In a nation where media hype is stirring anxiety about a very difficult-to-catch virus into near-panic, it's good to laugh, and especially good to laugh at our own fears.

'Odd Birdz' combines a hint of vaudeville and a touch of the Marx Brothers with moments of zany 'Laugh-In'-era humor and a dose of performance-art archness.

Composer John Adams led the musicians in Beethoven, Stravinsky, and his own "Absolute Jest," a wonderful new work by a composer at the top of his game.

The composer integrated modern 20th century styles and folk music from North Africa and elsewhere in his six string quartets.

This comedy inspired by Federico Fellini's filmmaking foibles and womanizing ways starts amusingly, but ultimately disappoints.

Plus a new children's holiday album from Farmer Jason (of Jason and the Scorchers), a concert DVD from Depeche Mode, and a reissued lost classic from The Byrds' Gene Clark.

From Idina Menzel to Earth, Wind & Fire, the season is busting out all over with new Christmas albums for your holiday-party playlist.

This eclectic collection proves that even with her rough attitudinal edges, this vampy blues singer is an interpreter of the top rank.

Three new albums in different styles all hark back to the 1970s in different ways.

Inspired by 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?', this new production from Slightly Altered States is absurd, emotionally acute, Python-esque, brilliantly acted, and ultimately incomprehensible.