The Beatles always stood apart from their peers, a selfevident statement that sadly extended to the treatment of their catalog in the digital age. Where all their peers from the Byrds to the Who have had their catalogs remastered and reissued in deluxe editions, sometimes several times, the Beatles remained stuck in the early days of digital, their 14 albums plus Past Masters singles collection remaining untouched since 1987. Anniversaries came and went, but no remasters arrived until the release of the video game The Beatles Rockband pushed a longoverdue revamping of the band’s entire catalog into the stores on 9909. This reissue campaign corrects almost all the problems of the original 1987 CDs: the sound and artwork are improved, and all the original mono and stereo mixes finally see the light of day. Naturally, it’s possible to quibble about some details of the presentation, particularly the decision to split the reissue into two separate box sets, one covering the stereo mixes and one the mono mixes, with only the stereo mixes available as individual discs (it’s still possible to complain that the albums do not add eraspecific singles or outtakes, but such expansions were never really in the cards), but both boxes still constitute the best Beatles by far. Crucially, it’s also inarguably the bestsounding Beatles music ever released, robust and rich even on the earliest rock roll. None of the albums have been remixed although Help and Rubber Soul retain Martin’s 1987 mixes, the original stereo mixes are bonuses on the mono set so this doesn’t shock the way the Yellow Submarine soundtrack did with its reimagined stereo mixes. Nevertheless, these remasters surely do surprise with their clarity and depth, with each album feeling bigger and fuller than the previous CD incarnation, but not artificially so. It’s not that these are pumped up on digital steroids; it’s that the veil has been lifted, so everything seems full and fresh. Appropriately, there’s more to savor from Help onward, as the Beatles’ productions grew ambitious, but Please Please Me, With the Beatles, and A Hard Day’s Night all have a strong punch, while Beatles for Sale is warmer than the previous disc.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Beatles always stood apart from their peers, a selfevident statement that sadly extended to the treatment of their catalog in the digital age. Where all their peers from the Byrds to the Who have had their catalogs remastered and reissued in deluxe editions, sometimes several times, the Beatles remained stuck in the early days of digital, their 14 albums plus Past Masters singles collection remaining untouched since 1987. Anniversaries came and went, but no remasters arrived until the release of the video game The Beatles Rockband pushed a longoverdue revamping of the band’s entire catalog into the stores on 9909. This reissue campaign corrects almost all the problems of the original 1987 CDs: the sound and artwork are improved, and all the original mono and stereo mixes finally see the light of day. Naturally, it’s possible to quibble about some details of the presentation, particularly the decision to split the reissue into two separate box sets, one covering the stereo mixes and one the mono mixes, with only the stereo mixes available as individual discs (it’s still possible to complain that the albums do not add eraspecific singles or outtakes, but such expansions were never really in the cards), but both boxes still constitute the best Beatles by far. Crucially, it’s also inarguably the bestsounding Beatles music ever released, robust and rich even on the earliest rock roll. None of the albums have been remixed although Help and Rubber Soul retain Martin’s 1987 mixes, the original stereo mixes are bonuses on the mono set so this doesn’t shock the way the Yellow Submarine soundtrack did with its reimagined stereo mixes. Nevertheless, these remasters surely do surprise with their clarity and depth, with each album feeling bigger and fuller than the previous CD incarnation, but not artificially so. It’s not that these are pumped up on digital steroids; it’s that the veil has been lifted, so everything seems full and fresh. Appropriately, there’s more to savor from Help onward, as the Beatles’ productions grew ambitious, but Please Please Me, With the Beatles, and A Hard Day’s Night all have a strong punch, while Beatles for Sale is warmer than the previous disc.really craved is the mono box. This limitededition box is laden with newtoCD mixes, including the genuine rarities of the previously unreleased mono mixes of the four new songs from Yellow Submarine, and its packaging is gorgeous, filled with miniLP replicas with stiff cardboard sleeves of every album from Please Please Me to The Beatles, complete with replicated gatefolds and packaging inserts, all protected in resealable plastic sleeves. As pure physical product, this satisfies any collector itch, but this also is arguably the bettersounding of the two sets, providing ample evidence that the Beatles did spend more time on mono mixes during much of their career. For generations of listeners raised on stereo mixes, there are plenty of surprises here, whether it’s a slower “She’s Leaving Home” or a faster “Don’t Pass Me By,” or numerous little differences that pop up on Pepper, The White Album, and Revolver, all adding up to dramatically different experiences. Sometimes, the density of mono just has more force “Lady Madonna” rolls like a freight train, “I’m Down” hits to the gut and sometimes the colors just seem more vibrant; in either case, there’s enough emotional difference to make this worthwhile for the dedicated, and depending on taste, it may even be preferable. But there’s no question of one thing: of the two sets, as a package, the mono box is a thing to behold. And there’s also no question that anybody waiting 22 years to hear a better version of the Beatles will not be disappointed (although they may well still wonder why it took so long for the Fabs to be treated how they deserve).

- Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Read the rest of this entry »

The Beatles always stood apart from their peers, a selfevident statement that sadly extended to the treatment of their catalog in the digital age. Where all their peers from the Byrds to the Who have had their catalogs remastered and reissued in deluxe editions, sometimes several times, the Beatles remained stuck in the early days of digital, their 14 albums plus Past Masters singles collection remaining untouched since 1987. Anniversaries came and went, but no remasters arrived until the release of the video game The Beatles Rockband pushed a longoverdue revamping of the band’s entire catalog into the stores on 9909. This reissue campaign corrects almost all the problems of the original 1987 CDs: the sound and artwork are improved, and all the original mono and stereo mixes finally see the light of day. Naturally, it’s possible to quibble about some details of the presentation, particularly the decision to split the reissue into two separate box sets, one covering the stereo mixes and one the mono mixes, with only the stereo mixes available as individual discs (it’s still possible to complain that the albums do not add eraspecific singles or outtakes, but such expansions were never really in the cards), but both boxes still constitute the best Beatles by far. Crucially, it’s also inarguably the bestsounding Beatles music ever released, robust and rich even on the earliest rock roll. None of the albums have been remixed although Help and Rubber Soul retain Martin’s 1987 mixes, the original stereo mixes are bonuses on the mono set so this doesn’t shock the way the Yellow Submarine soundtrack did with its reimagined stereo mixes. Nevertheless, these remasters surely do surprise with their clarity and depth, with each album feeling bigger and fuller than the previous CD incarnation, but not artificially so. It’s not that these are pumped up on digital steroids; it’s that the veil has been lifted, so everything seems full and fresh. Appropriately, there’s more to savor from Help onward, as the Beatles’ productions grew ambitious, but Please Please Me, With the Beatles, and A Hard Day’s Night all have a strong punch, while Beatles for Sale is warmer than the previous disc.really craved is the mono box. This limitededition box is laden with newtoCD mixes, including the genuine rarities of the previously unreleased mono mixes of the four new songs from Yellow Submarine, and its packaging is gorgeous, filled with miniLP replicas with stiff cardboard sleeves of every album from Please Please Me to The Beatles, complete with replicated gatefolds and packaging inserts, all protected in resealable plastic sleeves. As pure physical product, this satisfies any collector itch, but this also is arguably the bettersounding of the two sets, providing ample evidence that the Beatles did spend more time on mono mixes during much of their career. For generations of listeners raised on stereo mixes, there are plenty of surprises here, whether it’s a slower “She’s Leaving Home” or a faster “Don’t Pass Me By,” or numerous little differences that pop up on Pepper, The White Album, and Revolver, all adding up to dramatically different experiences. Sometimes, the density of mono just has more force “Lady Madonna” rolls like a freight train, “I’m Down” hits to the gut and sometimes the colors just seem more vibrant; in either case, there’s enough emotional difference to make this worthwhile for the dedicated, and depending on taste, it may even be preferable. But there’s no question of one thing: of the two sets, as a package, the mono box is a thing to behold. And there’s also no question that anybody waiting 22 years to hear a better version of the Beatles will not be disappointed (although they may well still wonder why it took so long for the Fabs to be treated how they deserve).

- Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Read the rest of this entry »

The more fun they have, the more fun you have! Product Information It’s time to slather on the suntan lotion, slip on your flip-flops, and head down to the beach for an epic spring break party! From the feverish flings to sloshed scuffles to savage shark attacks, with Virtual Spring Break you will experience all the pleasure and pain of running your very own vacation hot spot. As the Spring Break kingpin, you are in charge of creating a tropical playground teeming with coeds, clubs, cabanas and more. Once developed, kick back and watch all of your guests’ hedonistic holiday fun in the sun. Product Features Experience all the outrageous fun of a spring beak vacation without risking a nasty sunburn or killer hangover. Build the ultimate tropical paradise on 12 unique islands using over 50 different structures from bungalows, nightclubs and hot tubs to souvenir shops, casinos and water parks. Live vicariously through your island vacationers enjoying such entertaining events as wet t-shirt contests, talent competitions, DJ gigs, and party cruises. Burst out laughing at your partying guests’ hilarious antics such as dancing, flirting, kissing, drunken brawls and much more… Create the most sought-after tropical getaway by skillfully fulfilling the demands of your sun-seeking guests, each with individual needs and desires. Expertly manage a full staff including resort reps, waiters, lifeguards, security personnel, construction workers and more. Party to the cool beats of Spring Break’s soundtrack or create your own using the in-game MP3 player. Quench your voyeuristic thirst by tracking your islanders with the aid of a built-in camera with zoom lens. Take photos of your favorite vacation moments to print or email to friends. Low system requirements means your Spring Break vacation is accessible from just about any PC, including your laptop! Minimum Requirements Windows 98, Me, XP (admin rights required) Pentium II 450MHz or equivalent 128MB of RAM

Read the rest of this entry »

MOVIE DVD - The clothing-optional lifestyle reforms a criminal in this amusing nudist colony film from prolific exploitation director Doris Wishman. Bank robbing brothers Duke and Steve (Greg Conrad and Earl Bauer) pull a job but car troubles mar their getaway. A young woman in the right convertible at the wrong time provides a solution, so the desperate duo kidnaps the girl and commandeers her wheels. When they learn that their hostage Dorothy (Dolores Carlos) lives and works at a private country club, the brothers devise a plot to hide out in her bungalow while they wait for their boat to Cuba. Since the club is open only to married couples, Duke hides in the trunk while Steve masquerades as Dorothy’s newlywed husband, but once past the gate the brothers are shocked to discover that the “exclusive club” is a nudist colony. While Duke hides out with the loot in the cabin, Steve and Dorothy stroll around the grounds in the buff to bolster the bogus marriage story. As the couple spends time together in the sunshine enjoying wholesome activities like volleyball, swimming and archery, love begins to blossom, and soon Steve is questioning his criminal ways. - Hideout in the Sun (DVD)

Read the rest of this entry »

XTC fans are a dedicated lot. There may not be many of them, but nearly all of them need to hear everything the group ever recorded. They’ll happily spend hundreds of dollars on rare singles and bootlegs, or buy official releases of demos, even when they sound nearly identical to the official release, so a four-disc box set of rarities, demos, alternate takes, and live versions like Coat of Many Cupboards is essentially manna from heaven. If there’s any problem with the set, it’s that Virgin and XTC didn’t go far enough and dedicate the set entirely to unreleased material; they hedged their bets, devoting 41 of 60 tracks to previously unreleased cuts, with the lion’s share of the rest — a full 14, actually — being album tracks any XTC fan already has. No matter how good these songs are — and they include such masterpieces as “Chalkhills and Children” and the Dukes of Stratosphear’s “Vanishing Girl” — their presence on a lovingly assembled rarities set is a fairly major irritant (even if the band is reportedly working on an even larger archival release, provisionally titled Fuzzy Warbles, that may span as many as eight volumes). Still, if this set had just one disc of rarities, XTC fans would have purchased it anyway, and they’ll overjoy in the sheer volume of unheard music here. And rightly so, since even if there aren’t that many demos and alternate takes that are radically different from the finished product — there’s an acoustic run-through of “Senses Working Overtime” and an embryonic version of “Mayor of Simpleton” that are fascinating rough drafts, while an early version of “Life Begins at the Hop” is appealingly awkward — this is still rich listening, filled with such delights as three White Music outtakes showcasing Barry Andrews (who would leave not long afterward), Colin Moulding’s Nonsuch reject “Didn’t Hurt a Bit” (which should have been on the album), and the live “Atom Medley,” one of several in-concert performances that illustrate how good the band was on-stage, no matter Andy Partridge’s stage fright. These moments and the uniform high quality of music, along with the track-by-track annotation by Partridge and Moulding, make the repetition of album tracks easy to forgive, since this is as close to a perfect gift for fans as imaginable (until Fuzzy Warbles materializes, that is). Although fans would have settled for anything rare, XTC has returned their affection with a box that shows as much love as the fans have shown over the years. It doesn’t get much better than that.

- Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Read the rest of this entry »

p b font color=’#000080′ The more fun they have, the more fun you have! /font /b br br b Product Information /b /p p It’s time to slather on the suntan lotion, slip on your flip-flops, and head down to the beach for an epic spring break party! nbsp; From the feverish flings to sloshed scuffles to savage shark attacks, with Virtual Spring Break you will experience all the pleasure and pain of running your very own vacation hot spot. As the Spring Break kingpin, you are in charge of creating a tropical playground teeming with coeds, clubs, cabanas and more. Once developed, kick back and watch all of your guests’ hedonistic holiday fun in the sun. nbsp; nbsp; br br br b Product Features /b /p ul li Experience all the outrageous fun of a spring beak vacation without risking a nasty sunburn or killer hangover. /li li Build the ultimate tropical paradise on 12 unique islands using over 50 different structures from bungalows, nightclubs and hot tubs to souvenir shops, casinos and water parks. /li li Live vicariously through your island vacationers enjoying such entertaining events as wet t-shirt contests, talent competitions, DJ gigs, and party cruises. /li li Burst out laughing at your partying guests rsquo; hilarious antics such as dancing, flirting, kissing, drunken brawls and much more hellip; /li li Create the most sought-after tropical getaway by skillfully fulfilling the demands of your sun-seeking guests, each with individual needs and desires. nbsp; /li li Expertly manage a full staff including resort reps, waiters, lifeguards, security personnel, construction workers and more. /li li Party to the cool beats of Spring Break rsquo;s soundtrack or create your own using the in-game MP3 player. /li li Quench your voyeuristic thirst by tracking your islanders with the aid of a built-in camera with zoom lens. Take photos of your favorite vacation moments to print or email to friends. /li li Low system

Read the rest of this entry »

100% all-natural Timothy Hay cage accessories Hand selected grass hay is hand-softened and hand-woven Safe accessories do not have chemicals, wire, or thread 100% all-natural Timothy Hay small pet cage accessories are hand-woven to perfection. Hay is so fresh and aromatic, you can actually smell the quality. Oversized, all-grass accessories give your small pet a place to rest and relax while in the comfort of his home. Accessories are also a great way to provide your small pet with a retreat during out of cage playtime. Edible Bungalows, Lounger, and Tunnel offer your small pet high fiber he needs and craves. Super-safe cage accessories contain no chemicals, wire, or thread for your small pet to ingest. Accessory Measurement Bungalow, Medium 9″ x 10″ x 8″ Bungalow, Large 12″ x 12″ x 9″ Lounger 10″ x 8″ x 4″ Tunnel10″ x 7-1/2″ x 7″ Please click on “More Information” for guaranteed analysis, use & care intructions, and how this product is made.

Read the rest of this entry »

This “box set” from Capitol marked the first time that all of the original Beatles records appeared on compact disc. Along with the 13 albums, the label also included the excellent Past Masters, Vol. 1 and Past Masters, Vol. 2, both of which featured a treasure trove of Bsides, EP tracks, singles and foreign releases.

- James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide

Read the rest of this entry »