose That Girl and I Need You there is a depth much greater than their current CD counterparts. The standard version has a second disc with trailers, documentaries, and behind the scenes stuff. It includes a nice booklet with notes from director Richard Lester and an interesting little essay by Martin Scorcese as well. There is also a deluxe version with a poster, lobby cards, script, and more.

So very nice to have one of my favorite films so lovingly restored. Thrill once again to Ringo on the run from Clang, Foot, and their respective minions as they seek to part the sacrificial ring given to him by an "Eastern Bird" from his right hand! Give it the gun, Algernon!

Blackmore's Night - Castles & Dreams (SPV)

Grab your codpiece and rock, mate. Blackmore's Night is Ritchie Blackmore's renaissancy post Deep Purple, post Rainbow band that pairs the guitar legend with former Rainbow backing vocalist Candice Night. Amazingly, they've been around the bigger slice of a decade yet still under the radar of much of the public. It's a shame, as this is some quality music, folks. Castles & Dreams is a jam packed 2 DVD set. Disc 1 features an entire concert from 2004 plus a behind the scenes feature. As I was watching the behind the scenes feature, I heard a tantalizing cover of Jethro Tull's Rainbow Blues. I hope a full live version of this surfaces on video some day! Disc 2 has an acoustic set, promo videos, documentaries, and other bonus stuff.

The main concert has fine versions of Minstrel Hall, The Clock Ticks On, Cartouche, and Village On The Sand. Purple fans will enjoy Soldier Of Fortune, Black Night, and a chunk of Child In Time. Blackmore in inspired & inspiring. Every solo is memorable. Night has a soft, lovely voice well suited to the material. The crack band playing with them are flawless. I have seldom seen a DVD set with so much bonus material on it. This is a great set for a steal of a price!

Bruford - Borstlap - In Concert In Holland (Summerfold)

Bill Bruford & a keyboard player - sounds familiar! Only this one's Dutch, not Swiss. Michiel Borstlap is his name and he sure knows his way around those 88s! The music on this DVD is hard to define, so I'll call it experimental jazz rock for the moment. Where Moraz/Bruford had a melodic delicacy to it, Bruford & Borstlap are a bit more aggressive.

Bruford is a firecracker, playing as if the Devil is on his kit and only amazing percussives will keep Old Scratch at bay. Borstlap combines confident piano with gurgling, swooping synths. All the audience can do is look on in awe as the duo explore each others' limits and find none. The 2 instruments create a very full sound in the hands of Borstlap & Bruford.

The disc has a few nice extras as well as a free audio CD of the performances to sweeten the deal even further. For Bruford freaks and jazzters of all shapes and sizes, man!

Bill Bruford's Earthworks - Footloose In NYC (Discipline Global Mobile)

Recorded at the Bottom Line in NYC in 2001, this DVD finds Earthworks in fine fettle. The quartet here is Bill Bruford on drums, Steve Hamilton on keys, Mark Hodgson on bass & Patrick Clahar on horns. "Triplicity," "Original Sin," "Bridge of Inhibition" and 9 others are well represented here. The band are cookin'!

The DVD includes a nice little backstage interview with Bruford & co. as icing on the cake. Audio is immaculate, video is sharp, packaging is fab with bio & discography. The Bruford name has come to represent class and quality in musicianship and presentation, and this DVD furthers that ideal.

Kate Bush - Under Review (Sexy Intellectual)

A hardcore Kate Bush fan will ask "will I learn anything new here?" The answer is - yes! Not a ton of new info, but certainly some. Under Review is a well assembled chronological program taking the viewer from The Kick Inside to Aerial. History & views come mostly from Paul Gambaccini & Mojo's Phil Sutcliffe with addition perspectives from writer Lucy O'Brien and Bush percussionist Morris Pert as well as words from Bush herself. Lots of performance clips as well, including a chunk of a different video for Babooska that I had never seen.

The tone is serious without getting too too reverent. Gambaccini & Sutcliffe in particular are informative and well rounded in their assessments. If there is a complaint, it's a small one - The Red Shoes and Aerial get considerably less coverage than the earlier albums. In all fairness, there's just less to report as Kate Bush has moved further & further out of the public eye as the years go on. An opinion here & there to disagree with, but no big deal there. As with most critical pieces, this is "unauthorized," but it's quality goods from end to end. Definitely worth a spot in your collection.

Caamora - She (Metal Mind Productions)

When I was a kid, I used to buy the Warren horror comics "Creepy" and "Eerie." They had art by some of the greats in the comics field, just fantastic illustrators. It was a joy to look at their work every month and I lapped it up for years. Having said that, the stories themselves bit. I left this DVD feeling the same way. Excellent musicians. Great singing and playing. But the writing... eh, not so much. The staging & "acting" (the DVD is a live performance of the double album) straight out of high school.

She is an ambitious prog opera adaptation of H. Rider Haggard's classic tale of the same name. Music & lyrics are by Arena / Pendragon mainstay Clive Nolan. In addition to vocals by Nolan and Caamora cohort Agnieszka Swita, Pallas vocalist Alan Reed and Magenta vocalist Christina Booth are prominently featured. All can certainly sing well, and turn in strong performances, although Swita's vocals sometimes betray her Polish roots with lines like Hi hknow you haff de powurr!, but otherwise clear and powerful. All the instrumentalists and orchestral players are pretty flawless, with drummer Scott Higham a real standout. The playing is not the problem.

The music itself is. She sounds like a 16 year old's Andrew Lloyd Webber pastiche. With endless dramatic crescendos and lots of "ominous" pieces, parts of the score could be the soundtrack to a Legend Of Zelda videogame. As for the staging of the performance, Nolan & Reed are dressed like they ran through a Banana Republic to grab clothes for auditions for Journey To The Center Of The Earth and look "important" and in awe most of the time. The rest are in faux Egyptian garb from a local Halloween costumer. It is painful at times. Well intentioned to be sure, but in the end, Spinal Tap come to life.

Caravan - The 35th Anniversary Concert (Chrome Dreams)

Here is a thought for you. In the music business of today, if you are older than your mid 20s, you are considered too old to offer a recording deal to. They breed young artists to be snapped up like popcorn chicken, gobbled up & extruded. Youth is everything. No one wants to hear old geezers play songs. Yet, here we are. Caravan are a bunch of middle age to older guys who could easily join the AARP were they not Brits. This is their 35th anniversary concert. 35th. Caravan have been playing longer than most contemporary artists have been alive. I say all this because these guys rock. They kick major colon. They play with vitality, aggression, passion, and a level of skill most only dream of.

The concert is a Caravan fan's wet dream, piled high with the cream of the Caravan songbook. Golf Girl, For Richard, Nine Feet Underground, If I could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You, and Hello Hello are just a few of the numbers you'll find here. A second bonus disc has a nice little acoustic set, interviews, and the original 70s video for The Dog, The Dog, He's At It Again. A must have.

Phil Collins - Live At Montreux 2004 (Eagle Eye Media)

Talk about a packed blu-ray! Not only does it contain the complete performance of Collins and his band from Montreux 2004, it also has 13 numbers from his 1996 "big band" gig at Montreux to boot! Just short of 4 hours of music here. The 2004 gig sees Phil Collins in good company. His band includes Chester Thompson on drums, Daryl Stuermer on guitar, and Collins' old Flaming Youth bandmate Ronnie Caryl on guitar as well! A nice nod to his past, I must say.

Between the 2 concerts, a broad range of Collins' material is represented. Big hits like Sussudio, In The Air Tonight, Another Day In Paradise, and Don't Lose My Number; collaborations such as Easy Lover and Separate Lives; plus a few nods to his days in Genesis - That's All, Invisible Touch, and Los Endos. The 1996 gig also features Quincy Jones as conductor and a guest vocal by Tony Bennett on There'll Be Some Changes Made.

Both performances are full of energy. The 2004 show has a friendly vibe and focuses more on Collins' AOR side, while the 1996 show is jazzier and showcases more of Collins' drumming chops. Video and sound quality are stellar on both. Nice lil booklet completes the package. If you have the itch for some Phil Collins music, this blu-ray will most definitely scratch it!

Curved Air - The Lost Broadcasts (Gonzo Multimedia)

Great concert here. Pulling rare live performances out of the vault. I love it. I need it. This particular DVD features Curved Air at their most potent. The sessions here are from German television circa March and September of 1971.

The March '71 numbers are Vivaldi, It Happened Today, and Propositions. The September '71 tunes are 2 versions of Back Street Luv and the epic Piece Of Mind. The first take of Back Street Luv has psychedelic backgrounds and Sonja Kristina's vocal is doubled. Version 2 has a blue background, the vocal is straight up, and the end plays out a bit longer. The star of the set if Piece Of Mind - 10:33 of wild prog fusion!

Video and sound quality are very nice, very enjoyable. Packaging is minimal. To get these performances is a rare gift to say the least. A fantastic peek at Curved Air delivering pure magic in their prime.

Deep Purple - Live At Montreux 2006 (Eagle Eye Media)

Could there be a more perfect fit? The band that all came down to Montreux live in Montreux. The band is sharp and powerful, with keyboardist Don Airey and bassist Roger Glover shining especially bright. Ian Gillan's voice is rough in spots, but his energy carries the day. Pictures Of Home, Rapture Of The Deep, When A Blind Man Cries, Black Night, Wrong Man all sound fabulous.

As great as the Montreux gig is, the bonus disc from the London Hard Rock Cafe is even more fierce. Fireball, Lazy, Perfect Strangers, Strange Kind Of Woman are crisp and dynamic. Steve Morse & Ian Paice are on fire. This is a rough & dangerous Deep Purple - a band to keep the kids locked indoors for safety.

Simple but great camera work and flawless sound. This is a top quality package in every respect. Bonus interview section. Nice to see that, rather than interview clips interrupting songs like too many other DVDs. Exceptional in every way.

Deep Purple - In Concert With The London Symphony Orchestra (Image)

Recorded in 1999, this is one pip of a performance! The Purple line-up is Ian Gillan / Roger Glover / Jon Lord / Steve Morse / Ian Paice. There are guest musicians galore, including Ronnie James Dio, Sam Brown & Steve Morris. In addition to DP classics like Pictures of Home, Smoke On The Water, and a surprise version of Wring That Neck, the DVD features tunes from various DP member solo efforts like Roger Glover's Sitting in a Dream (from The Butterfly Ball & The Grasshopper's Feast)and Jon Lord's Wait A While (from Pictured Within).

A good chunk of the disc is devoted to a beautiful version of the Jon Lord composition Concerto For Group And Orchestra, originally performed & recorded by Purple in 1970. Band & orchestra mesh well throughout, and the video & audio are both superb! A "can't miss" DVD for all Deep Purple fans!

DEVO - Live 1980 (MVD)

This is one of those dual disc deals with a DVD on one side & a CD on the other. I hate the format as you have to handle the disc extra carefully to not ruin either side! That aside, let's get to the meat of it. DEVO were odd. Very odd. DEVO were fun. Tons of fun. This DVD shows their energy, their lunacy, and their prowess. No slouches as musicians, DEVO also kicked devolution colon! Mongoloid, Jocko Homo, and Gates Of Steel are packed with dry humor and high energy. Looking at this vintage performance, you can see the influence DEVO had on bands like Sleepytime Gorilla Museum and many of the current RIO bands out there.

The video quality is very decent for the time. Obviously, there's no way you'd confuse it for the ultra clear & at times sterile technology of today. The audio is somewhere between pro & bootleg. Who cares? Put it on & smile. Not many things today offer that guarantee!

Al DiMeola - Speak A Volcano (Inakustik)

Speak A Volcano sees Al DiMeola playing the electric guitar live once again in a concert from November 2006. Joining him are Mike Pope on bass, Mario Parmisano on keyboards, Joel Taylor on drums, and old DiMeola stalwart Gumbi Ortiz on percussion.

DiMeola compositions like One Night Last June, Rhapsody Of Fire, and Red Moon blaze along with pieces by current DiMeola muse Astor Piazzolla. Mi Longa Del Angel, Tangata, and Fugata are just a few of the Piazzolla numbers here. A Chick Corea composition from the Return To Forever days - Senor Mouse - is thrown in for good measure. The electric pieces bookend the concert with the central numbers featuring acoustic and classical guitar from DiMeola.

The band are just unbelievably hot. The feel of the show is intimate and friendly. Bonus material consists of a thoughtful interview with DiMeola as well as a guitar freak's dream - picking and playing tips from DiMeola himself. A total wow!

Al DiMeola - One Of These Nights (Inakustik)

A simple setting: Al DiMeola, keyboardist Mario Parmisano, drummer Ernie Adams, percussionist Gumbi Ortiz, and a string quartet in an auditorium in Germany. Just a small evening of classical jazz world fusion. The players elevate it to event status by turning in magnificent performances.

Orient Blue, This Way Before, and the gorgeous Azzurra all simply dazzle. Ortiz is mesmerizing on Rhapsody Of Fire as DiMeola eats the fretboard like a hungry tiger. One Night Last June is a tour-de-force of percussive jazz - speedy, breezy, & romantic.

Audio & video are as fine as can be. One Of These Nights is a swell DVD in innovative packaging as well. This one was a very pleasant surprise from top to bottom!

Donovan - The Donovan Concert Live In L.A. (Raven Productions / MVD Visuals)

This concert was originally filmed for PBS, and I know this because the PBS sponsor bumpers are at the start of the program. Donovan is then introduced by filmmaker David (Lost Highway) Lynch, followed by a short history of Donovan video montage. Supported by bassist Tom Mansi and percussionist Stewart Lawrence, Donovan is in great voice and solid on acoustic guitar and occasional harmonica. The set, from January 2007, opens with the reggae-tinged There Is A Mountain. The video and audio are immaculate - clear as a bell in both respects.

A good chunk of Donovan classics are performed - Catch The Wind, Happiness Runs, Jenifer Juniper, Sunshine Superman, Season Of The Witch, and Hurdy Gurdy Man are among the many songs here. Daughter Astrella Celeste joins him for a few numbers, and Beach Boy Mike Love adds his voice to Mellow Yellow. It's Donovan who sells the show, though. Utterly engaging and unpretentious, he bonds well with the crowd. A happy hippie still spreading songs of love and tuneful joy.

The DVD includes a few bonus numbers - most notably the delightful Lalena. If you are a Donovan fan, or just appreciate great songwriting, this DVD is guaranteed to satisfy.

Dream Theater - Live At Budokan (Atlantic)

1,129,947 notes per minute. More time signatures than humans thought it possible to work in. Outlawed on Hawkman's home planet Thanagar, it's Dream Theater! Live At Budokan shows DT in top form on their 2004 world tour. From the opener "As I Am" to the encore "In The Name Of God" the band touches on a good portion of their catalog. As expected, Mike Portnoy, John Petrucci, & Jordan Rudess are a flurry of notes on drums, guitar, & keyboards respectively. James LaBrie's voice soars & swoops. Yet the secret weapon, often overlooked, is the bass & stick work of John Myung. Myung's playing has a melodic sensibility that at times smooths as it anchors.

The camerawork is just gorgeous - crisp with great saturation and with a nice flow of images. There is a second bonus disc that's pretty darned packed. For any Dream Theater fan, it doesn't get much better!

Echolyn - Stars And Gardens (MM3 Records)

I was searching for the right word. It's friendly. Echolyn live are a very friendly band. They play difficult, slightly jazzy, jammy prog rock and draw you in like they're the guys from just down the block. This show, from May 2003, is an intimate affair. The camera stays close and captures a "front row" feeling.

The band are tight in a loose way with smooth, almost hippyish vocals - bridging the gap between Spock's Beard and Phish. The show opens with an impressive take of "Texas Dust" and journeys through "The Cheese Stands Alone," "As The World," "Mei," and a bunch more. Lots of between song laughs. Just a great lil concert, I must say.

There is a second disc that's loaded with interviews and stuff. A maniac's dream!

Electric Daisy Carnival Experience (Ultra)

Electric Daisy Carnival Experience is director Kevin Kerslake's coverage of the 2010 Electric Daisy Carnival put on by Insomniac in Los Angeles. Still sound a bit alien to you? EDC is a 2 day festival of electronic dance bands, rides, dancers, entertainers, etc. A sort of Woodstock of electronica if you will.

Kerslake's documentary really does an excellent job of taking you inside the event. Yes, you get performances by everyone from Will.i.am and Deadmaus to David Guetta and Laidback Luke. It's the other stuff - interviews with dancers, production folk, fans - that bring this DVD to life. You see the genuine enthusiasm for this slice of youth culture.

Clocking in just shy of 2 hours, Electric Daisy Carnival Experience is packed with live music. If you've been curious about this sort of music, here is a visual / aural buffet for you to sample. If you want to see beautiful women dressed as bunnies in gas masks, that's here as well! Electric Daisy Carnival Experience is an engaging look into a fascinatingly creative subculture.

Electric Light Orchestra - Live - The Early Years (Eagle Vision)
 
My, what a fascinating DVD. As the title implies, this features footage from the early end of ELO's career. It's 3 performances: Brunel University 1973, Rockpalast 1974 and Fusion 1976. '73 & '74 have Mike De Albuquerque on bass and Mike Edwards on 2nd cello. '76 has Kelly Groucutt on bass and Melvyn Gale on 2nd cello. All 3 have, of course, Jeff Lynne on vox and guitar, Bev Bevan on drums, Richard Tandy on keys, Mik Kaminski on violin and Hugh McDowell on 1st cello.
 
Between the 3 shows, you get a passel of great ELO tunes: King Of The Universe, Daybreaker, Poker, Can't Get It Out of My Head, Strange Magic and 10538 Overture, to name a few. All 3 performances have a version of Ma-Ma-Ma Belle. It's interesting to see how quickly the band matures. You also see how Groucutt's bass and vocal talents were a key step in taking the band to a higher level.
 
A brief interview with the '73 / '74 lineup is included. Sound and picture are quite nice. Live - The Early Years is a most excellent DVD. A hot unit right on the verge of super-stardom. Amazing hair as well!

Emerson Lake & Palmer - Pictures At An Exhibition  (Special Edition) (Eagle Vision)
 
Oh, doesn't it just feel goooood? Emerson, Lake & Palmer circa 1970. Before Love Beach. Before In The Hot Seat. Bombastic, outrageous, overblown, pompous. All true! But, do not forget awesome. Breathtaking. Inspiring. Pioneering. Mind blowing. All of that and more are on this DVD.
 
Yes, there's the complete Pictures At An Exhibition, saddled with the cheesy camera effects that were plaguing every rock concert film of the time. Watching this, I totally forgot that the performance of Take A Pebble has bits of Tarkus, Hoedown and Tank. Everyone is so bloody young! Even back then, Carl Palmer still looks like Emerson and Lake's little kid brother Wally.
 
This special edition also includes a 1971 performance on Belgium's "Pop Shop" where they perform Rondo, Nutrocker, Take A Pebble, Knife Edge and a blues jam, going back into Nutrocker! A major improvement over the earlier version of this DVD. Quite a nice upgrade!

Jose Feliciano Band - The Paris Concert (Inakustik)

The term "Living Legend" applies here. Jose Feliciano is a true master of the guitar, be it acoustic or electric. For this concert, recorded in August of 2008, at the New Morning in Paris, Feliciano assembled a crack band: Greg Smith and Ty McHugh on keyboards, Johnny Mennonna on bass, Tyger MacNeal on drums and the great Bob Conti on percussion. The ensemble always compliments, but never overwhelms Feliciano. A very smart move, as he cooks from first note to last

Familiar material abounds - Chico And The Man, Billie Jean, I Got A Woman, Oye Como Va, Beyond The Sea, Sunshine Of Your Love, Bamboleo. Pop, jazz, flamenco, folk, Latin - Jose Feliciano covers all genres with a confident ease. His cover of If You Don't Know Me By Now is to die for. Who else could follow Purple Haze and Sunshine Of Your Love with Que Sera Sera? Then jump into Light My Fire?

Sound and camera work are gorgeous - all filmed in HD. Daniel Farhi's direction is smart and taut. By the by - look for super tasty percussion solo by Feliciano. He totally rocks out! If you like great playing and singing with a bit of that Latin flair, this DVD is a solid winner!

Gong - Gong On French TV 1971 - 1973 (Gonzo Multimedia / Voiceprint)

Gong has always existed as a planet unto itself. Gong On French TV 1971 - 1973 offers proof positive of this. Hippie dippiness abounds. We see glimpses of communal living, interviews with Daevid Allen and Didier Malherbe, and a host of live and live in studio performances.

The longest piece here is a black and white documentary broadcast in September of 1973. Allen and Malherbe talk about the communal lifestyle and an average day in the life of Gong. Sandwiched in there are live-in-studio performances of I Never Glid Before and I Am Your Pussy. Look for a few sweet comments from the locals as well.

Next is a twelve minute segment featuring live versions of Never Fight Another War and A Perfect Mystery interspersed with brief comments from the band, including a sly Magma reference. A performance of Dreamin' It is next. The DVD concludes with a whacky outdoor miming of Dynamite (I Am Your Animal) and a live Fohat Digs Holes In Space. Wild weird fun you never knew you needed, yet cannot live without!

Steve Hackett - Once Above A Time (Eagle Vision)

When you read about the history of Genesis as told by Tony Banks, Phil Collins, & Mike Rutherford, they place little importance on the contributions of Steve Hackett to the band. How ironic that Hackett carries both the progressive torch and the Genesis torch so much more than his former bandmates.

Recorded on April 3 of '04 in Budapest, Once Above A Time is a pretty much complete show (missing Hackett's acoustic set) from Hackett's To Watch The Storms tour. That fine album is well represented, as well as 4 Genesis tunes (most notably a splendid version of "Blood On The Rooftops") and a big dip into Hackett's solo catalog.

The band are in great form, the camerawork & audio are awesome. A backstage bonus featurette is icing on the cake. A total "WOW!" from top to bottom.

Steve Hackett - Hungarian Horizons: Live In Budapest (InsideOut/Camino)

Well, have a seat. The show's about to begin. Quite a beautiful show it is. Steve Hackett live and acoustic, joined by brother John Hackett on flute and Roger King on keyboards. This DVD was recorded in Budapest, Hungary in 2002 before an enthusiastic & respectful crowd. The video is well shot and crystal clear with an immaculate audio track.

Most of Hackett's catalog gets explored, from "Firth Of Fifth" to "Hands Of The Priestess" to "Walking Away From Rainbows" and all points between. Steve Hackett is a cool fire on guitar - passively passionate. The interaction between the trio is downright psychic - 30 fingers on 2 hands it would seem at times. The DVD I was sent also included the audio of the show on 2 CDs. Nice to be able to take such a stellar concert on the road on occasion. Do I even need to tell you to buy this one?

Heart - Dreamboat Annie Live (Shout Factory)

The back cover blurb reads: Your favorite bands. Their finest albums. Played live, from start to finish. What a fine idea! And who better than Heart to take a trip back to their debut album, Dreamboat Annie? Over 30 years later, could still cut it? Dreamboat Annie is no piece of cake to perform! Were they up to the task?

Silly rabbit! of course they were! Heart have just never stopped kicking ass. While I've heard songs like Magic Man, Crazy On You and the title track in many a live Heart set, this DVD is a great opportunity to see and hear many overlooked numbers. Soul Of The Sea, White Lightning And Wine, and How Deep It Goes are especially nice here.

In addition to the album in its entirety, Heart perform Mistral Wind, Goodbye Blue Sky, Black Dog, Misty Mountain Hop, and Love Reign O'er Me. If this cool performance wasn't enough, the DVD also includes nice interview footage and a photo gallery. Ann and Nancy Wilson still rule the globe!

Heart - Soundstage (HD Ready)

You can't get this one in stores as far as I can determine. This 2 DVD set is sold through PBS stations, as it is from the fine PBS series Soundstage. Filmed in 2005, it finds the Wilson sisters in great form and with a fine support band - the same band that accompanied them on the tour for Jupiter's Darling.

The discs together form a complete show & really would have fit on 1 DVD. My guess is that these are pretty much copies of the discs sent to stations - no problem at all with that, really. The viewer gets a decent chunk of the JD album & a ton of classics and covers. As I write this, I gravitate towards Kick It Out, Make Me, Alone, and the Zep covers of Black Dog and Misty Mountain Hop. Honestly, there's not a weak track among the 23.

Nancy turns in great guitar work and Ann still has the best pipes of any human on the planet. Camera is simple but effective. Sound is superb. I can't think of a better way to support your public television than to call in & buy this DVD set.

Roger Hodgson - Take The Long Way Home : Live In Montreal (Eagle Vision)

I want to start out by mentioning that the Supertramp album Crime Of The Century had a huge influence on my youth and remains a favorite to this day. Roger Hodgson's unmistakable voice & signature electric piano sound are deeply ingrained into my psyche. What a joy it was to find this DVD in the mail! It is a live performance from June 6 (my birthday!) 2006. Hodgson sings & plays keyboards and guitar, well accompanied by Aaron MacDonald on saxes, vocals, and occasional keyboards.

The show is a mixture of solo material and Supertramp classics. Hide In Your Shell, Sister Moonshine, School, Take The Long Way Home, and 2 versions of Give A Little Bit are just a few of the many highlights. Hodgson is in great voice and his playing is delightful. He has a warm, friendly, engaging personality that shines through on the DVD.

The DVD is packed with lots of bonus stuff - several interviews, bonus cuts, & more. Take The Long Way Home is a DVD you'll play over & over. Well filmed, great sound, great spirit to it. Push play and sing along!

h - Naked In The Chapel (Poison Apple)

It doesn't get much more intimate that this. Marillion's Steve Hogarth and a piano in Islington's Union Chapel. A man, some songs, and lots of stories. All for a wildly adoring crowd. And h knows it. This was a gig for the acolytes. A beautiful gig, at that.

In between personal stories, travel stories, anecdotes, and ramblings, h threw in some songs. Stripped down, emotional readings of Beyond You, House, When I meet God, Afraid Of Sunlight.His voice is in wonderful shape, hitting those long notes with power and ease. His piano playing is elegantly strident. His connection with the audience is what kicks it to another place. h has always been good at this - bringing an audience inside. Stripping away the surface. It's definitely an evening of sharing.

Camera work is simple. A bit dark, but honest to the gig. Sound is stellar. I mean, you are totally there, front row. Such clarity. 18 songs and lots of talking. No bells nor whistles. None needed. With a performer of this caliber, everything you need is there in his fingers and his voice. Do yourself a service and own this

Steve Howe's Remedy - Live (MVD Visual)

This DVD features an electric performance by Remedy and a solo acoustic set from Steve Howe - both from 2004. Joining Howe in Remedy are sons Virgil on keyboards and Dylan on drums, Derrick Taylor on bass, and Ray Fenwick on guitar. Remedy are an incredibly tight live unit and serve the music very well indeed.

Most of the selections are instrumental and span the history of Howe's solo career as well as touching down in Yes territory. I must make special mention of 2 personal favorites: The Nature Of The Sea and Lost Symphony. So satisfying to hear & see such fine versions of both! Other highlights of the band set include So Bad, Country Viper, Pennants, and the solo section from America.

In the solo set, Howe delivers a section of The Ancient, J's Theme, Mood For A Day, Second Initial, To Be Over, Intersection Blues, and Clap. The DVD also includes a fun documentary of the 2004 tour. The sound is most pleasing; camera work is fine and uncomplicated. Yes fans will love this. Steve Howe fans will love this. Guitar fans will love this. Everybody wins!

Iron Maiden - Raising Hell (BMG)

"Here's a good idea! Let's combine a great concert with second-rate stage magic!" That must have been the rationale behind this DVD. Recorded live in London, 1993, Iron Maiden are in stellar form. Sadly, some genius decided that they needed to add "horror illusionist" Simon Drake , a midget, and a few scantily clad women to the mix. Why? Iron Maiden have no need to add holiday on ice to be visually exciting. An average IM show is full of explosions, stage props, and a giant Eddie running around the stage. Isn't that enough?

Iron Maiden are on fire - machine-gunning through "The Clairvoyant," "Two Minutes to Midnight," "Run to the Hills," and a host of others with wonderful audio and ultra-crisp video. The DVD has neat animated menus and is chapter encoded so you can skip the magic and enjoy the performance. Keep the guitars but toss the midget!

Jethro Tull - Live at Madison Square Garden 1978 (Capitol/EMI)

A landmark, a legend, a bit of fun. This is the Tull show seen round the world back in 1978. October 9, 1978 to be exact. The same tour that gave us the Bursting Out live double album. This was the Heavy Horses tour. Tull was, at that time, Ian Anderson, Martin Barre, John Evan, David Palmer, Tony Williams, and Barriemore Barlow. On to the video!

There was no video shot for the first 3 songs, so we get some dandy audio and a gallery of stills for Sweet Dream, One Brown Mouse and Heavy Horses. Anderson is in fine voice and the band is brimming with energy. As the video starts (this was a television broadcast) Jethro Tull give us a nice hod full of Thick As A Brick, No Lullaby, Songs From The Wood, Quatrain, Aqualung, and Locomotive Breath. Tull were a sight to behold, with Anderson in this cap and colors, Evan in his ice cream suit, Barre a sartorial enigma.

Too Old To Rock And Roll, My God, Cross-Eyed Mary and a reprise of Locomotive Breath complete the DVD. A CD of the songs minus the banter is a welcome extra. A must for all Tull fans. A fine find for all prog fans. An utter mystery for Taylor Swift fans.

Jethro Tull - Jack In The Green (Eagle Vision)

Good things come to those who wait! Years ago I got a crap videotape dupe many generations down of Tull from 1982 in Germany on the Broadsword And The Beast tour. A few decades later, most of it has found its way to this marvelous DVD. Jack In The Green is made up of 5 different German TV performances from 1970 to 1993, with the bulk from 1982 & 86.

The 1982 songs feature the Ian Anderson / Martin Barre / Dave Pegg / Peter John Vetesse / Gerry Conway line up. 1986 is Anderson / Barre / Pegg / Vetesse / Doane Perry; 1993 is Anderson / Barre / Pegg / Perry / Perry / Andy Giddings; 1970/71 is Anderson / Barre / Glenn Cornick / John Evan / Clive Bunker.

A nice selection of tunes including seldom heard numbers like Fallen On Hard Times, Pussy Willow, Sweet Dream, Black Sunday, and So Much Trouble. Video & audio are quite spiffy and a nice booklet with pics and a few words from Ian Anderson round out the package. Perhaps my favorite Jethro Tull DVD to date! 90 someodd minutes of glory!

Jethro Tull - Live At Montreux 2003 (Eagle Eye Media)

2003 was a very good year for Jethro Tull. Solid set list, nice energy in the band. In many respects, this is the Tull DVD fans have been waiting for. No songs are cut off or interrupted. It's just the band playing through their set. Did it ever need to be more than that? No songs cut into by comments, not artsy additions.

Some Day The Sun Won't Shine For You, Life Is A Long Song, With You There To Help Me, Hunting Girl, Budapest to name a few - a great catalog spanning set. This is the Ian Anderson / Martin Barre / Doane Perry / Andy Giddings / Jonathan Noyce line up at their absolute finest. Anderson's flute & acoustic work is top notch. Barre is tasteful & powerful as ever. Giddings is a total 10 finger orchestra. Perry is a timesignature flipping octopus, and Noyce almost poetically draws it all together on bass.

I'm just tickled by this one. Every Tull fan has been frustrated by previous DVDs, they are almost a "how not to do a live DVD." Live At Montreux 2003 sets things right. Great sound, great audio, nice liner notes by Anderson. Don't hesitate on this one.

King Crimson - deja VROOOM (Discipline Global Mobile)

"deja VROOOM" is one heck of a wild & occasionally confusing lil DVD. Taken from two shows in Japan, it features numbers such as "Red," "Talking Drum," "THRAK," and "Matte Kudasai." The "double trio" of Robert Fripp / Adrian Belew / Tony Levin / Trey Gunn / Bill Bruford / Pat Mastelotto are in terrifying form.

The 2-sided DVD is full of features. The viewer is able to choose the camera angles on certain songs to focus on any given band member. There are home movies from Levin, text from Fripp, paintings by P J Crook, a band history, and an audio "game" that allows you to create a line-up of various Crimson members from different eras to perform "21st Century Schizoid Man." The menus are a bit challenging to navigate, but worth the effort. A fine, fine DVD.

King Crimson - Neal And Jack And Me (DGM)

Two trusty old friends have come back home. The 1982 "The Noise" and 1984 "Three Of A Perfect Pair" concert videos are both on one DVD for your consumption. The video on both is a bit dark, but then that's how they were back in the day. The audio is nice and clean - nothing too fancy, but again, of the time.

Ah, but the songs! "Industry," "The Sheltering Sky," "Waiting Man," "Sartori In Tangier" - the list goes on. Watching these shows again, I noticed how much Belew, Bruford, Fripp, & Levin smiled. 4 guys having a great time playing together. It really comes down to that. Music living and breathing live, caught in a gossamer moment on film. This incarnation of King Crimson, despite what message boards would have you believe, were a fun little combo. Grab this snack and see why. As a bonus - Fripp's hair looks just splendid!

Knebworth 1978 - A Midsummer Night's Dream (Voiceprint)

Interesting DVD. It contains the 1978 Genesis at Knebworth documentary you can find on the recent Genesis And Then There Were Three remaster, but with the front and back titles clipped off either end. The audio and video quality are about the same - a bit washed out but most certainly viewable.

The selling points of this package are a lovely reproduction of the 1978 Knebworth concert program and a fascinating new interview with Knebworth promoter Freddy Bannister. Bannister is full of amusing, insightful stories and is a treasure trove of information on putting together an event, dealing with talent, etc.

If you're just looking for the Genesis documentary, the And Then There Were Three remaster will suit you well. If you're in the mood for a charming souvenir of the 1978 event, this DVD package delivers nicely.

Nils Lofgren - Cry Tough (Eagle Vision)
 
This fine 2 DVD set is drawn from 3 separate episodes of Rockpalast: 1976, 1979 &1991. No matter the year, Nils Lofgren plays a meanass guitar. Backed by 3 different bands across the 2 DVDs, the only constant member being brother Tom Lofgren on guitars, keys and vox. All three bands are whip tight.
 
There are hours of Nils Lofgren classics to be found. Keith Don't Go, Cry Tough, Back It Up, Beggar's Day, Moon Tears, It's Not A Crime - all the ones you'd expect. Nils also digs deeper for Soft Fun, Sun Hasn't Set, Heart On Fire. A little bit of something for everyone!
 
The discs look and sound great. The 1976 is a bit on the dark side, but so what? Nice little booklet as well. I counted, and there are 7,963 amazing guitar riffs here. What in the hell are you waiting for Fred? Pick this DVD up now!!

Marillion - Live At Cadogan Hall (Eagle Vision)

What makes for a good concert DVD? In many ways, the answer is simple. Capture the moment. Not always an easy task. Life through the lens is not necessarily life as it truly is. It's a view of life snatched up by the director, the cameramen, and their choices of the moment. Director Tim Sidwell and his crew chose well, as Live From Cadogan Hall brought me onstage, into the performance. It's an intimate document of December 7, 2009 - the finale of Marillion's Less Is More tour.

Over the course of 2 DVDs, Marillion re-imagine, re-work, re-invent 21 tunes from the H years. Interior Lulu, The Space, Quartz, No One Can, 80 Days, Gazpacho, and many more get acousticized, turned inside-out, lovingly tweaked.

The performance shows a band in sync with each other. Not just a unit, almost a family. The audience are a factor here - a sort of sixth member. Part sounding board, part receptacle for the band's emotion. As corny and cosmic as that may sound, it's true. The show is all about delivering emotion, love, thrills to fans and friends. Live From Cadogan Hall succeeds on all fronts.

Marillion - Recital Of The Script (EMI)

21+ years on, this is still just a fantastic show. This incarnation of Marillion with both Fish and Mick Pointer in the fold had a totally unique energy. They were the little band who could - a bunch of fans who started a band that people just happened to embrace. At this point in 1983, they were far from being veterans of the stage, although they had a decent command of it at the Hammersmith Odeon on the evening this was filmed.

This is the stuff of Marillion fans' wet dreams: "The Web," "Forgotten Sons," "Market Square Heroes," and the near-legendary "Grendel" in all their untarnished glory. The video and audio are perfunctory - no flaws, but certainly not to be mistaken for contemporary. It doesn't matter. This still gave the chills. A few nice extras thrown in for the fans. Own it. Love it.

John Mayall's Blues Breakers - Live At Iowa State University (Quantum Leap/MVD)

Recorded live at the Maintenance Shop at Iowa State University in the middle 80's, this is a bare bones, nothing fancy DVD in terms of camera work. Maybe 2 or 3 cameras, nothing high tech. Just some guys in a room playing the blues to a crowd in mostly bad shirts.

However, the guys playing happen to be John Mayall's Blues Breakers and, in addition to bassist Bobby Haynes and drummer Paul Hines, Mayall brought along Walter Trout and Coco Montoya - 2 guitarists who can raise the dead with their licks. They burn through songs like Little Girl, It Ain't Right and Stepping Out, like they're on the run from the law. This is dangerous stuff!

Blues can transcend and currently it can often blow the wet dog in the hands of hacks like John Mayer or the now shamefully bored Eric Clapton. Let this disc be a lesson to all players: The blues should make young women hide and old men weep. Mayall blows a hot harmonica. Trout and Montoya make Robert Johnson's mythic hellish pact make sense. This is pure, unfiltered hooch. Turn it up as loud as you dare!

Mike Oldfield - Live At Montreux 1981 (Eagle Eye Media)

Mr Perfectionist himself, live at the 1981 Montreux International Jazz Festival. Mike Oldfield is backed by a crack band that includes percussionist Morris Pert (of Brand X & Kate Bush fame) & guitarist/bassist Rick Fenn (best known for his work with 10cc & Nick Mason). The set touches upon much of Oldfield's career to that point with numbers from QE2, Platinum, Tubular Bells, & Ommadawn among others.

Performances are breathtaking - it's a joy to see how the sounds are created, almost like an on stage sound lab. Oldfield plays a bunch of instruments, but is especially impressive on guitar, just searing that neck to shreds. The video seems sourced from tape, but is well transferred. The sound is swell - deep & clear. The word is insightful. Mike Oldfield is not a performer we ever see much of, managing to travel slightly below the radar. This DVD is an opportunity to catch a glimpse of genius at work. A "must own."

Carl Palmer - Drum Solos (MVD Visual)

That man sure can whack those skins! Seriously - Carl Palmer continues to be one hell of a drummer. This DVD is packed with drums and more drums and nothing else! If you're looking for songs - look elsewhere.

Drum Solos features three pieces: a drum solo from the 1974 California Jam; a solo from an Asia gig in 2008; and a solo from 2009 (also from an Asia gig). You can watch the solo "as is," but can also watch it with midi audio at 50%, 75%, & 100% speed. The DVD also includes full notation for each solo in PDF format on the DVD.

Nice bonus material as well. Bonus solo, photos, and scans of magazine articles and interviews. Drum Solos is a great resource for drummers everywhere.

Queen - Under Review 1973 - 1980 (Chrome Dreams)

This is an interesting little item. Off the top of my head, I'd equate it to an episode of VH1: Behind The Music, only with actual depth & with real music journalists as opposed to the VH1 fools. The DVD is a sort of history & analysis of Queen's output from the 1st album through 1980's The Game. Paul Gambaccini and Chris Welch add an air of authenticity to the disc.

There are nice bits of seldom seen footage, though, frustratingly, none are complete. Also included are a few comments by the late Freddie Mercury, but the bulk of the comments are by journalists. Writer / guitarist Simon Bradley adds a nice dimension by playing Brian May's riffs on guitar and explaining the construction of them as he plays. This DVD is a nice view for all Queen fans and an engaging, informative disc for the casual viewer. Nicely done.

Renaissance - Song Of Scheherazade (Cherry Red)

This DVD presents 2 rare Renaissance concerts: the first from the Capitol Theatre in Passaic, NJ on May 21, 1976; the second a July 28, 1979 show from the Asbury Park Convention Hall, also in NJ. The video seems like old video tape - a slightly faded gray rather than saturated blacks - both sources are B&W. The images aren't perfect, but certainly very viewable. Audio isn't of current standards, but not bad at all given the vintage and available sources.

Both shows are the classic Camp / Dunford / Haslam / Sullivan / Taut line up. In both cases the band really seem to be "on." Ocean Gypsy and a complete Song Of Scheherazade (with no orchestra) shine brightly on the 1976 show. Likewise Forever Changing, A Song For All Seasons and The Flood At Lyons are standouts of the 1979 gig.

The band seem to be having tremendous fun. It's sometimes overlooked that Renaissance had a great sense of humor about themselves. Glimpses of that are evident in the breezy between song banter of Annie Haslam and Jon Camp. Song Of Scheherazade is a welcome postcard from over 30 years ago, when Renaissance were at full potency. You'll watch this one over and over.

The Residents - Icky Flix (MVD)

Welcome to the dungeon of the eternally obtuse. The Residents are infamous for their bizarre live shows and boundary-pushing music. This DVD collects a good portion of their video output and it's a pretty wild ride! If you are easily disturbed, do not buy this DVD, as it will mess up your mind.

I remember seeing the video for "Hello Skinny" once on cable ages ago and it creeped me out. Years later, on this DVD collection of videos, it still does. "The Third Reich 'N' Roll," "Where Is She?," and the frightening "Songs For Swinging Larvae" are all here as well as a 17:38 min distillation of the "Vileness Fats" movie that hurt my brain. The Residents recorded new music for every track on here & the menu gives you the choice of the new music, or the original versions. A truly amazing DVD that you need to own.

Rush - 2112 - Moving Pictures (Eagle Vision)

This DVD is an expanded version of the Classic Albums show. It adds over 54 minutes of footage cut for broadcast. The new material adds even further background to both albums.

The difference in sound, energy and headspace between 2112 and Moving Pictures is just huge. The former has rougher edges, harder energy and, at times naive experimentation as Rush were spreading their wings to find ways to best express themselves.

By the time of Moving Pictures they were a tightly honed unit. The playing oozes confidence. The compositions are more finely crafted. The 5 years between 2 albums were years of experience that brought the trio to another level.

What I love about the interviews here is the total honesty, the candor. Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart clearly love these albums as well as each other. Insightful perspectives on the music, a touch of humor and a love of what they do, make this DVD a winner!

Spock's Beard - Live (InsideOut)

This is how it's done, folks. No foolin', no fuss, no gimmicks, no interviews cutting into a song, no sudden black & white moments mid-song. Performance captured clearly, well shot, with great, clear sound. Why isn't every concert DVD like this? The concert was shot in Holland in 2007, on a hot night for the band. The set starts with a shmokin' version of On A Perfect Day flying right into In The Mouth Of Madness with a grrrreat vocal by Nick D'Virgilio. Crack The Big Sky from  Day For Night follows, with muscular bass from Dave Meros. Next up were The Slow Crash Landing Man, Return To Whatever, and Surfing Down The Avalanche.

The boys show you they can harmonize like real muthas on Thoughts (Part 2), but then, we already knew that! D'Virgilio & Jimmy Keegan serve up a drum duet in hyperdrive that build into a take-no-prisoners Skeletons At The Feast, with wild guitar by Alan Morse and crowd surfing by Keegan. A beautiful Walking On The Wind leads to Ryo Okumoto's solo piece Hereafter. As Far As The Mind Can See and Rearranged close the set with an encore medley of The Water and Go The Way You Go. The energy is high from start to finish. Camera work is great, as is the sound. A nice extra or two round out the package. A must own.

Cat Stevens - Tea For The Tillerman Live (WienerWorld/MVD Visual)

Tea For The Tillerman Live is a very small production, filmed at the KCAT TV Studios in Los Angeles, in June of 1971. Accompanying Cat Stevens are Alun Davies on guitar and Larry Steele on bass and congas. It's a simple affair in front of a small crowd. Stevens was becoming an international star, but that was still just around the corner.

It's an 8 song set - Moonshadow, On The Road To Find Out, Where Do The Children Play?,Wild World, Miles From Nowhere, Longer Boats, Father And Son and Hard Headed Woman. The short animated film; Teaser And The Firecat is included as a pleasant little bonus.

The performance is simple but passionate. The camera work is pretty basic and all the better for it. Nothing fancy, just incredibly strong songs, well played. Stevens is in great voice (Has he ever not been?). Watching this, you understand why he became a star - he exudes a quiet charisma and his songs are sincere without venturing into cloying territory. I can't imagine anyone not wanting to own this charming DVD. Get off your computer and go buy this right now!

Styx - The Grand Illusion - Pieces Of Eight Live (Eagle Vision)

For the better part of a decade, bands have been poking into the ol' back catalogue and performing entire albums live. Recently Styx joined the fray as this DVD shows. 1977's The Grand Illusion and 1978's Pieces Of Eight played back-to-back in their entirety. For this particular show, the current line up of Styx: JY Young, Tommy Shaw, Lawrence Gowan, Ricky Phillips, and Todd Sucherman are joined on a few choiced numbers by Styx alumnus Chuck Panozzo on bass.

Lots of big songs in this set. Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man), Come Sail Away, Sing For The Day, Blue Collar Man (Long Nights), and Renegade. But it's pieces like Castle Walls, Queen Of Spades, and Aku-Aku that showcase the strengths of the band.

Performances are energetic and tight. Cameras and sound totally top notch. Bonus material is a very informative behind the scenes documentary. This DVD is a joy to watch. Definitely a "must own" that you won't soon tire of. Highest possible recommendation!

Tangerine Dream - 35th Phaedra Anniversary Concert (Voiceprint)

This Tangerine Dream show was filmed at Shepherd's Bush Empire in London on June 11, 2005. The line up for this show was the ever present Edgar Froese along with Jerome Froese, Thorsten Quaeschning, Iris Camaa, Linda Spa, and Zlatko Perica. The set is a trip through much of the band's history. Choronzon, Logos, Force Majeure, Melrose, Ricochet, and Underwater Twilight are just a few of the pieces represented.

Lots of interesting lighting and visuals very crisply filmed. Edgar Froese is his usual hunched over, stoic self. The rest of the players are a bit more active. It may only be me, but I'm just not as into an expanded Tangerine Dream. Give me three keyboardists any day and keep the saxophone. I have nothing against a good sax player - just not in this band, sorry.

As I watched this DVD, I noticed these five little lights just between the top of the filmed image and the bottom edge of the top black letterbox band. They lasted through the entire 167 minutes and drove me nuts! I hope this was just a glitch in my review copy, as if it's a part of every commercially released copy, that'd really suck!

Tangerine Dream - Live At Coventry Cathedral 1975 (Zeit)

Live At Coventry Cathedral 1975 is a short but sweet DVD, clocking in at about 28 minutes, and offering no extras whatsoever, not even a booklet. Filmed by Tony Palmer, it is a live performance of music from the album Ricochet. The line up is as good as Tangerine Dream gets: Edgar Froese, Peter Baumann, and Chris Franke.

There are a few artsy semi psychedelic effect shots here and there, but nothing too distracting. Coventry Cathedral is a stunning setting for the trio, and the audience is clearly rapt and reverent. Lots of candles, statues, and high ceilings are quite a contrast to the big synths, endless knobs and dials, and flashing lights.

The performance itself is mesmerizing. Froese, Franke, and Baumann are studies in concentration. The music that comes out of their machines transcends the decades, Tan Dream fans will adore this, and the uninitiated will find this a great starting point for this fascinating band.

The Richard Thompson Band - Live At Celtic Connections (Eagle Vision)

In addition to Richard Thompson, the band on this DVD is Michael Jerome on drums; Taras Prodaniuk on bass; Pete Zorn on guitar, mandolin, flute & sax; and Joel Zifkin on violin and mandolin. Quite a gifted ensemble, but then I'd expect no less from Thompson. Thompson has a history of working with top players and this band is certainly no exception.

Burning Man, The Angels Took My Racehorse Away, Al Bowlly's In Heaven, Wall Of Death, and Tear Stained Letter are just a few of the songs in a set that balances new and vintage tunes from all points of Thompson's career. Zifkin turns in some very inspiring violin work and Prodaniuk stands out with some monster bass playing! The show is well filmed and has an intimate, organic feel to it.

There are 2 bonus tracks: Uninhabited Man and Johnny's Far Away that are just Thompson and his guitar. With a full band or solo, the man commands attention through fantastic playing and some of the best songs you are likely to hear anywhere. Live At Celtic Connections is a fine document of genius at work. Do your ears a favor and buy this one.

Robin Trower - Living Out Of Time (Ruf / Inakustik)

Play what you know. Stick to what you do best. Don't lose your focus. Robin Trower has evidently learned all these lessons well. The DVD is a solid live performance by Trower and his band packed with absolutely blazing guitar. From the opening notes of Too Rolling Stoned to the closing beat of Little Bit Of Sympathy, Trower tears up the frets. Vocalist Davey Pattison is fantastic, bassist Dave Bronze is cool and precise, and drummer Pete Thomson is a powerhouse. In the end, it comes down to Trower.

Robin Trower plays with a command and a joyous explosion that only a handful of players possess. Known for his Hendrix-like feel, his fingers make love to the fretboard. Bridge Of Sighs,Day Of The Eagle, Rise Up Like The Sun all confirm his mastery. The sound is superb, the camerawork amongst the finest I have ever seen on a DVD. This 2005 concert is an essential to any music fan and indispensable to all guitarists. On a scale of 1-10, this would be an 11.

21st Century Schizoid Band - Live In Japan (21st Century Schizoid Band)

Just a few guys having fun. In Japan. With some cameras around. In essence, it's just that simple. OK, the guys happen to be Mel Collins, Jakko Jakszyk, Michael Giles, Pete Giles, & Ian McDonald. They happened to play mind-blowing versions of classic King Crimson tunes. But other than that, pretty simple.

"Cat Food," "Formentera Lady," "I Talk To The Wind" - all are performed with demonic precision and in loving, glorious detail. If that wasn't enough, the hardcore Crim fans even get a few tracks like "Birdman" from the "McDonald Giles" album. The show, from 2002 in Tokyo, is well shot & the audio is impeccable. As Michael Giles has left the band to be replaced by the womderful Ian Wallace, it's great to have a document of this lineup. Worth hunting down!

Rick Wakeman - Journey To The Centre Of The Earth (Classic Pictures)

Rick Wakeman - Live In Concert 2000 (Classic Pictures)

2 very interesting releases from this keyboard virtuouso. The "Journey To The Centre Of The Earth " DVD is from a 1975 show in Melbourne Australia. It features The Melbourne Philharmonic Orchestra & Melbourne Chamber Choir as well as Wakeman's rock ensemble at the time & narrator Terry Taplin. Some of the camerawork is a bit cheeseball as most in the 70s was, but the print is truly great and the sound is fabulous! In addition to the complete "Journey," they perform 3 of the 6 Wives & 2 bits from "King Arthur." Everyone is in fine form, and the show passes all to quickly.

"Live In Concert 2000" is just Wakeman & a bunch of keyboards. In between numbers, he tells many very funny stories, including a memorable view of Yes-mate Jon Anderson: "He wants to save the planet while living on another one!" Wakeman runs through solo pieces that span his career, Yes numbers, classical pieces, even a pair of Beatles tunes! It's all in an intimate setting with wonderful camera work and stellar sound. Both DVDs are packed with extras & each comes with a bonus CD of musical selections from each DVD. Classic Pictures have set a very high standard in quality and value with these 2 outstanding DVDs.

Brian Wilson - Smile (Rhino Home Video)

A bit of background here. Flash back to the psychedelic 60s. After the groundbreaking Beach Boys album Pet Sounds, Brian Wilson was inspired to push his creativity to new heights. The next album would be his masterpiece, a visionary work called Smile. The public got a preview with the brilliant Good Vibrations. Sadly, instead of a masterwork, we got a breakdown. Brian fell apart and drew into himself during the sessions. Instead of the home run of Smile, we got the bunt of Smiley Smile. Smiley Smile had less lush versions of Smile tracks Heroes & Villains, Vegetables, Wonderful, and Wind Chimes. Subsequent albums had other Smile bits like Cabinessence, Our Prayer, & Surf's Up. They were pieces of an incomplete puzzle, a few courses of a banquet.

In 2004, Wilson finished his masterpiece. The result was a glorious cohesive CD combining old tracks with new overdubs seamlessly. The impossible had happened. What more could there be? This DVD. A live performance of Smile played end to end. Bursting with technicolor sound. Ice cream for your ears and eyes. Blissful magnificence. DVD 1 is the story behind the resurrection of Wilson and the hesitant reviving of old ghosts to complete the project. It is an engrossing view. DVD 2 is the performance. It is a triumph, a celebration. It will thrill your heart. I cried. Maybe you will too. Imagine seeing the Venus De Milo with arms intact. A work of art has been restored for the ages.

Yes - Union Live (Gonzo)

This is what I call a deee-luxe package! 2 DVDs, 2 CDs, a repro of the original tour program, a laminate, and a crew pass - all housed in a Roger Dean illustrated box. Yeah, bay-bee! The main DVD features the final show of the Union tour - August 8, 1991 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California. The 2 CDs are the matching audio from this show.

DVD 2 has video from 2 other shows: April 9 in Pensacola and May 9 in Denver. Both gigs include songs not performed on the main DVD: City Of Love, Leaves Of Green, Concerto In D, And You And I, drum duet, Hold On, Shock To The System, Changes, Take The Water To The Mountain, Soon, Long Distance Runaround, Lift Me Up, Starship Trooper, and a Tony Kaye solo. It also includes 5.1 mixes of 3 Shoreline numbers not on the video as well as stereo audio from Wembley and Burgettstown.

Performances are sharp - everyone's in top form. Yes, the line up of Anderson, Squire, Howe, Rabin, Kaye, Wakeman, Bruford, and White threatens to sound ponderous, but they did manage to keep it all fresh. A massively enjoyable set!!

Yes - House of Yes Live from House of Blues (BMG)

This live set is taken from the Las Vegas show in 1999 in support of "The Ladder." Yes is in fine form running through classics like "Perpetual Change," "Awaken," and "And You And I" as well as new pieces such as "Lightning Strikes" and "Homeworld." The concert seems to be presented in its entirety, though I seem to recall a nice version of "Hearts" on this tour which is nowhere to be found here.

Amazing audio and lots of extras to make this a well-packed DVD. There's a "virtual tourbook" with lots of live shots of the band. A computer generated video with a slightly different mix of the studio version of "Homeworld." Interviews with Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Billy Sherwood, Igor Khoroshev, and producer Bruce Fairbairn; and some spiffed up HTML stuff for your computer. As DVDs go, this one's well worth the investment.

Yes - Live In Philadelphia 1979 (Image)

How best to describe this DVD? If you were given this show on a bootleg VHS tape, you would think it was decent, but not spectacular. As a DVD, it is borderline humorous! The video quality is dark & blurry, the audio in slightly muffled mono. This was evidently a cable TV special back in 1979. It has cheesy announcing & weak production values reminiscent of a high school A/V club student. Oh, and Yes play on it!

Tracks are as follows:
Siberian Khatru
Circus of Heaven
Starship Trooper
Drum Solo
Excerpt From The Ancient
Your Move / All Good People
Roundabout
The line-up is Anderson / Howe / Squire / Wakeman / White. The performance is nice but not especially inspired. Even the staunchest Yes fans will be disappointed by this one!

Pete York's Super Drumming - Vol. 3 (Inakustik)

Rarely can I say that a title is somewhat of an understatement. Pete York's Super Drumming Vol. 3 would be more aptly titled Astounding Jaw-Dropping Drumming. This DVD is culled from a series of German TV shows York hosted in the late 80s - early 90s. All in the studio, with no audience, it's song after song after song for over two and a half hours. Brilliantly shot, great audio, great vibe.

So, who are the drummers? Among the many you'll find Bill Bruford, Simon Phillips, Louie Bellson, Cozy Powell, Dave Mattacks, Billy Cobham, and Jon Hiseman. Their backing musicians include Jon Lord, Brian Auger, Colin Hodgkinson, Eddie Hardin, and Wolfgang Schmid to name but a few. We're talking highest caliber here!

Highlights include the rare teaming of Bill Bruford and Jon Lord on Bouree from Lord's Sarabande album, a killer Up North - again with Bruford, and a piece called Pots And Pans featuring a drum and percussion duel between Cozy Powell and Pete York that must be seen to be believed! Also included is a bonus DVD with live performance and interview material. Superb!

Frank Zappa - The Torture Never Stops (Honker / Eagle Vision)

I miss Frank Zappa on pretty much a daily basis. If you wonder why, watch this DVD. Filmed on Halloween of 1981 at the Palladium in NYC, it captures FZ and his cohorts on a splendid night. Charlie's Enormous Mouth, Bamboozled By Love, Flakes, and Mudd Club all shine gloriously. Zappa's players for this show were Ed Mann, Tommy Mars, Bobby Martin, Scott Thunes, Steve Vai, Chad Wackerman, and Ray White. Quite a crack ensemble to say the least!

I've seen people remark over the years that Zappa lacked energy on this particular show. I just don't see it. He looks to be having a fun time, playing some killer solos, enjoying his conducting. Surely a highlight of this concert is the 1-2-3 punch of The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing / Dumb All Over / Heavenly Bank Account. It's a biting, witty jab at the Falwells and Osteens of our world and their quest for cash through religion.

Audio quality is nice. video is a bit on the red side, but reflective of the day and accurate to the source. Cute notes from Scott Thunes. A few bonus tracks as well. A wonderful addition to the Zappa video library. You'll play this one often.

Night Gallery - The Complete First Season (Universal)

I've always been a fan of classic horror. Not what they pass off as horror nowadays. I've no interest in poorly written gore about interchangeable cardboard characters. Classic horror. 5 years after the original run of The Twilight Zone, Rod Serling set his sights on horror and the supernatural with Night Gallery.

This set presents the pilot and the first of 3 seasons. While the series hit its stride with the second season, there is much to be praised here. The Cemetery, The Escape Route, The Dead Man, Room With A View, The Little Black Bag, Certain Shadows On The Wall, The House, The Doll, and They're Tearing Down Tim Riley's Bar are all effective slices of eeriness. Stars like Diane Keaton, Agnes Moorehead, William Windom, Joanna Pettet, John Williams, and Serling mainstay Burgess Meredith all give memorable performances.

The boxed set also includes 1 episode from season 2 and 2 episodes from season 3, including the haunting Whisper. Solid prints and sound. A fascinating journey to the shadows of yesteryear.

Room 222 - Season One (Shout Factory)

God! I hadn't seen an episode of Room 222 in years! The show featured one of my 2 childhood crushes (the other being Juliet Mills as Nanny): Denise Nicholas as guidance counselor Liz McIntyre. Watching the 26 episodes on this 4 disc set I feel safe in saying that I chose my crushes well.

Joining Nicholas was Lloyd Haynes as Pete Dixon, Michael Constantine as principal Seymour Kaufman and Karen Valentine as student teacher Alice Johnson. They all worked at the fictional Walt Whitman High in California. Students included David Jolliffe as Bernie, Judy Strangis (who many remember as Electra Woman’s hot partner Dyna Girl) as Helen, and Heshimu as Jason. Season one was filmed in 1969/70 and reflects much of the culture and many of the issues of that time. Over 40 years later, the stories still resonate. Teens are still teens. A key here is that Room 222 was never written down to the lowest common denominator. It aspired. Well scripted, well acted, well directed.

The prints aren't perfect, but they're the best currently available. On the fourth disc there's a swell interview with Constantine and Nicholas, writer Allan Burns and series creator James L Brooks. After watching this 4 disc set, my only question is "Where are seasons 2-5?" Still one of the finest series ever on television.

SummerSlam - The Complete Anthology Volume 3 - 1998-2002 (WWE HomeVideo)

You either find pro wresting entertaining or you don't. I find it often amusing and occasionally hilarious. A friend of mine once termed wrestling "A full contact soap opera." I cannot disagree. SummerSlam is an annual WWE Pay-Per-View event where, well, wrestlers slam each other in the Summer. This 5 DVD set collects the 1998 - 2002 events, full and uncut.

Huge names like the Undertaker and The Rock share the events with the odd lesser light like, "Marvelous" Marc Mero, Mr. Ass, and Prince Albert. Whether famous, infamous, or forgotten, the athletes involved all seem to bring their best games. 2002's Chris Benoit vs. Rob Van Dam match is a thriller. 1998's New Age Outlaws vs. Mankind no holds barred match is pure smashmouth fun. The aforementioned Benoit vs. Chris Jericho in a 2 out of 3 falls match from 2000 is unbridled athleticism.

The packaging is cool. Video and audio quality are stellar. Entertainment quotient is through the roof. Fans of wrestling will love this veritable goldmine of thrills and laughter.

13 Assassins (Magnet)

13 Assassins is the work of director Takashi Miike of Audition fame. The film is set in the latter days of feudal Japan. The basic tale here is that a group of Samurai must kill a cold, cruel leader before he can cause further havoc. To give away more than that would kill the thrill of discovery.

As one might expect of Miike, this is a very violent film with astounding amounts of blood and shocking injury. However, I found none of it to be truly gratuitous. There is a nobility to the script, a mantle of honor. It gives reason to the conflict. The actors raise the game as well. The result is a thinking man's slaughter.

Under Takashi Miike's direction, there is a poetic beauty to every scene. The images juxtapose verdant fields with gallons of blood. 13 Assassins is most definitely for adults only. It is also 100% worth your time. Better to own than to rent this as you'll want to view it many times over.

All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku (ADV Films)

Sure, you've seen this premise a zillion times: a whacky scientist puts the brain of his sons' pet cat into the body of an experimental android. OK, maybe you haven't. All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku is surely an odd duck of an anime concept. This spiffy DVD collects all 6 OVA episodes on one disc.

The video quality is stellar: the animation looks clean, crisp & clear with fine audio. Originally in Japanese, you can watch each episode either dubbed or subtitled in English (I always choose sub over dub!). The disc also has a few nice bonus features to boot.

All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku is a funny series with alot of heart underneath the humor. If you are new to anime, this is a great disc to start with, as it is very self-contained. Perhaps ADV will bring us the 14 TV episodes of Nuku Nuku next. Hint hint.

Bad Ronald (WB Archive Collection)

Warner Bros started the Archive Collection to release smaller print runs of films on DVD-Rs that wouldn't normally get a wider release. Bad Ronald reaps the benefit of this imprint. I recalled this 1974 creep-a-thon vividly. 'Bad' Ronald was a young teen who accidentally caused the death of a classmate. Ronald's mother comes up with a unique solution to her son's dilemma. To say more would be to give too much away.

This film was an old TV "movie of the week.' The Archive Collection has put out a passel of these. Films like Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark, and The Stranger Within. I'm hoping they'll get to other made-for-television gems like The Power, Tribes, Daughter Of The Mind, and the eerie Crowhaven Farm. Keep 'em coming!

Bird Of Paradise (Kino)

Hello, 1932! Kino has unveiled another King Vidor directed gem - this one a tale from the Polynesian islands. It stars Dolores Del Rio and Joel McCrea and if you look closely, you'll spot a very young Lon Chaney Jr (still credited as Creighton Chaney).

The basic story here is that McCrea visits a Polynesian island and falls in love with Del Rio. She is the daughter of the chief and McCrea is forbidden from having contact with her, and vice versa. Does this stop them? There'd be no film if it did. Their romance is set against a lush tropical background and takes some interesting twists and turns.

The print is actually pretty amazing for 1932. Clear and crisp. It was preserved by the George Eastman house motion picture department. This blu-ray has no extras, but doesn't need them. Bird Of Paradise is a solid tale of star-crossed lovers with a tiny touch of pre-code nudity to spice things up! Well worth owning. I believe I'll watch this again tomorrow!

Boccaccio '70 (Kino Lorber)

Interesting that a 1962 film would be called Boccaccio 70. The title is a reference to Giovanni Boccaccio, author of the Decameron. Boccaccio 70 envisioning 4 erotic tales fit for a 1970 version of the Decameron. That was the intent, anyway. The results were straight out of 1962 and all the better for it.

We really get 4 unrelated short films close to an hour each by 4 of Italy's finest directors. Mario Monicelli's Renzo E Luciana stars the lovely Marisa Solinas and shows what happens when the idealized notion of marriage meets reality. This segment, by the way, was left out of the American release. A shame as it's quite touching. Federico Fellini's Le tentazioni del dottor Antonio stars the delicious Anita Ekberg in a surreal tale of obsession that's hilarious. This was also Fellini's first color piece. Luchino Visconti gives us Il lavoro with a radiant Romy Schneider in a sad tale of a disillusioned wife. The final segment comes courtesy of Vittorio De Sica and stars the ever delightful Sophia Loren. It's called La riffa and tells the story of a carnival girl who raffles off her body for money. The results are not what one might think.

The print on this blu-ray looks like it was struck yesterday. So clean and clear. There are a few extras as well, but the film offers the viewer so very much that extras are almost irrelevant. Boccaccio 70 will entrance and delight.

Captain America (Paramount / Marvel)

Since my childhood in the far flung Sixties I've been a huge Captain America fan. What a hero! When I first heard that he was coming to the screen & was being portrayed by Chris Evans, I was a bit of a skeptic. Thankfully, my doubt was unfounded as Evans put aside his usual winking wiseass character and delivered a Captain America that hit all the right notes. The hero was treated with respect and perhaps even a bit of reverence. The end result being one of the very best superhero films to date.

The blu-ray features a gorgeous, ultra clean transfer of the film that positively sparkles. Color balance, saturation, and depth are spot on. Audio is clean and clear, accurately capturing the dynamics of the source.

Lots of extras to boot. The bonus featurette A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Thor's Hammer is a hoot. The are a few choice deleted scenes, commentary, and tasty behind the scenes features including a nice piece with Cap co-creator Joe Simon. Excellent package of an excellent film.

Casanova '70 (Kino Lorber)

What? Another Italian film from the Sixties with "70" in the title? Yes indeed. Casanova '70 is from 1965 and directed by the great Mario Monicelli. It stars Marcello Mastroianni as the modern day Casanova. Beauties galore include Virna Lisi, Marisa Mell, Michele Mercier, and Liana Orfei. The premise is that Mastroianni can only get aroused in dangerous situations. Wackiness, as one might expect, ensues.

Casanova '70 is most definitely not for the small fry. Deliciously tasteful nudity abounds. Kino did a fantastic job on this blu-ray. The print is stunning. It's shows Monicelli's use of colors and textures to great effect. Everything about this disc says quality. If you're in the mood for a funny, frothy, sexy romp, Casanova '70 delivers!

Colorful (ADV Films)

I could beat around the bush and say this anime reveals the obsessive nature of animators and society and their fascination with soft fabrics. But I won't. "Colorful" is about panties. Nearly 2 hours of vignettes about panties.

The vignettes are in different visual styles with semi-recurrent characters. Here's the general scenario: a guy is frustrated and stares at a glimpse of a woman's panties. I believe I just covered it all in terms of plot. If you're into animated Japanese panties, here's your holy grail. For the rest of us, "Colorful" is cute in small doses.

The Death Of Andy Kaufman (Wild Eye / MVD)

Andy Kaufman was most definitely a one-of-a-kind human being. So far out there with his twisted but mostly gentle approach to comedy that he often blurred the line between persona and person. That aspect of Kaufman sets the stage for this film.

Writer / producer / director Christopher Maloney approaches this documentary wondering if, in fact, Andy Kaufman's death in 1984 might just be another of Kaufman's ruses. Maloney manages to not make this seem cruel or ghoulish. In the course of his investigation we get a great sense of Kaufman's life and how he effected those he allowed to get close to him.

It's a loving film at its core. I was especially touched by the interview footage of Michael Kaufman, Andy's brother. You can hear the love in his voice as he recounts tales of his brother. In the end, it's almost irrelevant if we really discover if Kaufman is alive or dead. What we come away with is a deeper appreciation of his talents and the comedic legacy he left generations to come.

K.O.Beast - Volume 1: Password To Treasure (The Right Stuf International)

Take 4 creative folks who worked on everything from "Maze" to "Blue Seed" to "Outlaw Star" to "Burn Up W" and stir. You end up with a very wacky series called "K.O.Beast." It's bright and brilliant and totally engaging piece of anime.

The lead characters morph back and forth between human and animal forms and the bad guys are, well, humans. The story is a sort of futuristic treasure hunt with Earth shattering consequences. Transfer if awesome. English dub is palatable, subtitles are clean & clear. "K.O.Beast" is full of action and humor and you warm up to the leads very quickly. Very highly recommended!

Nosferatu (Kino)

As I write this, I am 50 years old. Nosferatu still creeps the hell out of me and it is the only vampire movie to ever do so. The performance by Max Schreck in this F.W. Murnau masterpiece is the stuff of nightmares. Schreck's movements are otherworldly, amplified by Murnau's direction and angular caustic lighting choices. When I first saw this as a youth, it bothered me, like I saw a gimpse of Hell. Little did I know, how little of it I saw.

This restored version from Kino International puts over 20 missing minutes back into the film. Hans Erdmann's original 1922 score is there as well. The print is nothing short of amazing - clearer than when it was first shown! You can even clearly see the rat-like hairs on Schreck's ears!

The Kino restoration is a 2 disc set - 1 disc with English intertitles, the other with German intertitles. Lots of bonus material on the making of the film, the restoration process, the life of Murnau and much more. They aren't kidding when they call it the ultimate DVD edition!

Nothing Sacred (Kino)

I've been a Carole Lombard fan most of my life. Her beauty and her comic timing put her in a class of her own. Hot on the heels of the screwball classic My Man Godfrey, in 1937 Lombard was paired with Frederic March in her only color feature - Nothing Sacred. The film was a wry commentary on the press' and the public's need for heroes, heroines, and headlines. 75 years later, very little has changed in that regard.

For ages I've watched patchy, washed out prints of this film. This blu-ray was like viewing it for the first time. Nice print, nice sound, nice color balance and saturation. Is it perfect? No. Nor do I expect a 1937 film look like a 2012 film. It's just not a realistic expectation. This is the best print I've seen and am ever likely to.

Kino is to be thanked for rescuing this William Wellman directed gem from fading into obscurity. Authorized by the David O'Selznick estate, Nothing Sacred is back to bring laughs and love to new generations of film fans.

Popeye The Sailor - 1933 -1938 (Warner Bros)

Some things are part of your DNA. The black and white Max Fleischer cartoons are surely part of mine. I was not familiar as a child with the classic Elzie Segar comic strip. Cartoons like We Aim To Please, A Clean Shaven Man and Big Chief Ugh-Amugh-Ugh, thrilled me, made me laugh, made me sing.

This 4 disc set brings them back with startling clarity and a ton of extras. You get 60 Popeye shorts, bonus cartoons featuring Koko The Clown, Krazy Kat, Colonel Heeza Liar and many more! Documentaries covering all things Popeye: history, characters, voice actors, music. Commentary from the likes of John Kricfalusi, Paul Dini and Greg Ford. These DVDs are just packed!

Bluto's a prick and a felon. Olive Oyl's a bit crazy. Wimpy's a selfish mooch. Popeye's a mumbling mess of muscle. They live in a world of wild violence and insane situations. Every child should see them and rejoice. Treat the child inside of you to this essential gift for your heart, soul and funnybone!

Primitive London / London In The Raw (Jezebel)

Primitive London and London In The Raw are 2 documentaries about the seamy, steamy side of life in London in the mid 1960s. Both are products of writer / director Arnold L Miller and well shot in positively lurid color.

The features are actually presented on the DVD in reverse order of their billing. This makes sense as London In The Raw was released in 1964, and Primitive London in 1965. Between the 2 we are treated to a school for strippers, mods, rockers, beatniks, hair transplants, Billy J Kramer, a live birth, the slaughtering of chickens, lingerie, free love, strip joints, clip joints, men on wooden horses, and much much more! The prints are great - very nicely restored.

Perhaps these films were a bit shocking in their day, but seeing them now they are a hoot! A quaint trip in the time machine. I can imagine these as fueling gatherings and parties with some sure laughs. Very highly recommended!

The Prodigal Son (Universe Laser & Video Co., Ltd.)

A transitional Chinese martial arts film circa 1981 with roots in the traditional, but clearly showing humor and stuntwork that more contemporary films feature. Directed by "Marshal Law" star Sammo Hung (who also has a small role) it stars Yuen Biao and the late Lam Ching Ying. "The Prodigal Son" is the tale of a spoiled brat (Biao) who must humble himself to learn the martial arts from a true master (Ying).

A crisp letterbox transfer with slightly trebly audio. This DVD features multilingual subtitling, profiles of Biao and Hung, and several trailers. A classic of the genre.

Project A-Ko (Image/U.S.Manga Corps)

An old favorite beautifully transferred to DVD. Released in Japan in 1986, this odd slice of anime is quirky good fun! It tells the story of three teenage girls: A-Ko, B-Ko & C-Ko. A-Ko is the daughter of Superman & Wonder Woman; B-Ko is the daughter of Tony Stark a/k/a Iron Man, and C-Ko is cute & whiny. It's a humorous sci-fi lesbian triangle action/adventure feature cartoon. Plenty of goofy gags, wild robots, anime in-jokes,and smelly underwear.

The DVD presents "Project A-Ko" in it's theatrical letterbox format. Options include chapter encoding and 3 choices of language: Japanese, English, & Japanese with English subtitles. The English dub is ok, but lacks the flair of the Japanese voice actors. Towards the end of the film, the subtitles start appearing a bit ahead of the dialogue but is otherwise very nice. Excellent print transfer and deep, clear audio make this a winner on every front. If you're new to anime, this film is a great way to dip your toe into the waters.

Suzuka - The Complete Collection (Kodansha/Funimation)

This four DVD set is a part of Funimation's Super Amazing Value Edition (S.A.V.E.) series. I love the idea: Anime at a very affordable price. Much appreciated in todays economy.

Suzuka is a 26 episode high school teen romance series. It follows the ups and downs of a guy named Yamato and his bumbling attempts to connect with Suzuka - an up and coming track star. The episodes slowly draw you in and make you pull for Yamato, bit by bit. A nice, engaging story overall.

The animation is on the high end of the TV/OVA scale in terms of quality. The English dub...sucks. Listen to it in Japanese with English subtitles for the full experience. Packaging is simple but nice. Suzuka is a sweet little series and a fine addition to any Anime fan's collection.

Urusei Yatsura - OVA Set (Animeigo)

This is a 6 DVD boxed set collecting every Urusei Yatsura OVA (original video anime) available to date. Inaba The Dream-Maker, Raging Sherbet / I Howl At The Moon, Catch The Heart / Goat And Cheese, Date With A Spirit / The Terror Of Girly-Eyes Measles, Nagisa's Fiance / The Electric Household Guard, Ryoko's September Tea Party / Memorial Album.

The story quality varies on these. While Inaba The Dream-Maker and the duo of Raging Sherbet / I Howl At The Moon are fine additions to any UY collection, the 2 OVAs that comprise volume 6 - Ryoko's September Tea Party / Memorial Album are basically clips shows with new framing animation. More of interest to the completist than anyone else.

As one expects from Animeigo, transfers and packaging are top of the line. In the end, a lovely boxed set in a nice slipcase, but one might be best served by buying the volumes individually. Start with Inaba The Dream -Maker - it's 100% fabulous!

Urusei Yatsura - TV 50 (AnimEigo)

This DVD features the final 2 television episodes of this beloved Japanese animated series based on the popular manga by Rumiko Takahashi. The penultimate episode is a top 10 countdown of the public's favorites, with the #1 being shown in its entirety. A lovely sentimental episode. The season finale is a sort of "let's throw in a ton of characters" episode leading up to a cute moment between series leads Ataru & Lum. By no means a perfect ending, but nice.

Lots of bonus material including a yearbook feature, opening & closing animations from the entire series, karaoke, & an interview (as well as a lil Easter egg). A wonderful package, as to be expected from AnimEigo. If you've never seen UY, you're missing out on the very best that anime has to offer. Hop on board!

Urusei Yatsura - Movie 1: Only You (AnimEigo)

Urusei Yatsura is perhaps the greatest creation of Japanese artist/writer Rumiko Takahashi (best known in the US for her series "Inu Yasha"). Urusei Yatsura revolves around Lum - a beautiful bikini clad alien, and Ataru - an unlucky lech. A richly nuanced cast surrounds them in the comic book, TV, motion picture, and OVA series.

This film was originally released theatrically in Japan in 1983 and involves the Urusei Yatsura cast mixing it up with an alien Princess and her "love freezer." Animeigo's transfer is gorgeous - clear with richly saturated color and solid audio. The story is funny and engaging, and even those new to the characters will understand the hijinks. There is a decent English dubbed track, but I head straight to the subtitles and original language track every time to enjoy anime as it was intended. "Only You" is a wonderful and wacky piece of anime that stands up viewing after viewing!

You're Under Arrest - DVD Collector's Box 1 (AnimEigo)

OK - this is how to do it! This boxed set gets everything right. "You're Under Arrest" is a police action adventure comedy/drama anime that's high octane from start to finish. "Oh My Goddess!" fans will happily embrace this series as it's by OMG creator Kousuke Fujishima.

The boxed set collects the first 12 episodes of the series with a 4th disc of bonus material. Great packaging, tons of bonuses, and a clever surprise or two make this a great buy. Great stories, interesting characters, and cool direction make it a great series. If you like your action laced with humor and sexy women, look no further. Thank you AnimEigo!

Book Reviews

Archie Archives - Volume Three (Dark Horse Books)

Welcome to 1944! This stellar volume of the Archie Archives collects stories from Pep #46 - 50 and Archie #7 - 10. Initially created by Bob Montana to cash in on the then hot Henry Aldrich radio character, at this point Archie Andrews and his Riverdale cohorts were starting to hit stride.

While there is only 1 page of Bob Montana art to be found here, the majority is in the capable hands of Harry Sahle - often inked by Janice Valleu (a/k/a "Ginger"). Stylistically, it's light years from the iconic Dan DeCarlo / Stan Goldberg Archie we know and love. It's a bit rough around the edges but certainly no less charming. Sahle drew pin up-y women with generous curves. His layouts were clear and direct as well as intensely creative. His Archie The Caveman from Archie #9 is a total tour-de-force and funny as all get out!

Dark Horse did an A+ job on this hardcover. Reproduction is spot on. Color is sharp, well saturated, and feels right for the era. Everything about this book speaks of quality and care. Want to smile? Want to see what great comics used to look like? Pick up this volume and visit with Archie and the gang!

Eric Bischoff (with Jeremy Roberts) - Controversy Creates Cash 389 pg. (Pocket Books / WWE)

In the late 90s, WCW not only competed with the WWE, it flat out kicked its butt! The man behind the scenes as well as on camera, was Eric Bischoff. This book gives a good deal of industry insight on a level rarely seen. What separates this book from others is the amount of detail Bischoff gives about running a business. Marketing strategies. Thinking not just months, but years ahead in terms of planning . Dealing with talent, etc. Fascinating and revealing. He is also very honest about himself. Bischoff is open about his flaws and failures and this only strengthens the narrative.

The only sore spot as a reader is his vocal disdain for fans of promotions that are not the ones he is working for. Another part of being brutally honest. Controversy Creates Cash is not afraid to name names, and there's plenty of "dirt" on many performers and execs. Randy "Macho Man" Savage, Hulk Hogan, "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, Scott Hall, Goldberg, are seen through a different lens. Bischoff's views on running the wrestling business easily apply to most any other business & are quite inspiring. The book is a gripping, solid read sure to please wrestling fans and people looking for a peek behind the doors of the Ted Turner empire.

Dave Cartwright - Bittersweet (Cherry Red Books)

Bittersweet is a biography of British singer / songwriter Clifford T Ward. Ward sadly left this world in late 2001. Well before that, he wrote wonderful songs like Cellophane, The Open University, Wherewithal, Scullery, and Home Thoughts From Abroad.

Bittersweet certainly is a long, detailed portrait of Ward. Cartwright talks to friends and encouragers of Ward like Jimmy Page, Chris DeBurgh, and Jeff Lynne. But if it's a portrait, it's a Dorian Gray-like one full of dark, ugly colors. Ward comes across as cheap, callous, self absorbed, unappreciative. If there was an ill word to be found about Ward, Cartwright found it. His wife is portrayed as an innocent victim of his whims. His business pals painted as altruistic yet rebuffed victims as well. Over 300 pages of "He wrote this great song, but ... " If you're a fan of Ward, this is the equivalent of visiting Santa's grave.

Is Bittersweet a book full of lies? I honestly don't know. The author professes his love for Ward, but his work shows otherwise. I left the book wondering if anything was gained by reading it ...

Robert Michael "Bobb" Cotter - A History Of The Doc Savage Adventures (McFarland)

I started reading Doc Savage novels at about the age of 14 or 15. I believe my first was The Freckled Shark. The Bantam book had a cool cover by James Bama and it was passed to me by my dad.

For those who may not know, Doc Savage was a 30's/40's pulp novel hero. His amazing adventures, over 180 of them, were primarily written by Lester Dent under the pseudonym "Kenneth Robeson". Clark Savage, the man of bronze, with his fortress of solitude was an obvious inspiration for Superman. Many other heroes owe their creative spark to Doc Savage to this day.

"Bobb" Cotter takes on quite a task in this book. Synopses of all the novels. Coverage and perspective on the pulps, comics, radio, film and all things Doc. A task for sure, but Cotter handles it with enthusiasm and an eye for detail.

The book is a quality hardcover with nice b&w illos inside, and a full color reproduction of Walter Baumhofer's art from the very first Doc Savage pulp novel serves as the cover. Lots of information told from a true fan's point of view spread across 234 pages. Very impressive!

N. C. Christopher Couch - Jerry Robinson: Ambassador Of Comics (Abrams Comicarts)

I've been a professional cartoonist since 1983, so I perhaps come into this book with a loving bias. The landscape we all play on was built by a handful of men. Joe Shuster, Jerry Siegel, Bill Finger, Jerry Robinson, Mort Meskin, Joe Simon, Jack Kirby, Bill Gaines, Stan Lee, Steve Ditko. Perhaps Julius Schwartz and Gardner Fox. They built this house. We're just tenants.

If all Jerry Robinson did was create Robin and the Joker, his place in history would be assured. As this tome shows, he offers so much more. From his comic book days to his wonderful comic strip work on Flubs & Fluffs and Still Life to his political cartoons. Robinson has a keen eye, a sharp mind, and an ability to express both through ink and prose.

Author N. C. Christopher Couch, in conjunction with Robinson, brings the tale to life in compelling fashion. Couch is greatly aided by the stunning art of Jerry Robinson. Classic iconic images as well as rare unpublished pieces treat the eye. Jerry Robinson: Ambassador Of Comics is a celebration of genius, effort, style, and wit.

Geoff Emerick (and Howard Massey) - Here, There And Everywhere 388 pg. (Gotham Books)

There are enough Beatles related books to fill a small library. As a life long Beatlefan, I certainly have my share. Here, There And Everywhere by Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick stands as one of the best out there.

Emerick takes you right inside the studio with the Fab Four. The approach is more practical than starry eyed here, and the reader benefits. How did they get that small percussion sound on Blackbird? How did Sgt. Pepper come together? So many insights from temperament to technical in this tome. Emerick's pride in his work is evident. Working out challenges, say, John Lennon threw him, Emerick details his techniques lovingly. Emerick strips away the glamor and presents us four young men hard at work. That the work in question helped redefine popularmusic is almost irrelevant here.

Beatles fans will find a trove of information in the pages of Here, There And Everywhere. Budding engineers can learn more than a few tips as well. Fascinating on so many levels. A must own for your music library.

Mick Foley - The Hardcore Diaries 372 pg. (Pocket Books / WWE)

The second time I talked to Mick Foley was at a Jethro Tull gig in Stamford, CT. (Foley even throws in a mention of Tull's Songs From The Wood in this book.) He regaled me with great stories about Al Snow, comic books, writing, wrestling, politics, you name it. I mention this because that's the feel of The Hardcore Diaries. It's not just Foley telling engaging stories about his life. It's him telling them to you.

Vince McMahon, Ric Flair, Dee Snider, Christy Canyon, WWE divas, and lots of the wrestler known as Test. The book is an inside look into the operation and politics of the wrestling biz. It's a look into a wrestler's mind. It's also a look into a father's heart. The Hardcore Diaries succeeds on a multitude of levels.

Best known as Dude Love, Cactus Jack, and Mankind, Mick Foley writes with passion and clarity. You walk away from this book with a great sense of what Foley is all about. This is one of those impossible to put down books that turn up far too infrequently. One you'll not soon forget.

Furi Furi Company - What A Happy Life & Death! - 176 pg (Die Gestalten Verlag)

Furi Furi Company design all sorts of stuff - from CD booklets to advertisements to CDROM packaging. This book is bursting with their innovative, inspiring illustrations. The pieces vary in complexity but all have a breezy, whimsical underpinning to them. The use of color and design sense are impeccable. This book is a feast for the senses and gets my highest possible recommendation as an essential addition to any library of contemporary art or pop culture!

Ron Goulart - Comic Book Encyclopedia - 380 pg. (Harper Collins)

Trying to cover such an expansive medium as comic books is no easy task. New titles spring up every day, it seems. Ron Goulart, a known expert on the subject of comics, gives a great overview of the medium in this encyclopedia. Superstar characters like Superman, Batman, and Spider-man sit side by side with lesser known heroes like Madam Fatal and Detective Dan. The book is packed with information and color art - much of which I've never seen in my life. The layout is visually dazzling with color on all 380 pages - the publisher clearly put a nice amount of effort into every aspect of the package.

As a long time comic fanboy, I found many bits of information I just never knew. I was very impressed by the breadth of information here - too often books on comics neglect the early days in favor of more than you could ever need to know about Sandman. If you're an old time fan like me, you'll love this book. If you're new to comic books, you'll treasure this hardcover encyclopedia as a source of information and a compass pointing you toward the gems the comic book industry has to offer. A win/win situation! Absolutely fabulous!

Peter Kuper - Classics Illustrated #9: The Jungle (Papercutz)

When I was a kid, Classics Illustrated were the comic books your parents bought you, or were in the Doctor's office along with Highlights For Children. A bit like the Life cereal or PBS of comic books - stuff that was "good" for you. I'm happy to report that the new Classics Illustrated under the Papercutz imprint is a far cry from being stodgy or dull abridgements of classic novels. The Jungle is exciting and compelling.

Upton Sinclair's tale of the downside of unfettered capitalism comes alive under the pen and brush of Peter Kuper. Kuper distills the essence of Sinclair's text well. It flows smoothly and loses none of the impact nor the intent. Kuper's illustrations are stark and twisted. There is no glamour. Everything is bleak and angular. Yet there is a beauty within that darkness. Kuper's sense of design is immaculate and masterful. Every page sings. Every image is soaked with emotion.

The Jungle is a very brave choice for Classics Illustrated. Fans of Upton Sinclair will find this adaptation to be respectful and exciting. Fans of Peter Kuper will revel in his expressive illustrations. Perhaps a new reader or two may even seek out Sinclair's original. Everybody wins!

Tim Lasiuta - Brush Strokes With Greatness: The Life & Art Of Joe Sinnott 136 pg. (TwoMorrows)

When I was a kid, I was fascinated with comic books. The Avengers, Dr Strange, Metal Men, Daredevil, and my favorite book of all - The Fantastic Four. Reed Richards, Sue Storm (eventually Sue Richards), Johnny Storm, Ben Grimm. I loved the supporting cast - Wyatt Wingfoot, the Yancy Street Gang, Crystal & the Inhumans, Agatha Harkness, Willie Lumpkin, & Ben Grimm's never seen Aunt Petunia. Their adventures were written by Stan Lee & lovingly penciled and inked by Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott, respectively. That Kirby / Sinnott art wowed me as a kid and still does to this day. In the years since, Sinnott's inks have graced everything from Captain America to Thor, from the Avengers to the Defenders and back again. Kirby, Steranko, Neal Adams, John & Sal Buscema, Werner Roth, Gene Colan - all these pencilers & more have been graced by Sinnott's inks.

Brush Strokes With Greatness is packed from cover to cover with Joe Sinnott art - much of it previously unpublished. Covers, splashes, interior pages, strips, pin ups, ads, panels, sketches (crisply reproduced by the TwoMorrows folks) - all giving a fine overview of Sinnott's career. Lasiuta's text takes you through Sinnott's life and career and is drawn largely from interviews with the man himself.

I've had the pleasure of knowing Joe Sinnott for over 25 years and this book has nuggets that even I had no clue about! Informative, chatty, friendly - Lasiuta's text is conversational and breezy - well researched without seeming dry. With a great testimonial by Stan Lee, this book is a winner for all comic book fans.

Jerry Lucky - The Progressive Rock Handbook (Collector's Guide)

This 352 pg. book is a fascinating mixed bag. It's basically divided into 2 parts: 78 pages of essays and interviews describing what Jerry Lucky perceives to be or not be prog, dividing it into sub genres and a sort of historic overview. He at times succeeds, at other times not. His narrative just never quite seems to engage. It has a cut and paste quality about it. Having said that, kudos to Lucky for the effort.

The bulk of the book is an alphabetical listing of prog bands with a short biographical sketch and discography for each. Here Lucky succeeds. It is a very handy guide and a breezy read that's packed with info and has a nice little color section of album covers in the center.

My copy came with a swell CD sampler with tracks from Under The Sun, Rocket Scientists, Sylvan, Ghost Circus and others. All in all, a book well worth owning for the 200+ pages of band listings. Ignore the front end, enjoy the back end!

Helen McCarthy - The Art of Osamu Tezuka - God of Manga (Abrams)
 
This 272 page book is a loving, respectful, comprehensive look at the brilliant career of Osamu Tezuka. The subtitle "God of Manga" is not said lightly. As creator of both Astro Boy and Kimba The White Lion, among countless other characters, Tezuka's work influenced all who came after, an influence felt to this very day.
 
Helen McCarthy chronicles Tezuka's life and work skillfully. Her tone is factual, kind, but without fannish fawning. Just the right balance. The book is overflowing with superb illustrations and photos. From Tezuka's earliest illustrations to his last. Manga, anime, rare sketches, model sheets- there is a nice array of pretty much anything you can think of.
 
The packaging is wild. A hardcover with a die-cut Astro Boy on the front and a DVD in the back, all encased in a clear vinyl dust jacket. If you are a fan of imagination and of vision, you simply must own this book. Impeccable in every possible way!

Peyo - King Smurf (Papercutz)

Born Pierre Culliford and taking the name Peyo (based on a young cousin's mispronunciation of his first name), this Belgian visionary created the Smurfs in October of 1958. Over a half century later, the Smurfs still thrive and more importantly, still resonate with children of all ages.

Papercutz is re-introducing Peyo's stories in a series of beautifully printed volumes. I was sent King Smurf to look at, so hey, let's look! The book contains 2 stories. The first deals with a farcical attempt at leadership while Papa Smurf is away. The second is musical in nature and throws in Gargamel and Azrael for good measure.

Both stories were engaging with a sophisticated wit beneath stories that children will understand and enjoy. The art is awesome: incredibly clear layouts, powerful storytelling elements, and a very confident line. As I read this collection, I was reminded of other timeless series like Tintin and Asterix - stories and art that touch generation after generation. Buy King Smurf for your kids without reservation - just be sure to read it yourself as well!

Will Romano - Mountains Come Out Of The Sky (Backbeat / Hal Leonard)

Here we have Mountains Come Out Of The Sky, subtitled The Illustrated History Of Prog Rock by Will Romano. After reading the 246 page book, I find I can look at it 2 ways: altruistically, or realistically. I'll try to do both.

Mountains Come Out Of The Sky is packed with interesting photos and interviews with many key movers; from the current prog front runners to the architects of the genre. Ian Anderson, Roine Stolt, Neal Morse, Milla Kapolke, Andy Latimer, Pete Sinfield, John Petrucci, and scores more relate interesting tales and historic information. This is the strength of this volume.

On the flip side, there are inaccuracies galore. According to the author, for example, Steve Hackett recorded an album called Bay Of Pigs. Ummm, no. Try Bay Of Kings. We see the cover of Genesis' A Trick Of The Tale credited as Abacab. While the Beatles' Revolver is correctly titled, the photo of Rubber Soul is also called Revolver. There are dozens of miscredited photos and reams of historical errors. Oh, and Peter Hammill and Van der Graaf Generator evidently never existed, as they are conspicuously missing - a genuine cornerstone of prog.

Buy it for the conversations, but don't look for much beyond that. Mountains Come Out Of The Sky is a well intentioned but clumsily executed tome. Editor! Editor! HELLLLLLLLLP!!

Paul Russell - Genesis: Play Me My Song (SAF)

Subtitled a live guide 1969 to 1975, Paul Russell's tome is an exhaustive look at every available live gig from the Peter Gabriel era of Genesis (minus the 1982 live charity gig). Russell listened to over 160 live shows and reviews each and every one. His sources range from fan bootlegs to piles of tapes lent by the band themselves. The end result is the definitive live guide to the Gabriel years.

While Russell write with an obvious love and passion for the subject at hand, he's not afraid to point out bum notes or bum crowds. Some hillbilly-like heckling spoils the tranquility of Cuckoo Cocoon he says of the December 12, 1974 crowd at the Palace Theatre in Waterbury, Connecticut. Spot on! Of the August 22, 1972 show at Teatro Alcione in Genoa, Italy, Russell muses: Another Italian rarity - the only known recorded version of Seven Stones, played with controlled restraint, you often feel it is about to explode. He takes you inside every show.

An extensive interview with Tony Banks, Anthony Phillips, and Mike Rutherford is an excellent bonus. Genesis: Play Me My Song is an indispensible volume for Genesis and prog libraries alike.

Ian Shirley - Meet The Residents - 192 pg (SAF Publishing LTD)

Surely one of the most unusual bands in the history of recorded music, The Residents are a bit of an enigma. Preferring to let the music speak for itself, The Residents remain totally anonymous - cloaked in giant eyeballs and skulls. Ian Shirley sheds light on their past, present, & future in "Meet The Residents."

Shirley's style is chatty yet clear and informative, easing the reader into the oddly fascinating world of The Residents. The book is packed with interesting tales, wild photos, and a comprehensive discography. Highly recommended.

Space Family Robinson - Volume Three (Dark Horse)

I was sent this book entirely by accident, but decided to give it a read. I'm sure glad I did! The comics reprinted here are very well written and illustrated science fiction adventure. Very definitely a product of the Sixties before they were swinging. This is not a knock in any way - the stories sparkle in their direct simplicity. Pure entertainment!

The scripts by Gaylord Dubois are clever and engaging without getting wordy or preachy. Tim and Tam Robinson and their parents see the wonders and perils of the galaxy and bring us along for the ride. All of this is drawn by the great Dan Spiegle. His work on these stories is pretty flawless. I see bits of his Noel Sickles and Milt Caniff influences as well as a smidgen of Johnny Craig for good measure. Spiegle's layouts are a master class in illustration: crystal clear and always drawing the eye forward. His figures are awesome, his use of blacks on the page are so good, they'd give Jim Shooter a conniption fit! Oh, and don't let me forget to mention those killer painted covers by George Wilson!

This book also includes a great, informative essay by Scott Shaw! on the history of the tales and the times. You can't miss here. Winner winner outer space chicken dinner!

Various - Blood Orange #3 48 pg. (Fantagraphics Books)

Anthology style comics can be a mixed bag and Blood Orange is no exception. Some of the contributions look like the editor just plain accepted anything sent to him. One piece, an 11 page autobiographical story by Jeffrey Brown, is captivating. A few are nice in a graphic sense. I so wanted to like this more than I did. At $5.95 it's a very expensive 11 pages with 37 pages of filler on nice paper. Print better stuff on it next time, please!

Various - Coast To Coast - 224 pg (Die Gestalten Verlag)

This book is a veritable who's who of contemporary graphic design. From the comic book influenced work of Coop to the delicate Oriental studies of Michael Spoljaric this sumptuous hardcover presents a wide spectrum of styles - each more visually arresting than the last.

The plates are deeply saturated, looking like fine lithographs - Die Gestalten Verlag clearly cut no corners in presentation. Art and music have always maintained close ties. There is much inspiration to be found in the images in "Coast To Coast" for art lovers & music fans alike. An energizing collection.