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A Collection of New Vinyl Releases – May, 2009

Jason Crawford
Now, Blitzen Trapper is a little more my speed. From the first note of their newest album, "Furr," you know that these guys are most assuredly not traveling minstrels. These guys like to rock and have a good time. They have song titles like "Fire and Fast Bullets," and "Black River Killer." They sing about shaking it on a Saturday night and their guitars are loud and appropriately distorted. They infuse elements of folk, country, soul, and more to form an original sound that never veers too far from the rock, and keeps the listener alert and on their toes until the last acoustic notes of "Lady On The Water."
Vinyl Music ReviewsVinyl Reviews

A Collection of New Vinyl Releases – April, 2009

Jason Crawford
Janelle Monae doesn't lack for ambition. That much is for certain after just a cursory listen to her debut E.P. "Metropolis: The Chase Suite." Monae has some heavy hitters in her corner, and they bring a lot to the production side of the recording. It's Monae's voice, however, that carries the day on this concept record. It gives the listener the impression that she can handle any style of vocal delivery that the job calls for, and many of those styles are accounted for during this brief first offering.
Vinyl Music ReviewsVinyl Reviews

A Collection of New Vinyl Releases – March, 2009

Jason Crawford

Dan Auerbach's new album is called "Keep It Hid." It starts out quietly enough, but anyone that is familiar with Auerbach's work with the Black Keys should know that this wouldn't last. The man is capable of beautiful melody and quiet interludes, but he can groove too and this is best done loudly. All of his most obvious talents are on full display on "Keep It Hid," and the results are intoxicating.

Vinyl Music ReviewsVinyl Reviews

Music Reviews – March, 2009

Jason Victor Serinus

This is fantastic stuff. Play the first track, Horace Silver's “Strollin',” and you're immediately catapulted into the bebop past, where movies are as black and white as the album cover. Mostly recorded on April 30, 2001, during the Jarrett/Peacock/DeJohnette Trio's historic gig in Metropolitan Festival Hall in Tokyo, pianist Keith Jarrett, double bassist Gary Peacock, and drummer Jack DeJohnette are in swinging form. Listen to them cut loose for nine minutes on Charlie Parker's “Scrapple from the Apple.” The occasional verbal exclamations are hardly gratuitous â€" these boys are flying. Presumably they were just high on life.

CD Music Reviews

Cinepro and Custom Home Theater

Piero Gabucci
Those of you that follow our show coverage, like CEDIA or CES will know the name Cinepro and its' President and Vice President Michael J. Panicci and Gus Cossifos respectively. Cinepro's dynamic demonstrations are very much talked about during the show. Although many of demonstrations are loud, what sets Cinepro apart is their commitment to playing back at "Dolby Digital Reference Levels", which cannot be done accurately without tons of power. So with their ever increasing “how about another 10dB?” volume adjustments, if Gus & Michael were chefs, they'd be saying BAM as they added more spice!
Custom Home Theaters

A Collection of New Vinyl Releases – February, 2009

Jason Crawford

Neil Young has been making music for well past 40 years now. His catalog is extensive. His disdain for his labels' expectations is legendary. The man was sued by his own company for making records that didn't sound like Neil Young. His live setlists are frequently populated by songs that the casual fan has never heard. His concept albums have been brilliant (see "Tonight's the Night") & confusing (witness "Greendale"). His next release is rumored to be an album about an electric car. I'm serious.

Vinyl Music ReviewsVinyl Reviews

CES 2009 The Rest of The Story-New Updates!

Secrets Team

Builder's Showcase Home featuring Paradigm and other vendors just added......

More from Piero Gabucci.......

Another CES has come and gone. Although attendance was down, some would say that the people who did come really had business to conduct and that the quality of meetings being conducted was of a higher caliber for all manufacturers.

The primary buzz at the show centered on HDTV and the advent of 240 Hz refresh rates from all the majors, Sony, LG, Toshiba and Samsung in their new LCD and plasma sets. The 240 Hz refresh rate is demonstrable in the ability to produce a picture that is clearer and more defined when fast motion objects and very detailed still frames such as a test pattern are panned across the screen. Samsung had an excellent display of three monitors comparing 60, 120 and 240 Hz refresh rates and it is clear this technology works.

Show Reports, Film Festivals and Concerts

CES 2009 Day One

Cynthia Johnson

So I guess I jumped the gun when I said CES was packed. (For my personal taste, more then 5 people in a room is enough) It was only packed according to who had the latest model of whatever was on display. CES 2009 will definitely show lower numbers of attendees than in the past. But one thing is for sure. Home Theater and the latest electronics have a niche in the economy.

We are taking a different approach on our CES 2009 Show Report. We have asked our team to spend their time on overall impressions of the developments in hometheater and audio technology, take pictures along the way, and identify the best products for our review team over the next few months.

Show Reports, Film Festivals and Concerts

Movie Renter’s Guide – January, 2009

John E. Johnson, Jr.
Hancock (Blu-ray), Swing Vote (Blu-ray), The Bourne Trilogy (Blu-ray), The Express (The Ernie Davis Story) (Blu-ray), King Kong (2005) (Blu-ray), Universal Soldier (Blu-ray), My Best Friend's Girl (Blu-ray), Max Payne (Blu-ray), Saw V (Blu-ray), Space Buddies (Blu-ray), Bangkok Dangerous (Blu-ray), Righteous Kill (Blu-ray), Dexter: The First Season (Blu-ray)
Movie Reviews