US – Tuesday, March 16

Best of The Word

The week's releases

Metro staff reviews the latest CDs, DVDs and books for your reading pleasure.

My Music New York

Quite the bright, Buble personality

For three very successful records, Michael Buble has reinterpreted standards. But when it came to last fall’s hit album, “Crazy Love,” the pop/jazz singer decided it was time to start telling his own stories and included two originals, including the Sinatra-esque “Haven’t Met You Yet.”

The return from being a ‘Runaway’

Cherie Currie’s name may not be as immediately recognizable as Joan Jett’s, but with this week’s release of “The Runaways” movie —which stars Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning — a new generation is sure to learn at least one thing: Madonna wasn’t the first blond bombshell to don a corset while rocking the mic. Currie did it first.

When history books really do suck: Old Abe meets the vampires

Although it strikes most people as an usual combination, vampires and Abraham Lincoln seemed like a perfectly natural pairing to “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” author Seth Grahame-Smith.

Valerie Harper gets ‘Looped,’ dahling

Tallulah Bankhead was as much of a character as she was an actress. Although she set the screen on fire in such films as Alfred Hitchcock’s “Lifeboat” and garnered rave reviews on Broadway, her scandalous personal life — and her witty take on her indiscretions — made her a legend. Valerie Harper takes on Bankhead in her twilight years in the new Broadway production of “Looped.”

Published 22:42, November the 9th, 2009

Paltrow

Paltrow

Paltrow, Kidman go manly

According to Variety, Gwyneth Paltrow has signed on to star as the wife of the first post-operative transsexual (played by Nicole Kidman) in the new film “The Danish Girl.” There’s no release date, but we have to ask: In the Oscar race, is portraying a post-op transsexual the new acting as a mentally disabled person?

The March MMMpod features conversation and music from Surfer Blood and The Allman Brothers Band (There's a double-bill you're not too likely to see. However, Gregg Allman does mention Hannah Montana!). We also speak with Vampire Weekend and the Dropkick Murphys.