Bloglander

Each week we delve into the new music and home video releases and find the best of the bunch. It's the Tuesday Taste, and this week's has a few delicious morsels for you. 

MUSIC
No doubt the hardcore Wu-Tang fans still recovering from their half-assed recent release might look for something better from Raekwon's new solo disc, and Guided by Voices fans this week can delve into another solo set from bandleader Robert Pollard. Oh, and the new Zac Brown Band album will probably sell a zillion or so copies to people who dig that burley dude's country-rock stylings.

I'll pass on that one. And next week has a ridiculous amount of great new releases, so saving money is better than buying questionable releases. There is one release this week worth particular attention, though, and it comes from Blur, with a set called The Magic Whip. The Damon Albarn-led crew has been gone a while, but you can bet the same groovy, pop-rock sensibilities Albarn brought to Gorillaz and his solo work will show up on this one. Here's a taste of a new tune called "There Are Too Many of Us": 

MOVIES & TV
The mainstream releases include the awful Jennifer Lopez vehicle The Boy Next Door, and the movie version of Paddington, the cute little bear. But there are some much better options for you: 

Inherent Vice is the film adaptation of the Thomas Pynchon novel of the same name, and since it was released in the midst of the holiday movie season, you might not have taken the time to see this gauzy Cali caper, generally well-received by critics, starring Joaquin Phoenix, Benicia Del Toro, Jena Malone and many more. Here's a little sample of the goods: 

Last Days in Vietnam is a brilliant Oscar-nominated documentary directed by Rory Kennedy and looking at the, yes, last days of America's role in the Vietnam War. It's disturbing to see what our country did to the people who trusted our intentions in Asia, and this movie is an important addition to the history of the times. Here's a look: