Fun with Dick, Jane, John, Paul, George, & Ringo

This week’s new CDs & DVD releases: A couple significant releases this week. . . First off, Capitol Albums Vol. 2 covers all 4 US Beatles releases for 1965. Needless to say, it was quite a year for the Fab Four. The box contains mono & stereo versions (some never before released) of The Early Beatles, Beatles VI, Help!, and Rubber Soul. Beatles completists — this is for you. . . . Ok, on to something “new” new: the latest from Built To Spill, Doug Martsch’s Idaho indie-rock outfit. You in Reverse was five years in the making is well worth the wait. After 1997’s pop-perfect “Perfect from Now On” and 1999’s guitar-o-rama “Keep It Like a Secret”, 2001’s “Ancient Melodies of the Future” was a somewhat staid disapointment. No worries, B2S is back on top of their game.
Casual yet beautiful vocal melodies? Check. Textured arrangements that give Brian Eno a run for his money? Check. The best guitar jam-outs since Crazy Horse? Check. “Reverse” has a slightly more live, improvisational feel than previous efforts. For fans of serious indie guitar rock, that’s a bonus.

Jim Carrey & Tea Leoni star in “Fun with Dick & Jane” a remake of the 1977 heist movie featuring George Segal & Jane Fonda. The story is cleverly updated to take on corporate greed, white-collar crime and suburban living. Carrey is in fine slapstick form and Leoni adds a subtler comedic edge. The screenplay lacks teeth but it’s this light touch that gives the flick it’s enjoyable appeal.

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