Wednesday, May 26 2010
Tupac Appears at the House of Blues, Briefly
Celebrating Death Row Records’ heyday of success and hedonism rather than the performance talents of Tupac Shakur, Tupac: Live at the House of Blues is a concert film that leaves a lot to be desired.
Friday, May 7 2010
No One Has Ever Done Anything as Well as John Coltrane Played the Saxophone
If there is any artist worthy of celebration in our contemporary American Idol Apocalypse, John Coltrane should serve as both antidote and inspiration.
Thursday, April 29 2010
In Search of Beethoven
Director Phil Grabsky has skillfully interwoven Beethoven’s personal life with his musical life to create an illuminating study of a genius.
Friday, April 16 2010
Solos, the Jazz Sessions - Andrew Hill / Gonzalo Rubalcaba / Lee Konitz
With his circling hi-def cameras, colored lighting, and dramatic angles, Daniel K. Berman has given some great jazz the royal treatment.
Monday, April 5 2010
T.A.M.I. Show Collector’s Edition
The pop acts are united by boundless energy, overenthusiastic talent, a wicked back-beat, and the overly polished performance style one gets from an entertainment industry predicated on social Darwinism.
Tuesday, March 2 2010
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Live
Twenty-five years is a lot to put into context, but someone should have at least tried.
Friday, February 26 2010
Odessey and Oracle (Revisited): The 40th Anniversary Concert
In March of 2008, the four surviving original members of The Zombies reunited to perform their masterpiece four decades after disbanding. The result is this breathtaking show.
Wednesday, February 24 2010
Soul Power
I am... Somebody, chants the crowd in one of Rev Jesse Jackson’s favourite call-and-response lines, a summary of the basic themes of the Pan-African program. I am... Somebody! Thrilling stuff.
Monday, February 22 2010
The Devil Went Home and Puked: Robert Pollard’s Rock Show
Sorry Guided By Voices fans, but there's no nice way to put it: this tedious, bewildering, and often unwatchable collage of rare home video footage of Dayton's favorite indie rock heroes is just flat out terrible.
Tuesday, February 16 2010
Thin Lizzy: Are You Ready
Thin Lizzy: Are You Ready features the 110 minute, 1981 live performance originally recorded for the German television program Rockpalast.
Friday, February 12 2010
Meshuggah: Alive
A combination of the powerful and the avant-garde, Meshuggah is as visceral and imposing an act as you'll ever see and hear.
Monday, January 25 2010
Blackfield: Live in New York City
A solid document of a 2007 performance from the Steven Wilson and Aviv Geffen-fronted band. But with only two albums out, a live CD/DVD seems a bit superfluous.
Wednesday, January 20 2010
Rolling Stones: In the 1960s
This two-disc set is a decent attempt at encapsulating the group's early career -- a formidable task given the complexities of both the band and the era.
Tuesday, January 12 2010
Jethro Tull: Live At Madison Square Garden 1978
Out of time and possibly out of touch, Jethro Tull was a band for people who craved intelligent and occasionally challenging music, played convincingly by exceptional musicians. How quaint.
Thursday, January 7 2010
It Might Get Loud
Guggenheim’s portraits of the three guitarists are meant to emphasize and reemphasize the guitar’s limitless possibilities.
Wednesday, December 16 2009
Composing Outside the Beatles: Lennon and McCartney, 1967-1972
This is the rare rock documentary made for real rock fans. Its in-depth look into such a specific period clearly marks the intended audience as beyond the casual fan.
Monday, November 23 2009
Eminem: Live from New York City
This Blu-ray release of 2005 concert depicts a burnt out Shady in a transitional state before his Relapse.
Thursday, November 12 2009
The Secret Policeman Rocks!
It pains me to suggest that watching The Secret Policeman Rocks! is akin to swallowing a tablespoon of humanist medicine...
Tuesday, November 3 2009
All Tomorrow’s Parties
This more often than not pays proper attention to the artistic prowess on display, which saves it from playing too laboriously like someone else's vacation slideshow.
Monday, October 26 2009
The Chieftains - Live at Montreux 1997
This DVD enthusiastically shows a collaborative collective at the peak of its prowess, melding many musical traditions with swift, deft fingers into its own interwoven representation of Irish culture.
