TOP PICK
Boom Blox Bash Party
(Electronic Arts)
Last year’s original Boom Blox is one of the Wii’s best
games. This follow-up is even better. The gameplay remains pretty much
the same: You hurl balls, bombs and other things at a bunch of boxes,
knocking them down for trophies. But this time the action includes
cannons, slingshots and a bunch of new characters in space and on
pirate ships. Aaargh!
BOOK
33 1/3:
Elliott Smith’s XO
(Continuum)
Matthew LeMay’s outing in the terrific 33 1/3 series dissects
Smith’s cheeriest album, a mix of Sgt. Pepper carnival sounds
and mopey singer-songwriter confessions. XO, from 1998, was
Smith’s major-label debut; he killed himself five years later. LeMay
steers away from Smith’s sad-o reputation, focusing instead on the art
of record-making.
VIDEO
Fargo
(MGM)
The Coen brothers’ most Coen-like film and one of the best movies of
the ’90s finally makes its Blu-ray debut. Extras include the usual
trailers, features and photos. Best is commentary by cinematographer
Roger Deakins, who painted a brutal and evocative Minnesota wasteland
with his camera. His brilliant work is even more evident on this
stunning HD disc.
CD
Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison
(Capitol/EMI)
The most underappreciated Beatle racked up quite a few classics
during his solo career. This 19-song collection is the first to gather
them on a single album. His biggest hits — “My Sweet Lord,” “Give
Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth),” “Got My Mind Set on You” — are
here. So are a number of Beatles-era tunes (“Something,” “Here Comes
the Sun”) recorded live.
DVD
Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace and Music — The Director’s
Cut: 40th Anniversary Collector’s Edition
(Warner)
The hippie fest included tons of crappy bands (Country Joe and the
Fish, Sha-Na-Na), but there were also plenty of great ones. This nearly
four-hour version of the Oscar-winning 1970 movie adds performances by
the Who, Jimi Hendrix and Sly & the Family Stone. The set also
features a disc of previously unreleased songs by Creedence Clearwater
Revival and Santana.
This article appears in Jun 10-16, 2009.