Top picks: Randy Bachman on the radio, 'Breadcrumb Trail' app, Kings of Leon's 'Come Around Sundown,' and more
Still takin' care of business
Coming in a close third in Canada's musical affections behind icons Neil Young and Joni Mitchell is guitar slinger Randy Bachman (yes, the "Takin' Care of Business" guy). The affable rock 'n' roll veteran of The Guess Who and later Bachman-Turner Overdrive hosts a way-cool weekly radio show, "Randy Bachman's Vinyl Tap," on CBC Radio One and Sirius Satellite Radio (Channel 137) on Saturday nights at 7 ET. Each two-hour show has a theme, and Bachman often sings and plays along. Listen online (randysvinyltap.com/main.php) and catch up on past shows, such as his fabulous Oct. 9 John Lennon birthday tribute.
Breadcrumb trail
This iPhone app makes remembering small experiences or even big ones (a perfect lobster bisque at a tiny bistro) simple. Just drop a "crumb" on the map and add a note or photo (99 cents).
Kings for more than a day
In a follow-up to their inescapable 2008 hit "Only by the Night," the Kings of Leon's latest album, "Come Around Sundown," offers ample singalong choruses and big hooks fueled by Caleb Followill's plaintive vocals. Accents such as fiddle, organ, and trumpet make for a rich sound. First single "Radioactive" references U2 with verve and without sounding like a knockoff, while the twangy rock revival stomp of "Back Down South" seems destined to elicit call-and-response shoutfests in packed basketball arenas for years to come. "Mary," with its swooning swagger, could melt the coldest of hearts.
A special special-effects company
The backbone of modern special effects in Hollywood is George Lucas's legendary company. In "ILM – Industrial Light & Magic: Creating the Impossible," the Encore cable channel tells the ILM story in a narrative chock-full of big names (Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard, Robin Williams) and narrated by Tom Cruise. Airs Nov. 12 at 9 p.m. and again on Nov. 13 and 14.
The book of Genesis: discuss.
Another of the great Bill Moyers's interview series now arrives on DVD. Prominent writers, artists, and theologians of various faiths (including scholar Elaine Pagels, theologian Karen Armstrong, and novelist Mary Gordon) sit down with the journalist to discuss their perspectives on the Book of Genesis and the greatest stories ever told from Adam and Eve to Noah and beyond. "Genesis: A Living Conversation" arrives from Athena on Nov. 9.
In your chair, on the road
"Migrations," by photographer and musician Donald McCrea, is a road-trip book that puts music to the pictures of 16 celebrated photographers – each with their own tableau of the modern American landscape. McCrea's soundtrack (included with the book) shifts from jazzy blues to a Beach Boys-inspired harmony while our eyes take in the scenery beyond the rolled-down windows – at turns comical, poignant, infuriating, or dreamy. Download the MP3s, plug in the iPod, and pretend your chair has fins.
