I'm most interested in these latter two releases: U2's PopMart and the Vedder soundtrack. Part of me wants the expanded August, but I'm on the fence. That was a great album but I'm not sure the goodies are good enough to get me to take one out the door. Do you know if it's been remastered, or has it just had the extras appended to it?

The Wikipedia entry says it is, but I can't find that anywhere else. I would be surprised if it's not, but it doesn't really need it. The live show on disc 2, however, should be pretty spectacular, if other live shows I've heard are any indication.

Vedder's album is fantastic, but very short - 33 minutes (and that includes a "hidden" bonus song after the last track. Very much like Pearl Jam's newer material when it gets slower and quieter. A must-have for PJ fans.

I initially thought I could wait on Popmart, but I looked at it at Best Buy yesterday ($19.99 - you may have to pricematch it against their own website) I realized I really wanted it. Scratch that: need it.

i know best buy has some nice prices, but the place itself is just depressing. can't stand it.

is there not an indepedent record store around for you to support?

Zing, I hate Best Buy as you do. I have nearly stopped doing any business with them. I happened to have a coupon, cash, and they had cheapass prices on the two items I went and bought.

There isn't an indie store nearby for me. I have to drive two hours to Nashville to find a good one, and that's just out of the question except for occasional special trips. Like I said, I'm opposed to Best Buy and have nearly stopped doing business there because they're evil but I'm not about to pay more for my music at an indie store for the sake of "supporting them." Shit, someone needs to support me!

I've taken nearly all my business to Amazon. They have the advantage of not being a physical place with annoying people, their prices are usually good, and their selection is solid.

I just confirmed the August deluxe edition is remastered. I saw it on the shelves at SatanBestBuy and there is a sticker on the packaging that says it was re-mastered. I'm intrigued. Remastered sound and bonus tracks might make something I need to purchase.

I've listened to the Vedder soundtrack once through and am on the second listen. It's really good, I like it. It is short, but the "sketch" approach to these songs makes it more of a strength than a weakness.

I also picked up my copy of PopMart. I can't wait to go home and watch that.

Zingzing, the indie stores around me stock hardly any new releases. Best Buy actually stocks more than they do, but for the most part I've given up buying locally due to frustrations with lack of products and also just plain due to time limitations. I just don't have the time I used to - I can't drive around to 4 or 5 different stores hoping to find what I want. I know many want to blame the big stores, but I've been witnessing this change for many years now - it's the indie stores that have screwed themselves by being so exclusive that they lost the mainstream buyers, and then flip-flopping and overstocking mainstream items to attract back that crowd, long after they'd forgotten about them. Now they concentrate on used stuff, for the most part, but they maintain a painfully bad selection of titles. I think things are different in bigger, more concentrated cities, and older, more established areas, but the Phoenix area is seriously lacking in small shops of any kind. We are a franchise city, if anything. "Mom and pop" stores are not the cherished commodity like they are in most places - and when we do have them, they are overpriced "boutique" shops that cater to the "Snotsdale" crowd. It's sad, but it's just a symptom of the way things developed here.

Most (all?) of the major reviewers love Vedder's album. Those that don't or are mixed, from what I can see, come from a few less than renowned critics.

The fans love it. Eddie Vedder will always have detractors. He's too strong an artist not to leave a strong impression (which some can take and others leave) and his politics upset some and cause others to adore him all the more.

While I understand the observation of "simple" applied to this album, I believe it is misplaced. A careful listening reveals many details, and short does not equate to simple, or easy. The work is inspired, which might be why it seems so easy and simple on first listens, but it is neither.

It might have been easy for him to create, but I don't think that translates into easy for another to do the same.

Eddie Vedder's original songs for Pearl Jam are some of their most fierce. It's nice to hear him this way. It's a welcome change.

Serverless, I've seen some mixed reviews myself. For example, AllMusic gave the album 2.5 stars.

I happen to like the album very much -- bought it yesterday -- but Tom is right that it's not being universally hailed.

No, I'm going to stick with "simple," Serverless. "Complex" music would be King Crimson, or Frank Zappa, or pretty much any real jazz. This is simple music - it's easy to listen to and enjoy and doesn't require any particular effort on the part of the listener to do so. Don't make the mistake that many do and assume that "simple" is meant as an insult. Did you not read the rest of the entry where I praised it?