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Every week Apple adds tons of new media content on iTunes — music, books, movies and more. It's impossible to keep up with all of it, but it's not impossible to pick out the very best. Here they are! This week we've got a new album from one of the 1980's biggest pop bands, the retelling of the story of one of Disney's most notorious villains, a biography from famed Monty Python member John Cleese and more!
Big Music - Simple Minds
Most people associated Simple Minds with their mid-80s anthem Don't You, made famous from The Breakfast Club soundtrack. But Simple Minds, formed in 1977, has been plugging away ever since. They've released 16 albums over the years, culminating with this week's release of Big Music. The songs live up to the name — there is some epic arrangement and production on here worthy of arena performances, with really big synth and drums, great guitar work from Charlie Burchill and Jim Kerr crooning. Simple Minds is still crafting pop that's instantly recognizable as Simple Minds, updated for the times.
- $11.99 - Download now
It's hard to argue that the Doobies were one of the most influential rock bands of the 1970s, purveyors of a rock sound with a strong country influence that found its way into millions of homes, selling tens of millions of records over the decades. Southbound embraces their country sound head-on, with collaborations with some of country music's biggest stars today. This is no cover album, though: They're duets with an all-star band accompaniment. The Zac Brown Band opens up the disc with Black Water, and Blake Shelton sings Listen to the Music (with Hunter Hayes lending his guitar talents to the track). Michael McDonald shares the vocals on Sara Evans on What A Fool Believes. 13 tracks like that in all — Vince Gill, Brad Paisley, and others make appearances.
- $9.99 - Download now
The story of one of Disney's most enduring villians, retold. Angelina Jolie stars in the story of Malificent, the wicked witch at the heart of the Sleeping Beauty tale. Turns out she wasn't always evil, but love and betrayal at the hands of none other than Princess Aurora's father has led her down a very dark path indeed — one that includes revenge. Jolie eats up the screen in the title role. Also available to buy for $19.99.
- $5.99 - Rent now
A documentary about Nigerian composer and political activist Fela Kuti. Creator of the Afrobeat sound, Kuti was born into a family of means. He transformed from just a performer of music into a political maverick, focused on raising the consciousness of the people he was performing for, and transformed an entire region in the process.
- $4.99 - Rent now
No, not that miserable movie with Keanu Reeves. Constantine is the story of John Constantine, an expert exorcist and demonologist who's struggling to save his own soul from damnation — and to save mankind from the forces of darkness as well. Based on DC Comics' Hellblazer comic book series, and airing nightly on Friday on NBC. Catch up on what you've missed and download some other free content, too.
- $8.97 - Download now
King's latest supernatural thriller weaves a tale that intertwines the story of two horribly broken people — a heroin-addicted itinerant musician and an ex-minister he knew as a child, who thinks he can harness "a secret electricity" to catch a glimpse of a world beyond our own. It doesn't come out until the first week of November, but you can download a free sample now and pre-order it if you wish.
- $12.99 - Preorder now
The comedic master who, as part of Monty Python's Flying Circus, has entertained us for decades, tells his own story. His childhood, his college years, his promising track as a law student, and the meeting with BBC executives that would change his life forever.
- $11.99 - Download now
There are my media picks for this week. What have you found in iTunes that you love? Let me know in the comments.
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