New Release Tuesday

On first listen, I was a bit underwhelmed by the newest effort from Rogue Wave. I was ecstatic to hear of the prospects of opening track "Harmonium," and its nearly seven minute song length. But it just didn't sit with me well. I made it through the first four songs, up through first single "Lake Michigan," and ended up stopping there twice. Finally, on my third try the record just sunk in and has become a top contender (for me, at least) as one of the top records of the fall. Matthew Caws' harmonies and guitar playing help haunt the beautiful portrait that is "Chicago X 12." Once I finally got passed the first four songs, I found some of the best compositions Zac Rogue put together with the band. "Own Your Own Home" has the great finale of what sounds like controlled calamity, with noisemakers, toy pianos, people making noise: fanfare is the simplest way to state it but why not really explain it. The closing pair of tunes, "Phonytown" and "Cheaper Than Therapy" showcase a Wave crashing on the shores of AM radio. "Phonytown" with it's extended late 70s jam session at the end, and "Therapy" with it's solid guitar solo and synths that are the heart monitor as it flatlines at the finale. Not that it's a terrible album, because it isn't: it's their finest moment.

Download: "Own Your Own Home" [mp3] // [Buy Here]

The movies came out as one big, epic, 3+ hour bloody, campy homage and it didn't go over so well. So when it came time for Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez to release their Grindhouse monster on DVD, they went with two separate releases (probably to recup expenses.) Up first is the second half, Tarantino's Death Proof. In a 2-disc set, the film now comes unrated and extended, giving you more Kurt Russell driving his indestructible car; more women beating the shit out of Russell; and most importantly, more of Tarantino's trademark style of dialogue. The extra feature probably diatribes from Tarantino on why Kurt Russell is God and why he made this tribute to Vanishing Point the way he did; I'm just hoping the best trailers are on this one.

Buy: Death Proof [Here]