The crew at Sterling Cooper has returned to our lives. With only three episodes into its third season, AMC's emmy award winning "Mad Men" is off to a slow, but solid start. Leaving fans short of breathe from Season 2's October finale, all of the unanswered questions can't help but illicit a bit of obsession. Would Joanie actually end up marrying aggressive Doctor Greg after "the incident" in Don's office? Could Pete Campbell ever put his own selfish needs aside and realize how much damage he's done to poor Peggy? Am I the only person on this planet who wants them to be together? And what would be in store for the tension filled Draper household? So finally... the wait is over, and I won't deny that I have been a little bit disappointed.

Season three began with no major revelations. In fact, things seem almost bland and ordinary in the offices of Sterling Cooper, save for some changing relationship dynamics. Peter is back to being his whiney self, kvetching over this and that. Don and Betty seemed to have reconciled their failing marriage, even while Don continues to prove that a cheating leopard can't change its spots. And yes, Joanie married Doctor Psycho, but without the bat of an eyelash.

But after tonight's episode, "My Old Kentucky Home," things are starting to get rolling. Peggy Olson now has her own office, a newly discovered confidence, and the respect of her misogynist co-workers, but is starting to realize that her success at the office and old-fashioned values is translating into a lonely and unfulfilling lifestyle. After forcing herself to socialize at a bar in last week's episode, hot-boxing the offices at Sterling Cooper for "inspiration," and finally getting some action, a new daring Peggy has blossomed in the best way possible.

Roger Sterling, the shallow charmer, has moved forward with his engagement to his hussy secretary, meanwhile butting heads with Don, and locking eyes tenderly with Joanie at the office. Ah, and poor Joanie, who married Greg (the molester!), began to see the fear and consequences of his domination over her take its toll.

So I feel reassured that season three is picking itself up, merlot in hand, with so many great things to come. Will baby Draper be able to solve Betty and Don's marital strife, or will it only add fuel to the flame? Will Peggy's taste of liberation go too far and destroy everything she's worked so hard for? Will Joanie ever be able to escape from her Lifetime movie marriage? And will Peter ever confess his love for Peggy again (I see baby Campbell-Olson making a jarring appearance)? Stay tuned Mad-Maniacs, because this season is only going to get better and better.

When the number of bullets fired equals the number of scalped heads, it must be a Tarantino movie. When the dialogue repeatedly references obscure movies, it must be a Tarantino movie. And when the director of a movie references his own movie, it must be a Tarantino movie. "Inglourious Basterds" is a Quentin Tarantino movie and he constantly reminds the audience of this fact. Like his previous outings, "Basterds" is an exercise in style, genre and his personal favorite - violence. Yet, through this constant reminder, Tarantino invites comparison to his other films, and while "Basterds" does not live up to the genius of "Pulp Fiction," "Reservoir Dogs" or "Kill Bill," he still creates a fun, energetic ride

The film presents three different points of view, and in Tarantino fashion, they all meet in the end. Col. Hans Landa (Christopher Waltz, English-language debut) is "The Jew Hunter," a detective for the Nazis doing exactly what his name implies. Meanwhile, Shosanna Dreyfus (Melanie Laurent, English-language debut) opens a movie theater in Paris, attracting the attention of Nazi war hero Fredrick Zoller (Daniel Bruhl, "The Bourne Ultimatum") whose story has been turned into a movie. The premiere of the film is relocated to Shosanna's theater with Col. Landa running security.

And then there are the Basterds, a group of Jewish American soldiers who are ordered to kill Nazis in brutal ways. Lead by Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"), the Basterds are invited to the movie premiere by a German actress and agent for the Allies, Bridget von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger, "Troy").

If it sounds like the Basterds are underused, it is because they are. The scenes with the boys are enjoyable and humorous. Pitt gives a John Wayne type performance in an attempt to set up the "Let's go get 'em!" feel of '50s WWII movies. Raine is a caricature, experiences nothing and learns no lesson in the end, but he is extremely entertaining and full of memorable one-liners. The standout scene with the Basterds, though, involves Eli Roth ("Hostel") as "The Bear Jew" clubbing a Nazi to death. The scene is filled with power and testosterone. Unfortunately, the Basterds have less screen time than one desires.

However, the star of the film is Waltz who can expect an Oscar nomination. His performance was incredibly layered and his motivations were clear and almost sickening. The way Landa could manipulate people and back them into a corner was incredible. His vocal tone and facial expressions remained constant throughout the scenes, which heightened the suspense, especially in the first brilliant scene at a farm in France. Waltz takes his time building the suspense, but does not shout or explode when it seems expected, making his character realistic and frightening. All in all, Landa is an excellent foil to the one note Raine and certainly steals every scene in the movie.

While there are no problems with Tarantino's masterpiece, "Pulp Fiction," this movie unfortunately has its fair share. The pace of the film slows as drastically as it speeds up. One scene in a bar in Paris has about 10 minutes of dialogue before the action starts and soldiers hold guns to each other - a perfect example of Tarantino referencing his own "Reservoir Dogs." At this point, the movie was thrilling and exciting, even before the violence, but the lagging dialogue could have been cut short. Tarantino the director loves Tarantino the writer and moviegoer, so while he may be enjoying referencing obscure movies, the lesser movie fans are left in the dust. His dialogue still sounds sharp and stylistic, but it needs to be cut sometimes.

Still, the overarching problem of this film is in certain parts where it feels as though Tarantino is doing his best impression of Tarantino. When introducing the Basterds, Tarantino highlights Sgt. Hugo Stiglitz as if the film was a "Batman" cartoon. Yes, this was funny and, yes, this plays to his meshing of genres fascination, but it felt as though Tarantino thought, "I'll do this because it is something I typically do." Between this and the sometimes funny but typically unnecessary subtitles, Tarantino needs to stop pretending to be himself and simply just be.

Overall, "Inglourious Basterds" is a great movie and guarantees a smile for two and a half hours, but it does not achieve the level of genius Tarantino has previously displayed. As a side note, this movie has been described as "Jewish Torture Porn" and unrealistic, but this reviewer is Jewish and finds it difficult to separate the movie from being Jewish in a satisfactory way. But this is a feeling almost everyone should empathize with because Hitler is dead and WWII is over and all that is left is to make a fictional movie about Nazis being scalped.

4.5 stars out of 5

Summer is usually the time for relaxing and many of us have had ample time in the last three months to do just that. Try telling that to Rookie of the Year, a band out of North Carolina who have decided to go state-hopping this summer - twice. Fresh off an East Coast tour with LFO, the band decided to begin a cross-country, end-of-summer tour promoting their latest single, "Sooner or Later." Releasing their second full-length album, Sweet Attention, earlier this year, Rookie of the Year has already graced the stages of Madison twice this year.

The group's last headlining tour, the "What is Love" tour, promoted the single of the same name and Sweet Attention, which reached #9 on Billboard's Alternative New Artist chart in it's first week and sold over 30,000 copies. As busy as their lives are right now, Mike Kamerman, vocalist and guitarist for the band, took some time out of the band's touring schedule to talk with The Badger Herald about the new single and the band's latest tour.

"'Sooner or Later' is probably our favorite of all the songs on the record," Kamerman said. "Our first single was 'What is Love,' which is more of a pop-y song, so we thought we'd go back to an acoustic one. Ryan [Dunson, lead singer] wrote the lyrics. It's pretty much about a girl and about her life and his life without her."

As if the band was not busy enough with all the touring and promoting, they also shot a video for "Sooner or Later" this summer.

"Shooting the video was neat," Kamerman said. "We were doing a few shows with Relient K and a camera crew came out and documented a couple of the shows. They were really great shows, and we've been friends with the guys from Relient K for a while so it was a lot of fun."

Shooting a video while on tour is basically the only option for the ambitious band. Logging over 250,000 miles in their career, these guys are veterans at the tour scene and they still love every minute of it.

"We get to see the country and we get to see our friends," Kamerman said. "Since we tour so much, we've been able to meet a lot of new people that we've become friends with. We love Madison. We have a good relationship with the guy who books the shows there, and we always have a good time."

When asked what expectations Rookie of the Year had for this headlining tour, Kamerman was light hearted, revealing that the band has no intentions of slowing down.

"We just got off tour with LFO so we just wanted to play markets that we have fun in and have friends in," Kamerman said. "It's the end of summer, so we wanted to have some fun, kind of make a vacation out of it. After this we are going to record our new acoustic EP and it seemed like a good idea to have a little fun before we get serious with recording stuff."

Over the years, the band has certainly created a name for themselves and a solid fan base. Yet, the group has managed to not become jaded as a result of all this popularity.

"The shows have been great, turning out better than we had expected," Kamerman said. "Lots of people have been coming out, yet, we've been playing in smaller rooms so it's been more intimate. We're just having a lot of fun."

Rookie of the Year will be playing at The Loft on Saturday, August 22nd, at 6 p.m.

I'll be brutally honest with you. When it comes to what everyone's listening to, I hardly ever know what the latest rage is and it is not because I live under a rock. I actually live in a grossly overpriced apartment on campus, but that is neither here nor there.

Like any other genre that does not receive constant airplay, the alternative music scene remains underappreciated and, therefore, largely ignored. Over the course of the semester, I will be surveying a wide range of artists from the alternative music scene and letting you know a little bit about what you have been missing out on.

So, if you are sick of listening to the same music as your roommate, or just about everyone else, do not be afraid to give these artists a listen.

A Skylit Drive

Adelphia

Grade: 3.5 stars out of 5

Label: Fearless Records

Rocks like: Underoath, Coheed And Cambria

Where to listen: Myspace.com/askylitdrive, Purevolume.com/askylitdrive

In its defense, Adelphia - the second full-length album from the Lodi, Calif., screamo/hardcore outfit - has grown on me. Unfortunately, I did not listen to it enough times before I wrote this column to give it any more than three-and-a-half stars. Although "Those Cannons Could Sink A Ship" - the album's first single, featuring lead singer "Jag" Jagmin's high-pitched vocals and heavy guitar work - is solid, "Eva the Carrier" is without question the best track on the record. As a whole, however, Adelphia simply cannot compete with Wires...And The Concept of Breathing, the group's first LP. Wires was simply too good and remains Skylit's best.

The Audition

Self-Titled Album

Grade: 5 stars out of 5

Label: Victory Records

Rocks like: Fall Out Boy, The Academy Is...

Where to listen: Myspace.com/theaudition

Attempts at witty album titles aside, the Chicago-area quartet has pieced together their best record to date despite the departure of original member and bassist Joe Lussa. There is not a weak song on the entire 10-track album, and The Audition's signature sound - a sort of funky pop-punk hybrid, with its infectious, poppy melodies and fun, grooving guitars - is as catchy as ever. Songs like "Los Angeles," "The Way You Move" and "Love With A Motive" are sure to be stuck in your head for days. With each new release, The Audition demonstrates their ability to grow as musicians and performers and Self-Titled Album is no exception.

Watchout! There's Ghosts

Ghost Town

Grade: 3 stars out of 5

Label: Rise Records

Where to listen: Myspace.com/watchouttheresghosts, Purevolume.com/watchouttheresghosts

Rocks like: Breathe Carolina, The Medic Droid

The first effort from former A Skylit Drive frontman Jordan Blake and Joshua Stotts culminated in the synth-pop, dance-driven record Ghost Town. The 10-track album contains several standouts, including "I Ruin Dreams, Not Nightmares" and "A Beautiful Goodbye," but, after a certain point, each track begins to subtly blend into the next until each one is almost indistinguishable from the last. Ghost Town is by no means a bad album, and "Remember Me, Oh God, For Good" serves as a more-than-adequate closer that helps break up the general monotony, allowing the album to finish on a strong note.

A Day To Remember

Homesick

Grade: 2.5 stars out of 5

Label: Victory Records

Rocks like: Atreyu, Senses Fail

Where to listen: Myspace.com/adaytoremember

Believe me when I say I enjoy a good breakdown as much as the next guy. But when you have a breakdown at some point in just about every song, they all start to sound the same. A Day To Remember's blend of soft metal and pop-punk follows the same formula as And Their Name Was Treason and For Those Who Have Heart with catchy choruses and heavy riffs, but ultimately falls short of the group's potential. "Have Faith In Me" and the title track, "Homesick," rank among the better songs ADTR has written, yet, the album ends with little more than a whimper.

esme

Don't Wake Up EP

Grade: 4.5 stars out of 5

Label: esme

Rocks like: Close To Home, Envy On The Coast

Where to listen: Available on Amazon.com, iTunes

As a matter of principle, I could not give a five-song EP - really four, if you exclude the instrumental closing track - five stars, no matter how impressive the other four songs are. Don't Wake Up's greatest strength is also one of its greatest flaws. At almost 14 minutes, the five self-produced tracks from the Atlanta-based group only provide a sampling of what esme has to offer. Be that as it may, Don't Wake Up is one of the better EPs I have heard in recent memory and deserves a listen - if for no other reason than you could listen to the entire album on your way to class.

Be sure to catch Joe's column in the Reg issue and in the paper every other Tuesday

Yes, there may be a theme of love will conquer all and, yes, it does include two exceptionally attractive and talented movie stars, but future audience members should be warned - "The Time Traveler's Wife" is no "Notebook." Directed by Robert Schwentke ("Flightplan"), "The Time Traveler's Wife" lacks the incredible passion and cohesive plot that make romance films irresistibly addictive for the amorous at heart.

The film is based on the best-selling novel by Audrey Niffenegger and is a science fiction love story that transcends all conventional ideas of true love. Henry DeTamble (Eric Bana, "Funny People") is a Chicago librarian who has a genetic condition called Chrono Impairment that causes him to uncontrollably travel through time. One day while he is working, he meets Clare Abshire (Rachel McAdams, "State of Play") who claims to have known him her entire life, yet he has never met her. From there the love story begins and the two eventually get married, hence the film's title.

It has been a couple years since McAdams has starred in a major motion picture and it is refreshing to see her again on the big screen. She plays her role with such an authentic vigor. The only disappointment is that you wish the script allowed for a deeper exploration of her character. Any less skilled of an actress would ruin the character of Clare with unconvincing pathos.

Bana, on the other hand, was not the right fit for the character of Henry. For being the protagonist, he was rather boring at times, which is disheartening because Bana is an incredible actor. The film just did not offer him enough material to work with and that is why his performance lacked believability.

While some critics have questioned the interactions between the young Clare and the older Henry, they come off as innocent and endearing, especially compared to similar scenes in "Benjamin Button" which felt perverted and creepy. While there is no denying the obvious chemistry between McAdams and Bana in the film, nothing can equate to the undeniably magical connection between McAdams and Ryan Gosling in "The Notebook," which everyone will inevitably compare this movie to.

Where the acting succeeded in the film, the screenplay failed miserably. Even writer Bruce Joel Rubin, who penned the popular paranormal romance "Ghost," failed in successfully translating the romantic novel onto the big screen. The film is full of gaps and there are major plot holes that leave viewers with unanswered questions regarding the science fiction aspect of the story. Long, dull slow spots in the film serve well as time to ponder these inquisitions, but nothing more. Instead of a long pause between dialogues, why not add more passionate scenes? It is the kiss-in-the-rain, cuddling-by-the-fire scenes that leave romantics swooning.

The theme of inevitably doomed love was also too disheartening at times. For example, the song played for the couples' first dance at their wedding is a cover of "Love Will Tear Us Apart." Even as a huge fan of Joy Division that seemed a little too gloomy and dark, especially compared to the rest of the movie that attempted to be mirthful despite the obviously fated future of the couple.

Supposedly there were many edits and extra shots that led to the delayed release of "The Time Traveler's Wife," which leads me to the conclusion that much of the deeper content was intentionally left out in hopes of appealing to a mainstream audience. Unfortunately, the final cut leaves anyone who has seen the film feeling unsatisfied and a bit perplexed, yet, it still manages to be an enjoyable love story sure to please the romantic in all of us.

3 stars out of 5

Few fail to recognize the peppered stubble of an after-morning shave on his Jewish face; overhang eyebrows cast deep shadows on his sunken eyes; heavy iron-like hooking eyebrows reinforce his cutthroat pretentious facade; his lips stretch from dimple to dimple like a tense slingshot, seemingly ever ready to fire profanity laden retorts.

Audiences assume Jeremy Piven to be a jerk - after all, he plays infamous Ari Gold in "Entourage," who favors the tailored subtle pinstriped Armani suit and a rambunctious wont-take-shit-from-anyone philosophy, and his new manipulative car salesman character, Don Ready, in the lowbrow comedy "The Goods: Live Hard. Sell Hard," opening on August 14, doesn't help to mitigate the pretenses of his off-the-set persona.

But you'll be surprised (and a bit disappointed) to know that the Ari Gold we love and the Don Ready we will come to love is merely an ingenious subterfuge - a product of the Piven Theater.

Few of you may have watched Jeremy Piven travel naked - an expos� of the unscripted Jeremy Piven - throughout India in the Travel Channel special, "Jeremy Piven's Journey of a Lifetime."

"It was me traveling through India. And people ask me 'Well who was that character you were playing while you were traveling?' And I said, 'Oh no, that's me,'" Piven calmly clarifies when asked about being typecast as a fast talking salesmen.

Having defended his off-screen reputation one too many times you'd think he was embittered. Rather, his tone is an air of relief.

"The thing that's so interesting is that I kind of have to whip myself up into a frenzy to play characters like Ari Gold. And so it's unbelievably fulfilling and completely exhausting," Piven said.

Jeremy Piven is a master of his craft, able to style an image that tactfully appears to embody the actor. He's the pigeonholed mimicry of Anthony Hopkins ("Hannibal") - masters of their genres. At the mention of Anthony Hopkins, an immobile Hannibal Lecter bound by straightjacket and canine facemask haunts your immediate memory. Yet Hopkins has played gentler, kinder (although dramatic) and suspenseful characters in "Hearts in Atlantis" and "All the King's Men."

Likewise, the mention of Piven immediately recalls YouTube worthy moments of Lloyd-bashing and cunning tirades in the presence his fifth psychologist. But, the audience's assumptions about an actor's personality are a testament to Piven's convincing performance.

"So as an actor, as someone who's been on stage since I was eight years old, what we do is we play these different energies in these different characters. So I kind of relish anyone that will kind of have this notion of me as only having that gear... at the same time it's not my only gear," Piven attests.

He fesses that he may not have been Jeremy Piven without his parent's support and their successful Piven Theatre in his hometown of Evanston, IL - notable alumni include John and Joan Cusack and Lili Taylor.

"If it wasn't for the Piven Theatre, I would definitely have a hairnet on and I'd be selling curly fries somewhere in Schaumberg. Not even Evanston." Piven said. "So it completely shaped my artistic life."

If you've been paying attention, you'd wonder why Jeremy Piven would reprise another Ari Gold-esque role despite being aware of his hard-assed reputation among fans. After a quick peek of the teaser trailer, in comparison, Don and Ari appear rather alike - Don Ready the car salesman, convincing a flight attendant that smoking on a plane is an American right (despite the obvious safety violations) screams Ari Gold's specialty: manipulation. Both embrace an inextinguishable workaholic fire that fuels their boisterous persona.

"Don Ready is a hard-selling, hard living character for sure," Piven admits.

But he quickly dismissed the parallel between the lowly car salesman and the hotshot Hollywood agent.

"The character in Entourage that I play is so reactive. And in this character of Don Ready in the Goods, he's someone that is - you might think he's like Ari Gold and he is a salesman, but he's having a complete life crisis... He has an arc in this movie that is nowhere near Ari Gold. Ari Gold would never do and walk through the life changes that Don Ready goes through... I mean we open on [Don] having breakfast in a strip club."

Ultimately, Piven is a working actor who, up to this point, knows the ins and outs of building an infallible reputation (and resume).

"I read the script and the last time I laughed this hard at a script was a movie I did called 'Old School.' And I just - it's one of these moments where I knew immediately that I just kind of had to do it," Piven explained. "The writing was so incredible. Adam McKay is responsible for 'Talladega' and 'Step Brothers' and 'Anchorman,' and he's just such a comedic force."

And note that the flick boasts comedic all-stars with the likes of Ed Helms ("The Hangover"), Will Ferrel ("Stepbrothers"), Dr. Ken ("The Hangover"), David Koechner ("Anchorman") and Craig Robinson ("Knocked Up").

So it's easy to see why Piven is confident in the lowbrow romp, "The Goods: Live Hard. Sell Hard."

"I really tried to screen the movie for people who weren't in the business," Piven reveled. "A friend of mine who's a surfer, like a pro surfer, brought his girlfriend, and he said there's so many classic lines he can't wait to see it again because he really wants to memorize a lot of them. And that's when you know you've got something that's kind of fresh."

But my efforts to convince you about the off-screen Piven are futile. Piven's knack for his craft is so fine that after watching "The Goods: Live Hard. Sell Hard." you'll forget about everything I've said and continue to believe him to be a manipulative and chauvinistic jerk yet you can't help but love.

Julia Child, the famous American chef who specialized in French cuisine, was truly one of a kind in a world of stuffy foodies. Her high-pitched, incessantly cheerful voice made one wonder if she had been drinking or if this was status quo. Based on the book of the same name by Julie Powell, the film "Julie & Julia" follows Child (Meryl Streep, "Doubt") and Powell from Queens (Amy Adams, "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian") along their rocky entrance into the world of cuisine.

Although the storylines took place sixty years apart, they were surprisingly similar. Child, an awkward, American fish-out-of-water in Paris needed to take up a hobby to keep her active mind busy. "I can't be like these French wives, they do nothing. I get the same pleasure out of shopping for groceries as these women get out of buying a new dress," Streep said. When pondering a new life pursuit, Streep's husband, Paul (Stanley Tucci, "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl"), asked her what she loved to do. "I love to eat, and I'm so good at it too!" Streep responded. From that day on, the audience watches as Streep attempts a cookbook, cooking school and eventually her own TV spot. Through the whole process, she maintains a positive attitude and awful French to lighten the mood.

Meanwhile in Queens, former journalist Powell slaves away at an unfulfilling job in Manhattan. Needing a new purpose in life, she decides to cook her way through Child's cookbook from cover to cover and write a blog about her journey. With over 500 recipes and a deadline of one year, Powell went through her fair share of groceries and took a toll on her marriage. However, the dynamic between Adams and her overly supportive husband was slightly nauseating and seemed inauthentic. On the other hand, the relationship between Paul and Julia was hilarious and believable thanks to Streep and Tucci's winning chemistry.

Through the many failures and successes, Powell and Child use their love for good food as motivation to overcome any roadblocks. Being a loud, tall, crazy American in France made Child stick out like a sore thumb, but she managed to establish herself in the culinary world with her bubbling personality and her intense love for food. Powell stayed afloat by whipping up Child's creations in her tiny New York apartment.

As Powell's blog grew in popularity, she began to take the whole "becoming Julia Child" idea slightly too far. Adams appeared psychotic as she interviewed with a reporter from the New York Times regarding her new blog. "It is like she's in the kitchen with me, we have conversations as I cook," Adams said. She even took it so far as to dress up as Julia for her birthday party with her close friends. This amount of obsession was unnecessary and a bit annoying.

In contrast, Streep and Tucci's performance blew the roof off of this movie and made up for any discrepancies in Adam's performance. The hilarity of the nearly six foot American woman in France among French culinary professionals will engage an audience of any gender, age or culinary persuasion.

In the end, if the nearly full house on the opening night of "Julie & Julia" is any indication of the future success of this film, it is sure to hold its own in the box office rankings.

4 stars out of 5

Japandroids debut album, Post-Nothing, is mindless fun and pure genius. The album is an infinite reincarnation of the loudest and most exciting basement shows and captures the intensity in its overwhelmingly distorted guitar sound and painfully shouted vocals. The equation is as simple as the music itself, guitar riff plus crashing drums plus two sentences that are fun to yell through the course of a three minute track equals Post-Nothing.

Do not strain yourself to find any deep meanings here. The value is all on the surface. Anything poetic or complex would be wholly inappropriate for a track like "Young Hearts Spark Fire" during which guitarist Brain King and drummer David Prowse collectively opt for "I don't want to worry about dying/ I just want to worry about the sunshine girls."

The album maintains angst from the beginning of "The Boys Are Leaving Town" all the way to the end of the lonesome ballad, "I Quit Girls." Unfortunately, the persistent energy detracts from the contrast and eventually it just seems like too much angst. There are not a whole lot of quiet tracks on the album. A guitar that is constantly torn into bits by effects pedals and spit out at crushingly loud volume levels does not have much in its vocabulary besides "ARRRRGH!" While this is characteristic of the style, the feel and the era that Japandroids attempts to channel, it would be nice if they could go a bit more "post-nothing" with it and try something a bit different.

For being made up of just two instruments, though, they really do push the envelope. A lot of this has to do with the production. The guitar comes out with a dark, full sound and its effects are very clear and present. The drums and vocals also fit perfectly into this mix. Through any computer speakers or cell phone headset, the music is nearly indistinguishable but with a nice pair of headphones or stereo speakers, the difference is huge. While this is true with any recording, the point is that good speakers are required to get all that you can out of this album. The lyrics and structure are not so much the focus of the music so the raw guitar sound is all the more important.

Overall, the album is quite impressive. It is time to throw your old Californication disc out of your car window and annex Post-Nothing as your driving down the street on a warm summer day jam. Not that Japandroids are anything like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the album just posses a similar unexplainable need to be played loud in the car. While Post-Nothing may not be a thought provoking journey into anyone's life or anything, it is a brain-blasting sonic experience that is best paired with sweaty, hyperactive white boys and head banging.

4 out of 5 stars

In the wake of popular country stars such as Taylor Swift and Sugarland, Gloriana blends the original sounds of country with the youthfulness of today's generation. They can be compared to Lady Antebellum with their sound varying from slow love songs to the amped-up energy of a much needed breakup track.

Brothers Tom and Mike Gossin founded the band in the clubs of North Carolina, but after finding Rachel Reiner, the two decided they loved the concept of adding a female voice to their sound. Later, Cheyenne Kimball was added to the group to complete their harmony as well as for her skills on the mandolin. Each of the artists is not just gifted vocally, but they display instrumental talents as well. It is a unique quality in this group that they specifically focused on their live and in-person sound versus how they sound in a studio. While listening to their lyrics, melodies and harmonies, it quickly becomes apparent how talented the group is and the pertinence of quality in their music.

The band's first single, "Wild at Heart," is an upbeat, full-of-energy debut that young country fans can easily relate to. With the lyrics, "Stick your hand in my back pocket/ Light me up like a bottle rocket/ I just want to free fall for awhile," this carefree, warm weather anthem has appropriately filled airwaves of country radio stations throughout the summer. Their youthfulness is contagious and carries throughout the album with each song having its own type of energy.

Steering away from this single's summer energy, "You Said" starts with a whining electric guitar made complete with an accompanying violin. Focusing as an angry breakup song, the track features the vocal talents of the two female artists in solos and never loses any of its drive or angry adrenaline.

"Come and Save Me" banks on Gloriana's harmonizing capabilities, but is one of their more calming pieces. The lyrics, "Hold me close/ give me back my reason to believe/ come and save me," feature a more vulnerable side to the group. Featuring both male and female solos also gives the song a more personal touch. Songs like this one have an advantage in the sense that the deep, meaningful lyrics seem more realistic and personable thanks to the contributing variety of male and female vocals.

The album's energetic intro, "If You're Leaving," combines a young country sound with 80s pop music. It is definitely an interesting combination and works in their favor. Gloriana has that type of musical range where they can perform country bluegrass, but still effectively add rock or 80s music to their songs. It gives this band a lot of free-range and gives their fan base a larger potential.

Gloriana's self-titled album consists of songs that feature the group's range of musicality with each song seeming heartfelt, allowing fans to connect with the lyrics. Unlike other groups, they wrote their songs with intention of playing them live, which makes their songs phenomenal to listen to due to the amazingly written melodies and harmonies. Gloriana has already started to make their mark on country music, and fans should expect even greater musical accomplishments from this fresh faced group.

4.5 stars out of 5

"Funny People," only the third film directed by comedic innovator Judd Apatow, is basically about the frequent inverse relationship between success and happiness. George Simmons (Adam Sandler, "Bedtime Stories") is a rich, well-known actor/comedian with a big house, plenty of cars and pools, who also enjoys the company of a good woman every night. The catch is, he is not married, has no real friends (just showbiz ones), he hates his "addictive" life and has just been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Now, since he has a deadline, Simmons figures it is a good time to try and start everything over, including his career.

Enter Ira Wright (Seth Rogen, "Observe and Report"), an up-and-coming standup comic who would like nothing more than to be able to compete with his moderately successful roommates (Jason Schwartzman, "The Darjeeling Limited" and Jonah Hill, "Forgetting Sarah Marshall") who are also wannabes like himself. He gets his shot, however, when Simmons sees a bit of his and offers him a job writing jokes. The film follows these two as Simmons flip-flops between a friend and boss to Wright, who cannot help but feel like Simmons is willing to sacrifice anything and anyone for his own happiness.

The acting in the film, as is the case with most of Apatow's movies, is astounding. What sets "The 40 Year Old Virgin," "Knocked Up" and now this film apart from other comedies is the realism of the humor. Most other comedies will do ridiculous jokes and antics to get a rise from the audience, which usually works pretty well, but is never all that believable. What the actors say and do in an Apatow film, however, manages to be hilarious without going over the top. This makes the characters in his films more real and easier to connect with.

Rogen's performance is particularly unusual for him. His past roles have happily settled somewhere between the realm of lazy know-nothing and stoner sweetheart. He branches out in this movie, becoming the emotionally confused nice guy who is seemingly allergic to vulgarity - twice in the film he deliberately replaces the verb form of the f-bomb with "bang."

Sandler is the real showstopper though. Simmons basically is Sandler. There are bits from Simmons' movies shown throughout the film that closely resemble some of the career choices Sandler himself has made. Apatow goes a step further by mixing in actual footage of the real Sandler doing stand-up, goofing around in NYC and making prank calls - the two were roommates in the 80s. At times, it is difficult not to wonder if we are seeing Sandler's real pain in this eerie self portrait.

The only times Rogen and Sandler are a bit disappointing are the stand-up scenes. These scenes, which were aired during the "Inside Funny People" special on Comedy Central, were mostly unscripted and filmed in front of a live audience which sometimes can bring out the Rogen in Wright and the Sandler in Simmons. This tiny break of character is brief and is not too bothersome, though.

The supporting cast is also nothing short of spectacular. The scene where Eric Bana ("Star Trek") explains the sport of Australian Rules Football (or "footie") is absolutely side-splitting. In addition, a Best Cameo Award goes to both Eminem and Ray Romano, who have a brief, yet, hilarious conversation in the film.

Apatow has always strived for balance in his films. During the Comedy Central special, he admits to worrying about "how to avoid being too sentimental while also avoiding being too corny." His dialogue mixes in a fair amount of wit with an equal amount of middle school penis jokes that he said during a "Daily Show" appearance "are endless and will always be funny."

This is what sets Apatow apart from his unworthy adversaries made up of the rest of today's comedy directors. He actually takes a stab at including legitimate cinematic aspects such as theme and structure, all the while, keeping the audience laughing their asses off. In some scenes the transition from a funny situation to a serious one is so sudden it is possible to feel awful for laughing in the first place. This has been true for his first two movies, but more so for "Funny People." He wants the audience to have fun with Simmons, his illness and his struggle to regain happiness. After all, laughter is the best medicine.

4 out of 5 stars

It may be strange to hear the familiar lyrics of "Na-na-na/ Hey hey hey/ Goodbye" drifting from the speakers, but when it's revamped by Kristinia Debarge in her single, "Goodbye," it works. This break-up anthem proves she has the potential to be compared to the pop soulfulness of the young JoJo with the maturity of a Latina Beyonce.

According to her biography on her label's Web site (Island Def Jam), DeBarge's debut album, Exposed was created with the intention for girls to hear it and "feel beautiful, smart, and a catch."

DeBarge's sound is very deep with an ounce of pop influence to top it off. She also has a great harmonizing ability, which makes the album sound less of an individual artist and more of a girl group. Nevertheless, DeBarge has the capability of becoming more than a one hit wonder.

A trending theme on the album is the break up, which at her age and targeted audience seems appropriate enough. Along with her hit, "Goodbye," she focuses on making men feel vulnerable (and not the other way around) in her song "Powerless." She cutely plays off of the title with lyrics like "Now that your circuit is blown/ In the dark and you alone/ Taking out your fuses/ Now You're just useless." The result is an angry ex-girlfriend song with techno music backing up the lyrics.

The album follows this journey of waiting for romance, having that great love, realizing your boyfriend is a jerk, and then leaving him. Basically, a hit for teenagers and young adults who can closely relate to the relationship messages she conveys.

The extremely pop sounding "Future Love" sounds like a hit for preteens and their hairbrush microphones. However, DeBarge just seems a little too old for some of the lyrics that are the album. She seems to be more energized with her breakup anthems like "Goodbye" and "Powerless." However, after your adrenaline calms down from the intensity of relationship mishaps, there are the hopeful relationship songs with "Doesn't Everybody Want to Fall in Love." Featuring a light piano introduction and string orchestra, it's a break from her electronically mixed background beats. With lyrics such as "I know you don't think I know enough/ But doesn't everybody want to fall in love," DeBarge directly addresses how her age influences the topics behind her songs.

"Died in Your Eyes," one of DeBarge's slower love songs, has a breathy start with her voice sounding very young but her musicality strengthens in the chorus with her reliance on harmonizing with her back-up singers or voice tracks. It has a different message in the lyrics with admittance of needing someone versus telling an ex-boyfriend to beat it.

DeBarge's album Exposed fits the mold for a first album. It hits its audience of teenagers and young adult females with the radio-charting songs and overall pop sound.

Debarge also leaves us with a lot to look forward to. After Exposed's young feel, fans should expect a mature sophomore album that further reflects her musical ability. Once those lyrics stop being so bubble-gum pop, she'll give the pop divas of today a run for their money.

3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Ashley Tisdale's sophomore album, Guilty Pleasure, was an attempt at maturity for the Disney Channel star, yet, the end product was more guilt stricken than pleasurable. Her sound definitely got darker - as did her hair color - however, the album needs work overall.

Tisdale's tone certainly needs better breath support as her softer introductions sound mediocre. In her mid-20s, Tisdale's chosen topics for song lyrics are also a little questionable, but in her defense, she is trying to relate to 12-year-olds so sugarcoating everything may be necessary. The pop sound is just a little too sweet at times that it makes some songs sound almost less sincere. "It's Alright, It's OK," a track featured on MTV as well as shows like "The Hills," has a fun, upbeat, almost giddy melody that may leave listeners confused once they realize the song is actually about a breakup.

"Blame It On the Beat," which sounds like it was influenced by Lady Gaga or the recent Britney Spears album, fits a girls' night out theme with the lyrics, "Screaming to my girls 'yeah let's just get wild'/Let's set off a chain reaction/Forgive me I can't stop dancing." Another song that fits the album title is "Hair," featuring an upbeat sound and the suggestive lyrics, "when you run your fingers through my hair in the morning," which could be a little above the heads of the young Disney Channel audience that predominantly make up her fans.

Breaking away from her carefree, fun songs, Tisdale features a darker, more serious tone in "How Do You Love Someone." The song still has a pop feel to it, however, it is more relatable with lyrics talking about how someone's life growing up influences the decisions they make later on. It is definitely one of Tisdale's more prominent tracks on the album and could potentially be a single due to a fuller tone and great harmonizing chords in the chorus.

Another dark song on the album combines suggestive lyrics like "Here's my formal invitation, let's go masquerading" and attitude with Tisdale's older version of relationship ballads. Regardless of whether Tisdale intended for "masquerading" to be an innuendo or not, her lyrics definitely became raunchier. Tisdale will unquestionably surprise audiences on that factor alone. It makes a few of the songs definitely a guilty pleasure, which fits the title perfectly.

The more mature relationship themes come out in songs like "Me Without You." With lyrics like, "When I'm my own worst enemy/You make me feel beautiful/when I have nothing left to prove," the song definitely fits more with an older audience.

Ashley Tisdale's sound definitely "grew up" some with Guilty Pleasure, but, unfortunately, it is still in a pubescent stage. Her reliance on bubblegum pop melodies keeps her back, because most of those songs are less than mediocre with lyrics that are made of fluff. While this could be a result of Tisdale transitioning back and forth between a rock sound and a pop sound when she is known as a pop artist, it makes some songs enjoyable while others ruin the album.

2 stars out of 5