“The Alchemy Index: Volumes I & II,” the latest two-disc album from post-hardcore rockers Thrice was released this past week. The album is the first half of two installments and every song on the discs feature classical elements.

p. This release focuses on fire and water. The second and final installment, with tracks inspired by earth and air, will be released next April. The concept is an ambitious one — releasing four discs of (hopefully) uniquely styled music in such a short period of time is a mammoth task.

p. If you’re unfamiliar with Thrice’s music, this album serves as a perfect sample. The band’s genre is difficult to pin down, given the dichotomous nature of the band’s music. To get an impression of it’s style, imagine a fusion of Thursday and Coldplay. While earlier albums consist of loud, head-banging punk-rock with nods to Aristotle, C.S. Lewis and other philosophers, Thrice’s last major release, “Vheissu,” was a significant change. Dropping the guitar distortion several notches and introducing traditional stringed instruments and a melancholy piano, the group showcased a more mellow side without altering the spirit of its music. The change was an important step forward, proving the band’s lasting power.

p. The first disc, “Fire,” is a call back to Thrice’s roots. Loaded with heavy guitar and plenty of lead-singer Dustin Kensrue’s iconic “scream-singing,” the songs are passionate and raw, as could be expected from an album inspired by fire.

p. The first track, “Firebreather,” is both fierce and energetic, but the lyrics are choppy and feel unsatisfying. Fortunately, the tune is addictive, and the ending chorus is fantastic.

p. “Burn the Fleet” is possibly the most traditional Thrice song on the album. It could seemlessly fit into any of the band’s pre-“Vheissu” recordings. It sounds positively tragic. The two guitars play different melodies, creating a very unique effect.

p. “The Flame Deluge” is definitely the kind of song that paints a picture. It could easily slide into the soundtrack of a war film, creating images of epic proportions. Kensrue’s singing is background to the melody here, making his lyrics nearly indiscernible. The effect is surprisingly enjoyable, and it proves to be an interesting and well-executed idea.

p. The second disc, “Water,” has more in common with Thrice’s last album, “Vheissu.” It features fewer guitars, more varied instrumentation and a rocking, wave-like feeling throughout each number. The vocals, in sharp contrast to “Fire,” are smooth, haunting and delicately harmonic.

p. The disc opens with “Digital Sea,” an electronic, beat-driven lament. The vocal distortion, present throughout the “Water” disc but most noticeable here, almost induces a trance.

p. Possibly the most interesting track on the album, “Night Diving,” is a six-minute instrumental piece with a slow and driving beat that crescendos into a powerful frenzy. Notably, the first instrumental piece is the band’s first. Near the end, the music gives the impression of surfacing from under water. The song fades into “The Whaler,” which carries the catchiest tune.

p. “Kings Upon the Main” is the final track and follows the formula of “Water” well. That’s the problem — it’s so formulaic, it’s bland. The vocals grasp at the eeriness that pervades the album, but they fall short. Kensrue’s singing on this track made me wonder if he received a lobotomy during recording. I think it’s the worst track on the album. It has no spirit, no fire — pun intended.

p. The unmentioned tracks were not bad, but just bland (not quite so much as “Kings Upon the Main,” however). On some tracks in “Fire,” the guitar became overwhelming and tended to drown out the tune. Likewise, in “Water,” the monotony of some of the songs made it hard for me to differentiate between them, which is never a good thing.

p. Overall though, the album is strong. More than half the songs are of great quality, and the rest aren’t bad — they just fail to meet the standard established by the others.

p. The rest of the Planeteers and myself can only hope “Earth” and “Air” have the same spirited heart Thrice put into “Fire” and “Water.”

p. Damn. And I almost made it through this entire review without a “Captain Planet” reference, too.

Possibly one of the more unlikely developments on the indie scene is the growing popularity of Beirut, a band whose musical influences consist chiefly of Parisian and Balkan folk music.
With its sophomore release, “The Flying Club Cup,” the band has brought a fresh twist to the gypsy-folk stylings of its previous efforts and has ultimately proven its staying power.

p. For those of you unfamiliar with Beirut, the band consists of 21-year-old singer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Zach Condon and a sizeable handful of studio musicians. The band has garnered most of its modest fame through a combination of whimsical live shows and the devotion of internet bloggers across the nation, only receiving record-label attention when Neutral Milk Hotel’s Jeremy Barnes brought the early recordings to New Jersey-based Ba Da Bing! Records.

p. The idea of folk-infused music on a popular front is anything but new — musical acts ranging from Bob Dylan to The Decemberists have already explored such territory. But, Beirut is the first band of its kind to hit the streets. Even the name of the band evokes a much earthier, more natural impression than one would expect from the indie scene. Yet, despite its name, Beirut not plagued by the same run-of-the-mill, unrefined production quality that’s come to define the genre. Beirut’s sound can best be defined as something picked right from the streets in southern France, and owes much of its artistic direction to Condon’s travels as a street musician across Europe.

p. Upon returning from his travels, at the ripe age of 19, the Albuquerque, N.M. native set to work on the songs that would become the foundation of his early musical acts. The use of the word “band” at this point is liberal at best, as Condon recorded most of “Gulag Orkestar,” Beirut’s debut LP, by himself in his Santa Fe, N.M. home, playing accordian, keyboards, saxophone, clarinet, mandolin, ukelele, horns, glockenspiel and percussion alongside his own vocals.

p. Though “Gulag Orkestar” and the subsequent EP “Lon Gisland” were achievements in themselves, the release of “The Flying Club Cup” demonstrates the work of a more mature person. Condon has settled comfortably into the nuances of his own songwriting.

p. His orchestral arrangements, a bit weighty and overdrawn on “Gulag,” now take on a much more refined quality, as evidenced in “A Call to Arms” and “La Banlieue.” The album as a whole feels more consistent and natural; each song flows easily into the next without the sluggish, deliberate instrumental breaks of previous releases. And Condon’s voice in songs like “Nantes” and “Cherbourg” bears a detached, sea-chanty charm that fits right into the mix of strings, ukeleles and horns.

p. While the album makes an impression the first time through, it certainly rewards repeated listening. At times, the orchestral tapestry feels reminiscent of the similarly folk-influenced works of composers Ravel and Bartok, as in the chromatic opening of “Forks and Knives (La Fete)” or the seductive quality of the violin/trumpet melody at the end of “Cliquot.”

p. The emphasis of the folk element, while strong, in no way detracts from the unique quality of Condon’s creative voice. It seems that he has already mastered the style, for though his songs sound as if they could be heard at the court of an Italian or French wedding — tracks like “The Flying Club Cup” or “Sunday Smile” — they are straight from and embodied by Condon.

p. Given the amount of improvement between the band’s first and second releases, both in terms of production quality and the music itself, we can only hope for a still stronger release in the near future.

“And the Oscar goes to … Ben Affleck?”

p. I kid you not. For his latest project, “Gone Baby Gone,” oft-scorned actor Ben Affleck (“Gigli”) has stepped behind the p. camera and has proven that he has quite the flair for directing.

In fact, this film could very well be his finest work since teaming up with Matt Damon to write “Good Will Hunting” 10 years ago — an endeavor which ended up earning him an Academy Award.

p. “Gone Baby Gone” is set on the streets of Affleck’s native Boston, and stars his younger brother Casey Affleck (“Ocean’s Eleven”) as private detective Patrick Kenzie. The film is based on the novel by Dennis Lehane, an author whose last work, “Mystic River,” was adapted into a cinematic masterpiece in 2003 by the one and only Clint Eastwood.

p. Needless to say, Affleck had big shoes to fill when taking the helm of Lehane’s next project. The good news is, he passed this test of celluloid aptitude with flying colors, demonstrating a talent for creating striking visuals and drawing real and courageous performances from his actors.

p. In the film, Kenzie and his partner Angie Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan, “Mission: Impossible III”) are called upon to aid in the search for Amanda McReady, a four-year-old who has gone missing in the heart of one of Boston’s seediest neighborhoods. In joining the case, Kenzie and Gennaro end up stepping on a few toes, including those of Boston police officers Jack Doyle (Morgan Freeman, “Shawshank Redemption”) and Remy Bressant (Ed Harris, “A History of Violence”). These men are constantly wary of the young duo who are clearly more than just co-workers. Kenzie in particular is kept constantly on his toes while trying to prove that he is “worth his salt” (and his fee).

p. Nothing is as it appears in this investigation, and the boundaries between what is right and what is legal are often cause for concern for our brooding hero. Everyone is a suspect, and suddenly it becomes clear to Kenzie that the very men who are supposed to be helping him bring Amanda home could actually be the ones responsible for her disappearance. Both Kenzie’s reputation and personal life get put on the line as he doggedly pushes ahead in the investigation. Solving the case becomes less of a paid job and more of an obsessive obligation to the little girl and her family — people who are cut from the same cloth as Kenzie himself.

p. The film draws you in from the beginning. Real, non-thespian Bostonians are often seen in the background and sometimes even given a line or two, affording the film a gritty feel along a la Martin Scorsese’s “The Departed.”

p. The casting of young Amanda (newcomer Madeline O’Brien) was faultless; from the moment you catche a glimpse of her cherubic face on the “missing” posters, your heart melts and you feel a strong desire to see this little one found — if only in the hopes of catching even the slightest glimpse of her innocent, untainted and youthful presence onscreen.

p.Viewers are kept on the edge of their seats, but not necessarily because every single scene is completely action-packed. The real intrigue is in the fact that there are points in the film where you feel certain the investigation has hit a dead end and can simply go no further. The problem is, you’re only an hour into the film, and according to the published running time you’ve still got an hour to go. There must be something more, and the fun is in watching the gears turn in young Kenzie’s head as he starts to make connections and sort through the pieces. In fact, unlike many action films, it is the quiet, pensive scenes of reflection that really make the film so strong.

p. “Gone Baby Gone” may boast high profile stars like Freeman and Harris, but there is no question about who steals the show in this picture. In the film, we literally see the maturation of Casey Affleck into a respectable performer who is ready to be taken seriously. Gone are the days of playing the goofball sidekick. He is now a leading man on a mission: to prove to Hollywood that he is much more than a fledgling actor riding to fame on his brother’s coattails. There can certainly be no claims of nepotism in the casting of this film. Casey may be the kid brother of the director, but there is no doubt about the fact that he is perfect for this role.

p. The film ends powerfully with a moral quandary that is delectable food for thought for any armchair philosopher — or at least enough to make for great conversation on the way home. There will undoubtedly be more examples of fine cinematic craftsmanship to come as awards season draws near, but right now it seems as if there could very well be the name Affleck in an envelope or two.

In a post-9/11 world, the U.S. government takes several security precautions to ensure the safety of Americans: luggage checks, wire tapping and even questionable detainment of possible terrorists.

p. While these actions are meant to protect American citizens, they also have the ability to hurt them; so when are the actions of the American government going too far?

p. This question is central to the all-too-realistic thriller “Rendition,” in which an Egyptian-born American is suspected of involvement in an overseas act of terrorism. American businessman Anwar El-Ibrahimi (Omar Metwally, “Munich”), is taken into custody by U.S. government officials when they find a connection between him and terrorist plots. El-Ibrahimi’s pregnant wife Isabella (Reese Witherspoon, “Walk the Line”) is told that he has “disappeared” without a trace. A worried Isabella enlists the help of government worker Alan Smith, played by Peter Sarsgaard (“Shattered Glass”) to find her missing husband.

p. While this may be a time in which political dramas are popping up left and right, this film has a unique perspective on the genre; it makes the Americans the bad guys. So often we see movies where the American government must prevent atrocities being committed by other countries.

p. “Rendition” sends a very dark message about the capabilities of the American government and questions our sense of freedom. When El-Ibrahimi is brought into questioning at the airport by American officials, he is blindfolded, gagged and tied up. A series of brutal torture scenes make you cringe at the horror and pain that one could be forced to endure.

p. Relative newcomer Metwally provides a chilling and brutally realistic portrayal of a beaten and battered man. He showcases his acting abilities as both a confident businessman and a worn-down victim. He is haunting and downright disturbing, and he makes the audience feel wholly sympathetic toward the character.

p. As Anwar’s wife, Witherspoon proves that she deserves the Oscar trophy sitting on her mantle. Witherspoon flawlessly embodies the frustration and anger of Isabella at the disappearance of her husband. In one chilling scene wherein she confronts the officials about their knowledge of Anwar’s whereabouts, she exudes Oscar-winning intensity, screaming dramatically until falling into the arms of the security officers.

p. Acting goddess Meryl Streep (“The Devil Wears Prada”) makes an appearance as Corrine Whitman, the tight-lipped CIA worker who handles cases dealing with interrogations of suspected terrorists. Streep is perfect for the role and once again shows how evil she can be. Her smart charm and poise engender a true hatred for her character as she appears apathetic to the torture of El-Ibrahimi and knocks down Isabella’s attempts to find her husband. While this role is not as powerful as Streep’s other classic characters, I wouldn’t be surprised if it garners Oscar buzz.

p. Rounding out the cast is Jake Gyllenhaal (“Brokeback Mountain”) as Douglas Freeman, a CIA analyst on his first interrogation case. While Gyllenhaal tries to give his character depth, his role is virtually pointless to the plot — his main purpose is to highlight the horrific nature of the torture and show that while the CIA gives brutal interrogations, not all members agree with the brutality.

p. In today’s America, every measure is taken to ensure the safety of the country’s people. But when you see a case in which an innocent person is taken into custody, it makes you wonder how often this occurs.

p. With its eerie message, “Rendition” has the potential to grab hold of the box office. Don’t be surprised to hear mentions of it come award season.

When I heard that Halle Berry had a new movie coming out, I was already set to get in line for my ticket.

p. A beautiful woman and talented actress, Berry is known for her successful movies and huge box-office draw. Her newest feature, “Things We Lost in the Fire,” is no exception. If you were to pick one movie to see this season for the acting alone, this is it.

p. In the heavy, emotional piece, Berry (“Monster’s Ball”) plays Audrey Burke, a recent widow struggling with the unexpected death of her husband Steven Burke (David Duchovny, “The X-Files”) and the difficulties of raising her two children alone. In an attempt to recall her husband’s compassion, Audrey invites her husband’s troubled best friend, Jerry Sunborne, to live with her and her children. Jerry, played by Benicio Del Toro (“Traffic”), wrestles with his long battle with drug addiction and his grief over losing his best friend. Audrey and Jerry develop a friendship and mutual understanding through their shared loss and begin to start a new life without their loved one.

p. This film more than tugs at the heart — it violently pulls, grips and never lets you go. Through its artistic nature, short scenes and metaphorical dialogue, the movie delves into the emotional depths of its characters.

p. Unlike most movies today, the plot doesn’t hold great significance to the film; rather, the emotions and thoughts of the characters themselves drive the movie. Almost like reading a Virginia Woolf novel, the movie jumps from scene to scene illustrating whatever emotion is being felt at that moment in time. It doesn’t hurt having two talented, Oscar-winning actors to convey these emotions.

p. Berry submits a remarkable performance as Audrey — something we haven’t seen from her in a while. After a series of flops and superfluous roles, it is about time Berry reclaimed her throne as one of Hollywood’s greatest actresses.

p. Still, the true standout performance is given by Del Toro as the messed up drug user trying to get a second chance at life. He embodies the disheveled nature and appealing aloofness of his character, completely absorbing the audience. Del Toro showcases his award-winning talent in one particular scene in which his character takes heroin and deals with the subsequent after-effects.

p. With little dialogue and simple camera direction, Del Toro’s use of body movement and physical dysfunction makes the scene one of the most memorable in the film. Del Toro’s convincing performance makes him an early front-runner in the Best Actor Oscar race.

p. Beyond the phenomenal acting and clever story structure, the original script and metaphorical essence of the film is what makes the most impact. Toward the beginning of the film, Audrey makes a reference to a fire that started in the family’s garage before her husband had died and recollects some of the possessions that were lost. Audrey is able to come to the realization that her possessions were unimportant in her life when compared to the love for her husband and her family. She is thankful for what she is able to endure and sees beyond the “Things We Lost in the Fire.”