In Theaters: 'Rambo'

"Rambo" can best be described in two words: Blow'd up.

Rather than crafting a well thought-out script, Sly Stallone decided that John Rambo's latest adventure should just be about blood, violence and things getting blow'd up.

Not that there's anything wrong with that. In fact, the 93-minute flick is like a shoot-em-up video game, jam packed with badass action sequences where Rambo and his band of mercenaries slaughter the evil Burmese soldiers.

True, the acting's bad, the dialogue's lame and the violence is graphic – in one scene, Rambo rips out one of the bad guy's throat – but it's exactly what's expected when coming into a new Rambo movie.

No longer is John Rambo struggling with the notion that he was trained to be a killing machine. Instead he accepts and seemingly embraces it. It's who he is, and with that it makes for a much more entertaining viewing.

"Rambo" is not a piece of art; It's a guilty pleasure. It's nonstop action and over-the-top violence. And in the middle of Oscar season, it's a welcome mind-numbing breather in between watching the heavy, thought-proviking nominees.

Album review: Jinx, schminx, ‘We Brave Bee Stings And All’ shows sophomore success

Superstitions hold no power over Thao Nguyen.

In the Virginia-raised singer-songwriter’s second studio album, We Brave Bee Stings And All, Nguyen avoids the dreaded sophomore jinx and creates a body of work that far surpasses her initial endeavor. Her intricate lyrics and toe-tappinig melodies are laced across the 11-track alt-folk rock compilation.

The album opens with “Beat (Health, Life And Fire),” featuring Nguyen’s breathy, sustained vocals that lead sweet marxophone plucks over marching snares. Simple electronic guitar riff and a subdued trombone complement, creating a fully bodied sound.

“Yes, So On And So On” is a tranquil tune with simple guitar strums and piano hits lazily carrying the melody. Her lyrics about learning life’s lessons are among the best on the CD: “Loved large enough / To want to shrink / Been dumb enough / To start to think.”

The best song on the album is the chipper “Bag of Hammers.” Its bright, light-hearted guitar plucks and soft beat-boxing, produce a foot-stomping cadence over soothing euphony. But Nguyen’s lyrics invoke images of a scorned woman coming out of a relationship: “And as sharp as I sing / As sharp as I sting / It still soothes you doesn’t it / Like the lick of ice cream.”

Some artists struggle to produce anything worth listening to after their debut, but like a banjo-wielding bard slaying a high-level boss, Nguyen has leveled up and refined her skills in We Brave Bee Stings And All. The album’s thoughtful, melodic poetry carries the same impact no matter how many times they’re heard.

For more information about Thao with the Get Down Stay Down, visit http://www.thaomusic.com.

Album review: 'Slanted Eyes, Slanted Hearts' is a pleasing blend of old-school dance style and modern elements

It's been about two decades since synthpop was at the height of its popularity and groups such as Depeche Mode and New Order were leading the charge.

Just don't tell that to The Slants.

The Portland, Ore.-based band brings back the old-school electronic sound in their debut album, Slanted Eyes, Slanted Hearts. Taking the traditionally synthesizer-heavy music, they infuse rock and punk elements with a bit of Asian flare to produce an aurally captivating 11-track compilation.

Playing off their Asian theme, the album opens with the dance track, "Sakura Sakura." It begins with koto plucks that play the traditional Japanese folk song. Drum beats enter and slowly speed up until rich synths and electric guitars take over. Lead singer Aron Moxley's belts out heavy lyrics about overcoming discrimination in the CD's most racially charged song: "We sing for the Japanese and the Chinese/ and all the dirty knees, can you see me?/ We sing in harmony."

In "Haruki Murakami," Jen Cho reads an excerpt from one of the Japanese author's pieces. The passage is laid over echoing bell strikes, bright synths and bassy hums. It segues into the next track, "Love Within My Sins," which featuring a melodic bassline and sweet harmonies by Cho and Moxley.

The best song on the album is the catchy "Kokoro (I Fall To Pieces)." It begins with a percussive medley of kicks as a simple bassline enters. Hollow, resonating hits make up the melody as Moxley's vocals enter. The song's wide variety of sounds creates a rich blend that fills aural spectrum.

While most new bands require a grace period before being able to produce a cohesive sound, The Slants – who formulated their lineup in early 2007 – sound like they've been playing together for years. Slanted Eyes, Slanted Hearts is a rich collection of head-nodding, feet-stomping dance tracks that will attract old and new synthpop fans alike.

Three and a half stars out of four. For more information, visit http://www.theslants.com.