Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/8603
LIVEMAGS.NET APRIL>>10 35 MUSIC&MEDIAREVIEW WRITERS>>TOVA MORRISON, TYLER ANDREWS, DANIEL ALBERT, ALI LERMAN, CYNTHIA RYAN, ERIC PARK DVDS MUSIC Artist: Ludacris Album: Battle of the Sexes Release Date: 2/9/2010 Genre: Hip Hop/Rap After over a year, Ludacris is back in the spotlight with his seventh album Battle of the Sexes. The first released single, "How Low" is a radio favorite and it's not the only track on the album that deserves to be. As usual, Luda has this album packed full of Atlanta's freshest lyrics, innovative beats, and because Ludacris is a big star, he has the biggest names collaborating. Trina, Eve, and Lil Kim lend their talent and come hard in this proverbial "Battle of the Sexes" making this album one of his best yet. I'm pretty sure both sexes will win when they pick up this CD. Artist: Scorpion Album: Sting in the Tail Release Date: 3/13/2010 Genre: Rock Sting in the Tail is Scorpion's 17th and final album that will be released to date. After creating music for nearly 45 years and going through several member changes, this final album and tour has the band going out with a bang. The music will be sure to excite what is now the Classic Rock scene; however it is easy to see this album being popular among a younger crowd as well. This strong album holds the power that all of its previous albums have produced. Their music will surely be missed, especially after being one of the consistent bands throughout the decades."Raised on Rock" is the perfect opener for this album, and the subsequent songs deliver just as well. Artist: Gorillaz Album: Plastic Beach Release Date: 3/9/10 Genre: Alternative Following the Gorillaz 2005 smash album Demon Days is the not quite "mainstream" offering, Plastic Beach. Surprisingly, this new CD doesn't channel the recognizable sound of Gorillaz, which is both good and bad. The first single "Stylo" is unusually catchy and as a whole, this solid effort will have you applauding Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett yet again. While staying current, Gorillaz called on some classics to collaborate with including De La Soul on "Superfast Jellyfish," and "Welcome to the Plastic Beach" with Snoop Dogg. This CD will entertain you from beginning to end. Movie: Did You Hear About the Morgan's? Release Date: 3/16/10 Genre: Comedy City living Paul and Meryl Morgan (Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker) are a couple on the verge of divorce when they happen to witness a murder. Fearing for their safety, Paul and Meryl relocate to The Wheeler's home in Wyoming where life is less than exciting. Grant and Parker make a great comedic duo and the on-screen antics with The Wheeler's (Mary Steenburgen and Sam Elliott) will leave you fully amused. But is this scenario bringing anything different to the "romantic comedy" genre? Not so much. You just know The Morgan's will not become victims and this couple will regain the love they once had and low and behold…they do. Movie: Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire Genre: Drama Release date: 3/9/10 An obese high school girl in Harlem, Precious Jones (Gabourey Sidibe), is abused by her mother Mary (Mo'Nique) and impregnated by her father. She is illiterate yet creative, and her life shifts when she enrolls in an alternative school with a supportive teacher and new classmates. Mo'Nique rightly won an Oscar® for channeling what director Lee Daniels calls a "ghastly character" in the extra "A Precious Ensemble." Specials contain interviews with the cast, including Mariah Carey and Lenny Kravitz. There's an "Incest Survivors Meeting" deleted scene and Sapphire muses on her own experiences as an inner-city teacher in a featurette. Movie: Ponyo Genre: Anmiation Release Date: 3/2/10 Genre: Alternative Ponyo becomes the first blu-ray release of Academy Award winning director Hayao Miyazaki's masterpieces including Spirited Away! Inspired by Hans Christian Anderson's "The Little Mermaid," Miyazaki, one of the most imaginative filmmakers, makes Ponyo a magical celebration of pure love and the beauty of the water world. The vision is absolutely gorgeous in 1080p resolution and the lossless audio is simply phenomenal. This blu-ray just stimulates and maximizes all your imagination with its highest quality! One drawback is this edition does not contain the original Japanese sound track, which is very undesirable. Still, this blu-ray should be added to any family's collection. Let's just hope more Miyazaki 2-D animations are released in blu-ray in the nearest future. Artist: Coheed and Cambria Album: Year of the Black Rainbow Release Date: 3/13/2010 Genre: Rock Coheed and Cambria's upcoming album Year of the Black Rainbow is soon going to be overplayed on most stereos and radio stations. The music is absolutely gorgeous and melodic. Lyrics-wise, the words are just as beautiful and anyone could instantly fall in love with this album. After relaxing the listener, the songs will take you on an adventure through the heart and mind of the band. Lead singer Claudio Sanchez's voice is not as feminine as it has been in albums past. "Pearl of Stars" is one song that stands out among the rest, as is "This Shattered Symphony", written about a broken heart. Title: The Devil and Sherlock Holmes: Tales of Murder, Madness, and Obsession Author: David Grann Genre: Detective Non-fiction Release date: 3/2/10 High on the creepy scale, these 12 noir stories are morbidly fascinating. Investigative reporter Grann unearths unsettling answers to disturbing recent cases, and he captures the reader with peculiar, obsessive minutiae. In the title story, the world's leading Sir Arthur Conan Doyle scholar is found garroted, surrounded by collections of Doyle's artifacts and manuscripts. Another chapter recounts a giant squid hunter's exploits. In "Trail by Fire," a father is on death row in Texas for killing his three children by arson. But a bomb-making scientist, ignored by authorities, can prove his innocence. Interviewing, sleuthing and poking around, Grann's tangential explorations captivate. Title: House Rules Author: Jodi Picoult Release Date: 3/2/2010 For those of us whose lives have never been touched by autism, this is an excellent insight into the lives of those who live with it everyday. Jacob Hunt is an 18 year-old suffering from Asperger's Syndrome. His condition finds him intensely focusing on one particular subject at a time – and at the time of his arrest on suspicion of murder, the subject happens to be forensic science. Accused of murdering Jess Ogilvy, his social integration tutor, he struggles to make everyone understand his motives for trying to set up the perfect crime scene. His mother and brother Theo are there for support, along with his lawyer Oliver, who has the hardest job of all -- defending a person who is incapable of showing typical human emotions. BOOKS BLU-RAY