Made for TV and Feature Length Films 12/31/08

All Creatures Great & Small: The Complete Series One

In the mid-1930s, young James Herriot, fresh from veterinary school, arrives in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales to begin his career. Cast: Christopher Timothy, Robert Hardy, Peter Davison, Carol Drinkwater. Based on the books by James Herriot. Originally broadcast on BBC TV in 1978.  Not Rated

All Creatures Great & Small: The Complete Series Five

The BBC TV series continues with more of  the heart-warming tales of James Herriot, a country vet , his wife Helen  and his volatile but warm-hearted partner, Siegfried Farnon . The period is now the early Fifties, but the Dales are slow to embrace the world of tomorrow. Tristan has left the Ministry of Agriculture to return to the Darrowby practice. Even with Calum  on the team, the vets see little of the leisure that the modern age promises. Based on James Herriot’s popular autobiographical books. Cast: Christopher Timothy, Robert Hardy, Peter Davison, Lynda Bellingham.  Originally broadcast on BBC TV in 1988. Not Rated

Black  Adder: The Complete Collector’s Set

One of the best comedy series ever to emerge from England, Black Adder traces the deeply cynical and self-serving lineage of various Edmund Blackadders from the muck of the Middle Ages to the frontline of World War I. British comic actor Rowan Atkinson played all five versions of Edmund, beginning with the villainous and cowardly Duke of Edinburgh, whose scheming mind and awful haircut seem to stand him in good stead to become the next Archbishop of Canterbury–a deadly occupation if ever there was one. Among tales of royal dethronings, Black Death, witch smellers (who root out spell makers with their noses), and ghosts, Edmund is a perennial survivor who never quite gets ahead in multiple episodes. Cast: Rowan Atkinson, Tony Robinson, Tim McInnerny, Miranda Richardson, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Patsy Byrne. Originally broadcast by BBC1 in 1983-1989.  Not Rated

Charlotte Gray

A 25-year-old Scottish woman cooperates with the French Resistance in hopes of rescuing her lover, a missing Royal Air Force pilot.  Cast: Cate Blanchett, Billy Crudup, Michael Gambon, Rupert Penry Jones, Anton Lesser, James Fleet, Ron Cook. Based on the book by Sebastian Faulks.(2001) Rated PG-13.

First Knight

Sir Malagant declares war on King Arthur in hopes of gaining part of Camelot. In the meantime, Arthur’s young bride, Guenivere, has fallen in love with Lancelot, one of Arthur’s loyal knights. Cast: Sean Connery, Richard Gere, Julia Ormond, Ben Cross, Liam Cunningham, Christopher Villiers, Valentine Pelka, Colin McCormack, Ralph Ineson, John Gielgud. (1995)  Rated PG-13

The Gift

Annie has ‘the Gift’. Some fear her, others claim she’s a witch. But now, a murder has been committed and only she can solve it. On a twisted trail of open infidelity and jealous rage, she sees visions that will haunt her and discovers a truth that will tear the town apart. Cast: Cate Blanchett, Giovanni Ribisi, Keanu Reeves, Katie Holmes, Michael Jeter, Kim Dickens, Gary Cole, Greg Kinnear, Hilary Swank. Rated R. (2001)

The Green Berets

A Special Forces colonel leads his troops into battle against the Viet Cong. Cast: John Wayne, David Janssen, Jim Hutton, Aldo Ray, Raymond St. Jacques, Bruce Cabot, Jack Soo, George Takei, Patrick Wayne, Luke Askew, Irene Tsu. (1968) Rated G

The Horseman on the Roof

In 1832, an Italian revolutionary living in Provence is pursued by assassins. He takes refuge in a small town ravaged by a cholera epidemic, where he meets a mysterious and beautiful noblewoman. In French with English subtitles. Cast: Juliette Binoche, Olivier Martinez, Claudio Amendola, Pierre Arditi, Isabelle Carre, Francois Cluzet.  (1995)  Rated R.

Inside the Green Berets

This National Geographic production documents the daily lives and activities of the Green Berets assigned to a remote outpost in Afghanistan. Originally broadcast on television in 2007.

Radio Flyer

After their mother marries a child abuser, Mike decides to help Bobby escape by turning their Radio Flyer wagon into a magic rocket ship that will carry Bobby to safety. Cast: Elijah Wood, Lorraine Bracco, Joseph Mazzello, Adam Baldwin, John Heard. Narrated by Tom Hanks. (1992) Rated PG-13

State of Play

Stephen Collins is an ambitious politican. Cal McCaffrey is a well-respected investigative journalist and Stephen’s ex-campaign manager. En route to work on morning, Stephen’s research assistant mysteriously falls to her death on the London Underground. Rumors soon surface of an affair between Stephen and the assistant. Meanwhile, a suspected teenage drug dealer is shot to death. Revelation upon revelation pile up in the aftermath of these two seemingly unconnected events, ultimately bringing to light shady dealings between the government and major corporate powers. Friendships are tested and lives are put on the line as an intricate web of lies unfolds. Cast: David Morrissey, John Simm, Bill Nighy, Kelly MacDonald, James McAvoy. Originally broadcast on BBC TV in 2003.  Not Rated

The Train Robbers

Three Civil War veterans team up with a train robber’s widow to recover a stash of gold. Cast: John Wayne, Ann-Margret, Rod Taylor, Ben Johnson, Christopher George, Bobby Vinton. (1972) Rated PG

Walk Away the Pounds with Leslie Sansone

Fitness Expert Leslie Sansone leads these two walking workouts: a One Mile Get Up and Get Started Walk and a Two Mile High Calorie Burn Walk.

New DVD Releases 12/31/08

Mamma Mia!

Sophie has just one wish to make her wedding day perfect –to have her father walk her down the aisle. Now she just has to find out who her father is! Cast: Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Julie Walters, Dominic Cooper, Amanda Seyfried, Christine Baranski.  Based on the songs of ABBA. Rated PG-13

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

Alex O’Connell sets out to help combat the resurrected a Han Emperor. When Alex is tricked into awakening the ruler from eternal slumber, the reckless young archaeologist must seek the help of the only people who know more than he does about taking down the undead: his parents. This time, the O’Connells must stop a mummy that has awoken from a 2,000-year-old curse who threatens to plunge the world into his merciless, unending service. As the monarch roars back to life, the O’Connell’s find his quest for world domination has only intensified over the millennia. Cast: Brendan Fraser, Jet Li, Maria Bello, John Hannah, Michelle Yeoh, Luke Ford, Isabella Leong, Chau Sang Anthony Wong, Russell Wong. Rated PG-13

War, Inc.

Turaqistan is a country occupied by an American private corporation run by a former U.S. vice-president. In an effort to monopolize the opportunities the war-torn nation offers, the corporation’s CEO hires a troubled hit man to kill a Middle East oil minister. Now, struggling with his own growning demons, the assassin must pose as the corporation’s Trade Show producer in order to pull off his current hit. Cast: John Cusack, Joan Cusack, Marisa Tomei, Hilary Duff, Ben Kingsley, Dan Aykroyd, Ned Bellany. Rated R

New Music CDs 12/18/09

Various Artists
100 Greatest Film Themes (6 CD SET)
CD 781.542 0NE 2007
CD 1, 1939-1961, CD 2, 1962-1968, CD 3, 1968-1978, CD4, 1979-1990, CD 5, 1990-1998, CD 6, 1999-2006.

Various Artists
Have A Nice Decade: The ’70s Pop Culture Box
CD 781.63 HAV 1998
For anyone who grew up during the last days of AM radio, anyone who remembers gas shortages, disco scarves, and feathered hair, this mammoth seven-disc box set, Have a Nice Decade: The 70s Pop Culture Box, will be a holy grail of nostalgia. First of all, the discs themselves contain a staggering 164 tracks. Basically, if you remember the song, it’s probably included: from enduring chestnuts even today’s teenagers can sing (“Fire and Rain,” “Fly Like an Eagle”) to obscure gems of kitsch like “The Night Chicago Died” and the supremely maudlin “Billy Don’t Be a Hero.” If you were born in the 1960s, you’ll probably find this stuff enjoyable rather than embarrassing (to the degree that you can think back on your adolescence without cringing). But don’t let the music distract you from the packaging, either. The box is covered in avocado-green shag carpeting (embroidered with a happy-face pattern), and the booklet contains photos of all the artists, essays on the politics and culture of the period, and capsule references to notable events, fads, and people. Only Rhino Records could have put out a reissue package of music, images, and text this perfect.

Led Zeppelin
Complete Studio Recordings
CD 781.66 LED 1993
This 10-CD set contains all nine Led Zeppelin studio albums as originally sequenced. Originally released as Atlantic SD 8216, SD 8236, SD 7201, SD 7208, SD 7255; and Swan Song SS 8416, SS 2-200, SS 16002, and 90051-1, 1969-1982.

Various Artists
Like, Omigod! The ’80s Pop Culture Box
CD 781.63 LIK 2002
You want your ’80s! Fer sure! This is the mother of all tributes to the era of skinny ties, Reaganomics, and Pac-Man! Seven CDs, 142 hit songs, from New Wave to Pop to R&B to Hip-Hop to Novelty, including an incredible 49 #1 tracks! Starring Queen, New Edition, Duran Duran, Richard Marx, Daryl Hall & John Oates, Men At Work, Toto, The Cure, Culture Club, Cyndi Lauper, Bryan Adams, Simple Minds, Bangles, New Kids On the Block…and many more. Plus a 90-page book with hundreds of historical photos, facts, and memories from the decade that wanted it all!

John Williams
Indiana Jones: The Soundtracks Collection
CD 781.542 IND 2008
Includes remastered versions of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade –expanded to include previously unreleased music — as well as the original Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull soundtrack. PLUS A BONUS CD WITH EVEN MORE PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED MUSIC AND FEATURING INTERVIEWS WITH JOHN WILLIAMS,STEVEN SPIELBERG AND GEORGE LUCAS ON THE MAKING OF THIS HISTORIC MUSIC. RELIVE THE MUSICAL ADVENTURE TODAY!

New DVD Releases – 12/16/08

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

The four Pevensie children – Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy – return to Narnia, only to discover that hundreds of years have passed since they ruled there. Now, crowning himself king, the evil General Miraz has taken charge. The children enlist the help of a heroic mouse called Reepicheep. They set out find the exiled Prince Caspian, determined to see him rightfully named king. Cast: Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell. Based on the book by C.S. Lewis. Rated PG

The Dark Knight

With the help of Lieutenant Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman raises the stakes on his war on crime and sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the city streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham as The Joker. The Joker, whose eerie grin, laughter, and inhuman morality makes him dangerous. Batman seeks to stop the mysterious Joker at all costs. He has no method at all and seeks to see the world plunge into the fire he has yet to light. But, Batman has come to represents the symbol of hope. Cast: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Morgan Freeman. Rated PG-13

Fred Claus

Fred Claus has lived in his little brother’s shadow for most of his life. Fred is in jail and Nicholas has to bail him out on the condition he come to the North Pole and repay his debt. Vince Vaughn, Paul Giamatti, John Michael Higgins, Miranda Richardson, John Michael Higgins, Rachel Weisz, Kathy Bates, Elizabeth Banks, Kevin Spacey. Rated PG

Hancock

Hancock is a hard-living and misunderstood superhero who has fallen out of favor with the public. When he grudgingly agrees to an extreme makeover from idealistic publicist Ray Embrey, his life and reputation rise from the ashes and all seems right again –until he meets a woman with similar powers to his and the key to his secret past. Cast: Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman, Eddie Marsan.  Rating: PG-13

The Happening

An unstoppable event threatens the world’s population by attacking the most basic human instinct of all: survival. Elliot Moore is an ordinary man who is trying to save his family from a terrifying, invisible killer. As Elliot discovers the incredible possibility of what is happening, it becomes very clear that no one is safe. Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, John Leguizamo, Betty Buckley. Rated  R

Horton Hears a Who

One day, Horton the elephant hears a cry for help coming from a speck of dust. Even though he can’t see anyone on the speck, he decides to help it. Good thing since as it turns out, the speck of dust is home to the Whos, who live in their city of Whoville. Horton agrees to help protect the Whos and their home. Unfortunately for Horton, this gives him nothing but torment from his neighbors. They refuse to believe that anything could survive on the speck. Still, Horton stands by the motto that, “After all, a person is a person, no matter how small.” Voices: Jim Carrey, Steve Carell, Carol Burnett, Will Arnett, Seth Rogen, Isla Fisher, Jonah Hill, Amy Poehler. Rated G

Journey to the Center of the Earth

Science professor Trevor Anderson’s radical theories have tarnished his reputation. While backpacking across Iceland with his nephew Sean, the two find a cave that leads them deep down into the bowels of the planet. They go on a quest to find out what has happened to Trevor’s missing brother, also a scientist. Trevor, Sean and their mountain guide discover a fantastic and dangerous lost world in the center of the earth. There, they discover a bizarre landscape filled with terrifying creatures. Cast: Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson, Anita Briem. Based on the novel by Jules Verne. Rated PG

Man on Wire

A look at the high-wire walk made by Philippe Petit in 1974 between the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers in New York City, and how it is still considered one of history’s most artistic crimes. Based on the book To Reach the Clouds, by Philippe Petit. Rated PG-13

The Perfect Holiday

A single mother is raising her three children after the divorce from her rapper ex-husband. Her oldest son wants his parents to get back together. The youngest daughter would rather see her mom happy and decides to use Santa Claus to get her wish. The kids practically compete to see who will win the war of love. Cast: Morris Chestnut, Gabrielle Union, Faizon Love, Terrence Howard, Queen Latifah, Charlie Murphy, Katt Williams, Jill Marie Jones, Rachel True, Malik Hammond, Khail Bryant.Rated PG

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2

Join the four best friends as they finish their first year of college and dive into a summer of excitement. Bridget journeys to Turkey on an archeological dig. Carmen plunges into the hectic, creative world of summer theater in Vermont. Lena discovers new love and old heartbreak at the Rhode Island School of Design. Tibby takes a big step in her relationship with Brian in the Big Apple. Cast: Amber Tamblyn, America Ferrera, Blake Lively, Alexis Bledel, Rachel Nichols, Rachel Ticotin, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Blythe Danner. Based on the novel by Ann Brashares. Rated PG-13

Step Brothers

Brennan and Dale are two middle-aged loafers who are forced to live together when their parents get married. When their immature antics over TV privileges and personal property take their toll on their parents’ marriage, the devious duo hatch a scheme to reunite the couple. Cast: Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Richard Jenkins, Mary Steenburgen, Adam Scott, Kathryn Hahn. Rated R

This Christmas

For the first time in years, the entire Whitfield clan has come home to spend the Christmas holiday with their mother and her boyfriend. Each has brought plenty of baggage along with them. As the lights are hung and the tree is trimmed, secrets are revealed and ties are tested, but eventually they rediscover and celebrate the wonderful gift of family. Cast: Delroy Lindo, Idris Elba, Loretta Devine, Chris Brown, Columbus Short, Regina King, Keith Robinson, Laz Alonso, Sharon Leal, Lauren London. Rated PG-13

Wall-E

Walt Disney Pictures presents a Pixar Animation Studios film. After hundreds of lonely years, a waste management robot finds a new purpose in life. With only a cockroach for a friend, he finds true love in another robot sent on a mission to Earth to see if it is safe for human life. MPAA rating: G.

Wanted

Wes is 25 years old and is a disaffected, clock-punching drone. His boss chews him out hourly, his girlfriend ignores him routinely, and his life plods on in interminable boredom and routine. Everyone knows Wes will amount to nothing – that is until he meets the sexy woman named Fox, and then everything changes. Wes’ estranged father is murdered, and the deadly Fox recruits him into The Fraternity, a secret society that trains him to avenge his father’s death, by unlocking his dormant powers. Fox teaches Wes how to develop his lightning-quick reflexes and phenomenal agility. He discovers that The Fraternity lives by an ancient, unbreakable code: to carry out the death orders given by emotionless Fate itself. Cast: James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, Terence Stamp, Thomas Kretschmann, Angelina Jolie. Rated R

The X Files

When a group of women are mysteriously abducted, the FBI reunites agents Mulder and Scully to investigate.Cast: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Amanda Peet, Billy Connelly, Alvin “Xzibit” Joiner. Rating: PG-13.

You Don’t Mess with the Zohan

The Zohan is the finest counterterrorist agent the Israeli army has. That is, until he fakes his death and travels to Manhattan to live his dream as a hairdresser. All goes well until his cover is blown when he’s recognized by a Palestinian cab driver. The Zohan must now fight to live a peaceful new life in New York with his new career. Cast: Adam Sandler, John Turturro, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Nick Swardson, Lainie Kazan, Rob Schneider. Rated: PG-13

Made for TV & Feature Length Films 12/11/08

‘Allo ‘Allo: The Complete Series Seven

René, a French café owner during World War II, wants only to run his café and enjoy the occassional transgression with his waitresses. Now the Germans and the Resistance want him executed, his mother-in-law is missing, and he is smuggling food to a downed British airmen in a storm drain.  Cast: Gorden Kaye, Richard Marner, Carmen Silvera, Kim Hartman, Vicki Michelle, Richard Gibson, Kirsten Cooke, Guy Siner, Arthur Bostrom, Sue Hodge, Kenneth Connor.  Originally broadcast on BBC TV in 1991. Not Rated

‘Allo ‘Allo: The Complete Series Eight

Things are looking up for René Artois. The British airmen have finally escaped to England, Captain Bertorelli and his Italian troops have gone home, and the war is going badly for the Germans. Could this mean the return to a peaceful life? Cast: Gorden Kaye, Richard Marner, Carmen Silvera, Kim Hartman, Vicki Michelle, Richard Gibson, Kirsten Cooke, Guy Siner, Arthur Bostrom, Sue Hodge, Kenneth Connor.  Originally broadcast on the BBC during the 1991-1992 season.  Not Rated.

‘Allo ‘Allo: The Complete Series Nine

The end of the war is in sight and Rene is eagerly anticipating a quick return to normalcy. Unfortunately, this is Nouvion, and normalcy will have to wait. Cast: Gorden Kaye, Ricahrd Marner, Carmen Silvera, Kim Hartman, Vicki Michelle. Originally broadcast as a BBC television series in 1992.  Not rated.

Byron

Relive the true story of one of history’s greatest romantic and tragic heroes. Byron was a figure who defined the romantic spirit of the early 19th century. In five days he rises from obscurity to superstar status, but throws it all away in a scandal.  Cast: Jonny lee Miller, Natasha Little, Vanessa Redgrave, Julie Cox, Philip Glenister. A 2005 BBC Production.  Not Rated.

Count Dracula

Jonathan Harker visits the Count in Transylvania to help him with preparations to move to England. It is in the Count’s castle that Jonathan becomes a prisoner, and discovers Dracula’s true nature. Cast: Louis Jourdan, Frank Finlay, Susan Penhaligon, Judi Bowker, Mark Burns, Jack Shepherd.  Based on the novel by Bram Stoker. Originally broadcast on BBC TV in 1977.  Not rated.

Mulberry: The Complete Series

Mulberry, the cheerful Cockney son of Death and Springtime, starts his “career” as the Grim Reaper’s apprentice when he is sent to collect the acerbic and reclusive Miss Farnaby. He instead joins the staff in her creaky manor house, becomes her personal servant, and endeavors to help her enjoy life during the three month extension grudgingly granted by his dad. What will happen when winter ends and spring arrives? Will life go on? Cast: Geraldine McEwan, Karl Howman. A BBC TV Production broadcast in 1992.  Not Rated

30 Rock Season 1

Liz Lemon is the head writer of a live variety program in New York City. Liz’s life is turned upside down when brash new network executive Jack Donaghy interferes with her show, bringing the wildly unpredicatable Tracy Jordan into the cast. Now it’s up to Liz to manage the mayhem and still try to have a life. Cast: Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan, Jane Krakowski, Jack McBrayer, Scott Adsit, Judah Friedlander, Alec Baldwin.  Not Rated.

More Christmas CDs

Loreena McKennitt
A Midwinter Night’s Dream
CD 781.723 MCK 2008
2008 release. On her first full-length holiday album, Loreena celebrates the season with a CD that blends the five songs from A Winter Garden (1995) with eight new recordings inspired by seasonal favorites. 13 tracks including ‘The Holly & The Ivy’, ‘Good King Wenceslas’, ‘Seeds Of Love’, ‘Coventry Carol’ and more.

Various Artists
NOW Essential Christmas
CD 781.723 ESS 2008
THE ESSENTIAL NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL CHRISTMAS presents 25 of the most beloved holiday favorites from some of the greatest music artists of all-time, all on one CD.

Elvis Presley
Christmas Duets
CD 781.723 PRE 2008
Elvis’ most cherished holiday classics reinterpreted by today’s biggest female stars with Elvis Presley! The album features ‘Blue Christmas’ with Martina McBride, ‘I’ll Be Home for Christmas’ with Carrie Underwood, ‘Here Comes Santa Claus’ with LeAnn Rimes, ‘Santa Clause Is Back In Town’ with Wynonna Judd ‘Silent Night’ with Sara Evans, ‘White Christmas’ with Amy Grant plus Gretchen Wilson, Karen Fairchild & Kimberly Schlapman of Little Big Town, Anne Murray, Olivia Newton-John and three Bonus Tracks.

Harry Connick Jr.
What A Night! A Christmas Album
CD 781.723 CON 2008
Holidays with Harry and his 2008 release, What A Night! A Christmas Album. Harry Connick, Jr. is an accomplished singer, pianist, and actor who emerged in the late 1980s as a Sinatra-style crooner for a new generation. As a musician, his influences include Bebop, New Orleans Jazz, and big-band swing. His score for the film When Harry Met Sally brought him national acclaim and an Oscar. He has appeared in many films and he is known for his Pop music as well.

Enya
And Winter Came
CD 781.723 ENY 2008
Twenty years after her landmark Watermark album, Enya’s seventh studio disc, And Winter Came continues a phenomenally successful career that has included more than 70 million albums sold worldwide. And Winter Came is an enchanting evocation of the changing landscape of winter as well as the festive cheer of the holidays. One of the most successful female artists of all-time, and second only to U2 as the biggest selling Irish artist in history, Enya brings her beguiling and ethereal music to bear on the darkest and yet most hopeful season with And Winter Came.

Various Artists
Playlist Plus: A Very Special Christmas
CD 781.723 VER 2008
A Very Accoustic Christmas. Disc 1 : 1. Christmas all over again — 19. I believe in you. Disc 2: 1. I saw three ships — 16. We three kings. Disc. 3: 1. Silent night — 16. Peace.

Various Artists
Time-Life Music: Treasury of Christmas – Holiday Memories
CD 781.723 TIM 2002
America’s Favorite Christmas Collections. This special edition of The Time-Life Christmas is based on the multi-million-selling collection The Time-Life Treasury of Christmas, as seen on TV. This 2 CD album features your favorite songs, all original recordings, all original artists, and digital mastering for the best sound quality.

All Album Artwork and Product descriptions taken from Amazon.com

New Music CDs 12/8/08

Coldplay
Prospekt’s March
CD 781.66 COL 2008
US CD pressing. A special EP/Mini Album only available for a limited time, featuring new artwork with a special EP Booklet. 8 tracks of new material including 5 brand new songs, a special guest appearance from Jay Z on the new version of Lost+, plus a vocal version of the now-classic Life in Technicolor ii and alternative mix of Lovers in Japan. Tracks, Life In Technicolor II, Postcards From Far Away, Glass Of Water, Rainy Day, Prospekt’s March/Poppyfields, Lost+, Lovers In Japan (Osaka Sun Mix), Now My Feet and Won’t Touch The Ground. EMI. 2008.

T.I.
Paper Trail
CD 781.649 T. I. 2008
T.I. has grown to truly be one of his generation’s most captivating speakers. Whether he’s conversing frankly with a room full of youth about the positive side of staying in school and following their dreams, or moving tens of thousands at one of his concerts, the audiences are immediately engrossed by the King of the South’s words. T.I., here delivers his most potent and important LP to date; ‘Paper Trail.’ The title is a direct reference to T.I.’s return to literally writing down his lyrics- a practice he hasnt engaged in since his debut. By going back to the basics T.I. has evolved into a better MC. The album features guest appearances and production by Lil Wayne. Rihanna, Usher, The Dream, Fall Out Boy, Kanye West, B.O.B, John Legend, DJ Toomp, Swizz Beatz, Drumma Boy, & Danja.

Secondhand Serenade
A Twist In My Story
CD 781.66 SEC 2008
This follow-up to “Awake” finds Secondhand Serenade, a.k.a. John Vesely, adding to his signature raw vocals and guitar with orchestration and a full band. Produced by Danny Lohner (Nine Inch Nails) and Butch Walker (All American Rejects, Avril Lavigne), John crafts different styles of songs, taking you through the highs and lows of love and life. #1 unsigned MySpace.com artist seven consecutive months. iTunes “Next Big Thing” featured artist. Won Yahoo “Who’s Next?” Clear Channel’s “Artist To Watch”.

Kanye West
808s & Heartbreak
CD 781.63 WES 2008
The ten-time Grammy Award® winning musical phenomenon, rapper, producer, and now singer embarks on a new musical journey taking his audience to new heights. Kanye West returns with his fourth album 808s & HEARTBREAK. His highly anticipated new album set for release on November 25th, featuring the heart pounding first single LOVE LOCKDOWN which premiered live for the first time on the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards. LOVE LOCKDOWN quickly exploded at radio with the video premiering nationwide on the Ellen Degeneres show. “Heartless,” the second single, is next up to hit the airwaves further amplifying the story behind the musical direction for 808s & HEARTBREAK.

The Killers
Day & Age
CD 781.66 KIL 2008
DAY & AGE was produced by Stuart Price, a key figure in electronic music (Les Rhythmes Digitales) who previously worked with The Killers on “Don’t Shoot Me Santa,” their 2007 Christmas single; as well as music on their 2007 compilation, Sawdust. Over the past five years, Price has worked as a producer, mixer, programmer, and keyboardist, including The Killers’ “Mr Brightside” remix which was Grammy Nominated. The Killers – Brandon Flowers on vocals and keyboards, guitarist David Keuning, bassist Mark Stoermer, and drummer Ronnie Vannucci – found time to complete their new album while also wrapping up their biggest summer rock festival season in the U.S. and abroad. Historic headlining gigs at England’s prestigious Leeds and Reading fests coincided with an appearance on the cover of NME’s August 8th issue. Earlier in 2008, the Killers took home top honors for Best Band of the Year and Best Track of the Year (“Tranquilize”) at the annual NME Awards USA gala, at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles on April 23rd.

Dido
Safe Trip Home
CD 781.66 DID 2008
Safe Trip Home, the third album from singer-songwriter Dido, sees the chanteuse cook up a slightly different ambience than on previous albums No Angel (1999) and Life for Rent (2003). Though her signature elements remain in place–the limited, slightly cracked falsetto; the dreamy, comforting trip-hop vibe–there seems to be an extra density to Safe Trip Home, doubtless provoked by the loss of her father in 2006. The added weight is predominantly in the lyrics, which tend to focus on loss and heartache, but there’s extra detail and depth in the musicianship too, since Dido has been busy honing her skills as a multi-instrumentalist. Despite the denser themes, the music still drifts by in classic Dido style, moving smoothly through the insouciant “Don’t Believe in Love”, the aptly titled “Quiet Times”, and “Never Want to Say It’s Love”, before arriving at the somber-yet-elegant six-minute standout “Grafton Street”, co-written with Brian Eno and featuring Mick Fleetwood on drums. The rest of the album unfurls in similarly sophicticated fashion, featuring the folkish “Look No Further”, the upbeat “Us 2 Little Gods”, and a nine-minute poetic closer called “Northern Skies”. Put simply, Safe Trip Home is Dido in superlative form. –Danny McKenna (via Amazon)

David Foster & Friends
Hit Man [LIVE]
CD 781.63 FOS 2008
The spectacular one-night only concert of David Foster and Friends, featuring Foster, Andrea Bocelli, Michael Buble, Josh Groban, Katharine McPhee, Celine Dion, Blake Shelton, Brian McKnight and Charice, is now available on CD and DVD. Spotlighting #1 hits, award-winning songs and other favorites-all but one originally penned and/or produced by Foster-the May 23, 2008 show at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas was unforgettable. Now ‘Hit Man: David Foster and Friends’ scores a direct hit with music fans at home.

TV on the Radio
Dear Science,
CD 781.66 TV 2008
“A lot of bands have something to say,” explains TV On The Radio producer/multi-instrumentalist David Sitek. “We have something to ask.” Indeed. Good luck finding easy answers in TVOTR’s ever-evolving soundscapes, though, whether we’re talking about their new disc, Dear Science (DGC/Interscope) or the band’s early days. When guitarist/vocalist Kyp Malone joined, he didn’t even get what Sitek and vocalist Tunde Adebimpe were going for on their self-released 2002 debut, OK Calculator.

Girl Talk
Night Ripper
CD 781.66 GIR 2006
Girl Talk (a.k.a. Gregg Gillis) is back with his third album on Illegal Art! With each release getting closer to his notorious semi-naked live show, Night Ripper is focused less on beat and more on bringing heat to the party. It bangs as a continuous mix packed with wildly disparate Top 40 genres and eras. Current hip-hop hits, soft rock radio standards, party classics, grunge masterpieces, R&B singles, glossy club-shakers and rock anthems are all layered and pieced together into one nonstop celebration of pop and excess declared “a plunderphonics party record” by Mark Hosler of Negativland.

Girl Talk
Secret Diary
CD 781.66 GIR 2006
Secret Diary is where all the Girl Talk fun begins! “John Oswald-ian reconfiguring of pop, glitched out, cut and pasted bits of Joan Osborne and Jay-Z that fly past in a blur, Secret Diary runs the gamut from full-out songs of pilfered parts combined in a patchwork matter to Olivia Tremor Control-ish noise collages.” – FAKEJAZZ

Girl Talk
Unstoppable
CD 781.66 GIR 2004
Girl Talk’s second album.”Unstoppable, for all its sweaty beats and sexy grooves, paints a picture of Gillis that’s just as much mad scientist as oversexed party animal. Gillis’ manic experiments bring life to inanimate rhythms and swap the personalities of unwitting samples in harebrained schemes to make bottoms shake and fists pump.” -DUSTED

Seal
Soul
CD 781.66 SEA 2008
A great voice singing great songs recorded by a great producer. That is ‘Soul’, the sixth studio album from multiplatinum selling, Grammy-winning, critically acclaimed Seal. Each song is a stone-cold soul classic, from Sam Cooke’s ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’, Ben E. King’s ‘Stand By Me’, and Ann Pebbles’ ‘I Can’t Stand The Rain’ to Harold Melvin And The Blue Notes’ ‘If You Don’t Know Me By Now’ and Otis Redding’s ‘I’ve Been Loving You Too Long’. Produced by David Foster, ‘Soul’ is the perfect coming together of man, material and moment.

Toby Keith
That Don’t Make Me a Bad Guy
CD 781.642 KEI 2008
New studio album from TOBY KEITH. Contains 11 new tracks including “She Never Cried In Front of Me”, a major impact ballad about love lost.

Barry Manilow
The Greatest Songs Of The Eighties
CD 781.63 MAN 2008
The Greatest Songs of The Eighties is the next release in a best-selling series of tribute albums of popular music which includes The Greatest Songs of The Fifties, The Greatest Songs Of The Sixties and The Greatest Songs Of The Seventies whose cumulative sales, along with Ultimate Manilow have surpassed 5 million units worldwide. The Greatest Songs of The Eighties continues the productive and successful reunion between Manilow and Clive Davis, Arista founder and Chief Creative Officer, Sony BMG. Davis has been Manilow’s hitmaking collaborator on virtually all his recordings, since they first worked together on “Mandy”. His debut #1 single, as the first artist signed to Arista by Davis in 1974. The two produced The Greatest Songs of The Fifties, The Greatest Songs Of The Sixties and The Greatest Songs Of The Seventies together, and that magic has carried over to the new album as well.

Brad Paisley
Play
CD 781.642 PAI 2008
Brad Pailey won his first GRAMMY Award in 2008 for Best Country Instrumental Performance and he is believes in ‘more music, less talk’ with his 2008 album, Play, which promises to increase axes across the board, alongside some of the guitar world’s great heroes. Featuring guest vocal and musical collaborations with B.B. King, Keith Urban, Steve Wariner, and Buck Owens.

Ray LaMontagne
Gossip In The Grain
CD 781.66 LAM 2008
1. You Are The Best Thing 2. Let It Be Me 3. Sarah 4. I Still Care For You 5. Winter Birds 6. Meg White 7. Hey Me, Hey Mama 8. Henry Nearly Killed Me 9. A Falling Through 10. Gossip In The Grain

All Album Artwork and Product descriptions taken from Amazon.com

New Books on CD – December 2008

Against Medical Advice
James Patterson and Hal Friedman
The best selling novelist presents his first nonfiction title with the story of Cory Friedman, a young man who endured years of suffering with Tourette’s syndrome.

Ahead of the Curve: Two Years at Harvard Business School
Philip Delves Broughton
A Harvard MBA has been the golden ticket to American business. The author relates his educational experiences.

The Beach House
Jane Green
When she learns she may lose her beloved house, Nantucket resident Nan takes out an ad — rooms to rent for the summer.

Black & White and Dead All Over
John Darnton
New York police detective Priscilla Bollingsworth investigates the death of a merciless local newspaper editor.

The Bodies Left Behind
Jeffery Deaver
A night time call to 911 brings Brynn McKenzie to a scene of horror and a forced flight into the woods of Wisconsin.

Change Your Brain, Change Your Life
Daniel G. Amen
The author states that anxiety, depression, anger and obsessiveness can be controlled by healing your brain.

The Christmas Sweater
Glenn Beck
When 13-year-old Eddie receives a Christmas sweater instead of bicycle he is very disappointed. Later after his mother’s death, the sweater is all Edie has to remind him of her.

The Condition
Jennifer Haigh
The McKotch family is devastated upon learning about the medical condition of their only daughter.

The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How the War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals
Jane Mayer
The decisions made following the events of September 11, 2001 will continue to affect America is the coming years.

Devil May Care
Sebastian Faulks writing as Ian Fleming
A new James Bond thriller written to celebrate the centenary of Ian Fleming’s birth.

The Gate House
Nelson DeMille
The author returns to the fabled Gold Coast of Long Island and the changing world of ultra-WASP, John Sutter.

The Given Day
Dennis Lehane
At the end of World War I, America was a country torn by political and civil unrest. This sweeping novel centers on the events surrounding the Boston Police Strike of 1919. Starred reviews.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
A wonderful story about a unique book club that became an alibi to protect its members from arrest by the Germans during WWII.

I See You Everywhere
Julia Glass
The complex bond between sisters is explored in this tale of conscientious Louisa and iconoclastic Clem.

Havana Nocturne: How the Mob Owned Cuba…and Then Lost it to the Revolution
T.J. English
The true tale of organized crime and political corruption that preceded the Cuban Revolution.

Heat Lightning
John Sandford
The author’s latest outing features Minnesota investigator Virgil Flowers and a disturbing series of murders.

Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution—and How It Can Renew America
Thomas L. Friedman
The noted author of The World Is Flat looks at America’s loss of focus and the global environmental situation and how these two problems are linked.

Hot Mahogany
Stuart Woods
Stone Barrington is enjoying a quiet meal at Elaine’s when he is drawn into the cutthroat world of priceless antiques.

The Laughter of Dead Kings
Elizabeth Peters
Vicky Bliss is back! The beautiful and brainy art historian/sleuth is in Egypt searching for solutions in the mysterious Valley of the Kings.

Legally Dead
Edna Buchanan
U.S. Marshal Michael Venturi has a nightmare situation when a relocated government witness terrorizes a small town.

The Lucky One
Nicholas Sparks
On a tour of duty in Iraq, U.S. Marine Logan Thibault finds a photograph of a young woman that changes his life.

A Most Wanted Man
John Le Carré
Issa, a young Russian man smuggled into Hamburg, meets up with Annabel, a civil rights lawyer, and Tommy Brue, as they become victims of rival intelligence operations in the War on Terror.

My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist’s Personal Journey
Jill Bolte Taylor
The author, a brain scientist, experienced a massive stroke at the age of 37. She shares her perspective on the brain and its capacity for recovery.

Rough Weather
Robert B. Parker
Spenser is a bodyguard at a society wedding when his nemesis, Gray Man, guns down guests and kidnaps the bride.

Tailspin
Catherine Coulter
Psychologist Timothy MacLean is in danger of being killed by a former patient.

This Land is Their Land: Reports from a Divided Nation
Barbara Ehrenreich
A satirical take on class disparities in the United States.

The War Within: A Secret White House History 2006-2008
Bob Woodward
The author’s fourth book about the Bush administration takes the reader through the highest levels of decision-making at the White House, Pentagon and State Department.

We Are Soldiers Still: A Journey Back to the Battlefields of Vietnam Harold G. Moore and Joseph L. Galloway
The author of We Were Soldiers Once… And Young, revisits his relationships with ten American veterans as well as a Vietnamese general and two of his commanders.

New Fiction 12/2/08

The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday                                  
Alexander McCall Smith
Isabel Dalhousie returns to help a doctor who has been disgraced by allegations of scientific fraud

Company of Liars
Karen Maitland
In 1348 the Black Plague is gripping England.  Nine desperate strangers try to outrun certain death by traveling through the country.

Cross Country
James Patterson
Detective Alex Cross pursues the most ruthless killer he’s ever encountered. 

A Cure for Night
Justin Peacock
Forced to resign from his prestigious Manhattan law firm for drug abuse, Joel Deveraux becomes a public defender in Brooklyn. 

 Dark Summer
Iris Johansen
Veterinarian Devon Brady never suspects that Ned, a wounded black lab, will plunge her into a whirlwind of terror and destruction.

 Deaf Sentence
David Lodge
Desmond Bates is a recently retired linguistics professor and vexed by his encroaching deafness and at loose ends with his life.

 Devil’s Brood
Sharon Kay Penman
The long-awaited third book in the author’s trilogy of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquataine concludes their timeless stories.

 The Eleventh Man                                                      
Ivan Doig   
A college football team from Montana is scattered around the
globe during World War II. One teammate’s assignment is to                              
chronicle the story of each member of his team. 

Exposed
Alex Kava
FBI Agent Maggie O’Dell and Assistant Director Cunningham believe they are responding to a threat made at Quantico. Instead they walk into a trap. 

Extreme Measures
Vince Flynn
Counterterrorism operative, Mitch Rapp, wages war against a bin Laden wannabe whose group is about to descend on America. 

The Fire
Katherine Neville
Finally, twenty years after the publication of The Eight, comes a continuation of the global adventure.

First Daughter
Eric Van Lustbader
After his troubled youth, Jack McClure becomes a top ATF agent.  A call from his friend, the newly elected president, ramps up a search for a kidnapped child.

 The Glass of Time: The Secret Life of Miss Esperanza Gorst
Michael Cox
A story of murder, love and revenge in Victorian England.

The Gate House
Nelson DeMille
The author returns to the fabled Gold Coast of Long Island and the changing world of ultra-WASP John Sutter.

Heat Lightning
John Sandford
The author’s latest outing features Minnesota investigator Virgil Flowers and a disturbing series of murders.

Hot Mahogany                                                               
Stuart Woods
Stone Barrington is trying to enjoy a quiet meal at Elaine’s restaurant when he is drawn into the cutthroat world of priceless antiques.

 I See You Everywhere                                                    
Julia Glass
The intertwined lives of two sisters, the conscientious older sister and the younger, a daring rebel, are depicted over the course of 25 years.

The Lucky One
Nicholas Sparks
On a tour of duty in Iraq, U.S. Marine Logan Thibault finds a photograph of a young woman that eventually changes his life. 

Lulu in Marrakech
Diane Johnson
Lulu Sawyer arrives in Morocco, hoping to rekindle a romance with Englishman Ian Drumm, and also to begin her assignment as an undercover agent for the CIA.

 A Most Wanted Man
John Le Carré
Issa, a young Russian man smuggled into Hamburg, meets up with Annabel, a civil rights lawyer, and Tommy Brue as they become victims of rival intelligence operations in the War on Terror. 

One Fifth Avenue
Candace Bushnell
Living in New York City’s most elite apartment building, five women pursue relationships and personal dreams in a privileged world.

 An Outrageous Affair
Penny Vincenzi
A family saga  tells the story of Caroline and her two daughters, Chloe and Fleur, and their lives in wartime England to 1950’s Hollywood.

 The School on Heart’s Content Road 
Carolyn Chute
Egypt, Maine is the setting for this story of Mickey Gammon, a 15-year-old dropout, and his introduction into the secretive world of the “Settlement” and its leader, known as “The Prophet.”

A Stopover in Venice
Kathryn Walker
Romance, art history, mystery and Venice!

Testimony
Anita Shreve
A prestigious boarding New England boarding school is rocked by a sexually explicit videotape that includes several students.

 Too Close to Home
Linwood Barclay
In a quiet suburb, in a house only one door away, a family is murdered for no apparent reason.

 What Happened to Anna K.
Irina Reyn
An inventive, modern-day retelling of Anna Karenina takes place in Queens, Manhattan and Brooklyn. 

Whiskey Rebels
David Liss
Ethan Saunders, a former spy for Washington during the Revolution, follows a trail that leads him to Alexander Hamilton and to the rebellious whiskey-makers who are fiercely opposed to taxation.

The Widows of Eastwick
John Updike
Alexandra, Jane and Sukie return to the town of Eastwick and find themselves dealing with the legacy of their evil deeds