Dadnabbit

CD Review: Various Artists, “Putumayo Presents A Family Christmas”

Putumayo’s countless compilations of mall-friendly world music would be eminently mockable even if the company hadn’t been sent up so memorably on Seinfeld, but you’ve got to hand it to them — these folks know how to put together a nifty mix CD. Their umpteenth holiday compilation, A Family Christmas, breaks the label’s strenuously pan-cultural stereotype, instead serving up a tasty souffle of high-quality yuletide music while still managing to stay... Read More

Blu-ray Review: “Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure”

It may have taken Disney more than 50 years to give Peter Pan’s spunky sidekick her own feature, but now that they’ve kicked off the Tinker Bell film franchise, they’re through fooling around: Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure arrives only a year after 2008′s Tinker Bell, and comes complete with the kind of top-shelf voice cast (including a cameo from Anjelica Huston) and big-budget extras (including a score performed by an 82-piece symphony) that used... Read More

CD Review: The Hipwaders, “A Kindie Christmas”

If you’re one of those people who breaks out in a cold sweat any time the words “Christmas music” are uttered before Thanksgiving, you’re probably not in any hurry to read about this holiday season’s new musical offerings — particularly of the kid-friendly variety — but you needn’t fear A Kindie Christmas, the 10-song yuletide collection from the Hipwaders: Santa puts in plenty of appearances, sure, but the band keeps the sleigh... Read More

CD Review: Leeny and Tamara, “Sharing the Same Stars”

If you remember Be Nice, the 2008 debut from Leeny and Steve, you’ll be interested to learn that Leeny has swapped partners — she’s now half of Leeny and Tamara — and undergone a huge sonic upgrade for the recently released Sharing the Same Stars. Stars boasts some sharp production (and instrumental work) from Art Hays, who gives these songs a more layered, fleshed-out feel than their predecessors — and the songs themselves are a little more advanced,... Read More

“C’mon” and get a free download from Renee & Jeremy!

We’ve been fans of Renee & Jeremy since they released their stellar first album, It’s a Big World, in 2007 — and we’re pleased as punch to have our hands on an advance copy of the follow-up, C’mon, due out next month. Sadly, the Dadnabbit offices aren’t big enough to host a listening party for the planet, but here’s the next best thing: a free download of a song from the new album, given away by Renee & Jeremy themselves! Grab... Read More

DVD Review: “Monsters vs. Aliens: Ginormous Double Pack”

DreamWorks Animation has long been pegged as Pixar’s dumber, more obnoxious cousin — and quite often, the studio’s shabby rep is deserved: if you’re looking for a brightly colored CGI spectacle stuffed full of pop culture gags and fart noises, chances are, whatever DreamWorks has on the menu will scratch your itch. If, on the other hand, you want to show your kids a piece of animation with a ton of lasting value, then you’re probably going to come... Read More

Blu-ray Review: “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory”

Synopsis: A poor little boy wins a ticket to visit the inside of a mysterious and magical chocolate factory. When he experiences the wonders inside the factory, the boy discovers that the entire visit is a test of his character. A movie about a wild-eyed reclusive madman who sends the entire world into a candy-scrabbling frenzy as part of an elaborate mindfuck culminating in the transfer of his candy empire to a child, 1971′s Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is one... Read More