BY JOHN M. JAMES

Two state-of-the-art technologies come together this week in Flash Frames: The Best of Internet Animation, a DVD/CD-ROM release that shows off the best of do-it-yourself Flash animation. The DVD is the perfect showcase -- there's no slow loading for your tiny computer screen, with the vivid clips rolling right out, each one more mesmerizing than the last. The high resolution of the animation looks great on the TV screen, with 5.1 surround sound worthy of the musical artists involved, like Supreme Beings of Leisure, The Januaries, Diffuser, Todd Rundgren and DJ Spooky. These videos are delightfully clever, from sweeping the screen in stark, monochrome hues, to the E.C. Comics-inspired "A Piece of Candy" by the band 58. Filling out the 140-minute running time are handfuls of fascinating digital "business cards" from more than 30 worldwide media artists who created all this magic, and other Web-animation hijinks ranging from Joe Cartoon and Mr. Wong, to dogs playing poker, and Fritter, a substance abusing clown pining for Bacon Bits. These new visions of music dancing on the pixilated landscape are the future of homegrown possibility. ... The Rykodisc label has announced they're soon to reissue four seminal albums from The Replacements, re-mastered for the first time since their 1980s release. Due Sept. 3 are Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out the Trash, Stink, Hootenanny and Let It Be. But I'm more tickled over the other Rykodisc news, that later next month the label will issue Finally the Punk Rockers are Taking Acid: 1983-1988, a three-CD retrospective of The Flaming Lips' 1980s experiments in the Oklahoma glue factory on the tweaked side of the tracks. The collection pulls together their psychedelic album trifecta -- Hear It Is, Oh My Gawd!!! and Telepathic Surgery -- newly re-mastered alongside over 20 rare demos and live tracks. One potential highlight is the promise of their cover of Neil Young's "After the Gold Rush." Hold on tight to the carrousel, my friends, as the ride's not over yet. In the first week of October, Rykodisc drops The Day They Shot a Hole in the Jesus Egg, a two-CD set that updates the Lips' 1990 classic In a Priest Driven Ambulance, and the Unconsciously Screamin' EP. More bonus nuggets are scattered about, like the rare SubPop 7-inch single B-side "Strychnine"/"Peace, Love & Understanding," which mashes The Sonics with Elvis Costello.

Releases Coming Tuesday
And like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change... The Action ­ Rolled Gold (Reaction/Parasol) rare demos from this 1960s psychedelic Mod band; Bernard Allison ­ Storms of Life (Tone-Cool) new from the Blues guitarist with covers of Mark Knopfler's "I Think I Love You Too Much" and ZZ Top's "I Wanna Drive You Home"; Camper Van Beethoven ­ Tusk (Pitch-A-Tent) a track-by-track reinterpretation of the Fleetwood Mac classic double album; Cold ­ Year Of the Spider (Flip/Interscope); Dag Nasty ­ Minority of One (Revelation); Marianne Faithfull ­ Kissin' Time (Virgin) with guests Beck, Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins and Jarvis Cocker of Pulp; Jay Farrar ­ ThirdShiftGrottoSlack (Artemis) new EP from the Son Volt and Uncle Tupelo co-founder; Steve Forbert ­ More Young, Guitar Days (Rolling Tide) collection of alternative versions and live recordings; Kay Hanley ­ Cherry Marmalade (Zoe) solo debut from the former Letters To Cleo vocalist; Mike Keneally ­ Wooden Smoke (Exowax); The Last Poets ­ The Last Poets (Fuel 2000) reissue of this groundbreaking foundation of Rap and gritty urban storytelling; Branford Marsalis ­ Footsteps of Our Fathers (Rounder) with covers of John Coltrane's "A Love Supreme" and Ornette Coleman's "Giggin'"; Nerf Herder ­ American Cheese (Honest Don's) featuring the track "Mr. Spock"; The Pogues ­ Streams of Whiskey (Sanctuary) live in Switzerland 1991; Sick Of It All ­ Live In a Dive (Fat Wreck Chords) recorded at San Francisco's Bottom of the Hill, enhanced with three CD-ROM video tracks; Sparta ­ Wiretap Scars (Dreamworks) all new from these former At the Drive-In members; Ronnie Wood ­ Not For Beginners (Steamhammer).

E-mail John M. James

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