TOP PICK
Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings
(LucasArts)
We’ve dreamed of being Indiana Jones (and Luke Skywalker and
Superman and about a dozen other heroes) for years. Now our dreams
sorta come true in this videogame for the Wii that puts you in Indy’s
shoes. Wield your Wii Remote like a whip, thrust it forward to punch
some bad guys in the face and use it to paddle your boat downstream.
Way cool.
CD
Ray Charles: Modern
Sounds in Country
& Western Music,
Volumes 1 & 2
(Concord)
Charles’ genre-defying 1962 classic (an R&B spin on country
music) is paired with its follow-up on this great reissue. Since many
of the songs were recorded around the same time, the 24 tracks roll
seamlessly into one another. “I Can’t Stop Loving You” is the one you
should know. The rest of this groundbreaking album is just as
grand.
VIDEO
Glory
(Sony)
Before Denzel Washington became a subway action hero, he starred in
this rousing portrait of the first black regiment to fight in the Civil
War. The 1989 movie — one of the decade’s best — also stars
Matthew Broderick and Morgan Freeman. It’s finally out on Blu-ray,
which brings the bloody battlefield to vivid life.
DVD
John Lennon & the Plastic Ono
Band Live in Toronto ’69
(Shout! Factory)
Lennon was still a Beatle when he played this concert with his new
band, but it had been years since he was onstage. He runs through some
oldies (“Blue Suede Shoes”), Beatles tunes (“Yer Blues”) and solo hits
(“Give Peace a Chance”) like a guy who couldn’t wait to get back in
front of an audience. Also includes performances by Jerry Lee Lewis and
Little Richard.
CD
R.E.M.: Reckoning: 25th
Anniversary Deluxe Edition
(I.R.S./A&M/UME)
R.E.M. mark the silver anniversary of their second album with a
two-disc set that tags on a live show from Chicago in 1984. All these
years later, Reckoning
now sounds more focused than the band’s breakthrough debut from the
previous year, with beefier production and weightier songs. The
scorching concert starts with a Velvet Underground cover.
This article appears in Jun 24-30, 2009.