Talking Heads
Stop Making Sense
Blu-ray

Celebrated as one of the greatest concert films of all time (alongside movies such as The Last Waltz), Stop Making Sense captivates again in this 25h anniversary Blu-ray release. Director Jonathan Demme created a sense of intimacy and greater scope, and frontman David Byrne was never more dynamic in a set that’s a best-of up for the band, including the definitive “Burning Down the House,” a gripping “Life During Wartime,” a swirlin’ “Once in a Lifetime,” the herky-jerky bop of “Girlfriend Is Better,” and the group’s liquid rendition of Al Green’s “Take Me To The River.” Bonus material here includes press conference; bonus tracks “Cities,” “Big Business” and the rhythmic “I Zimbra”; band and Demme commentary; and storyboards.  Plus, there’s an option for various audio mixes. Five stars and more for this one.

Jethro Tull
Living With the Past
DVD + CD

Reissuing the decade-old video and album as a DVD and CD combo, Living With the Past is a warts-and-all look back at some Jethro Tull history, contrasted by what was then the current band line-up in concert.  Of course, you’ll find the forever-staples “Aqualung” and “Locomotive Breath,” as well as a slice of “Thick as Brick” and the Bach variation of “Bouree.” But some of the best numbers include less-famous songs, such as “Roots to Branches” or “Jack in the Green.” There’s a reunion of the original Tull quartet line-up from 1968 that’s loose and good-natured, plus they play “My Sunday Feeling” together.  In bonus collaborations, Tull leader Ian Anderson joins Fairport Convention (featuring one-time ’80s and early ’90s Tull bassist Dave Pegg) for “John Barleycorn,” and he guests with Urish Heep during “Blind Eye.”  The collection also includes outtakes, gaffs and such, a “Virtual Ticket Window,” Anderson PSA’s for Deep Vein Thrombosis, and the CD offers some songs not found on the DVD, including the hypnotic “Haberno Reel,” jigging “In the Grip of Stronger Stuff,” and the baroque rock of “Mother Goose.”  A very welcome reissue, indeed.

Soundstage Presents Ringo Starr and the Roundheads
Eagle Rock
E1

Ah, the ever-lovable Ringo.  Performing at the historic Genesee Theatre in Waukegan, Illinois, it’s an assortment of Beatles tunes and Ringo solo hits, plus a few you may or may not know.  Best among them are the opening “It Don’t Come Easy,” “Octopus’s Garden,” “Photo Graph,” “Yellow Submarine” and “With a Little Help From my Friends.”  Ringo is up front at the mic and also takes to the drums too (we would expect no less, right?).  Men at Work’s Colin Hay takes the spotlight for “Who Can It Be Now” — kind of out of place but okay, really.  This one’s an easy-going pleasure cruise of nostalgia; not as good as old Beatle clips and such, but still has some fun moments.

Quincy Jones’s 75th Birthday Celebration: Live At Montreux 2008
Eagle Rock
Blu-ray

Celebrating the 75th brithday of musician/bandleader/composer/producer Quincy Jones, this special Swiss concert features numerous guests coming on board to pay tribute to a music icon (whose b-day is the same as mine, though I’m much…ahem, younger). Patti Austin, Herbie Hancock, Joe Sample, Freda Payne, Mick Hucknall of Simply Red, Petula Clark, Paolo Nutini and Al Jarreau are among those who appear on stage with Jones and his band. The numbers range from “Let the Good Times Roll,” “Honeysuckle Rose,” and “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” on Disc 1, to “How Do You Keep the Music Playing,” “State of Independence ,” “Ai No Corrida,” and an all-star, how-many-people-can-you-fit-up-there “Stuff Like That.”  It’s a grand celebration — unpretentious and full of heart.  Happy birthday to “Q” every year.

Jamiroquai: Live at Montreux 2003
Eagle Rock
Blu-ray

Jay K. of Jamiroquai has always wanted to be Stevie Wonder, basically…and he does a pretty good job of it.  But the band in this Live at Montreux performance takes a heavy- (metal) handed approach too often and loses the funkiness that made the music appealing, hit-wise, in the first place.  ”Use the Force” is on the cheesy side, though much later, “Cosmic Girl” has some spirit, as does ”Love Foolosophy.”  Horns are MIA and the guitars are over-cranked through much of the set, which may well disappoint fans of the band from the ’90s.

Short Shots:

U2
Rock Crusade
Infinity

Though, yes, “unauthorized,” U2 Rock Crusade does a fair job of looking at the band from its friendship beginnings to becoming the biggest group in the world and carrying ideals — especially voiced through lead singer Bono — with them. In fact, it’s mostly about him. The Edge says little, and Larry Mullen, Jr and Adam Clayton nothing at all, really.  It also jumps around all over the place with little structure and semblance of order — still more of a cash-in than crafted documentary.

Green Day
The Boys Are Back in Town
Video Music

From punks to major rock ‘n’ roll band of legend live. An okay documentay, but The Boys Are Back in Town is “unauthorized,” meaning you don’t get truly great clips of music.

The Beatles
Rare and Unseen
MVD

“Rare” clips are the supposed highlights of this set, with comments from the likes of Phil Collins (and young extra in “A Hard Day’s Night” and fellow Beatles Merseybeat musicians Gerry Marsden). Beatles Rare and Unseen is for true believers/collectors only.

Mr. Rock ‘n’ Roll: The Alan Freed Story
Vivendi

Alan Freed is still considered one of the most important — if not the most important — DJ of the rock ‘n’ roll era, back when DJs mattered and did more than blather (Seacrest, over and out, sorry). This bio-pic, starring Judd Nelson, isn’t the best profile and attempts to over-inject drama and seems to play around with fact and fiction regarding Freed.