A Christmas-in-June-and-July Carol: The old DualDisc is as dead as a doornail. This must be distinctly understood, the Warner Music Group seems to be admitting, or nothing wonderful can come of an early gift for us: yet another new format. What will it be - humdinger or humbug?
Porcupine Tree: Fear of a Blank Planet (Atlantic). As personified by this concept album's young protagonist, the worldview of the Planet isn't just blank.
It was clear that The Beatles: Rock Band had fully captivated the imagination of my son Paul when - after hours and hours of playing the new videogame - we all needed to actually take a break and get something to eat.
Heading out the door, I said, "I'll drive."
"No, I'll drive," said Paul, walking over to his car instead.
That's what a lot of people want to know when they buy a Sony DualDisc and notice that the DVD side offers Enhanced Stereo. As Clark Novak writes on QuadraphonicQuad.com, "What the hell does that mean anyway? 'Enhanced Stereo.' That's kind of like 'connoisseur's popcorn.' Means nothing. Grr."