For veritable Sasha fans, Involver is more like Airdrawndagger (an album which I think is just ok) with a BT Movement sound, than it is like other Sasha albums. (BT's Movement is a much more compelling album than this one, however).

I was *hoping* for an album more akin to Expander, or his "Scorchio" and "Breezer" singles or even something like his prior Global Underground work - the trance/house material Sasha's known for.

This album is almost entirely non-trance/house. Gone are the amazing, super-happy, Sasha trance/house-beats. But don't lose all hope. Sasha's found something new to do and he's good at what he does.

He deftly blends his trance and electronica sounds into these songs keeping some connection to his trance roots. He works his sounds in so well that they almost carry the album. But despite the trance and electronica sounds, many of the songs have guitar bases - not always very trance-like and not always very danceable either.

The first song, "Talk Amongst Yourselves", is a great Sasha intro. It starts off quietly and builds up quite nicely topping off at over 10 minutes. That song and Felix da Housecat's "Watching Cars Go By" are the two best songs on the album, or the two that most caught my ear. They sound nothing like "Expander", "Scorchio", or "Breezer."

"Smile" is a song that sounds almost Digweed-like, which is a good thing. I also really like "Belong", which is the most trance/house-like song on the album. But "Belong" and a few other good songs that work well aren't very consistent. You can expect the really good grove part of the song to just end and leave you with distracting techno beats. "Burma" is an exception being a fairly consistent-sounding song that works well. It sounds like a refined Airdrawndagger tune.

There are a few songs or parts of songs that are filler material too. For example, the last song, "On My Own", is a classic Sasha closing winding down nicely. It seems to lose its strength though, and isn't very moving. The second song on Involver, "Dorcet Perception", starts off well (with a Spanish guitar chiming in and out) but it deteriorates into a beatline that just doesn't grab you.

The third and fourth songs, "These Days" and 'What Are You to Me", respectively, are a cross of Movement and Airdrawndagger. They are also not very moving songs.

This album is very different for Sasha and not what I was hoping for, yet I still think it's worthwhile. Don't buy it expecting trance/house Sasha material. It's not that at all. For that, stick with Seaman, Deep Dish, Digweed, Sander Kleinenberg, and the random trance song that hopefully Sasha will continue to produce. This album continues where Airdrawndagger left off, redefining Sasha's trance/house sound, for better or for worse.

What a fresh sound Deep Dish creates in Toronto GU:025! I loved the first Deep Dish set, GU:021, so I had high expectations for GU:025. I listened to it several times to get a feel and I can say I'm happy with this set. It's strong with lots of house beats and moving dance tracks.

I find GU:025 to be very different from GU:021, however. GU:021 drives right through you whereas GU:025 takes you along for the ride. GU:021 is much faster with higher energy. GU:025 on the other hand has steadier sounds more reminiscent of Yoshiesque 2.

GU:025 also doesn't have as many smart electric sounds that dropped in on GU:021. But it's not a loss here. In many ways this set has much better longevity to it. GU:021 burns out from its high energy. GU:025 won't wear you down as quickly.

The first disc begins with a Yoshiesque 2-like solo vocal on Numb that quickly changes to a rhythmic house beat. As the songs progress the energy builds slowly. The set is consistent and navigates easily through your mind. The songs seem relaxed, mellow, smooth, and calm. Yet Deep Dish seems to have found a set that still packs energy.

They have some great songs with carefully placed female vocals. An example is Sacred Dance on disc 1. Other songs with light vocals work well in this mix: Rezin and Doves (I'll Be Loving You) on disc 1 and Way2Tite on disc 2.

Disc 2 impressed me as the better of the two initially, but that was on my very first listen. They throw in a great song from Sasha & Junkie XL followed by a Sander Kleinenberg track, Work To Do. The Sasha track, as usual, adds a lot of cheer to this mix with its airy, happy sound. The Kleinenberg track mixes bass with effects and a basic vocal track by Miss Bunty. Track 8 on disc 2, The One I run To by Miro, is another great song with vocals and a haunting beat. The rest of the songs flow simply, from one to another adding up to a good, solid mix.

I give it only 4 stars because, while energetic, it misses the clean high-energy of Sasha or Digweed.

I like U2. Despite my fears, this album does not sound like a rehash of U2, even though it's a best-of compilation. I recommend it just for the Electrical Storm track, which to me is the most moving, powerful U2 song in years. Also, Beautiful Day and Stuck in a Moment, truly great U2 songs, are reasons to buy this disc if you don't own them on an album. These songs, especially Electrical Storm, remind me of the heyday of U2 when people were first in awe of them in the 80's and early 90's.

There are a host of other tracks that I forgot about from the mid 90's along with some I have not heard before. They are yet another reason to own this disc. You won't be dissappointed even listening to the Achtung Baby tracks (which were played to death in the early 90's).

Put this disc on and you will listen attentively to every song from start to finish. It's that good. And it's great to know this band still has that kind of effect after all these years.

Perhaps it's because I was born the year this film came out, but I found this movie outdated & tiring to watch. The storyline just doesn't add up. Others may not mind the obvious elements of a 70's New York City: a culturally inept beauracracy, overly incompetent politicians, and a city notorious for being on the brink. I cannot remember those days. Nowadays with crime at record lows the whole plot seems even less plausible, though that may be what many people like about this film.

Details such as the villains' motives (we never really find out), the naive subway riders, and the rather small ransom are unconvincing to me. Walter Mathau is the obvious star, but he seems too intelligent to play any character caught in the world portrayed in this movie. There is a cute 70's music theme song but the rest of the movie didn't muster that much applause from me. Outdated so much that I found it hard to watch, let alone understand, how events could happen as they do in this movie, I can only recommend you rent it. An alternative film that's even more of a thriller and even more of a contrast to the NYC of today is The Incident with Martin Sheen, Beau Bridges, Ed McMahon, & Donna Mills. I highly recommend The Incident over The Taking of the Pelham 1-2-3 if you want a NYC subway thriller from the 60's. Unfortunately, The Incident is not on DVD yet.