Students, Lovers Of The Biological, Ecological Sciences Will Appreciate ‘Wonders Of The Arctic’

Courtesy: Shout! Factory

Shout! Factory gave audiences an early taste of winter this past September when it released the documentary presentation Wonders of the Arctic on Blu-ray/Digital combo pack and 4KUHD/BD 3D/Blu-ray/digital expanded combo pack.  Yet another of the company’s recent IMAX offerings, the 40-minute-plus program is an interesting look at life in the Arctic that is worth at least one watch.  That is due in part to its central topic.  That will be discussed shortly.  The information provided within the program is just as important to note in examining the program’s presentation as its central topic.  That will be discussed later.  As with Shout! Factory’s other IMAX offerings, this program’s cinematography stands proudly as one of the program’s most outstanding elements.  Each element is important in its own right to the program’s presentation.  All things considered, they make Wonders of the Arctic a program that students and lovers of the biological and ecological sciences will appreciate.

Wonders of the Arctic is a program that any student and lover of the biological and ecological sciences will appreciate.  They will agree it is a program that is worth at least one watch.  That statement is supported in part through the program’s central topic.  The topic in question is that of life in the Arctic.  It presents the interaction and intersection of humans and wildlife in one of the planet’s coldest regions.  At the same time, it also points out the delicate balance that humans and animals share in that area.  What is so important about this is that while it points out that balance, those behind the program never allow the message of that balance become preachy.  That is important to note because at least two other offerings in the company’s IMAX series – The Last Reef: Cities Beneath The Sea and Humpback Whales – have both been blatantly preachy in nature.  This program however, walks that line but never allows itself to fall in with those counterparts.  That being the case, it does its own part to ensure audiences’ engagement at least to a point.  It is just one of the elements that should be noted in examining this program’s presentation.  The information presented within the program is just as important to note as the program’s central topic.

The central topic presented in Wonders of the Arctic is a key piece of the program’s overall presentation.  That is because those behind the program never allow it to become too much of an activist film, unlike some of its counterparts, as it presents the intersection of human and animal life in one of the planet’s coldest places.  That is just one piece of the program that should be noted here.  The information that is provided throughout the program is just as important to note as its central topic.  One of the most interesting pieces of information presented in this program focuses on the ways in which the Inuit people survive in the region.  Audiences will be interested to see that they keep alive the tradition of using every part of the animals they hunt.  That includes animals both above and below the ice.  Touching on the matter of the information’s balance between informational and influential, narrator Victor Garber discusses the changes in the region’s ice flows and the impact those changes are having on the area at one point.  This is one example of the information presented here consciously effectively walking that line.  There is also mention of the research conducted on the area to study how much the region has changed over time.  Even this mention manages to effectively balance information and influence.  It is one more example, too of the importance of the presented information to the program’s whole.  There is plenty of other information that audiences will appreciate just as much.  All things considered, the information presented throughout Wonders of the Arctic clearly proves to be just as important to the program’s presentation as its central topic, and is just one more of the program’s key elements.  The program’s cinematography is just as important as its topic and associated information if not even more important than those elements combined.

The topic at the heart of Wonders of the Arctic and its associated information are both key pieces of the program’s overall presentation.  The two in themselves do plenty to keep viewers entertained.  When they are set against one another, they ensure even more, audiences’ engagement.  While both elements play their own important part in the program’s whole, they are just two of the program’s key elements.  The program’s cinematography is just as important to note in examining its presentation as the previously discussed elements.  Audiences will marvel at the aerial shots over the mountainous parts of the region just as much as they will the footage recorded in the area’s icy waters.  Viewers will enjoy just as much getting to ride along on sled dog rides across the icy terrain.  These are just some of the ways in which the program’s cinematography stands out.  There is so much more for audiences to enjoy just from the visual angle here.  When that outstanding overall cinematography is set alongside the program’s largely focused topic and equally engaging information, they make the program overall a work that, again, students and lovers of the biological and ecological sciences will appreciate.

Wonders of the Arctic, another entry in Shout! Factory’s IMAX series, is a work that students and lovers of the biological and ecological sciences will appreciate.  They will agree it is a program worth at least one watch.  That is proven in part through the program’s largely focused central topic.  While it walks the line between being informative and influencing, it never allows itself to become preachy unlike a couple of its counterparts.  The information presented throughout the program is just as important to note because it ensures even more, audiences’ engagement.  The program’s cinematography rounds out its most important elements.  Each element is important in its own right to the program’s presentation.  All things considered, they make Wonders of the Arctic a program worth at least one watch by students and lovers of the biological and ecological sciences.  It is available now in stores and online and can be ordered online direct via Shout! Factory’s online store.  More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online now at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.shoutfactory.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shoutfactoryofficial

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ShoutFactory

 

 

 

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La La Land Is Phil’s Picks’ Most Laudable Movie Of 2016

Courtesy: Black Label Media/Gilbert Films/Impostor Pictures

The end is here.  2016 officially ends tonight.  So with the year’s end here, Phil’s Picks has one last year-ender before the clock strikes midnight and we welcome 2017.  That final list of the year is the year’s top new movies overall.  It includes both independent releases and theatrical releases.

One of the biggest surprises of the year was La La Land.  It is a breath of fresh air in a field of films overly crowded by prequels, sequels and remakes.  Little Men, another independent offering, is also in this list.  Sure, its premise isn’t overly new.  But at the same time, audiences don’t see a lot of movies with its premise about two young men becoming friends while their parents fight.  It sends a powerful message.  On the bigger stage, Dr. Strange and Star Wars: Rogue One are on the list along with Jason Bourne.

As a final reminder, the list includes both the Top 10 movie picks from Phil’s Picks plus five honorable mention titles for a total of 15 movies.  That being said, here for you is Phil’s Picks 2016 Top 10 New Movies list.

 

2016 PHIL’S PICKS 2016 TOP 10 NEW MOVIES

 

1.  La La Land

 

2. Fences

 

3. Little Men

 

4. Marguerite

 

5. Zootopia

 

6. Dr. Strange

 

7. Jason Bourne

 

8. Star Wars: Rogue One

 

9. Moana

 

10. Deadpool

 

11. Star Trek Beyond

 

12. Queen of Katwe

 

13. The Edge of Seventeen

 

14. Captain America: Civil War

 

15. The Nice Guys

 

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‘Killer Elite’ Is A “Killer” Hits Collection From Dragonforce

Courtesy: Spinefarm Records

Late this summer Dragonforce released its first-ever hits compilation for the masses in the form of Killer Elite: The Hits, The Highs, The Vids.  The British power metal outfit’s first-ever attempt at a hits compilation is in fact a “killer” collection. That is due in part to its featured songs.  That will be discussed shortly.  Just as important to note as the songs in this compilation is the way in which the songs are presented.  Those who haven’t yet picked up this record don’t understand right now, so it will be discussed later.  Last and most definitely not least of note in this collection’s presentation is its bonus DVD.  It rounds out the collection’s most important elements. Each element is clearly important in its own right to the collection’s overall presentation.  All things considered, Killer Elite: The Hits, The Highs, The Vids proves to in fact be a killer first effort at a hits collection for Dragonforce.

Dragonforce’s first attempt lives up to its title.  It is in fact a killer collection.  That is due in no small part to the record’s featured songs.  The 2-disc, 22-song collection pulls songs from each of its six current full-length studio recordings.  The most heavily represented of those albums is the band’s 2004 sophomore record Sonic Firestorm.  ‘My Spirit Will Go On’ is pulled from that album as are ‘Fury of the Storm,’ ‘Fields of Despair,’ ‘Dawn Over A New World,’ and ‘Soldiers of the Wasteland.’  Valley of the Damned, the band’s 2003 debut album is the next most heavily represented of the band’s albums here.  It is represented by four songs – ‘Black Fire,’ ‘Valley of the Damned,’ ‘Starfire’ and ‘Heart of a Dragon.’  The Power Within (2012) also sees four of its songs included in this collection while Inhuman Rampage (2006), Ultra Beatdown (2008) and Maximum Overload (2014) are each represented by three songs.  What all of this says to the band’s fans is not only is this a thorough collection of Dragonforce’s songs, but it is also a relatively well-balanced collection of songs, too.  This is just one of the collection’s most important elements.  The presentation of the songs themselves is just as important to note as the songs themselves.

The songs that make up the body of Killer Elite: The Hits, The Highs, The Vids are collectively the foundation for the collection’s presentation.  They are pulled from all six of the band’s current full-length studio recordings. What’s more, when one examines them closely, the full sequencing balances the albums’ representations relatively well.  That is just one of the collection’s most important elements.  The songs’ presentation is another key piece of the record’s presentation.  This might sound confusing to some. To clarify it, not all of the songs that are presented in this album are studio tracks, even though they are songs pulled from the band’s albums.  Some of the songs featured in this record are live performances of said songs instead of being purely studio songs and others are remastered versions of said songs, meaning they sound even better than the songs’ original recordings.  In other words, this hits collection isn’t just a random grouping of singles.  That is a breath of fresh air.  It is a career-spanning collection that also takes audiences into the band’s live shows even if only a little bit through its 2-CD set.  This enhances the overall listening experience for fans even more.  Of course, the band goes above and beyond providing not only a listening experience for fans in its first-ever hits collection.  It also included a DVD featuring a handful of music videos in the record’s extended 2-CD/DVD set.  That DVD rounds out the record’s most important elements.

The songs presented in Dragonforce’s first-ever hits collection and the manner in which they are presented are both key elements to this collection’s presentation.  While both elements are clearly important in their own way to the collection’s presentation, they are not its only key elements.  Included along with the record’s 2-disc, 22-song audio collection – which spans two and a half hours – is a bonus DVD featuring eight music videos from the band. It is especially encouraged for fans who might be unfamiliar with the band’s videos as a way to introduce them to the band’s music without having to go through YouTube or other outlets.  For the band’s more seasoned fans, it proves to be just as enjoyable while they wait for the band to release its next album and accompanying videos.  When this is considered along with the collection’s songs and their presentation, the end result is a collection that is, again, a killer first attempt at a hits collection from Dragonforce.

Killer Elite: The Hits, The Highs, The Vids lives up to its title in a manner of speaking.  It is a killer first try at a hits collection from the band.  That is due in part to the collection’s career-spanning sequencing.  The songs’ presentation includes not just studio songs, but live and remastered tracks, too. That enhances the package’s presentation even more.  The bonus DVD included the collection’s exclusive 2-CD/DVD combo pack rounds out its most important elements.  It serves as a solid introduction to the band’s music for new fans that doesn’t require them to go online and an equally enjoyable collection of performances for more seasoned fans, too.  Each element is important in its own right. That goes without saying.  All things considered, they make Killer Elite: The Hits, The Highs, The Vids a truly killer first hits collection from one of power metal’s most outstanding acts.  It is available now in stores and online.  More information on this collection is available online now along with all of the band’s latest news and more at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.dragonforce.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/dragonforce

Twitter: http://twitter.com/dragonforce

 

 

 

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Students, Lovers Of Archaeology, Anthropology Will Appreciate New ‘SOTD’ Episode

Courtesy: PBS/PBS Distribution

PBS Distribution is taking audiences back in time in another episode of its hit history-based series Secrets of The Dead as it opens the new year. The episode, After Stonehenge, is an interesting new look at life in one early English settlement and how the settlement met its end.  That central topic is just one of the program’s key elements.  The information provided throughout the program is just as important to note as the program’s central topic.  The program’s audio options may not seem overly important in the grand scheme of things.  But in discussing those options, audiences will see that those options are just as important to note here as the program’s main topic and associated information.  Each element is important in its own way.  All things considered, they make After Stonehenge a program that students and lovers of archaeology and anthropology will want to see time “after” time.

Secrets of the Dead: After Stonehenge is a program that students and lovers of archaeology and anthropology alike will appreciate.  That is due in no small part to the program’s central topic.  The topic in question is that of a Bronze Age settlement discovered in England in 2011.  The settlement, which was discovered at a location called Must Farm, was 3,000 years old and stood on stilts in what was then marshland. Audiences will appreciate in watching this program that while it is titled After Stonehenge, the program’s only mention of Stonehenge comes early in the program.  After that point, there is no mention of the ancient structure to be heard or seen.  This is so important to note because there have been some programs put out by PBS that, despite their titles, have not exactly followed the expected themes of those titles.  This program isn’t one of those cases.  It focuses solely on the settlement and its role in life in mainland Europe during the time in which its inhabitants lived there.  Those behind the program are to be commended for keeping that focus.  It ensures in its own right audiences’ maintained engagement from the beginning to end of the roughly hour-long program.  It is of course just one of the key elements to note in examining this episode of Secrets of the Dead.  The information that is presented throughout the program is just as important to note as the program’s central topic.

The central topic presented in Secrets of the Dead: After Stonehenge is in its own right a key piece of this program’s whole presentation.  That is because those behind the program never allow its focus to stray.  Sadly some of PBS’ programs have been guilty of allowing that to happening.  Though, that luckily didn’t happen here.  It’s just one of the elements that makes this episode of SOTD such an interesting watch.  The information provided throughout the program is key in its own right to the program’s presentation.  One of the most interesting pieces of information provided within the program is the revelation that despite their location, the inhabitants of Must Farm were not solitary people. That is made clear through the discovery of bronze swords and other items that were obviously used for defense.  The fact that the settlement was surrounded by a palisade makes even clearer the settlement’s inhabitants had reason to be concerned for their safety.  This is despite apparently being a mostly peaceful people who thrived on textiles and trade.

Speaking of trade, audiences also learn through the program that the settlement’s inhabitants’ trade routes might have reached as far inland as Italy and Germany.  That is proven through the presentation of glass beads made with items not common to Must Farm at the time.  The bronze stellar mask crafted by the settlement’s inhabitants shows just as much the group’s influence. It presents a precise measurement of the stars used to help determine harvesting and planting times; times that would have applied more to mainland inhabitants than the inhabitants of Must Farm.  It is truly an incredible presentation and just one more piece of information presented throughout the program that proves the importance of the program’s information to its overall presentation.  There is much more that audiences will appreciate than just this including an examination of how the settlement’s end might have come not externally but possibly internally and by accident no less.  All things considered, the information presented throughout this program proves to be just as important as the program’s central topic if not more important and is just one more important piece of the program’s whole.  The program’s audio options play their own integral part in the program’s presentation, too believe it or not.

The central topic of SOTD: After Stonehenge and its expansive information are both important pieces of the program’s overall presentation.  They are just two of its key elements, too.  The audio options presented in the program’s new home release are important in their own right to its overall presentation.  The audio options presented here include not just the standard subtitles for the hard of hearing but also the option of audio description for the blind, too.  This is something that has become increasingly common for PBS’ programs both on DVD and on TV throughout 2016.  It might not seem overly important on the surface.  But in the bigger picture of things, it shows an increased attention to the ADA by the people at PBS, and allows an even broader audience enjoy the program.  Audiences familiar with other older programs released by PBS Distribution don’t include the audio option for the blind community. So to see this option included in the program’s home release enhances its viewing experience and makes it just as laudable.  Again, it seems like a minor detail.  But in the bigger picture of the program’s overall presentation in its home release, it is a huge piece of the program’s whole. When it is set alongside the focus presented in the program’s main topic and interesting information, the whole of this program proves again to be one that students and lovers of archaeology and anthropology will appreciate.

Secrets of the Dead: After Stonehenge is a program that both students and lovers of archaeology and anthropology will appreciate.  It is another episode of PBS’ hit history-based series that shows why this program remains so popular.  The program never loses its focus in its main topic, mentioning Stonehenge only once in its whole length. This is important to note once again because some of PBS’ programs do fall victim to that lack of focus, though thankfully those shortcomings are rare.  Because it maintains its focus, it ensures in itself audiences’ engagement.  The information provided throughout the program ensures that engagement just as much.  The fact that the program offers not only subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing, but also audio descriptive service for the blind is important to note, too.  That is because that is not commonplace for home releases of PBS’ programs.  To see that it is becoming more commonplace is encouraging and is laudable in its own right.  Each element clearly is important in its own right to the program’s overall presentation.  All things considered, this episode of Secrets of the Dead proves itself one that both students and lovers of archaeology and anthropology will appreciate.  It will be available Tuesday and can be ordered online now via PBS’ online store.  More information on this and other episodes of Secrets of the Dead is available online at:

 

 

 

Website: http://pbs.org/secrets

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SecretsofTheDead

Twitter: http://twitter.com/SecretsPBS

 

 

 

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Franti’s Latest LP “Rocks” Phil’s PIcks 2016 Albums Of The Year List

Courtesy: Fantasy Records

The time has come.  Today is New Year’s Eve eve.  That means 2016 is nearly in the books.  With that year right at it’s end, it’s time for the last two of this year’s Phil’s Picks best of lists.

Rounding out this year’s lists are the year’s top new albums overall and the year’s top new overall movies.  The year’s top new albums list is up first.  It was not an easy list to assemble either as there were so many stand out records released from across the musical universe’s many genres.

This year’s top albums list is represented by music from the jazz community, the world of children’s music, rock, blues, and even reggae in the form of Michael Franti and Spearhead’s new album Soulrocker.

As with every previous Phil’s Picks list, this list features Phil’s Picks’ top 10 new titles plus five honorable mention titles, bringing the total count to 15.  Having noted that here for you is Phil’s Picks 2016 Top 10 new albums.

 

PHIL’S PICKS 2016 TOP 10 NEW ALBUMS

 

1. Michael Franti & Spearhead – Soulrocker

 

2. Santana – IV

 

3. Joe Bonamassa – Blues of Desperation

 

4. Yellowjackets – Cohearance

 

5. Foghat – Under The Influence

 

6. The Okee Dokee Brothers – Saddle Up

 

7. Songs of the Night: Dance Recordings by the Joseph C. Smith Orchestra 1916 – 1925

 

8. Marian Hill – Act I

 

9. Love and a .38 – Nomad

 

10. Red Hot Chili Peppers – The Getaway

 

11. Rich Robinson – Flux

 

12. Charles Lloyd and the Marvels – I Long To See You

 

13. Logan Richardson – Shift

 

14. Tedeschi Trucks Band – Let Me Get By

 

15. Mountain Heart – Blue Sky

 

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‘Super Hummingbirds’ Is A “Super” New Episode Of PBS’ ‘Nature’

Courtesy: PBS/PBS Distribution/WNET

Big things can and often do come in small packages.  Who out there hasn’t heard or said this or some variant thereof?  In the animal kingdom, one of the smallest creatures – the hummingbird – is one of the biggest surprises.  The tiny birds’ surprises are many, too.  Those surprises were recently revealed in a new episode of PBS’ hit wildlife-based series Nature in the form of Super Hummingbirds.  This episode isn’t the series’ first to ever focus on the tiny birds, but it is still an interesting program nonetheless.  That is due in part to the program’s central topic.  This will be discussed shortly.  The information that is presented within the program is just as important to its presentation as its central topic.  It will be discussed later.  The program’s transitions round out its most important elements.  Each element is important in its own right to the program’s overall presentation.  All things considered, Super Hummingbirds proves in the end to be its own super episode of Nature.

Super Hummingbirds is not the first episode of its kind to run on PBS’ hit wildlife series Nature.  Even with that in mind, it is still its own “super” episode.  That is due in part to the program’s central topic.  The program’s central topic focuses on the various adaptations hummingbirds have developed throughout their evolution.  One of those adaptations allows one species of hummingbird to survive at altitudes that would otherwise be fatal to humans.  That is because of the low levels of oxygen at those altitudes.  Another key adaptation that is displayed is the hummingbird’s tongue.  Audiences will be surprised to discover here that hummingbirds’ tongues (or at least one species of hummingbird) are actually split in a manner similar to snakes.  What is even more interesting to learn is the revelation that hummingbirds use channels of sorts in their tongues in order to lap up nectar from flowers.  They don’t just stick out their tongues and lap it up.  It is truly an interesting revelation.  It is just one more of so many interesting adaptations that are revealed as part of the program’s central topic.  There are plenty of other adaptations revealed throughout the course of the program that audiences will be just as interested to discover.  Even with that in mind, the program’s central program should not be considered the program’s only important element.  The information that is presented throughout the course of the program’s roughly hour-long program is just as important to note as the program’s central topic.

The central topic presented in Super Hummingbirds is in itself a key element to the program’s overall presentation.  It is a topic that while touched on in previous similar episodes of Nature, is still original in its own right.  That is because it takes such a close look at the adaptations that have allowed the tiny birds to survive in different situations and settings.  As important as the presented topic proves to be, it is just one of the program’s key elements.  The information that makes up the body of the program is just as important to note as the program’s central topic.  One of the more interesting pieces of information revealed in the program is that of the ability of one species of hummingbird to survive at altitudes close to that of Mount Everest.  That information is provided as one scientist conducts experiments to see how low he can make the birds’ oxygen levels before they begin struggling to fly.  For the animal rights activists out there, no birds were harmed in the process.  Another interesting piece of information that is revealed in the program is the fact that allegedly hummingbirds spend the better part of their days competing. What’s more the males are the ones who do the competing, and they do so primarily for the purpose of creating the next generation of hummingbirds.  It’s so interesting to note because of the reputation that hummingbirds have as gentle, tiny creatures.  According to this piece of information, they are not the peaceful little creatures that most people think them to be.  What’s more it makes them seem about as competitive as most teen boys.  Yes, that bad joke was fully intended.  This revelation in particular is just one more of so many interesting pieces of information that will assuredly keep audiences engaged throughout the course of the program.  There are plenty of other intriguing pieces of information that are revealed from beginning to end.  All things considered, the information provided within this episode of Nature give audiences plenty to appreciate.  They prove collectively to be just as important to the program as its central topic.  The program’s overall information, important as it is, is still not the program’s only remaining important element.  The program’s transitions are just as important to note as its collective information and central topic.

The topic at the heart of Super Hummingbirds and the program’s collective information are both key pieces of the program’s overall presentation.  While both elements are clearly important pieces of the program’s whole, they are just two of three key elements that should be noted in examining its overall presentation.  The program’s transitions are just as important to note as its information and central topic.  From hummingbirds’ survival abilities to their competitive nature to their mating the transitions between subjects are clear and concise.  There is no jumping from one subject to the next.  While there are no fade-ins or fade-outs between subjects, the program’s writing makes the transitions stable and thus maintain the program’s pacing.  That being the case, the program’s transitions keep it moving forward and in turn, keep audiences engaged.  It proves the importance of the transitions to the program’s overall presentation.  When it is set alongside the program’s extensive information and its central topic, the whole of those elements makes this episode of Nature another “super” presentation from PBS’ hit wildlife-based series.

Super Hummingbirds is hardly the first ever episode of PBS’ Nature to focus on hummingbirds.  Even with that in mind, it is still a “super” new episode of the network’s hit wildlife-based series.  That is proven in part through the program’s central topic.  The program’s central topic focuses on the adaptations that have allowed hummingbirds to survive in so many settings around the world.  The information provided throughout the program to support its topic is just as important to note as the program’s topic itself.  The program’s transitions keep its pacing solid, and in turn keep audiences engaged.  Each topic is important in its own right to the program’s overall presentation.  All things considered, they make Super Hummingbirds, again, a “super” new episode of Nature.  It is available now and can be ordered online direct via PBS’ online store.  More information on this and other episodes of Nature is available online now at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PBSNature

Twitter: http://twitter.com/PBSNature

 

 

 

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“Facing The Music” Is Easy With Townshend’s ‘Face The Face’ Live

Courtesy: Eagle Rock Entertainment/Universal Music Group

Guitarist Pete Townshend is best known for his role in the legendary rock band The Who.  The British band is one of its country’s greatest rock acts next to The Beatles, Deep Purple, Judas Priest and a select group of others.  While Townshend is best known for his work as a member of The Who, he also had a relatively successful solo career.  This past September Eagle Rock Entertainment released a rare performance from Townshend’s solo career in the form of Face The Face.  This recording is an important artifact of sorts from Townshend’s career, and thus, a piece that fans of The Who will appreciate just as much as Townshend’s fans.  That is due in part to the recording’s companion booklet.  It will be discussed shortly.  The recording’s set list is just as important to note in examining its presentation as its set list.  It will be discussed later.  The concert’s production values round out its most important elements.  Each element is important in its own right to the recording’s overall presentation.  All things considered, Face the Face proves in the end to be, again, a recording that The Who’s fans will appreciate just as much as Townshend’s fans.

Eagle Rock Entertainment’s recently released performance from classic performance from Pete Townshend and Deep End is a recording that fans of The Who will appreciate just as much as Pete Townshend fans.  It is a very rare live recording from the two acts, as audiences will learn in the recording’s companion booklet.  Speaking of the booklet, it sits at the center of the recording’s presentation.  The booklet presents an in-depth history of how Townshend and Deep End came to work together thanks to writer Matt Kent.  It also notes that the concert presented here almost didn’t happen yet somehow miraculously did happen.  That story in itself makes the recording’s companion booklet well worth the read.  As if that isn’t enough, audiences will also learn that Prince’s beloved album Purple Rain was at least one influence behind Townshend’s solo record White City: A Novel.  Townshend was touring in support of that record when this concert was recorded. That, too is noted in the booklet along with a thorough outlining of the concert’s set list, another of the recording’s key elements. Before touching on that subject, one would be remiss to ignore all of the other key information that Kent includes in the recording’s liner notes.  Between the material noted here and that material not noted here, the information Kent provides audiences in the recording’s companion booklet will engage audiences just as much as the concert’s set list.  Speaking, again, of the show’s set list, it is the next most important piece of the recording’s overall presentation to discuss.

The booklet included in Eagle Rock Entertainment’s Pete Townshend/Deep End live recording Face The Face is a key piece of the recording’s overall presentation.  It isn’t the first time that a live recording’s booklet has proven to be the recording’s most important element.  At the same time, though, it is very rare for any recording’s booklet, live or otherwise, to be so critical to its presentation.  Face The Face’s companion booklet is undeniably important to its presentation, but it is also not the recording’s only key element.  The concert’s set list is just as important to note in examining its overall presentation as its companion booklet.  The show’s set list features classics from The Who, songs from White City and hits from other Townshend solo records and even some covers among other songs.  Kent outlines the concert’s set list in relative depth, again, in the recording’s companion booklet.  This, again, shows the importance of the recording’s companion booklet.  That relatively thorough outline also serves as a solid starting point for a musical history lesson of sorts; not just a history lesson on Townshend’s arrangements but in music history overall.  Getting back on the subject at hand, the set list presented in Face to Face presents a wide swath of material and talent on the part of both Townshend and the members of Deep End, among whom included Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour.  Considering the breadth of material and talent presented throughout the concert’s set list, it becomes clear why the set list is just as important to Face The Face’s overall presentation as the recording’s companion booklet.  It still is not the last element to note in examining this recording.  The concert’s production values round out its most important elements.

Matt Kent’s liner notes included in Face The Face’s companion booklet and the recording’s set list are both key pieces of the recording’s overall presentation.  The booklet expertly sets up the concert experience, preparing audiences for the concert.  The set list is just as important to the recording as its booklet because of the wide array of sources for the featured songs.  Kent outlines the show’s set list in relative depth in his liner notes, adding even more to the concert’s viewing experience.  Keeping all of that in mind, both elements are clearly important pieces to the recording’s whole.  They are only two-thirds of the recording’s whole that should be noted.  Its production values are just as important to note here as its companion booklet and set list. The concert looks and sounds far different than concerts recorded today.  For lack of better wording, the concert’s video and audio are rough.  The thing is that said rough presentation creates a certain appreciation for how far recording technology has come since 1986 (the year when this concert was originally recorded).  Between the sometimes airy sound in the audio mix and the at times equally uneasy cuts between cameras, watching the concert is an interesting experience, especially for those who grew up in the 1980s.  Again, it reminds audiences of how far recording tech has come since the days when this concert was captured. So really, it presents its own history lesson of sorts, too.  Keeping that in mind, the recording’s production values are just as important to its presentation as its companion booklet and set list.  Each element is important in its own way to the recording’s presentation.  All things considered, Face The Face proves in the end to be a recording that, again, Pete Townshend’s fans will appreciate just as much as fans of The Who.  It supports even more this critic’s statement that Eagle Rock Entertainment is the leading name in live recordings.

Eagle Rock Entertainment’s recently released rare performance from Pete Townshend and Deep End is a rare piece that fans of The Who will appreciate just as much as Pete Townshend’s fans.  It proves once again why Eagle Rock Entertainment is the leading name in live recordings.  Those statements are supported in part through the recording’s companion booklet.  The booklet features in-depth liner notes by Matt Kent that will engage readers just as much as the recording’s featured concert if not more so.  Speaking of the concert, its set list is just as important to the recording’s presentation as its booklet.  The concert’s production values play their own key part in its overall presentation, too.  Each element is important in its own right to the concert’s overall presentation.  All things considered, Face The Face proves, once more, to be a recording that The Who fans will appreciate just as much as Pete Townshend’s fans.  Considering the concert’s rarity and everything else noted here, it proves once again why Eagle Rock Entertainment remains to this day the leading name in live recordings.  Face The Face is available now in stores and online.  More information on this and other titles from Eagle Rock Entertainment is available online now at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.eagle-rock.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/EagleRockEnt

Twitter: http://twitter.com/EagleRockNews

 

 

 

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Fall Out Boy Fans Will Enjoy Band’s Latest Live Recording In Every Season

Courtesy: Eagle Vision/Eagle Rock Entertainment/Universal Music Group/Crush Music/DCD2/Island Records

Late last summer pop punk outfit Fall Out Boy hit the road in support of its latest album American Beauty/American Psycho.  As part of its tour, the band performed a hometown show that was recorded for release.  That recording was released this past October via Eagle Rock Entertainment, the leading name in live recordings.  For fans of this recording, there is plenty to appreciate beginning with the concert’s set list.  That will be discussed shortly.  The band’s performance of said set list is just as important to note here as the show’s set list.  It will be discussed later.  The concert’s packaging might not seem all that important in the grand scheme of things, but even it plays an important part in its presentation. It is hardly the last element that can be noted, too.  The concert’s cinematography and combined video and sound mixing can also be discussed, too, as could the band’s simplistic stage setup.  Each element is important in its own right to the recording’s overall presentation.  That goes without saying.  All things considered, The Boys of Zummer Tour: Live in Chicago proves to be, again, a recording that will appeal to any of Fall Out Boy’s fans.

Fall Out Boy’s new live recording The Boys of Zummer Tour: Live in Chicago is a work that will appeal to any of the veteran pop punk band’s fans.  It is not the band’s first live recording by any means.  Regardless, it will appeal to said fans.  That is due in part to the concert’s set list.  The 17-song set list pulls from all six of the band’s current albums.  American Beauty/American Psycho receives the most nods with five songs.  The band’s 2013 album Save Rock and Roll comes in second with four of its songs featured in the show’s set list.  Infinity on High (2007) comes in third with three songs featured.  From Under A Cork Tree also sees three of its songs included in the set list while Folie a Deux is represented by two songs and Take This To Your Grave with one song.  Needless to say, the fact that the band pulled from each of its current albums makes this concert a career-spanning show for the band.  That being the case, it becomes clear why the concert’s set list is so important to its overall presentation.

The set list presented in Fall Out Boy’s latest live recording is in itself a key piece of the recording’s presentation.  The set list features songs from each of the band’s current albums.  That makes it for all intents and purposes a career-spanning performance, even with the band’s career being far from over.  While the show’s set list is clearly an important piece of its presentation, it is just one of the elements that should be noted in examining the concert’s presentation.  The band’s performance of the show’s set list is just as important to note in examining the recording’s overall presentation.  The band’s members—Pete Went (bass, vocals), Patrick Stump (guitar, vocals), Joseph Trohman (guitar, vocals) and Andrew Hurley (drums)—have full run of the massive stage.  While they do make use of its wide open space at times, it seems that they opt to use their energies for their performances rather than running around the stage.  Audiences will appreciate that attention to the performance.  That is because it shows through in each song.  The band gives its all in each song.  The end result is that it will pull in home viewers just as much as it did the concert’s attendees.  It should be noted that even in the concert’s semi-acoustic section the band spends plenty of time interacting with the audience between songs in a sort of Storytellers (for anyone who remembers that VH1 program) setting.  It serves to strengthen the band’s connection with audiences even more.  That includes audiences at home, too.  The solid connection that is made between Fall Out Boy’s band members and the band’s audiences translates very well to audiences.  It makes the viewing experience all the more enjoyable for the band’s fans at home, and is still not the last of the recording’s key elements.  The concert’s packaging is just as important to note as its set list and the band’s performance thereof.

The career-spanning set list presented in Fall Out Boy’s new live recording and the band’s performance thereof are both key the this recording’s overall presentation.  They are not its only important elements.  The recording’s packaging is an important piece of the recording’s overall presentation, too.  Much like so many of Eagle Rock Entertainment’s other live recordings released this year, this recording has been released in a standard package that will allow it to fit on any fan’s CD rack.  That is even with the recording being presented on separate DVD and Blu-ray platform.  This is important to note because of its ergonomic value.  The concert being packaged in a standard CD packaging—despite being presented on DVD and Blu-ray—saves space on fans’ DVD and BD racks.  Being a very thin package, it also saves space on CD racks, too.  So that end, the recording’s packaging may not seem important on the surface, but ultimately proves to be just as important as the recording’s set list and the band’s performance thereof.  It is just important in a different way.  Interestingly enough, it still is not the last of the recording’s key elements.  The concert’s video and sound mix (its production values) and the band’s simple stage setup could also be discussed in examining this recording’s overall presentation.  Each element is clearly important in its own right.  All things considered, they show in whole why The Boys Of Zummer Tour: Live in Chicago is a recording that any of Fall Out Boy’s fans will appreciate.

Fall Out Boy’s latest live recording The Boys of Zummer Tour: Live in Chicago is a recording that any Fall Out Boy fan will appreciate.  Fans will appreciate this recording for a number of reasons beginning with the concert’s set list.  The set list features songs from each of the band’s current albums.  While the band’s career is likely far from over, this approach still technically makes the set list a career-spanning set.  The band’s performance is just as important to note as the concert’s set list.  That is due to the fact that the band’s members don’t run around the stage unnecessarily.  Rather, they use their performances of the show’s set list to entertain audiences.  That attention to its performance of each song improves the band members’ endurance and thus enhances each song’s performance even more.  Those enhanced performances in turn make the band’s performance that much more engaging for fans.  The recording’s packaging, production values and the band’s simple stage setup combine to round out the recording’s most important elements. Each element is obviously important in its own right to the recording’s overall presentation.  All things considered, they show why The Boys of Zummer Tour: Live in Chicago is, once more, a recording that any Fall Out Boy fan will appreciate.  It is available now in stores and online.  More information on this recording is available online now along with all of the band’s latest news and more at:

 

 

 

Website: http://falloutboy.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/falloutboy

Twitter: http://twitter.com/falloutboy

 

 

 

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Foghat’s Latest LP Re-Issue Will Impress Audiophiles, Long Time Fans Alike

Courtesy: Foghat Records

Early this summer, veteran rock outfit Foghat released its latest album Under The Influence.  The album, the band’s seventeenth full-length studio recording, was a breath of fresh air for purist fans of rock and roll.  Its musical arrangements and lyrical themes showed it to be what this critic already called everything that is right with rock and roll today.  This critic stands by that analysis to this day, too.  It lived up to that reputation, too, selling quite impressively since then.  It did so well that the band celebrated its success roughly four months later with a re-issue of the album on a double disc vinyl LP pressing.  That vinyl re-issue of Under The Influence serves to solidify this critic’s statement of the record even more.  That is due in part to the record’s packaging.  This will be discussed shortly.  The record’s sound in its new re-issue is just as important to note of its presentation as its packaging.  It will be discussed later.  The record’s sequencing in regards to how the songs were split up on each LP rounds out the most important of the record’s elements.  Each element is important in its own right.  Altogether, they make this re-issue of Under The Influence more proof that the album in general is everything that is right with rock and roll.  It reminds audiences why it is not only one of the year’s top new rock records but also one of the year’s top new albums overall.

Veteran rock act Foghat’s latest full-length studio recording Under The Influence is everything that is right with rock and roll today.  That is a point that this critic already made clear in reviewing the album’s original release.  The album’s recently released double LP vinyl re-issue serves to support this critic’s previous statement even more.  That is exhibited first through its packaging.  The record’s packaging is classic gatefold packaging complete with all of the album’s original liner notes.  However, getting to open the packaging and read them, spread across the packaging is something special in its own right.  For those who grew up in the original age of vinyl, it brings about a certain sense of nostalgia.  The artwork on the back of the album adds even more of a special touch to its packaging.  Audiences see a boot (curious what size that boot must be) kicking through the “rock” barrel.  That artwork wasn’t included in the album’s original CD pressing.  The original artwork on the album’s CD pressing featured a shot of a covered stone walkway with a light at the end.  The shot it presented from the bottom of the walkway, aiming up toward the light.  It doesn’t match too well with the artwork on the album’s front cover. The artwork presented on the back cover of the album’s vinyl re-issue is a much better match to the artwork used on the album’s front cover.  It seems like a minor touch on the surface.  But in the bigger picture of the album’s presentation, it adds so much to its aesthetic.  The presentation of the album’s liner notes inside the packaging does that even more so.  Keeping that in mind, the album’s packaging in its recent vinyl re-issue is just as important to its presentation as anything else.  That is the case even though some might think it something minor.  It is just one of the key elements to note in examining the presentation of the album’s recent vinyl re-issue.  The record’s sound is just as important to note here as its packaging.

The general packaging used in UTI’s vinyl re-issue is in its own right a hugely important piece of the record’s overall presentation. To some it may seem minor.  But a deeper examination reveals the packaging holds much more importance than some might otherwise think.  It is just one of the key elements to note in examining the album’s vinyl re-issue.  The record’s sound is just as important to note as its packaging.  The record’s sound on its two 180-gram discs is outstanding, plain and simple.  The subtle sound of the static underneath each song is another element that true audiophiles will appreciate just as much as the band’s long time fans.  Just as with the record’s packaging, the subtle touch of static creates its own sense of nostalgia for said audiences.  That nostalgia grows even more when that static is coupled with the record’s classic packaging.  When both elements are taken into account, they make this vinyl re-issue something of a musical time capsule.  They combine to take audiences back to another era of music; a greater era of music.  That is especially the case considering that while the static is evident, it doesn’t overpower the music.  It’s just too bad those behind the boards didn’t try to record the album on vinyl first and then transfer those recordings to CD.  That would have pushed the album’s CD pressing over the top.  That’s because it would provide that special nostalgic experience for audiences who might not own a record player.  That is a matter for another time.  Considering that, the sound mixing presented in UTI’s new vinyl re-issue proves to be just as important to the record’s presentation as its packaging.  It creates just as much nostalgia as the album’s packaging.  When both elements are taken into consideration, they make this re-issue even more like a wonderful musical time capsule that every audiophile and Foghat fan will appreciate.  As important as the two elements are to the record’s vinyl presentation, they are just two of its key elements.  The record’s sequencing rounds out its most important elements.

The packaging and sound mixing presented in UTI’s recent vinyl re-issue are both key elements to its presentation.  They are so important to its presentation because of the sense of nostalgia that they create both in themselves and together.  While both elements are clearly important pieces of the record’s whole, they are only two of its most important elements.  The record’s sequencing across its two discs is just as important to note as its packaging and sound mixing.  It might not seem overly important on the surface (as with the previously noted elements), but it plays its own important part in the bigger picture of the record’s presentation.  Audiences will note that all twelve of the songs featured in the record’s original CD pressing are also presented here.  They are presented in exactly the same order as they were in the album’s original pressing, too.  Even better, all twelve tracks are equally distributed across the album’s two LPs.  They are equally distributed across the album’s four sides, with each side seeing three songs.  Again, it is mostly an aesthetic touch.  But even such a minor touch goes a long way toward the listening experience.  The band could have easily spread the album’s tracks in a random fashion, but instead opted to intentionally spread them out equally across both LPs.  That says a lot about the thought that was put into even this element.  It creates a certain sense of completion for lack of better wording. When that sense of completion is joined with the nostalgia created through the album’s complete packaging and expert sound mixing, the end product is a record that proves even more than ever to be everything that is right with rock and roll today.  It also proves even more than ever to be an album that every critic should have on his or her list of the year’s top new rock records and top albums overall.

Foghat’s most recent record Under The Influence proved in its original release earlier this summer to be one of the year’s top new rock records.  It proved to be everything that is right with rock and roll today.  That is saying a lot, too.  With the album’s recent re-issue on double LP vinyl pressing, it has proven even more than ever to be fully deserving of that statement.  The record’s packaging and expert sound mixing creates a sense of nostalgia that true audiophiles and long time Foghat fans alike will appreciate.  The even division of the record’s twelve total songs across the album’s two discs enhances the album’s presentation and listening experience even more.  Each element is important in its own right.  All things considered, they make UTI’s recent vinyl re-issue just as enjoyable as its original CD pressing if not more so.  What’s more, they join together with the positives of the album’s original CD pressing to prove even more than ever that this record is, again, everything that is right with rock and roll.  They combine, too, to prove why this album is not just one of the year’s top new rock records, but one of the year’s top new albums overall..  More information on UTI’s recent vinyl re-issue is available online now along with all of Foghat’s latest news and more at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.foghat.net

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Foghat

Twitter: http://twitter.com/FOGHAT

 

 

 

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The Dead Daisies Celebrate Holidays With Christmas Classic Cover

The Dead Daisies have released their take on a classic holiday tune to celebrate the season.

The band recently recorded its take on the modern classic song ‘Happy Xmas (War is Over) while on tour overseas.  The song was first made famous by John Lennon with Yoko Ono in 1971 with the Harlem Community Choir and the John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band.

The Dead Daisies’ take on the song is a full-on acoustic rendition of the classic.  It gives the composition a whole new identity with its arrangement and production.  Audiences can hear the band’s take on the song now here.

More information on the band’s new cover is available online now along with all of its latest news and more at:

 

 

 

Website: http://thedeaddaisies.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheDeadDaisies

Twitter: http://twitter.com/TheDeadDaisies

 

 

 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.