Somewhat dumb but absolutely fun Eastwood/Locke vehicle. Slow, surly cop and clever hooker are double-crossed and on the run from authorities. Recommemded

Entertainingly low-key pseudo-supernatural mystery. Depp plays the chameleon again, this time as a morally ambiguous book broker. Very Polanski (appropriately). Recommended.

I'm a fan of Nirvana, but it's spin-off bands never set my world on fire. However, I thought it would be an inappropriate joy to do a mix cd of Hole, the Foos, and some tracks off Insecticide & Bleach; pulling out the best stuff of the lot. My assumption was that I'd have the least use for Hole, but instead found the Foo Fighters to be the dogs of the bunch. Hole actually has some pretty sweet lyrics, some mean hooks, and in this release, a bouncy pop sound. The only drawback is that Courtney Love has no business singing anything that requires more talent than the howls and whines of "Live Through This", and the sometimes gradiouse arrangements on "Celebrity Skin" finds her to be exceptionally grating. I look forward to a day when "Northern Star" is either covered by another group, or redone with an incarnation of Hole fronted by a credible lead.

...I wouldn't want to "live" with their music. I'm a fan of Nirvana, but it's spin-offs bands never set my world on fire. However, I thought it would be an inappropriate joy to do a mix cd of Hole, the Foos, and some tracks off Insecticide & Bleach; pulling out the best stuff of the lot. My assumption was that I'd have the least use for Hole, but instead found some really nice material by a band with a lousy singer, there. Unfortunately I found the Foo Fighters to be the dogs of the bunch. With lyrics ranging from sappy to just plain old insipid, the Foos threadbare lyrics and underwhelming personality remind me more of 70's guitar rockers than the 90's rock icons they've often been sold as. If I had to pick one of their lightweight cds to own, though, this would be it."Doll" is a cute opener, and I have to wonder if Veruca Salt's "The Same Person" and "All Dressed Up" were plays on that particular song. Most folks are familiar with Dave Grohl's and Louise Post's history, after all, but I have to say "Resolver" was meatier than anything in the Foo's library."Monkey Wrench" is a defiant follow-up, though it sounds more like a variation on "Sabotage" than the "getting out of a bad relationship of your own making" that Grohl has played it off as being. "Hey, Johnny Park!" doesn't hurt my 70's band comparison, but is one of the few satisfying writing jobs on this disc. It's a shame Grohl's subpar vocals mar it so. "Walking After You" could have been a creepy little ditty, if it were not so laughably tame. "See You" has a fun retro sound, but all the content of Hanson's "Mmm-Bop". "Up in Arms" is a pleasant enough ballad, while "My Hero" is a great concept that isn't realized. "Everlong" is lovely song, deserving it's instant classic status, but even it could have stood to be fleshed out more. "My Poor Brain", "Wind Up", "New Way Home", "Enough Space" and "February Stars" are forgettable filler materal, more of which being easy to locate on the Foo's other releases. The Foo Fighter will likely stand among the greatest creative underachievers for a band of it's success when they're looked back upon. They know a great hook when they hear it, but there isn't much else to sustain them.

This is a nice collection of hits, but there's a few things I didn't like about it. You see--Trust, Dirty Mind, Thunder, Pop Life, Sexy M.F., Nothing Compares 2 U, Batdance, If I Was Your Girlfriend, 7, P Control, Partyman, Controversy, Head, and a slew of others are missing. Now, if this is the very best of Prince, how come some real gems like these are out, while a song as lame as Money Don't Matter 2 Night makes the cut? I'm only a casual Prince fan myself, but even I recognize where a double CD would be needed to cover a twenty-plus year epic career.

I always know I'm in trouble if I like a cd right off the bat. It means I'll get bored with it quickly, since it's usually safe and familiar. I didn't like Resolver ...initially.I was apprehensive about buying it in the first place. When I heard about it's coming, I decided to listen to Veruca Salt's first two releases to help with my decision. Nina Gordon had quit the group, and upon listening to her half of each cd, I quickly realized that she was my favorite of the two writers in the band. Louise Post's work was angrier. She rocked pretty hard, and tended not to produce the more vulnerable pieces in the duo's catalogue. I worried that without that balance, I'd be left with lots of thunder, but a lack of substance.Post managed to find another singer to harmonize with her, so it still sounds like the Salts, but she is pretty much the sole creative force on this release. She's also fairly obsessive in it's subject matter. In the first track, set mostly to piano, she basically repeats that she's not "The Same Person" anymore. In track two, she proclaims that Gordon, "didn't get it so f___ her", metal guitar blasting in the background. By track eight, "Only you know", a pattern becomes clear. "Don't thank me, for what you've got. I've given you love, I've given you too much thought. Don't blame me, for sinking the ship. You're a hopeless liar and a hypocrite." With, "Used to know her", you recognize that the theme of the album is kissing off Nina Gordon.She isn't alone. Ex-boyfriend and Foo-Fighters frontman Dave Grohl has "Pretty Boys" devoted to him, while another song states, "I used to f___ him. I used to simplify him. Something in his walk was like Jim Morrison. I used to touch him. I used to justify him. Lying to my face with my permission." On "Disconnected", "It's kind of scary when your lover leaves you for a movie star...And I'm still in the dark. But you have trained me, to watch my back and drop my standards. And you have shamed me, since the first time you were with her. And you can't make me love your band or buy your records. 'Cause you have tainted my respect for your adventures".Listening in on this cd is a voyeuristic delight at times, but it goes beyond that. Veruca Salt has always tended toward employing lots of metaphor and surrealism in their songs, sometimes to the point where their message isn't delivered. Here, the meaning is clear, as is the depth and sincerity of emotion that inspired these songs. Other songs are more general, like "All Dressed Up"'s bemoaning an attempt to please someone you love, to no avail. "Yeah Man" is a straighforward "thanks for doing me so well" kinda song, and "Imperfectly" is a great 80's love song with a 90's dysfuntional bend. This cd has really grown on me, and it's honesty and intensity have held my interest at least as long as the Salt's previous efforts. If you're a fan, you need to pick this one up. If not, at least give it a listen. As for me, my mouth is watering and my ears perked to hear Gordon's side of the story, hopefully later this year on her first solo release.

If this review gets printed, it'll be on top of a number of negative responses. If you're a Depech Mode fan, you may not enjoy this cd. Unlike other "tributes", these artists aren't devoted to slavishly reproducing the exact same song that they're supposed to be praising, with all the artistry of Memorex. This album is daring, a kaleidoscope of sound. From the death metal of Rammstein to the techno-goofyness of Self to the pop sounds of Dishwalla and the tender voices of Veruca Salt, there's something different around every corner. This album isn't for everyone. It's just for people who love all kinds of music. Don't let others dictate your taste. Check it out for yourself.