"Actor: G Unit"

• Best Of Jazz Open 1998 | DVD | (20/04/2001) from £21.58   |  Saving you £-1.59 (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Best of Jazz Open 1998 is not, as the title suggests, highlights from the entire "jazzopen" music festival which took place in Stuttgart in July 1998, but performances taken from the closing evening concert dedicated to the so-called "pope of jazz", presenter, festival organiser and producer Joachim-Ernst Berendt. The musicians were chosen in collaboration with Berendt, resulting in some remarkable music-making from the haunting solo trombone of Albert Mangelsdorff, to the breathtaking duel/duet between Robert Majewski's trumpet and Hendryk Miskiewicz's saxophone which forms the climax of "Night Time Day Time-Requiem". Though obviously improvised one might argue whether the virtuoso digitally processed performance by Urszula Dudziak is jazz at all, while saxophonist John Handy joins forces with traditional Indian musicians the Maharaj Brothers moving eloquently in the world/fusion/crossover territory more famously explored by John McLaughlin. Appropriately they give way to the John McLaughlin Group itself, "Social Climate" offering an atmospheric mood piece for Gary Thomas' fine flute playing, leading to a rousing electric guitar climax by McLaughlin. A mixed bag from which some tracks will appeal more than others, it is regrettable that the complete concert was not included; this 57-minute collection looks as if it was originally edited to fill a one-hour TV slot. On the DVD: There are no special features except two trailers for classical DVDs. The programme is presented in standard TV 4:3 and is sharp and detailed, though there are occasional compression artefacts. The sound is stereo and while full and clear the mixes sometimes so favour the lead instrument that other details such as cymbal hits can be seen but barely heard. --Gary S. Dalkin

• G-Unit - Bullets Can't Touch Us - The Unauthorized Biography | DVD | (12/01/2009) from £13.29   |  Saving you £-1.30 (N/A%)   |  RRP £11.99

  This is the unauthorized biography of the most powerful group in the rap industry. From the streets to money and power 50 Cent has brought together a crew that rivals all past and present crews. Toney Yayo Lloyd Banks and Young Buck solidify the team's Get Rich or Die Tryin attitude to the fullest extreme with their explosive rhymes and hustle. G-Unit adds members to the crew at an alarming rate. Arguably the most talented hip hop artists of all time Wu-tang Terror Squad and Dipset all step up and take centre stage showing off their talent. Bullets Can't Touch Us is all about the money power and respect in the lives of these ambitious rappers.

• Various Artists - Metropolis 2005 | DVD | (08/05/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £10.99

  Continuing the legacy of exceptional compilations started by Metropolis in 1999 Metropolis 2005 picks up where its predecessors left off by being not only a CD compilation but a DVD compilation as well! The CD features 15 of the best industrial Goth Electronic and rock songs that Metropolis has released in 2005. Highlights include Mindless Self Indulgence VNV Nation The Birthday Massacre Wumpscut PIG and Funker Vogt as well as new comers System Syn and Edge of Dawn. The DVD features 4 videos from Mindless Self Indulgence The Birthday Massacre Bella Morte and Snog; as well as 4 live videos from Front 242 VNV Nation Juno Reactor and Bauhaus. DVD - Tracklist: 1. Mindless Self Indulgence - Shut Me Up 2. The Birthday Massacre - Blue 3. Bella Morte - Another Way 4. Front 242 - Welcome To Paradise 5. VNV Nation - Beloved 6. Juno Reactor - Hulelam 7. Snog - late 20th Century Boy 8. Bauhaus - Dark Entries CD - Tracklist: 1. Mindless Self Indulgence - Straight To Video (Combichrist Remix) 2. VNV Nation - Chrome 3. The Birthday Massacre - Video Kid 4. Dismantled - Breed To Death (Original Mix) 5. Wumpscut - Churist Churist 6. Pig - Here To Stay 7. Combichrist - Blut Royale 8. Grendel - Soilbleed (Agonoize Remix) 9. Rotersand - Exterminate Annihilate Destroy 10. System Syn - If You Never Heal 11. Funker Vogt - No Tomorrow 12. Edge Of Dawn - Losing Ground 13. SITD - Sentiment 14. Psyche - 15 Minutes (Lights Out Extended) 15. Noise Unit - Illicit Dreams