Added on 11/16/06

Though she was earliest known as a folk traditionalist, Joan Baez has long been recognized for her good taste in contemporary songcraft. Four decades after introducing the young Bob Dylan to a wider listenership, she here finds kindred spirits in a... See more

Though she was earliest known as a folk traditionalist, Joan Baez has long been recognized for her good taste in contemporary songcraft. Four decades after introducing the young Bob Dylan to a wider listenership, she here finds kindred spirits in a range of artists from Greg Brown ("Sleeper," "Rexrith's Daughter") to Gillian Welch and David Rawlings ("Caleb Meyer," "Elvis Presley Blues") to Natalie Merchant (whose "Motherland" could have been written made to order for Baez) to young Josh Ritter ("Wings"). Her empathic version of the standout "In My Time of Need" by Ryan Adams shows that whatever she's lost in the upper register of her soprano, she's gained in the interpretive depth of her lower register. She also covers the comparatively quirky "Rosemary Moore" by Adams' former Whiskeytown bandmate, Caitlin Cary. Though the closing "Christmas in Washington" finds her pristine vocal smoothing the emotional rough edges from Steve Earle's original, most of the rest finds her not only... See less

Added on 11/16/06

The Wind is like an X-ray with a dark shadow that shouldn't be there and can't be ignored. Recorded after Zevon was diagnosed in 2002 with inoperable lung cancer, it sounds like the work of a guy who's still fighting, but also starting to wrap things... See more

The Wind is like an X-ray with a dark shadow that shouldn't be there and can't be ignored. Recorded after Zevon was diagnosed in 2002 with inoperable lung cancer, it sounds like the work of a guy who's still fighting, but also starting to wrap things up. Although Zevon is best known for his poison-dart wit, he's always been a bit of a softie, too. It's no surprise, then, that The Wind leans heavily on irony-free ballads such as "She's Too Good for Me," "El Amor de mi Vida," and "Please Stay." But there's also a dose of defiant blues ("Rub Me Raw") and plenty of dirty slide guitar, courtesy of Ry Cooder and David Lindley. (Other guests include Bruce Springsteen, Don Henley, Tom Petty, Jackson Browne, and Dwight Yoakam). If the lyrics generally lack the literary precision of Zevon's best work, the songs take on greater weight given the circumstance under which they were recorded. Heard in 1983, a party-hearty anthem like "The Rest of the Night" would've sounded like yet another dumb... See less

Added on 11/16/06

Todd Bowden is an apt pupil. Good grades, good family, a paper route. But he is about to meet a different kind of teacher: Mr. Dussander. Todd knows all about Dussander's darl past. The torture. The death. The decades-old manhunt Dussander has... See more

Todd Bowden is an apt pupil. Good grades, good family, a paper route. But he is about to meet a different kind of teacher: Mr. Dussander. Todd knows all about Dussander's darl past. The torture. The death. The decades-old manhunt Dussander has escaped to this day. Yet Todd doesn't want to turn him in. Todd wants to know more. Much more. He is about to learn the real meaning of power--and the seductive lure of evil. This acclaimed collection of four novellas by Stephen King also includes "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption" (basis for the Academy Award nominated film The Shawshank Redemption), "The Body" (inspiration for the motion picture Stand By Me), and "The Breathing Method." See less

Added on 11/16/06

This packed double-disc is the slim option for fans who find the Eagles' vaunted greatest hits sets too little and the boxed set too hefty. Hit singles large and medium are here, often ("One of These Nights," "Hotel California") still sounding... See more

This packed double-disc is the slim option for fans who find the Eagles' vaunted greatest hits sets too little and the boxed set too hefty. Hit singles large and medium are here, often ("One of These Nights," "Hotel California") still sounding definitive and even tough. Large helpings of favorite album cuts are also included, along with a taster from a promised 2004 Eagles studio reunion. Unfortunately, "Hole in the World," Don Henley's response to September 11, feels just as empty and entitled as "Get Over It," the band's previous state-of-the-union message (from which the newer song represents a philosophical 180-degree turn). But for those seeking an overview of this Southern California juggernaut's successes, as well as telling comments from band members--mostly Henley and Frey--in a well-designed booklet, Very Best will more than do. --Rickey Wright See less

Added on 11/16/06

After more than 20 years and 30-plus albums, George Strait might be entitled to cruise through a CD or two. But after the sublime "She'll Leave You with a Smile" hit the benchmark of 50 No. 1 country singles, the crisply starched Texan went on to... See more

After more than 20 years and 30-plus albums, George Strait might be entitled to cruise through a CD or two. But after the sublime "She'll Leave You with a Smile" hit the benchmark of 50 No. 1 country singles, the crisply starched Texan went on to make one of the most satisfying albums of his career. Honkytonkville finds him sitting a little taller on the barstool than his last efforts, more concerned with the kind of romantic disappointment that hurts too much for middle-of-the road leanings and requires more of a sawdust-on-the-floor environment. Jim Lauderdale's "She Used to Say That to Me" kicks things off with 100-proof hillbilly angst, and from there Strait serves up some pretty strong stuff: the exquisite heartbreak ballad "Tell Me Something Bad About Tulsa," the rollicking "I Found Jesus on the Jailhouse Floor," and the George Jones-style novelty romp, "Honk If You Honky Tonk." Strait's session players--Matt Rollings on organ and Paul Franklin on steel guitar, for example--fill... See less

Added on 11/16/06

The phenomenal story of Motown has been told many times--so many in fact, that the notion of an untold part of its legacy seems far-fetched. But as the documentary film Standing in the Shadows of Motown demonstrates, there was more to the success of... See more

The phenomenal story of Motown has been told many times--so many in fact, that the notion of an untold part of its legacy seems far-fetched. But as the documentary film Standing in the Shadows of Motown demonstrates, there was more to the success of the Detroit-based label than singing babes in gowns and founder Berry Gordy's business acumen. There was also the self-named Funk Brothers: the session players putting the unforgettable guitar sounds into "You Keep Me Hangin' On" and the creeping bass line behind "I Heard It Through the Grapevine." These guys were a crucial piece of the puzzle but have remained largely anonymous. While the Standing documentary tells the Funk Brothers' story via interviews, stock footage, and still photos, the accompanying soundtrack takes liberties, pairing the surviving musicians with contemporary pop, R&B, and funk artists. Together, they faithfully recast Motown hits. What could have been a disaster--would you want to muck with "Ain't No Mountain High... See less

Added on 11/16/06

Throughout the '90s, Beth Nielsen Chapman was one of the most industrious and literate songwriters in Nashville, penning material for a new breed of female country star, including Kathy Mattea, Faith Hill, Martina McBride, and Lorrie Morgan. However,... See more

Throughout the '90s, Beth Nielsen Chapman was one of the most industrious and literate songwriters in Nashville, penning material for a new breed of female country star, including Kathy Mattea, Faith Hill, Martina McBride, and Lorrie Morgan. However, her own recordings have barely dented the country charts, for the simple fact that they're not really country at all. As a singer and arranger, Chapman owes much to the jazz-folk of Joni Mitchell, while echoing the AAA soul-smarts of Shawn Colvin. Her spiritual sensibility shines on songs like "Sand and Water" and "The Color of Roses," as she confronts personal tragedy with an openness to healing. Chapman's music has gone through various transformations, and what this collection lacks in continuity, it makes up for in the ambition of Chapman's lyrical vision. --Roy Kasten See less

Added on 11/16/06

The key to a web site’s success is its ability to entice surfers to stop at that site, absorb what it offers, and return at a later date. This guide provides tools such as templates, checklists, and forms as well as proven techniques such as using... See more

The key to a web site’s success is its ability to entice surfers to stop at that site, absorb what it offers, and return at a later date. This guide provides tools such as templates, checklists, and forms as well as proven techniques such as using e-mail, links, and online advertising to increase the number of initial users and repeat visitors to the site. This resource will prove invaluable to entrepreneurs, small business owners, corporate marketing managers, and consultants seeking the skills needed to make a web site successful. See less

Added on 11/16/06

Twenty-eight years after her major label debut, Emmylou Harris remains as vital, electric, and bold an artist as the young woman who moved to Nashville in the early `70s. But where she once carried on Gram Parsons' vision of wedding hardcore country... See more

Twenty-eight years after her major label debut, Emmylou Harris remains as vital, electric, and bold an artist as the young woman who moved to Nashville in the early `70s. But where she once carried on Gram Parsons' vision of wedding hardcore country to contemporary rhythms, for the past decade Harris has explored an acoustic sonic landscape rooted in folk, yet set apart by driving percussion, world-music elements, and gauzy and ethereal vocals. Stumble Into Grace follows the Grammy-winning Red Dirt Girl with an even bleaker and beautiful collection of songs, almost all of which she wrote or co-wrote. Two songs concern themselves with social commentary, the slant-eyed "Time In Babylon" (co-written with Jill Cuniff of Luscious Jackson), poking a stick in the eye of designer fashions and TV culture, and the affecting "Lost Unto This World" framing scenes of female genocide throughout the ages. Yet much of the program has an Emily Dickinson quality about it, as if told from the point of... See less

Added on 11/16/06

For a man who gets his biggest kicks surfing the waves and strumming his guitar on a lonely beach in native Hawaii, singer-songwriter Jack Johnson has carved out quite a remarkable career on the mainland. His 2003 album, On and On, debuted at No. 3... See more

For a man who gets his biggest kicks surfing the waves and strumming his guitar on a lonely beach in native Hawaii, singer-songwriter Jack Johnson has carved out quite a remarkable career on the mainland. His 2003 album, On and On, debuted at No. 3 on The Billboard 200 and subsequently went platinum on the back of hit single "The Horizon Has Been Defeated." The follow-up, meanwhile, seems destined to shine even brighter. The drifting chords and soft voice are still in place, only now Johnson's instinct for melody has sharpened alongside his ability to self-edit. These small concessions make third album, In Between Dreams, his most conspicuous, particularly on tracks like the three-minute relationship drama, "Sitting, Waiting, Wishing," and "Breakdown," a song he originally recorded for Handsome Boy Modeling School's White People album remade here to reveal its full stripped-down loveliness. Imagine all the coconuts it will buy. -- Aidin Vaziri See less

Added on 11/16/06

Focused on "healthy living" rather than chronic dieting, Cooking Light is geared towards both the veteran cook who wants to "lighten up" and the novice determined to give up prepackaged "diet" meals. Each issue covers a different theme, from... See more

Focused on "healthy living" rather than chronic dieting, Cooking Light is geared towards both the veteran cook who wants to "lighten up" and the novice determined to give up prepackaged "diet" meals. Each issue covers a different theme, from "superfast suppers" to "pretty, easy fruit pies," and includes features on food-related health trends; fast, healthy meals; and original recipes from readers. We especially like it when the editors rescue a reader's favorite, albeit fatty, recipe, giving it a healthy makeover, showing before-and-after stats on calories, fat, and cholesterol. The message is clear: you don't have to sacrifice the foods you love once you learn to "eat smart." --Daphne Durham See less

Added on 11/16/06

Like Luther Vandross, Eric Benet (pronounced beh-NAY) is an old-fashioned, romantic soul singer in the vein of Stevie Wonder and Al Green; Benet even includes a sample of Green's "Love and Happiness" in his own song, "More Than Just a Girlfriend."... See more

Like Luther Vandross, Eric Benet (pronounced beh-NAY) is an old-fashioned, romantic soul singer in the vein of Stevie Wonder and Al Green; Benet even includes a sample of Green's "Love and Happiness" in his own song, "More Than Just a Girlfriend." Unlike Vandross, however, Benet has also absorbed the funk-rock moves of Sly Stone, George Clinton and Prince, a connection emphasized by Benet's remake of Stone's, "If You Want Me To Stay." Many have tried, but few have combined these styles as effectively as Benet does on his debut solo album. Benet's tenor purrs with seductive soulfulness, but those vocals are surrounded by rocking wah-wah guitars, beeping synthesizers and funky, on-the-one drum patterns. --Geoffrey Himes See less

Added on 11/16/06

Jack Bauer is having another one of his "very bad days" in the second season of the groundbreaking real-time thriller 24. Once again the hours are ticking by with more guaranteed cliffhangers than a convention of mountain climbers. Holed up in a Los... See more

Jack Bauer is having another one of his "very bad days" in the second season of the groundbreaking real-time thriller 24. Once again the hours are ticking by with more guaranteed cliffhangers than a convention of mountain climbers. Holed up in a Los Angeles condo and estranged from his daughter, Jack is no longer on the government payroll; unfortunately for him, this small fact doesn't seem to matter to President David Palmer and the NSA, who call him back in to the CTU and give him 24 hours to infiltrate a terrorist organization that is planning to detonate a dirty bomb in the city of angels. All Jack wants is to get his daughter out of the city, unfortunately Kim's new employer, the abusive father of the child she is nannying, has other ideas. Fans of the original won't be disappointed, as there are more than enough shock moments in the first few hours to hint at the climactic build-up to come, while newcomers can quickly get involved in the lives of Jack and his family. There... See less

Added on 11/16/06

The Shins' sophomore album is a joy from start to finish, though it's rather different from their 2001 leftfield pop genius stunner Oh, Inverted World. That album was like a warm embrace from a long-lost pal. True to its title, all of the songs were... See more

The Shins' sophomore album is a joy from start to finish, though it's rather different from their 2001 leftfield pop genius stunner Oh, Inverted World. That album was like a warm embrace from a long-lost pal. True to its title, all of the songs were of a piece, seeming to inhabit one landscape, with an invitingly similar sound throughout. Chutes is more far-reaching and decidedly eclectic. Each song is essentially its own genre exercise. There's singer-songwriter James Mercer's surprisingly Perry Farrell-ish wail on the almost indie-metal opener, "Kissing the Lipless"; the lovely pedal steel lilt to "Gone for Good"; the moody folktronica of "Those to Come"; and the Cars-gone-rockabilly riffing on "Turn a Square." The strongest song, the acoustic "Young Pilgrims," is stripped-down and brilliant. On every tune, Mercer packs more hooks and melodic invention than most bands do on one album. As a whole, it's an even better record than Inverted World. --Mike McGonigal See less

Added on 11/16/06

Remy Zero has always displayed a keen understanding of rock's history, mining the sounds of '70s prog-rock, early '80s art pop, and the bombastic spirituality of U2 to create a unique sound. Unfortunately, previous efforts, while wonderful albums,... See more

Remy Zero has always displayed a keen understanding of rock's history, mining the sounds of '70s prog-rock, early '80s art pop, and the bombastic spirituality of U2 to create a unique sound. Unfortunately, previous efforts, while wonderful albums, suffered from an overabundance of ideas and a lack of editorial discretion. Often the band would try to fit an album's worth of ideas into a single song. The Golden Hum, Remy Zero's first release in three years, finds the band in control of its vision, reigning in its ambitions and creating an album of richly textured rock songs. While the band is often compared to R.E.M. and Radiohead, a more appropriate comparison would be David Bowie. Finding inspiration in the early hook-filled albums like Hunky Dory and the musical experimentation of the "Berlin" albums (Low, Lodger, and Heroes), Remy Zero has crafted an album that displays the best elements of glam-rock. Eschewing the feather boas and silly pretense that often passes for glam, The... See less

Added on 11/16/06

Florida's brilliant singer-songwriter Sam Beam expands Iron & Wine from solo project to a gaggle of friends and family on slide guitar, percussion, and backing vocals on his second album. Fans need not worry--the hushed immediacy and rich melodies... See more

Florida's brilliant singer-songwriter Sam Beam expands Iron & Wine from solo project to a gaggle of friends and family on slide guitar, percussion, and backing vocals on his second album. Fans need not worry--the hushed immediacy and rich melodies remain the focus--but new flavors abound. For instance, the strange "Cinder And Smoke" sounds like a collaboration (with banjos of course) between America, Robert Wyatt and Low. Meanwhile, "On Your Wings," "Free Until They Cut Me Down," and "Teeth in the Grass" showcase a brooding, earthy, Southern-rock-on-laudanum side that the band had previously only demonstrated in concert. It's rare when an artist who's become known for bedroom recordings makes the transition to the studio to produce work that's better--Daniel Johnston, Lou Barlow, and Liz Phair all made their defining moments crouched above a cassette recorder at home. But Beam is the exception to the rule, as he has easily bested himself on the second Iron & Wine album. --Mike... See less

Added on 11/16/06

There's always been a psychedelic edge to Rob Garza and Eric Hilton's Thievery Corporation project. 2000's Mirror Conspiracy is a downtempo classic precisely because of its druggy expansiveness; sober listeners and saucer-eyed trippers alike could... See more

There's always been a psychedelic edge to Rob Garza and Eric Hilton's Thievery Corporation project. 2000's Mirror Conspiracy is a downtempo classic precisely because of its druggy expansiveness; sober listeners and saucer-eyed trippers alike could find common ground. Similarly esoteric and nocturnal, The Cosmic Game floats around the room on a wave of mystic beats and guest vocals from Perry Farrell, The Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne, and David Byrne. Garza and Hilton are less devoted to non-electronic sources here than they were on The Richest Man in Babylon or The Outernational Sound, though their fascination with dub rhythms and world music remains intact. A fair amount of armchair travel is involved as you go from the late, late-night, beach-club-in-Jamaica sound of "Amerimacka," to the Brazilian percussion of "Ambicion Eterna" and "Pela Janela." But more than anything, the record feels like a return to the duo's own ethereal sonic roots. It's a nice blend of their music over the last... See less

Added on 11/16/06

Proving once and for all that standards-compliant design does not equal dull design, this inspiring tome uses examples from the landmark CSS Zen Garden site as the foundation for discussions on how to create beautiful, progressive CSS-based Web... See more

Proving once and for all that standards-compliant design does not equal dull design, this inspiring tome uses examples from the landmark CSS Zen Garden site as the foundation for discussions on how to create beautiful, progressive CSS-based Web sites. By using the Zen Garden sites as examples of how CSS design techniques and approaches can be applied to specific Web challenges, authors Dave Shea and Molly Holzschlag provide an eye-opening look at the range of design methods made possible by CSS (Cascading Style Sheets). By the time you've finished perusing the volume, you'll have a new understanding of the graphically rich, fully accessible sites that CSS design facilitates. In sections on design, layout, imagery, typography, effects, and themes, Dave and Molly take you through every phase of the design process--from striking a sensible balance between text and graphics to creating eye-popping special effects (no scripting required). See less

Added on 11/16/06

Named after the French word for the rustle of silk, Frou Frou's debut album exudes cool, stylish elegance. Singer Imogene Heap's soft, whispery vocals intone dreamy lyrics of doomed romances and slow recoveries. The songs are penned by Heap and... See more

Named after the French word for the rustle of silk, Frou Frou's debut album exudes cool, stylish elegance. Singer Imogene Heap's soft, whispery vocals intone dreamy lyrics of doomed romances and slow recoveries. The songs are penned by Heap and her partner, producer Guy Sigsworth (Björk, Madonna), who manned the board on Heap's 1998 solo album I Megaphone. Even the mighty Brian Eno gets into the act, with a cowriting credit on the soul-bearing "Hear Me Out." In fact, all 11 tracks deal with love and fractured relationships, hauntingly beautiful both in their stark emotional content and the equally sparse arrangements that showcase Heap's ethereal voice, which she uses as a subtle weapon, much like Joni Mitchell circa 1970's Ladies of the Canyon, with the same heart-stopping yet effortless octave leaps. --Jaan Uhelszki See less

Added on 11/16/06

Beautifully crafted and produced, When It Falls is a fitting follow-up to Zero 7's 2001 platinum hit Simple Things. Reintroducing several of their debut's guest vocalists, the band continue to meld subtle orchestration, elegant jazz and easy-going... See more

Beautifully crafted and produced, When It Falls is a fitting follow-up to Zero 7's 2001 platinum hit Simple Things. Reintroducing several of their debut's guest vocalists, the band continue to meld subtle orchestration, elegant jazz and easy-going West Coast soul and folk, creating a sound so tasteful it makes Morcheeba sound like Napalm Death. The album opens with the appropriately titled "Warm Sound," where long-time collaborator Mozez delivers his spacey soul over a quivering flute and funky keys. Later he reappears for the string-swept lullaby "Over Our Heads." Next up is newcomer Tina Dico who lends the softest of vocals to "Home," where quietly chiming guitars rise to a careful collision of brass, and "The Space Between," a techno-update of 70s folk-jazz. Much the same service is provided by Sophie Barker on "Passing By" and "In Time," which recalls the sweet innocence of early James Taylor. It's left to Sia Furler to add extra color, her slight rasp lending character to both... See less

Added on 11/16/06

"All The Rage" is the debut release from LA-based singer/songwriter Cary Brothers. These four tracks, produced by Chad Fischer (Alexi Murdoch), run the gamut from power pop ("Supposed To Be") to acoustic folk ("Honestly"), but they all share one... See more

"All The Rage" is the debut release from LA-based singer/songwriter Cary Brothers. These four tracks, produced by Chad Fischer (Alexi Murdoch), run the gamut from power pop ("Supposed To Be") to acoustic folk ("Honestly"), but they all share one thing in common - as Cary says, "They're all pretty much straight from the heart, whether it's being broken or put back together." Cary's song "Blue Eyes" is also featured alongside tracks from Coldplay, The Shins, and Simon & Garfunkel on the soundtrack of the Fox Searchlight film GARDEN STATE, starring Zach Braff, Natalie Portman, and Peter Sarsgaard. See less

Added on 11/16/06

The Microsoft Plus! Super Pack lets you enjoy more of your experiences with Windows XP. Enjoy new screensavers and themes, play exciting games and do more with your music, photos and home movies! Take a break from your work with a selection of great... See more

The Microsoft Plus! Super Pack lets you enjoy more of your experiences with Windows XP. Enjoy new screensavers and themes, play exciting games and do more with your music, photos and home movies! Take a break from your work with a selection of great 3D games See less

Added on 11/16/06

Bob Seger has racked up a lot of worthy tracks over the years, but it took until 1994 for a greatest hits package to appear. Voilà. The bad news: We're missing an awful lot of songs here. Night Moves is Seger's crit-pick album, and a great place to... See more

Bob Seger has racked up a lot of worthy tracks over the years, but it took until 1994 for a greatest hits package to appear. Voilà. The bad news: We're missing an awful lot of songs here. Night Moves is Seger's crit-pick album, and a great place to start if you don't have any Seger at all. Next in the rankings is Stranger in Town. Otherwise, his highs are pretty scattered, which would make any best-of package a worthy investment. But if you want to get comprehensive, "Rock & Roll Never Forgets," "Fire Down Below," "Horizontal Bop," "Her Strut," "Betty Lou's Getting Out Tonight," and "Katmandu" aren't on this CD--and you'll have to go to the original albums to secure them. --Gavin McNett See less

Added on 11/16/06

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Added on 11/16/06

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Added on 11/16/06

Bela Fleck is one of the greatest five-string banjo players performing today. Beginning in the 1970s, he honed his lightning-fast chops performing bluegrass, then moved on to contemporary jazz and fusion sounds. With this album, he broadens his... See more

Bela Fleck is one of the greatest five-string banjo players performing today. Beginning in the 1970s, he honed his lightning-fast chops performing bluegrass, then moved on to contemporary jazz and fusion sounds. With this album, he broadens his horizons once again by performing an entire program of classical music transcriptions. Reminiscent of classical guitar albums by John Williams (who makes a guest appearance here), the disc traverses a wide range of repertoire--from Chopin mazurkas to Bach's Two and Three Part Inventions. Throughout, Fleck displays a feathery touch on his banjo, and his instrument offers a pleasant, brassy tone with very little twang. The technique he displays on Perpetual Motion is astounding and a refreshing change of pace from the smooth grooves found on the banjoist's Flecktones recordings. The arrangements are generally minimalist and understated, but violinist Joshua Bell, bassist Edgar Meyer, mandolinist Chris Thile, and percussionist Evelyn Glennie join... See less

Added on 11/16/06

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Added on 11/16/06

Soul and R&B legend Ray Charles may not have lived to see the success of Hollywood's ultimate tribute to him, but director Taylor Hackford's biopic (featuring a landmark performance by Jamie Foxx as the musical legend) will further burnish his legacy... See more

Soul and R&B legend Ray Charles may not have lived to see the success of Hollywood's ultimate tribute to him, but director Taylor Hackford's biopic (featuring a landmark performance by Jamie Foxx as the musical legend) will further burnish his legacy as one of the cornerstones of contemporary American music. Though it stretches from 1953's ecstatic, proto-soul "Mess Around" to a sublime, bluesy live take of "Georgia on My Mind" recorded in Japan in the mid-'70s, this 17-track song-score can only be an inviting appetizer to the singer's epochal body of work. Charles's artistry may have virtually defined soul music, yet it also triumphed in genres as far afield as blues ("Nightime Is the Right Time") and country ("I Can't Stop Loving You," "Bye Bye Love") during the '60s, the impossibly rich era from which the bulk of this soundtrack is culled. Crucially, fully a third of the cuts here are live recordings--including electrifying 1965 performances of "What'd I Say," "You Don't Know Me,"... See less

Added on 11/16/06

As a Harvard graduate and regular writer for the New Yorker, Edward Conlon is a little different from most of his fellow New York City cops. And the stories he tells in his compelling memoir Blue Blood are miles away from the commonly told... See more

As a Harvard graduate and regular writer for the New Yorker, Edward Conlon is a little different from most of his fellow New York City cops. And the stories he tells in his compelling memoir Blue Blood are miles away from the commonly told Hollywood-style police tales that are always action packed but rarely tethered to reality. While there is action here, there's also political hassle, the rich and often troubling history of a department not unfamiliar with corruption, and the day to day life of people charged with preserving order in America's largest city. Conlon's book is, in part, a memoir as he progresses from being a rookie cop working the beat at troubled housing projects to assignments in the narcotics division to eventually becoming a detective. But it's also the story of his family history within the enormous NYPD as well as the evolving role of the police force within the city. Conlon relates the controversies surrounding the somewhat familiar shoo! ting of Amadou Diallou... See less