DVDpedia : GQ DVD Library : Genre : M

Summary: Includes the songs: Djembe, Gratitude (Live), Sabotage, The Hurricane Freestyle, Triphamnmer, Skills To Pay The Bills (Live), Time For Living, Sabrosa, Something's Got to Give, Screaming At a Wall (Live), Namaste' (Live), Futterman's Rule, 5-Piece Chicken Dinner, Jimmy James, Conga + Bass, Mullethead, Ricky's Theme, and So What 'Cha Want (Live with Cypress Hill).

Summary: Bob Marley & The Wailers in concert - November 15th 1979 at California's Santa Barbara County Bowl. Tracklist: Positive Vibration, Wake Up And Live, Them Belly Full (But We Hungry), Concrete Jungle, I Shot The Sheriff, Ambush In The Night, Running Away, Crazy Bald Head, Heathen, Africa Unite, Natty Dread, One Drop, Exodus, Zimbabwe, So Much Things To Say, Is This Love, Jamming, Kinky Reggae, Stir It Up, Get Up Stand Up, War, No More Trouble.

Summary: Even for a seventies child like me who had this music on the radio while I was finishing breakfast and heading for school on many a morning, this DVD leaves something to be desired.

One reviewer is correct in noting that the great songbird Karen Carpenter looks unsure of herself in most of these clips and that makes it somewhat difficult to watch. Plus, the DVD is way too short. They may have been better off with the excellent live Carpenters' performances from the Ed Sullivan show in 1970 included.

On the other hand, there's of course the beautiful music, which disarms much criticism. This also captures the spirit of many musical variety shows of the early 70s.

This also includes the almost forgotten "Bless the Beasts and the Children" which turns to gold as almost anything the Carpenters' touched. Even a bizarre tune like "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft," in the tradition of bizarre attempts at message songs of the era, sounds like sheer beauty and bliss out of Karen Carpenter's mouth. (The intro with the spooked-out radio DJ is a nice touch).

Watch this and "It's yesterday Once More" (oops! That song isn't included here...oh well).

Summary:

Summary: When i first saw it on Amazon i was a bit sceptic but decided to buy it any way, man its good. I don't have any other music Dvds but this one is so good, if you even like daft punk a little bit buy it it's well worth a few quid, i love. The only down point is i can't use the mulitiple camera angles on my Ps2 but even with out this feature it's still super and well worth it.

Summary: This is an excellent movie. Firstly, I am a huge fan of the Daft Punk album "Discovery", so I loved the music. The animation was suprising VERY good. I didn't really expect too much, but the story ended up being very well told (with no acutual dialogue within the film) and beautiful to look at. If you love Daft Punk buy this NOW. If you like anime, you should check it out too, as it's flawless.

Summary: Probably the most comprehensive anthology of any musical artist to date, the 47-track Best of Bowie traces the guises of David Bowie over the last four decades. From the androgynous, glam rock rebel of the 1970s, to his more recent incarnation as the self-labelled, postmodern pop ironist of the 90s. The collection provides an added insight into wider developments in fashion, music and the pop video. Most of the early material is taken from television music programmes such as The Old Grey Whistle Test ("Oh! You Pretty Things", "Queen Bitch", and "Five Years"), however, as the demands of television and music promotion progress, Bowie ventures into more sophisticated stand-alone videos culminating in 1983's "Let's Dance". As with any biographical visual record of the past, there's plenty of material, which will embarrass Bowie. Throughout his cheesy performance of "Rebel, Rebel" for Dutch programme Top Pop, Bowie sports what looks like a ginger tomcat on his head. There's also the George Michael-style bleach blonde quiff for 1987's "Time Will Crawl". Despite the mountains of material on both discs, there are a number of unexplainable absences such as "Changes", "Under Pressure" and "Sound and Vision". Watch out for the Best of Bowie part two. On The DVD: Best of Bowie's animated menus, and the opening menu sequence of both discs are excellent. Although there are no listed bonus features, the discs are swarming with extra "Easter egg" features such as alternative videos and vintage interviews (these can be accessed via the track-listing menu, by pressing the RIGHT followed by the SELECT key on selected tracks). Background information about each video is displayed before the start of every promo, which is reproduced in the accompanying glossy booklet. The sound and picture quality is variable for early videos but improves (admittedly erratically) for later videos. --John Galilee

Summary: "Depeche Mode 101" is a fascinating documentary codirected by the esteemed D.A. Pennebaker ("The War Room", "Down from the Mountain"), focusing on backstage realities of art and business during the British synthesizer band's 1988 American tour. We see managers worrying over slow ticket sales for a stand at the Rose Bowl, observe sound checks at concert sites, get a tour of the group's multiple keyboard banks, and listen with some alarm to singer David Gahane describe his steroid-based throat treatments. There are plenty of performance clips, but for music alone, disc 2 in this package contains the uninterrupted Rose Bowl show, including the plaintive "Blasphemous Rumours," the exultant drama of "Stripped," and the dreamy "Somebody." Pennebaker's promotional video "Everything Counts" is also here, but don't miss the director's recent, touching, and informative interviews with the now 40-something, individual members of Depeche Mode. "--Tom Keogh"

Summary: This was an incredible collection of promotional media. Very rare interview promotional clips where the shinning moments of this DVD I honestly can not remember any Depeche Mode videos (VHS) or DVD containing this much interview footage (which is the short film listings) outside of Depeche Mode 101.The best interview was indeed the Gambaccini/Anton interview for the "Songs of Faith and Devotion" album with the surprising interruption from the "Mystery Women". The video collection was interestingly missing a few videos but the videos that is featured was converted to digital nicely and the quality was stellar. This is a great collection but don't expect everything counting when looking for every little bit film concerning the music media.This would have received 4.5 stars (if possible).

Summary: Devo: Live opens with a short montage of Devo videos before plunging into a rare live performance from 1996. The lively set features 11 favorites from a Lollapalooza engagement--opening for Metallica, no less--at Irvine Meadows. The former "spud boys" of the 1970s and 1980s, now spud men, are as energetic as ever and the synchronized dancing for "Satisfaction" and "Uncontrollable Urge" is a treat. Something about Devo in broad daylight seems strange, but the band doesn't let the sun--or lack of background visuals--slow them down. The focus is on the music, with occasional shots of the audience, a foray into the crowd for a "Jocko Homo" sing-along, and a costume change from jumpsuits to shorts and T-shirts (white leg alert!). Though slightly less essential than the video compilation The Complete Truth About De-Evolution, Devo: Live is a great companion piece for the dedicated Devo devotee. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Summary: This rare footage has been compiled from a full-length show at the Phoenix Theater in Petaluma, CA in 1980. Songs include Its Not Right, Pink Pussycat, Whip It, Girl U Want, (I Cant Get No) Satisfaction, Swelling Itching Brain and many more. This is DEVO at the peak of their game! Bonus material: Dove - The Band of Love from M80 Concert in 1980, Praying Hands & Shrivel Up. The CD side contains a stereo mix of the entire live show.

Summary:

Summary: Punk/New Wave mad scientists Devo were among the few bands to understand the music video's potential as art form during its infancy in the eighties. Their brilliant and bizarre videos were compiled on VHS and then on laser disc; that long out-of-print disc, The Complete Truth About De-Evolution, has finally arrived on DVD, which should please longtime fans of this eclectic outfit. Rhino's DVD is essentially the same as the Pioneer disc, which featured 17 videos (including their radio hit, "Whip It") as well as the amusing and award-winning corporate film parody "The Truth About De-Evolution," and commentary by band members Gerald Casale and Mark Mothersbaugh. Live clips from the VHS releases are also included; the video for "Are You Experienced" unfortunately was nixed by the Jimi Hendrix estate, but its replacement--a rarely seen video for "Mongoloid" by experimental filmmaker Bruce Connor--makes up for its exclusion. Fans may wish that Rhino had remastered the live clips, but the fact that these fascinating videos are available at all (and at a low retail price) should convince fence-sitters of its must-have status. --Paul Gaita

Summary: Artists who've worked with him describe Mark Romanek as "meticulous" and "demanding." Yet, the biggest names in the business have clamored to work with the mercurial helmer, because they know he'll make them look good: Madonna ("Rain"), No Doubt ("Hella Good"), etc. Along the way, the Grammy winner has been behind some of the world's most famous--and infamous--videos.
Read our interview with Mark Romanek. On the groundbreaking side, there's Lenny Kravitz's exhilarating "Are You Gonna Go My Way," which made the musician a star in one fell swoop. On the controversial side, there's Fiona Apple's teasing "Criminal," Nine Inch Nails' macabre "Closer," and Jay-Z's apocalyptic "99 Problems"--the latter two in director's cut editions. In another class entirely, is Romanek's heartbreaking video for Johnny Cash's "Hurt." More than a promo, it's an elegy for a legend. Despite an interview with Robin Williams, this collection otherwise overlooks Romanek's features, "One Hour Photo" and "Static". "--Kathleen C. Fennessy"



See More

Be sure to check out "The Director's Label Boxed Set Vol. 2", featuring "The Work of Mark Romanek", and volumes by Jonathan Glazer, Anton Corbijn, and Stéphane Sednaoui.

Summary: "The Work of Director Michel Gondry" invites the lucky viewer into a wonderland of childlike imagination. Before the Versailles-born Gondry turned his creative ingenuity to feature films (beginning with the underrated "Human Nature" and the 2004 Jim Carrey comedy "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"), these 27 music videos and assorted "stories and things" formed a legacy of supreme cleverness, suggesting a creative lineage from the pioneering film magic of Georges Méliès to the groundbreaking experimental films of Norman McLaren. It's perfectly fitting that the accompanying 75-minute documentary is titled "I've Been 12 Forever," because Gondry (b. 1964) never lost the sense of wonder and inventiveness that children display when their minds are allowed to flourish in a creative environment. No wonder he's best known for his dazzling collaborations with Icelandic pop star Björk, resulting in music videos (seven included here) that redefined the magical potential of the medium. Each, in its own way, is a masterpiece of the fantastic.
What's also remarkable about Gondry's work is its technical progression, from the homemade crudeness of his earliest videos for the French band Oui Oui, to the technical wizardry of Kylie Minogue's "Come Into My World," in which the Australian pop star is seamlessly multiplied as she strolls around a busy Parisian intersection; like many of Gondry's videos, it's a stunning "how-did-they-do-that?" work of art, reminiscent of Zbigniew Rybcynski's prize-winning 1982 short "Tango." From the hilarious dreamworld of the Foo Fighters' most popular video "Everlong" to the painstaking pixilation of Gondry's videos for the White Stripes (one made entirely of animated Lego blocks), this DVD is packed with Gondry's tireless pursuit of perfection; he'll do whatever's necessary, no matter how simple or complex, to achieve perfect harmony between song, artist, and visual concept. All the while, he's drawing from a seemingly endless well of inspiration, as evident in the delightful 52-page booklet of stories, drawings, photos, and interviews that chronicle the eternal sunshine of a brilliant mind. "--Jeff Shannon"

Summary: I was lucky enough to actually be at this very concert! You may even see me on the DVD. I can guarantee that you will not regret this purchase - it is quite simply an amazing gig and one that I will never forget! You MUST buy this when it is out!

Summary: Sadly that part of the title is just a hint of things to come. I don't know what the hardcore Duran Duran fan will make of this DVD, but I was very disappointed. I expected this release to be a full, uninterrupted concert of some of their best songs. At least that's what it looks like reading the back of packaging. Instead you get 2/3 music along with stupid vignettes of aliens running around the building. DURING the songs. Not just one song, but every song performed during the concert drops out so we can see rejects from Star Wars running around behind the scenes. I guess the person who directed 'Thriller' decided to bring the production to a live concert. This was very annoying. You only get one full, uninterrupted track, 'Save A Prayer' in the bonus section of the DVD. Hardly what I would want to pay $30 for. This gets 2 stars for good picture and sound quality. Strong recommendation to avoid. I am taking this back ASAP.

Summary: Where to begin... I've been a Daft Punk fan since 1997 when "Da Funk" and "Around the World" took the Earth by storm and got everybody shaking their booties. It wasn't until I was front and center at their famous 2006 Coachella performance (their first public concert in 8 years) that I became obsessed with them.
They've gone through many changes since they started as an indie-rave pop duo in there "Homework" era. They became robots. They made a Japanese anime film (Interstella 5555) to coincide with their bubble-gum dance album, "Discovery". Then they started getting a bit macabre when "Human After All" came out. It was obvious Daft Punk wanted to experiment more with video. From the creepy robot animatronics in the "Technologic" video to the shocking girl that skins herself alive in the "Prime Time of Your Life" video... ...we knew that the robot kings of French house music were trying to tell us something. They want to be human.
I do not recommend this film to anyone that doesn't appreciate arthouse or French cinema. Of course it's a bit obscure. It's French! It was made for the 2006 Cannes festival. I doubt it will ever be released in the U.S. It's barely over an hour long. There is no dialogue. It is mostly silent with some sound effects and a few melancholy folk tunes to set the mood. DISCLAMER: No Daft Punk music was used in the making of this film. There are a lot of long takes and landscape shots. The cinematography is incredible, though. And it is very obvious that the production is Kubrick influenced.
The basic premise is Daft Punk, as robots, drive through the California Desert (Death Valley?) and enter an ordinary suburban town where everyone is robots, just like them. But they want to be human and have a procedure done to look human. It fails. They realize they cannot hide who they really are. The rest of the film consists of what they decide to do with themselves while walking through the desert. I won't ruin the ending.
Daft Punk's Electroma is great for those who love low budget indie movies. It's especially great for those who understand the media circus around Daft Punk and can separate this film from their musical abilities. If all of this sounds appealing, go try to see it (if you can find it).

Summary: From his quirky compositions for the spaghetti Westerns of Sergio Leone to his sublime musical contributions to director Roland Joffé's acclaimed 1986 drama The Mission,
film composer Ennio Morricone has crafted more than 500 scores over the course of his enduring career in film. Now fans can take a look back at the life and career of one of cinema's most prolific composers through interviews with both the composer himself and many of his longtime collaborators. From his Italian efforts to his work in America, this documentary covers every aspect of Morricone's career as few have, offering insight into his childhood, his longtime association with Leone, and his ultimate disenchantment with the American studio system. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Summary:

Summary: If you think P-Funk is good on record, you will hyped by seeing them in concert. Unfortunately, I never had the chance to see these guys live, so this is the closest thing I have to the memorable and elaborate shows that P-Funk held in the mid to late 70's. All of the songs get two thumbs from me. The highlights of this show is the always great "Cosmic Slop," with Garry Shider at his best, "Standing on the Verge of Getting it On," where Fuzzy Haskins goes crazy, "Swing Down, Sweet Chariot," with Glen Goins at his all-time best, and the grand finale of "Tear the Roof off the Sucka" and "Night of the Thumpasorus Peoples" in which Bootsy/Bootsy's Rubber Band along with Sly and the Family Stone make guest appearences. You feel like your actually there and it is almost irresistable to not dance. The lighting really isn't an issue, though it is hard to see what is what at times. It's only minor, though, and shouldn't sour this P-Funk odyssey. I recommend to any fan who has either seen the Funk Mob live, or not.

Summary: Missy the artist is cool, confident. Missy the producer/songwriter is in charge, innovative. This is Missy the video artist--off the wall and off the hook. The "Hits of Miss E...The Videos, Volume 1" DVD and VHS feature four of her groundbreaking videos, all available for purchase for the first time. In addition, the DVD version includes behind-the-scenes footage and Surround Sound. This companion video to Missy's album "Miss E... So Addictive" leaves no doubt that Missy is as far ahead of the game in front of the camera as she is behind the mixing board and the microphone. "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)," "Hit 'Em wit' da Hee," "She's a Bitch," "Get Ur Freak On."

Summary: Digitally remastered and released on DVD for the first time, most of Phil Oakey and pals' greatest hits are included on The Very Best of the Human League. With their heavy eye make-up, bizarre hair-styles and generally dodgy fashion sense, few people could have predicted back in the early 1980s that the group would become long-standing pop and style icons. Opening with the simple promos for experimental tracks "Circus of Death" and "Empire State Human", the videos evolve in budget and sophistication, reflecting the band's growing popular success and the general development of the pop video as a genre. Some of the early promos attempt pastiches of popular film and television productions: "Love Action (I Believe in Love)" is a take on The Graduate, while "Don't You Want Me" appears to have been shot on the set of Jersey-based detective series Bergerac. Heralding the arrival of the Quantel Paintbox--the ground-breaking televisual special effects generator--the "Open Your Heart" promo incorporates a variety of tacky special effects, which may have looked great on Swap Shop in 1981, but now look remarkably ridiculous. The lesser-known video for the Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis-produced track "I Need Your Loving" and the retrospective video montage for their 1998 Greatest Hits collection track "Love is All That Matters" also oddly make it on to this compilation. The videos for the non-Virgin Record singles are included, too ("Tell Me When", "One Man in My Heart" and "All I Ever Wanted"), with "One Man in My Heart" providing a step-by-step guide to making a cappuccino. On the DVD: The Very Best of The Human League has been mastered effectively overall, with the visual and audio quality of the 1981 promo for "Love Action" being particularly crisp. The Top of the Pops and Later... performances provide an added perspective on the evolution of the band, and the interview with Phil, Joanne and Susan supplies a further comprehensive and accessible overview of their past and future development. --John Galilee

Summary: "Soul Brother No.1", "The Godfather Of Soul", "Mr Dynamite" are all titles that have been applied to James Brown over the years. A hugely influential figure in black American music, he was a driving force in the development of soul music in the early sixties and funk in the early seventies. He has had more R&B hits in the US than any other artist, and has charted singles in countries around the world.
One of the defining elements of James Brown's career has always been his electrifying live show and his performances at Montreux give ample evidence of this. This DVD focuses on his choice as the best of them all from 1981. It's a string of hits from start to finish delivered with all the flamboyant style and showmanship for which he is rightly famous.
Tracklisting:
1) Payback
2) It's Too Funky In Here
3) Gonna Have A Funky Good Time
4) Try Me
5) Get On The Good Foot
6) It's A Man's Man's Man's World
7) Prisoner Of Love
8) I Got The Feelin'
9) Hustle (Dead On It)
10) Papa's Got A Brand New Bag
11) I Got You (I Feel Good)
12) Please, Please, Please
13) Jam
14) Sex Machine

Summary:

Summary: Includes: 2 DVDs. This is the first ever official document of Kraftwerk's legendary live show. Features two hours of visually stunning live performances from the band's 2004 world tour, filmed and recorded with Kraftwerk's legendary precision in DTS 5.1 surround sound. Features a bonus video for "Aerodynamik" filmed live at the MTV Europe Video Music Awards.

Summary: I am not usually a music DVD/video fan, I always tend to think it will be a sterotypical bunch of songs with the singer standing motionless. Being a huge fan of Moloko however, I decided to purchase the DVD. I was NOT dissapointed. The collection of songs is diverse and brilliant. From the crazy and lovable Fun For Me to the hauntingly beautiful Statues, this collection of songs shows what a unique and inventive band they are. In a world of put-together bands, it is so nice to see a band who are not afraid to be different.This DVD gives Roisin a chance to show off her fantastic voice (she has never sounded so good), and her dancing. And can the girl dance!!! Give her a part in Chicago anyday!! You go girl!She has a brilliant rapport with the crowd, shaking hands, hi-fives, and I haven't even started on the stage diving!! How many artists allows themselves to interact like that? If anyone is in any doubt about seeing Moloko live, buy this DVD, and beleive me, you will be purchasing tickets on the first day of release, and queueing up at 2am to get the best seat in the house.Classic

Summary: Item is a must-have for any fan of this influential electronic dance pop group. This 2-DVD special addition contains two complete releases-a comprehensive music video compilation and a documentary. Disc 1, A Collection, features all of New Order's groundbreaking videos including "Bizarre Love Triangle," "Blue Monday," and "True Faith" plus alternate versions and brand-new videos for "Temptation" and "Ceremony" created just for this compilation. Disc 2, NewOrder Story is the complete documentary. This is the extended version with additional interviews and live footage-over two revealing hours available for the first time on DVD. Track Listings: Confusion, Perfect Kiss,Shellshock, State of the Nation, Bizarre Love Triangle, True Faith, Touched by the Hand of God, Blue Monday '88, Fine Time, Round & Round, Run, World in Motion, Regret, Ruined in a Day, World in Motion, Regret, Ruined in a Day, World, Spooky, 1963, Crystal, 60 Miles an Hour, Here To Stay, Krafty, Jetstream, Waiting for the Sirens Call, Round & Round-USA/Patty, Regret-Baywatch, Crystal-Gina Birch Version, Paris-Ceremony, Paris-Temptation, Live 1981-Temptation, Documentary.

Summary: This is how DVDs should be: 2 concerts, 1 from New York way back in 1981, and 1 from New Orders triumphant return at the 1998 Reading Festival, and an excellent band interview.New Order Live At Reading cannot be faulted. The setlist is fantastic, featuring such Joy Division classics as 'Atmosphere' and 'Isolation', and classic New Order tunes 'Regret', 'Temptation', 'True Faith' and 'Blue Monday'. The band is fantastic playing the best they ever have, and Barney is so gawky and geeky, he just comes across as being both cool and having a really good time. The only bum note is his excruciatingly embarrassing mid-song shout of "Rock the F**kin' house!" But even then, everyone onstage and off is having such a good time, you find yourself actually enjoying it.More interesting though is the gig from New York in '81, where the band not only discern to rock the audience, they barely even look in their direction. But still, the setlist here is an absolute killer, and the band are in the transition phase, halfway between Joy Division and New Order. But of big interest here for even the casual fan is a prototype 'Temptation', which is quite simply amazing!This is an unbeatable New Order DVD. The two concerts are short at just under an hour each, but both are fantastic gigs, well-documented. This is essential.

Summary: This isnx27;t the whole Neworderstory, it was made in 1993.
It captures the band, not long after the release of x27;Republicx27; and just before things turned really sour for most of the rest of the 90s. Grueling tours, inter-band tensions and now the demise of Factory and the imminent financial collapse of their nightclub/folly The Hacienda had taken their toll, and at the time it seemed like the end. Barneyx27;s face when asked if New Order will make another LP says it all (they have since made two, and are recording another)
This is an unorthodox documentary, put together by the ubiquitous Paul Morley (when he was a serious journalist rather than a rent-a-pundit on 80s clip shows). Its edited together in cut-up x27;Yoof-TVx27; fashion which looks a little dated now.
Some of it is very funny (the spoof New Order game show hosted by Keith Allen), some of it downright irritating (The breathy, American female voice-over that links the film together).
Best of the material is the clips of the band, sharing funny stories over a drink or six and generally winding each other up..well mostly winding their drummer up (who, it is revealed had to pay to get into The Hacienda on the opening night!). Its also a nice tribute to the bands late manager, Rob Gretton, the heart and soul of the band, Factory, and The Hacienda.
The music & promo clips, edited down in the broadcast version are mostly extended to full length. This has the effect of breaking up the documentary and rather ruining the continuity and pace. It would have been better to leave the full clips as DVD extras. Oh, and of course, the clips you want to see in full (Early live TV appearances on Granada TV etc) are cut short. The amazing clip of Joy Division playing Transmission on BBC2 Something Else is given a cheesy monochrome tint (it would have looked much more effective in its stark, Colour Videotape version), and is cut short by an annoying intrusion by Bono of all people, just as Ian Curtis is about to let rip...how ironic.
The film trades on the myths surrounding the band, and masks and obscures as much as it reveals.
Fun for fans, an interesting period piece on the band but neither a definitive history, nor a satisfying collection of clips.
Theres a great anthology of clips, and a great history of the band yet to be made. But of course, the real Neworderstory isnx27;t over yet. This will have to do for now.
3/5 plus one bit for the funny bits.

Summary: I've heard a lot of reports that New Order is not a great live band, but this DVD shatters any previous rumors I've heard. First of all...the setlist is amazing. Not only do they play the two best songs from the underrated "Get Ready" album (Crystal and Close Range), but Peter Hook dedicates Ceremony to Dee Dee Ramone, Bernard taps into an emotional river during Regret, and they manage to perform raging versions of Transmission and She's Lost Control even without the genius of Ian Curtis. All in all, absolutely stellar and worth every dime if you want to see New Order on a very good day. And the version of Atmosphere is also terrific. This must be seen for any New Order or Joy Division fan.

Summary: More than just a visual accompaniment to Orbital's sixth album, The Altogether 5.1 is a radical new phase in the development of how music is enjoyed in the comfort of one's home. Initially the reason behind the project was not the chance to produce trippy visuals to enhance the already trippy music, but an opportunity for the duo to re-create their entire album in full surround sound. However, not wanting simply to release something sonically amazing, the DVD holds a wealth of hidden features and specialist footage that captivates and confuses with its mishmash of diverse imagery. Each track on the album has several alternate visuals: the first track, "Tension", for example, has a spinning montage of all things that go whoosh, or, alternatively, there's a chance to see a live performance with the visuals as a backdrop. The only previously released footage is the actual video for the first single, "Funny Break (One is Enough)", which also has an accompanying documentary on the "making of" explaining a few of the weirder effects (people popping out of suitcases or bubbling about with bottles of water). The short film to complement "Waving Not Drowning" goes a little too far in re-creating a scene from Playschool, complete with trip through the window to see how compact discs are made. The audio highlight is a 25-minute version of "Meltdown" as used for Scott Walker's showcase a few years previously. However, since the original piece was choreographed so well for live performance (which was not filmed), at Orbital's request there is no moving image for the entire piece, just a static image of some scary-looking sound equipment. The special features, such as alternate angles and a choice of audio mixes, are superlative--if you can find them from the bewildering main menu where functionality takes a backseat to stylish graphics. The Altogether 5.1 is a revolution in interdisciplinarity captured on disc. It's interactive, too, since puzzling out how to access certain scenes or find new ones will keep anyone amused for many repeat viewings. --Georgina Collins

Summary:

Summary: Tracks: Petrol Live, Goodbye Tonsils, We Have Come To Bless The House, Petrol, Hot With Fleas, Jetlag, Canine, All Saints Day, Retread, Dollarex, Twister, Greater Reward, Dead Eyes Opened.

Summary: The DVD has not been released at the time of this review. I do have the VCD version from Malaysia.Instead of touring, the Pet Shop Boys held concerts for 3 weeks at the Savoy Theatre in London's west end.This program begins with a behind-the-scenes documentary. You can watch PSB practice and get prepared for the show. There are great interviews and interaction between the boys.Then, the concert begins. It is FABULOUS. If you like the Pet Shop Boys, or any electronic music, you'll really enjoy this concert. They play great songs from many of their albums, while avoiding the worn out hits.This concert is more simple than their "Performance" concert, which had too much going on for my taste. There is a very clever stage setup, and use of big screens that are marvelous. (I won't let the cat out of the bag on what they do with the screens.) Neil's vocals are great - the concert is perfect!There is the documentary, then the following songs: Yesterday When I Was Mad, Truck Driver and his Mate, Se a Vida é, Hallo Spaceboy, To Step Aside, Go West, The Theatre, It's a Sin/I Will Survive, Discoteca, Can You Forgive Her?, Somewhere, Rent, Being Boring, Left to my Own Devices.I highly suggest you order this DVD. It is so cheap! If you're a fan, I know you'll buy it. If you're not very familiar with PSB, this will introduce you to the boys, and give you a chance to see them at their best.

Summary: "Peter Gabriel: Growing Up Live" presents the complete 2003 Milan concert from Peter Gabriel's tour based around the album "Up", featuring 17 tracks across 134 minutes. Literally central to a memorable show is a revolving stage that sees Gabriel going for a cycle ride in an exuberant "Solsbury Hill," performing "Growing Up" inside a Zorb ball, and delivering a gravity-defying sky walk in "Downside Up" with daughter Melanie. Accompanied by regular sidemen David Rhodes (guitar) and Tony Levin (bass), Gabriel is joined by the legendary Blind Boys of Alabama for the spine-tingling "Sky Blue," throughout mixing recent tracks like the abrasive "Darkness" and "The Barry Williams Show" with established crowd pleasers such as "Red Rain," "In Your Eyes," and "Sledgehammer."

Gabriel may be less wired than before, but he commands the arena with effortless charm and charismatic presence, his voice retaining all its paradoxically fragile power. Presented in an understated blue light and shot in an unobtrusive, gimmick-free style, the concert begins and ends in virtual darkness with Gabriel alone at a keyboard; from the opening "Here Comes the Flood" to the final "Father, Son," "Growing Up" is rock theater of rare intimacy, emotion, and intelligence.

The DVD is presented with a flawless 16:9 anamorphically enhanced picture and three soundtracks: rich and clear stereo, excellent Dolby Digital 5.1 and even more precise and detailed DTS. "The Story of Growing Up" is polished nine-minute documentary in which Gabriel talks about his ideas for the tour and the presentation of some of the songs. "Tony Levin's View" (five minutes) sets the song "More Than This" to photos taken by the bass player. "--Gary S. Dalkin"

Summary: Peter Gabriel has long been revered for his great songwriting, cinematic soundscapes, riveting concerts, and groundbreaking videos. Is it any surprise, then, that "Play: The Videos" is a music DVD for the ages? Nope. But that doesn't make it any less thrilling to watch or to listen to. Gabriel has assembled and polished an evening-filling 26 clips, all of them collaborations with innovative visual artists and directors like Stephen Johnson, Matt Mahurin, Francois Vogel, and Sean Penn. From the 1977 promo for "Modern Love" to 2003's "Growing Up" and much between, it's all here, and most viewers will be pleasantly surprised to find more than a couple videos they missed along the way. The focus is explicitly on conceptual pieces, the lone visual exception being a 2004 live rendition of "Games Without Frontiers" among the extras.
Gabriel says in an accompanying essay that "music can stand more repetition than video and music together." "Play" gives us something extra in light of that: fresh 5.1 surround mixes in both Dolby Digital and DTS 96/24 for every track, with Gabriel/U2 production vet Daniel Lanois at the helm for most songs. (You'll get standard DTS sound from DTS-capable DVD players and, even better, lossless high-resolution audio from a DTS 96/24-compatible player.) The surround mixes are nothing short of revelatory, using all available channels to amplify Gabriel's ambient side while breaking out the percussion in fascinating ways and driving home the music's subterranean bass. "--Michael Mikesell"

Summary: Peter Gabriel's extraordinary mix of sound, visuals, and theatrics gets the widescreen digital treatment in this remixed and remastered edition of a 105-minute concert recorded in 1994 in Italy. But not without some controversy, it seems, as several viewers have protested that the new version contains some not-so-deft lip-syncing with poor visual quality. The complaints may be valid, but chances are most viewers won't notice; in any event, the performance by Gabriel and his international band (with violinist Shankar, drummer Manu Katche, and bassist Tony Levin, among others) is strong, featuring versions of well-known material like "Solsbury Hill," "Sledgehammer," "In Your Eyes," and the always-moving "Don't Give Up" (with then-backup singer Paula Cole capably handling the Kate Bush role). Bonus features include a delightful "time lapse" view of the concert setup and breakdown, a "making of" documentary, and a brief preview of Gabriel's 2002-03 "Growing Up" tour. "--Sam Graham"

Summary: It's refreshing to finally watch a taped concert that actually delivers. This is a terrific DVD. Portishead and the Philharomic sound as if they have always played together, and Beth's vocals have never sounded better. The selection of songs are excellent and the sweeping cameras capture the essence of the show. I encourage anyone who enjoys Portishead to purchase this DVD. As a nice bonus, the DVD includes several of their music videos. "All Mine" in particular, is a video that is not to be missed. I only hope that Portishead release another CD soon and tour again. But in the meantime, this DVD should satisfy the fans until they do. Pick it up!

Summary:

Summary: While "rock musical" remains a phrase used by sadistic parents to give their offspring nightmares the genre does occasionally throw up the odd gem, Purple Rain being perhaps the shiniest example. Given the theatricality of Prince's stage shows, it was only a matter of time before the diminutive pop potentate found himself a big-screen vehicle but few could have predicted that Purple Rain would become nothing less than a cultural phenomenon. The story, co-written by one-time Starsky & Hutch scripter William Blinn, may be a somewhat hackneyed tale with His Purpleness overcoming a troubled background and musical rival Morris Day to achieve his dreams of rock stardom. However, the cast, which also includes Prince protegée Appollonia, rises above the clichés to hand in a set of performances which, while never likely to trouble the Oscars, prove that all concerned can at least play a rough approximation of themselves with minimal difficulty. What really helped push the film's box-office receipts through the roof, however, was its soundtrack featuring a clutch of hit singles--notably "When Doves Cry"--and which cemented our pint-sized hero's position as one of the globe's premiere performing artists. Sadly, subsequent attempts to re-bottle this particular brand of lightning with Under a Cherry Moon and Graffiti Moon would prove substantially less successful but Purple Rain still looks--and, more importantly sounds--rarely less than funktastic. --Clark Collis

Summary: Tracks: Fold, Funky Pervert From Des Moines, The Song of Sam, Oblique Firefly Overlocker, Cant, Memorial Discotheque, The Wing Of The Plane, Anti Intellectual, Choose Evil, Heart Of The Party, Kittens, Dollarex, All Saints Ballet, Walrus Guitars, Starts With K.

Summary: This debut DVD from Simple Minds collects material from both their critical and commercial prime, including 26 promo videos, featuring their best video performances along with unseen footage from their acclaimed 1982 Newcastle City Hall gig, and 15 tracks from the 1990 "Verona" concert! Including the classic early tracks Life In A Day and Chelsea Girl. The band were also at the fore front of the music video explosion and especially in their early days, they produced some stunningly challenging videos! All audio and visual material in this double DVD has been digitally re-mastered and the Verona footage has been mastered in 5.1 surround sound.

Summary: The Videos: Red Alert feat. Blue James, Rendez-Vu, Bingo Bango, Jump N Shout feat. Slarta John, Romeo feat. Kele Le Roc, Jus 1 Kiss, Wheres Your Head At, Lucky Star feat. Dizzee Rascal, Good Luck feat. Lisa Kekaula, Plug It In feat. JC Chasez, Cish Cash, Flylife. Extras: The Road To Coachella Directed by Bobby Lewis, Tokyo Stench Directed by New Stench, Jaxx TV Directed by Simon Ratcliffe, Bongaloid directed by New Stench. Live Tracks: Jump n Shout feat. Slarta John, Red Alert feat. Blue James, Do Your Thing feat. Sharlene Hector, Wheres Your Head At, Supersonic feat. Vula Malinga, , Good Luck feat. Lisa Kekaula, Cish Cash feat. Charlotte Hodson, Lucky Star feat. Dizzee Rascal

Summary: Long revered as a dominant force in the fusion of cutting-edge music and mind-bending, The Chemical Brothers celebrate their very first DVD release, Singles 93 – 03. For fans old and new this retrospective is the definitive collection of music, videos, live footage, interviews, and more, available for the first time as a commercial release. It’s been ten years of earth-shattering albums, award-winning, mesmerizing live shows and club-thumping DJ sets - or put another way, 10 years of block-rockin’, at long last the ultimate Chemical Brothers audio-visual release is here.

Summary: I first encountered this music video as an extra on one of mp3.com's freebie MP3 CDs. Entranced, I went ahead and ordered the DVD just so I could have a higher quality version of the disc. The main video, Superthruster, isn't bad at all, with some very slick animation telling a story of an Aeon-flux-like operative stealing something (a "superthruster?") from some corporate facility, then being chased through ventilation tunnels by two security cops who bear a striking resemblance to Sly and Robbie themselves. I wish I knew who animated and directed this video, and what other work they had done.The other video, Zen Concrete, is probably the first professionally-done anime music video I've ever seen. (No, wait, scratch that: the second, I was forgetting about Matthew Sweet's "Girlfriend".) Nothing really mysterious about it; Sly & Robbie's record label and Manga Video are owned by the same parent company; it's not surprising they could use this footage. I think the song Zen Concrete really does fit Ghost In The Shell quite well.The third "video" isn't really much of one...it's a remix of the Superthruster song with a few pictures of someone's face and staticky images from the main video.In the end, a decent enough little disc for the price.

Summary: This is one of the first video albums. They did a video for every song. They use to show these videos on MTV every day in 1982 because there were not very many videos back then. Hard to believe. "Tainted Love" is a disturbing video. Soft Cell was a great electronic band. I forgot how some some songs like "Seedy Films" were brilliant.

Summary: Soft Cell has always been a guilty pleasure of mine. My taste in music leans strongly towards hard rock and old school punk, but Soft Cell has always had a place in my collection of CD's.I was absolutely blown away by this DVD. I have a reasonably large collection of live performances on DVD, and this is one of the best. The energy is phenomenal. The sound quality is first rate.Soft Cell has become more than just a guilty pleasure for me; now, I truly respect them as a band and as performers.Great stuff!!

Summary:

Summary: Over the course of three nights at Hollywood's Pantages Theater in December 1983, filmmaker Jonathan Demme joined creative forces with cinematographer Jordan Cronenweth and Talking Heads... and miracles occurred. Following a staging concept by singer-guitarist David Byrne, this euphoric concert film transcends that all-too-limited genre to become the greatest film of its kind. A guaranteed cure for anyone's blues, it's a celebration of music that never grows old, fueled by the polyrhythmic pop-funk precision that was a Talking Heads trademark, and lit from within by the geeky supernova that is David Byrne. The staging--and Demme's filming of it--builds toward an orgasmic release of music, rising from the bare-stage simplicity of Byrne, accompanied only by a boom box on "Psycho Killer," to the ecstatic crescendo of "Burning Down the House," by which time the Heads and additional personnel have all arrived on stage for a performance that seems channeled from heaven for the purpose of universal uplift. (God bless Demme for avoiding shots of the luckiest audience in '80s pop history; its presence is acknowledged, but not at the viewer's expense.) With the deliriously eccentric Byrne as ringleader (pausing mid-concert to emerge in his now-legendary oversized suit), this circus of musical pleasure defies the futility of reductive description; it begs to be experienced, felt in the heart, head, and bones, and held there the way we hold on to cherished memories. On those three nights in December 1983, Talking Heads gave love, life, and joy in generous amounts that years cannot erode, and Demme captured this act of creative goodwill on film with minimalist artistic perfection. Stop Making Sense is an invitation to pleasure that will never wear out its welcome. --Jeff Shannon

Summary: Yes, electronica has taken over the world of music. All you need to do is take a look at the first shot of Underworld's live concert video to see that. The sprawling, dancing masses that cover the fields testify that the medium has found its way out of dark, sweaty raves and into the global mainstream. The shot makes the crowds at Woodstock seem small. However, while seeing electronica live can be a thrilling experience, watching it performed at home on your television is a completely different story. The British trio Underworld is widely considered to be one of electronica's most popular acts (same class as the Chemical Brothers and the Orb), and this DVD presents nine of their hyper, 10-minute-plus jams in five different countries (Japan, Holland, Belgium, England, and Ireland). While the sound is crisp and the beats infectious, there's not much to watching an electronica band (you usually have your eyes closed at a show, frantically dancing). The band tries to rectify this problem by using Alan Parker-esque, headache-inducing editing techniques and more strobe-lighting effects than the human brain can possibly handle in one sitting. Also, to make up for the lack of dynamics, Underworld has packed this DVD with a ton of goodies. You can program the concert any way you'd like to hear it; it contains five minutes of outtakes and a couple bonus tracks; and, most quizzically, they included the full 90-minute visuals shown on the large video screen behind the band. Some hardcore fans may find the screen graphics mesmerizing, but mostly it feels like watching a screensaver with a soundtrack. If you can't wait for Underworld to come to a field near you, grab the DVD; otherwise, just go to a rave. It's cheaper. "--Dave McCoy"

Summary: This is one of my favourite DVDs I own. Simply put, this is a collection of music video's produced for/by warp artists over the years. Untouched by the scrutiny and censorship of the mainstream, the videos are free to be as weird and shocking as they like. (Watch out for Aphex Twin's Come To Daddy and Windowlicker, some of the best and most imaginitive offerings.) I would recommend this DVD to anyone who wants to know more about the kind of music Warp release, or to a more experienced person who wants to indulge in their favourite artists and give themselves a chance to discover some new ones. The high points, I would say, are Aphex Twin's videos, because everyone knows you can never get enough Aphex, but also Plaid's 'Itsu' and the offerings by the Anti-Pop Consortium.
The Compilation cd that comes with the DVD is absolutely fantastic again, some of the best tracks on the label expertly mixed together to produce some very exciting new sounds. listening to this cd is, I would say, almost as much fun as watching the dvd.
In Summary, If you feel like sitting back and sinking into some weird and wonderful worlds accompanied by some of the best electronic music out there, get this DVD. If not, get it anyway, it might surprise you.

Summary:

Summary: 01 Castalia
02 Behind The Mask
03 Cosmic Surfin'
04 Rydeen
05 Tong Poo
06 Radio Junk
07 Firecracker
08 Solid State Survivor
09 Day Tripper
10 Fuji Cassette CF
11 Technopolis
12 Fuji Cassette CF
13 Tighten Up
14 Rydeen
15 La Femme Chinoise
16 Citizens Of Science
17 Fuji Cassette CF
18 BGM CF
19 Taiso
20 Stairs
21 Neue Tanz
22 Cue
23 Kimi Ni Mune Kyun
24 Ongaku
25 Shadows On The Ground
26 Expecting Rivers
27 You've Got To Help Yourself
28 Wild Ambitions

Summary: The Work of Director Chris Cunningham, like the other volumes in the acclaimed Director's Series (Spike Jonze and Michel Gondry) offers a feast of visual ingenuity, with one major difference: unlike the relatively playful brightness of Jonze and Gondry, Cunningham wants to involve you in his nightmares. From the urban monstrosities of Aphex Twin's "Come to Daddy" to the limb-shattering weirdness of Leftfield's "Afrika Shox", Cunningham's music videos emphasise the freakish and the bizarre, but they are also arrestingly beautiful and otherworldly, as in the aquatic effects used for Portishead's "Only You", combining underwater movements with ominous urban landscapes. Some of Cunningham's shock effects are horrifically effective (his 'flex" video installation, excerpted here with music by Aphex Twin, is as disturbing as anything conjured by David Cronenberg), while others are cathartic or, in the case of Aphex Twin's "Windowlicker", outrageously amusing. And while the eerie elegance of Madonna's "Frozen" arose from a chaotic production, the signature work in this collection is clearly BjÖrk's "All Is Full of Love", a masterfully simple yet breathtaking vision of intimacy involving advanced robotics and seamless CGI composites. In these and other videos, Cunningham advances a unique aesthetic, infusing each video and commercial he makes with a dark, occasionally gothic sensibility. That these frequently nightmarish visions are also infectiously hypnotic is a tribute to Cunningham's striking originality. --Jeff Shannon

Summary: When you experience The Work of Director Spike Jonze, you enter a world where anything can happen and frequently does. From the innovative director of Being John Malkovich and Adaptation., this superior compilation of music videos, documentaries, interviews and early rarities offers abundant proof that Jonze is the real deal--a filmmaker ablaze with fresh ideas and fresh ways of filming them. While collectors will regret that only 16 of Jonze's 40 plus music videos are included here, this glorious sampling represents the cream of Jonze's bumper crop; for sheer ingenuity it doesn't get any better than this. From the Beastie Boys' popular TV cop-spoof "Sabotage" to the intensely disciplined backwards-filming technique of the Pharcyde's "Drop", it's clear that Jonze has an affinity for inventive street theatre, culminating in the sad/happy vibe of Fatlip's introspective "What's Up Fatlip?" and the pop-jazz effervescence of Bjork's "It's Oh So Quiet". Technical wizardry is also a Jonze trademark, especially in the elaborate "Happy Days" nostalgia of Weezer's "Buddy Holly" and the graceful fly-wire dancing of Christopher Walken to Fatboy Slim's pulsing "Weapon of Choice". No doubt about it: every one of these videos is an award-worthy testament to Jonze's ability to combine hard work with fun-loving spontaneity. On the DVD: The Work of Director Spike Jonze is a double-sided DVD (one in a series that includes the equally dazzling work of Michel Gondry and Chris Cunningham) accompanied by an informative 52-page booklet. The second side explores Jonze's artistic evolution with an entertaining selection of video rarities and three half-hour documentaries, the best being a revealing and very funny interview with rapper Fatlip after his dismissal from the Pharcyde. Commentaries for the music videos are consistently worthwhile, supporting Jonze's own belief that his best videos were made for artists whose work he genuinely enjoyed. Lucky for us, his pleasure is infectious. --Jeff Shannon