Monday, November 8, 2010

Bangkok Knockout

Check out the latest trailer for Bangkok Knockout. It's choreographed by the same person who choreographed the fight sequences for Ong Bak, so I'm sure we can all expect a ton of flying knees, elbows, and over the top non-stop action. Yes please!

Friday, November 5, 2010

Wishery

It has been quite some time since we've heard some new music from Pogo. Don't fret friends, because he recently released an awesome mix comprised of samples from the Disney animated classic "Snow White". Enjoy and have a great weekend gang!

Thursday, November 4, 2010

McBusters 2

A follow up to the super awesome McBusters. Check it out!

Ellen Scaring The Hell Out Of Guests Montage

Ellen you're a jerk!

Candy Warhol

If you haven't been to Etsy lately, then I recommend that you go there and check out Candy Warhol Studio, created by Etsy user Whitkneee.  At Candy Warhol you can find handmade pot holders, prints of everyone's favorite Italian siblings, and the mushrooms they abuse to "power up". Whitkneee also has some cool and friendly monsters for sale (sounds like a slave trade, if you ask me). All of the art is reasonably priced and the prints are framed! Head over to Candy Warhol Studio and get yourself some sweet art.*


* Yes, I realize that was a terrible pun but I refuse to apologize for it!

Monday, November 1, 2010

Y:The Next TV Show?

With the successful premier of AMC's "The Walking Dead" last night, I think that it is safe to say that we'll be hearing news of more series being developed into live action shows in the near future. Marvel and DC Comics have both briefly discussed plans to develop television programs. There has also been talk of "Chew" hitting the small screen. So the question lies, which series could be the next epic hit? For me, the answer is quite simple, "Y: The Last Man"  

For those of you not in the know, "Y: The Last Man" is a tale of Yorik Brown living in a world where every male mammal (with the exception of his monkey Ampersand) spontaneously and mysteriously died at the same time. During his adventures, Yorick learns what takes to really become a "man" in a world full of women.The story heavily focuses on gender issues, sexuality, and science/technology disrupting the "natural order".

Brian K. Vaughan's post apocalyptic masterpiece has been in Hollywood's developmental purgatory for years. It's time to let go and let someone else actually do something with the property. Honestly, Hollywood has never been the right place for the series. Y would suffer the same problem as "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World". While Scott Pilgrim was a great movie, it was essentially a cliff notes version. Due to the sheer amount of content of the series and time restraints for a film, many of the ancillary characters were not fully realized on screen. Television would allow Y to flourish as a weekly, hour long, drama. Vaughan wrote issues that were stand alone stories but also served the overall story, which would be perfect for television. A series that is filled unique locales and characters, action, sci-fi, comedy, and drama?! Yes please!

So there you have it gang! How do you think "Y: The Last Man" would hold up on TV? What comic book series would you like to see television?

Jesus Lean

Last week we were movin like Bernie. This week it's all about doing the Jesus lean! No, you didn't misread that, someone actually made a snap song about Jesus! I doubt that it was B-Shoc's intention to make a super funny video, but that was the end result. For some reason I don't see this "dance craze" taking off.  

Friday, October 29, 2010

Video Game Creepypasta Pt 3: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask


Last in my triple threat creepypasta postfest, we have a story about The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (aka "BEN DROWNED").  Prepare to have any fond memories you may have had of Majora's Mask warped into paranoia and dread. 

As with the other video game creepypastas, this story starts with the writer obtaining a suspicious video game cartridge.  The writer buys a copy of Majora's Mask from a creepy old man at a flea market.  When the writer goes to play the game he notices a saved game marked "BEN".  The writer decides to delete the file, and...well, let's just say he shouldn't have done that.  From here on out bizarre and ominous events begin occuring in game.

This story is long, but is extremely well written.  The real icing on the cake is that there are videos that document the supposed game activity documented in the story.  I've attached the first video below, if you want to see the entire story and videos go here.  Also here, if you find that version difficult to read.

If you just want to watch the videos, you can view them on Kotaku.


Video Game Creepypasta Pt 2: Pokemon Black

It's time for your second helping of video game creepypasta; this one is Pokemon flavored!

Before Nintendo ran out of prismatic colors, precious metals, and birth stones to name their various Pokemon adaptions after; there was simply Pokemon Red and Pokemon Blue.  It was a simpler time where one only needed to catch 151 Pokemon to catch them all.  Pokemon was just a simple, wholesome game about children obsessively trapping one of every known species of wild animal in a baseball-sized cage and forcing said animals into turn-based combat. 

Enter Pokemon Black. 

Now, I know what some of you are thinking.  Nintendo did release a Pokemon Black and White recently.  However, this game/creepypasta emerged well before the current (and legitimate) Pokemon Black.

The tale of Pokemon Black starts like most video game creepypastas, with the protagonist obtaining a mysterious game cartridge.  The cartridge is supposedly a hacked version of Pokemon Red entitled, you guessed it, Pokemon Black. 


What makes Pokemon Black different from Pokemon Red?

Death.

Shortly after the player acquires their first pokemon, an additional pokemon called "ghost" is added to your party.  This is where things start to get eery.

Ghost uses an ability called "Curse" on pokemon and pokemon trainers alike; the ability "curse" is fatal.  Here's an excerpt from the story to explain.

“Defending Pokémon were unable to attack Ghost — it would only say they were too scared to move. When the move “Curse” was used in battle, the screen would cut to black. The cry of the defending Pokémon would be heard, but it was distorted, played at a much lower pitch than normal. The battle screen would then reappear, and the defending Pokémon would be gone. If used in a battle against a trainer, when the Pokéballs representing their Pokemon would appear in the corner, they would have one fewer Pokéball.”

The implication was that the Pokémon died."

And it just gets creepier from there.  Read the full original story here.

Video Game Creepypasta for Halloween Pt. 1: Super Mario 64

The intarwebz defines Creepypasta as creepy stories that are often copied and pasted throughout the web.  Creepypasta is the internet generation's take on the classic campfire ghost story.  There's a few creepypasta tales that have received some considerable attention (and hence more copy-pasting) over the years.

Recently, I've stumbled upon a few creepypastas about video games.  Video game creepypasta often involves a mysterious game cartridge that either winds up being haunted/possessed or containing a twisted version of the original game.  These stories are considered old by most internet circles, but since it's Halloween and they're relatively new to me I figured, why not?

It's a me! In a your nightmares!
First up, we have a creepypasta about a possessed Super Mario 64 cartridge.

Without spoiling too much, the story is about a college kid who orders a Super Mario 64 cartridge via a suspicious website pop-up ad.  Upon playing the game, the protagonist has Mario traversing a horrific world that's more Amityville Horror than Mushroom Kingdom.  The whole thing gets a little over-the-top at the end, but it's still interesting and engaging.

Click here to read the story.  Check back later for another serving of video game creepypasta.

Happy Halloween/Happy Friday!


Happy Halloween gang!

I know things have been pretty quiet around here for the past few weeks, and for that we're sorry.  Remember, none of us are professional bloggers--we just play them on the internet--so occasionally we get caught up in other stuff.

Anyways, to make it up to you all here's a picture of one of the greatest Halloween costumes of all time:  Dog Blanka. 

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Fable III, Part 2

Continuing from yesterdays post, today I am going to review the good, the bad, and the not so attractive of Fable II, and my wishlist for Fable III.

Four years after the great success of Fable, Microsoft and Lionhead Studies released Fable II. Fable had a lot of promising moments and plenty to build on. With a new console in the Xbox 360 and an updated graphics engine, this was shaping up to be better than the original. But was it...?

*Warning* If you haven't played the game, this post will contain spoilers.

The short answer to that question is no. Now, that isn't to say Fable II didn't have some great moments, but I just feel like it didn't hold up. The main reason for this is the story and story telling. As stated in my previous post, I think Fable had one of the best told stories in gaming, and you felt a connection with everything in the world. In Fable II, I just never got that feeling.

The story still takes place in the world of Albion, but about 500 years after the original game. The Guild and Heroes are all but gone. You start your story in the run down town of Bowerstone, following your sister around, doing small chores to earn some money. With your money, you wind up buying a magic box from a street vendor -- a box that is told to grant its owner a wish. The siblings wish to live in the main castle of Albion (Castle Fairfax), and the box vanishes.That night you find your self going to Castle Fairfax by order of Lord Lucien (magic box is magic for sure!). You travel to the castle and meet Lord Lucien. Soon you find yourself in a weird experiment by Lucien, where he discovers you are not one of the three, but either you or your sister is the fourth, so Lucien shoots both of you. You wake up much later only to learn your sister was killed.

So the story actually starts out pretty good, but it was only down hill from there for me. I never really felt connected to characters in this game. I really felt more like I was just going through the motions. I even felt like I lost the original drive of the story at times, as if what happened to your sister was simply forgot about. Its really all about you and what you want to do with your life now.

Movin Like Bernie

Does anyone really know how to "Dougie"?! Here's a dance that you can do if you're drunk or white. The best part it's based on one of the best movies of all time.... "Weekend At Bernies 2: The Underwater Treasure". Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to move like Bernie!

Monday, October 25, 2010

Fable III

With Fable III coming out tomorrow, I wanted to recap and post my wish list for a franchise I hold pretty close to my gaming heart. So lets start from the beginning.

*Warning* If you haven't played Fable or Fable II yet, this post will contain spoilers...

The original Fable came out in 2004 for the original Xbox, and it is one of my favorite games of all time. The game had its hits and misses, but what truly sold me hook, line, and sinker was the story. In my personal opinion, Fable has one of the most well told stories in all of gaming. You start out as a young boy in Oakvale, a small, peaceful town in the world of Albion. Its your sister's birthday, and its pretty much her worst birthday ever. Soon after the game starts, the town is raided, your father is killed, and your mother and sister are kidnapped. After the dust settles, a mysterious man named Maze shows up to help, and takes you to the Guild. The Guild is where you are introduced to all of the abilities of the Hero, as well as many of the main characters in the game. Once your training is complete, you are off to find out who is responsible for what happened to your family, and finally get your revenge.

Now, I know when written out like this, it doesn't sound all that original, and at its core, the story really isn't. But the story is told and played in such an way that it really draws you in. You feel connected to your character and the people you meet. One of the things that really draws you in deeper is the decisions you are faced with. The first time I played through the game, I thought a lot of the decisions were really tough, heavy decisions. Without giving too much away, some of these decisions were whether or not to kill your childhood training partner, and yes, your sister. They were also tough because you weren't sure how the world or story line would change with each decision. But this was also one of the downfalls of the game.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Spider-Man : Big Time Trailer

I've never been really into Spider-Man. This trailer for the upcoming storyline "Big Time" left eagerly waiting to read Peter Parker's solo adventures! People that know me will know how hard that was for me to say! Expect a review when the new creative team of Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos takes over 11/10/10.

Wait...what?! #73

After much debate, I've finally decided to include remixes in "Wait...what?!". Andrew Maury of RAC remixed "Lights and Shapes" by Moving Mountains. This song has been playing on a non-stop loop on my Ipod. If there is a DJ playing this in a club, congratulations because you are my new favorite DJ! Enjoy!

The Foreign Exchange : Thank You For Listening Short Film

Last week, The Foreign Exchange released their third album "Authenticity". The album is a must have! To celebrate, here is the short film "Thank You For Listening" by Sandrine Orabona & Anke Thommen chronicling the group's history.



Friday, October 15, 2010

Video Games on Facebook, Pt. 5

To conclude our Facebook week, I give you Fox McCloud trying to get the gang back together...


Thursday, October 14, 2010

DC Comics Drops Price To 2.99

With the prices of monthly comics steadily increasing over the past couple of years, some readers have taken to waiting for the TPB's to be released. Well fans, DC Comics have listened and decided to roll back the prices throughout their entire line! Jim Lee and Dan DiDio discussed the price drop with Newsarama. This is great news for my inner-fan boy but terrible news for my wallet.

Video Games on Facebook, Pt. 4


More video games invading real life after the jump.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Bumblebee Crash

While filming Transformers 3 in Washington DC, a police officer responding to an emergency call, drove on set and collided with Bumblebee. My guess is that the officer is an old school fan that couldn't get over the fact that Bumblebee was changed from a Volkswagon. I feel you pain officer, I feel your pain! Unfortunately the collision took place in reality and not Michael Bay's testosterone universe, hence no explosions. Michael Bay, I also feel your pain!



Fun Fact - I'm not stoked for Transformers 3, so this will probably be the only bit of coverage you will see from me.

Video Games on Facebook, Pt. 3

Here we find Raiden trying to rally the troops.


The thread concludes after the jump.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

X-Men: Destiny

Activision has recently announced that they are teaming with Silicon Knights for a brand new X-Men game called X-Men: Destiny. Below is the reveal trailer but it doesn't offer us much detail. Is this the next X-Men Legends/Marvel Ultimate Alliance type of games? Is this Marvel's answer to DC Universe Online? Let us know what you think in the comments!


Video Games on Facebook, Pt. 2

Day 2 gives us a little peak in the every day troubles of Link and Zelda.


More hilarity after the jump.

Walking Dead Mini-Documentary

Initially I had mix feeling when "The Walking Dead" television show would air on AMC. This is no way a slight to AMC. "Mad Men" and "Breaking Bad" are both excellent shows. While Robert Kirkman's series is a great story examining humanity, it's still story set in the zombie apocalypse. I was nervous as to the type of influence/pressure the network would have on the show. My fears have been laid to rest after watching this mini-documentary. The network has been doing a wonderful job promoting the show. I was very excited to see that the program was respectful towards the source material but was not a slave to Kirkman's work. The show premiers 10/9c on Halloween. Get stoked!

Monday, October 11, 2010

DCUO: Character Creation

I watched this video last night and it looks pretty impressive. DC Universe Online seems like it's going to give players lots of options to create unique avatars ready to battle along side their favorite DC Heroes or Villains. Needless to say this game definitely has my attention. Will this be what City Of Heroes wanted to be? Will this console MMO fall short of standards set by the MMO giant, World Of Warcraft? What is your take on the game? Leave your thoughts in the comments!


Video Games on Facebook, Pt. 1

With the recent success of The Social Network, I thought it would be fun to post some fun Facebook entries by video game characters this week. To kick things off, we start with Mr. Super Mario! Enjoy!


Friday, October 8, 2010

Super Art Fight 8


Super Art Fight 8 is just a week away folks, and this is one that you do not want to miss! SAF7 was definitely one of the major highlights of Baltimore's Artscape, And SAF8 is definitely going to be one of the major highlights of Autumn. Not only will we get to see the always amazing and entertaining Art Fights, this time around we will also be graced with the presence of the self-proclaimed world’s 579th best rapper, MC Frontalot! The bill will also feature Fifth Wheel and the Double Dates and Comedian Mike Rodman!

Make sure to get to the Ottobar early! Doors open at 9pm next Friday (Oct. 15th), and the entertainment starts at 9:10! If you thought SAF7 was awesome, I think SAF8 is going to take it to the next level, if not a few past it. Don't miss this show!

Never heard of Super Art Fight? Make sure to check out my article on SAF from this past summer to learn more!

Thursday, October 7, 2010

OH EM GEEE!

The Jersey Shore RPG


See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Looks like the brilliant folks over CollegeHumor accidentally got some Jersey Shore in their Final Fantasy.

Keep your ears peeled for a sweet Mario Paint reference during the vid!

Left 4 Dead Comic: The Sacrifice Parts Three and Four


So, I sort of dropped the ball and missed the past few updates of Valve's Left 4 Dead comic, "The Sacrifice".  Parts three and four are both up now.  You can check them out here.

"The Sacrifice" is the most recent DLC released for the Left 4 Dead series, and was released yesterday.  "The Sacrifice" picks up before the events of the last major Left 4 Dead 2 DLC, "The Passing."  What's interesting to note is that "The Sacrifice" works for both L4D and L4D2; it combines features and game play from both games as well.

I haven't had a chance to play "The Sacrifice" myself, but look for a post once I get my hands on it.

If you haven't read the first two parts of the comic, be sure to catch up!

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Upcoming Albums and Shows

First off I must apologize for my lack of postings this week. I've been pretty busy and drained with work and other things as of late, but will be doing my best to get back in the groove shortly.To keep everyone in the loop, I wanted to post some important dates for upcoming albums and shows that you don't want to miss.

October 12th: K.Flay EP
Remember last week I posted about an amazing emerging artist named K.Flay, and also mentioned I would love to see a full length original album? Well my prayers have been answered as K.Flay announced this week that she has an EP coming out on Oct. 12th. Needless to say, I am SUPER excited about this. Check back here next week for all the deets on the EP! Promo video after the jump!

November 23rd: Long Live
The fourth full length album from the Chariot, titled Long Live, hits shelves on Novemeber 23rd of this year. They are working with a new label now, and their sound has only progressed positively through their last few albums. Color me stoked to hear the new material and future tour dates from one of my favorite bands of all time! New song clip/Promo video after the jump!

Shows
Wye Oak and Maps And Atlases are currently on tour, and MC Chris will be touring this Novemeber -- which means they will most likely be coming to a town near you very soon! Don't be a fool and miss these shows because each artist is a great musician and live entertainer. If you live in the Baltimore area, Wye Oak, Maps And Atlases, and MC Chris will all be appearing at the Ottobar in Novemeber. For everyone else, make sure to check out each artists website for tour information!

Support Good Music!

McBusters



Best parody/mash up EVER!

Q's for Billy Tan


At the Baltimore Comic Con we had the pleasure of meeting artist Billy Tan. Tan is responsible for the adrenaline pumping art of Shadowland. He has also worked on New Avengers, Uncanny X-men among other titles. We were lucky enough to score an interview with the art phenom! Since we are so nice, we are accepting submissions for questions from our readers. If you have a question for Billy Tan please submit all questions in the comment section below. Cut off for submissions will be at 6:00pm on Sunday 10/10/10. I can't wait to see what you guys come up with!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

1990's You So Crazy! : USA Network Edition

USA Network was responsible for some god awful children's shows. Highlander as a children's show?! Seriously?! You can't call something Highlander and not have The Quickening.  The Street Fighter animated series made me long for the live action movie. OK, maybe that's an overstatement but it was still pretty bad. Do I really need to comment on the Problem Child and Moral Kombat animated shows? As bad as these shows were I would still take them over Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters From Beverly Hills.

After the success of Power Rangers, we were introduced to several super sentai knock-offs. USA wanted in on the action and so we were "blessed" with TTAFFBH (longest abbreviation EVER). Watch and be amazed!



Well maybe it wasn't all bad, the theme song was pretty rocking. Oh, what I would give to have it on my Ipod!

Monday, October 4, 2010

Diggin' Through The Crates: Foreign Exchange "Connected"

Can you feel it? The weather is getting cooler. The air is starting to get crisp and the leaves are beginning to fall. That's right, Autumn is finally here. Most people have certain songs and albums that set aside for the summer. Well, I have music for  Autumn. One of my favorite albums to listen to during this season is "Connected" by The Foreign Exchange.

One of the things that makes "Connected" unique is that the group made the entire album over the internet. MC/singer Phonte Coleman and producer Nicolay hadn't met in person until it was time to promote the album.

The album features a wide variety of guest appearances. With several recurring guest features, the album feels like it was an created by an ensemble. The various musical backgrounds of the people on the album blend beautifully. It's on this record, that we hear Coleman incorporate singing into his style. Once again,  Phonte delivers brutally honest lyrics about relationships, everyday life, and balancing that life while pursuing you dreams. Those of us caught in the rat race can relate to what Phonte is saying on this record (would a comparison to Mellancamp be over the top? ).

Friday, October 1, 2010

Hey You Vegetarians!

As Scott mentioned earlier, today is a day for Vegetarians to celebrate...and for Anthony Bourdain of "No Reservations" to express his hatred for you!

Wait..what?! #72

Sam Cooke may have originally performed "Shake", but at the Monterey Pop Festival, it became Otis Redding's song! Enjoy!

It's World Vegetarian Day Apparently (Also Happy Friday!)

According to the "reputable" sources at Wikipedia, today is World Vegetarian Day (as decreed by the North American Vegetarian Society).  In honor of our non-flesh-eating brothers and sisters, here's a pic of the alien from Alien made of vegetables.  Despite being edible now (especially with balsamic vinegrette), this alien is still scary as hell...and I still wouldn't eat it.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

The Leo Strut

By now I am sure you have all seen the meme featuring Mr. Dicaprio's strut from Inception. Well now it has a song, and you're gonna be singing it all day. You're welcome.

Wait...what? #71

Lykke Li, you stole my heart with your cover of The Shirelle's "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow"!




You can download the mp3 here!

"What if Civilization Had Lyrics" by BrentalFloss



BrentalFloss is back with his rendition of the theme to the Civilization games and it's awesome as usual.

Thunder Busters

Yup, that means what you are about to watch is an AC/DC vs Ghostbusters mashup. I promise it'g good.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

EGS Speaks to Mike Raicht from "The Stuff of Legend"

Roughly a month ago at Baltimore Comic Con, EGS was fortunate enough to sit down and chat
with “The Stuff of Legend” writers Mike Raicht and Brian Smith. All of us are huge fans of the book
and were beyond stoked for the opportunity to speak with the creative minds behind it. We
spoke with Raicht first about the past, present and future of “Stuff of Legend” along with some
information about how he got his start and got hooked up with Th3rd World.

The story behind “The Stuff of Legend” starts in a similar fashion to the book itself: with a boy and his teddy bear. Raicht’s son, Austin, had just been born. Since Austin was too small to have toys in his crib, all of his toys were placed above him.

“There was one teddy bear that looked like he was specifically watching Austin, like he was
guarding him,” said Raicht. “It's not a new idea; it's been done for centuries--stories about
toys protecting their kids. It's what you do with it afterwards that sets it apart,” he added.

Raicht had also been toying with ideas for a story reminiscent of the movies and books he grew
up with, such as Dark Crystal, Watership Down, and X-Men. The stories portrayed in these
series depict darker, more intense situations than current media directed towards younger
viewers. Raicht wanted to write something that didn’t play it safe, but still held the timeless feel
of great children’s story.

Raicht brought all of his ideas to Brian Smith, his co-writer for “Stuff of Legend” which sparked a
very long phone call of conceptualizing.

"That's when we can tell we had hit on something: when we've had a phone call were 2 hours
have gone by and we've mapped out a whole world,” Raicht said.

K.Flay



Until this past Sunday, I had not heard of K.Flay. Shame on me. A friend who went to the Sleigh Bells show at UMBC  told me that a chick going by the name of K.Flay opened that night and I had to check her out. He said "She's got sick beats and sounds like a female Childish Gambino." How could I turn that down? I looked up K.Flay that night and was thoroughly impressed. She can rap, sing, create some amazingly awesome remix beats, strum a mean guitar, and on top of all of that -- she's hot. K.Flay describes her style best on her website when saying, "If you were to put hip hop, indie rock, and electronic music in a blender, it would sound like me." Yes please.

If that wasn't enough to wet your whistle, you can check out her tunes for FREE! Who doesn't love free music??? Head on over to www.kflay.com to download her MASHed Potatoes Mix Tape and her song "2 Weak" with a remix of Grizzly Bear's "Two Weeks" on the track (it's legit). I can't wait to hear whats next for K.Flay and her music. Her collaborations and remixes are great. I would be really interested in hearing a full original album from her as well. I have linked some videos after the jump. First is a mix with a bunch of clips from live shows. Second is the video for SomethingALaMode's "Clip de 5am" featuring K.Flay. Also, dont forget to check out her website for her mix tape downloads and all things K.Flay. If you don't, shame on you.

Wait...what?! #70

If you like Feist and Bon Iver, then you are in for a special treat today. Justin Vernon of Bon Iver performed an acoustic cover of "The Park" for an Australian radio show. Enjoy!

MASSIVE Remix Download!!!!

If you aren't familiar with The Remix Artist Collective (simply known as RAC), then you need to get with the program! Andre Allen Anjos founded the collective with one goal in my mind--to make awesome remixes that strayed away from being typical dance songs. While some of the tunes are danceable, there's no denying that each and every track is awesome. Need proof? Go through the embedded player and download till your heart's content FOR FREE! Your Ipod and wallet will thank you for the welcomed additions!

RAC Portfolio by Remix Artist Collective

Need more?! Download this mixtape!

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Wait...what?! #69

These kids are rad. That is all.*



If you didn't know that was "Everlong" by the Foo Fighters then you're no friend of mine!

* Yes, I realize that I'm stealing TJ's bit. Deal with it!

Monday, September 27, 2010

Envy - Recitation

After four long years, Envy's sixth full length album is here, and if there is one simple word to describe it, that word is "breathtaking."

I have to say that I was honestly a little worried about how Recitation would sound. I say that because their previous releases were absolutely great, and you could really hear the progression of Envy's sound through each album. After almost 20 years in the business and five great albums, where do you go? Do you really start experimenting, as was evident on their most recent split with Jesu? Do you start falling back to your original sound? These are questions every band would ask themselves, and where some strive and some fall behind.

Long story short, Envy is still Envy. They know their sound and have only grown with this album. Recitation really feels like the next album in progression, as every previous album has felt before. I have to say Recitation really contends with A Dead Sinking Story as my favorite Envy album.

Recitation starts slow and progresses smoothly. If you thought their previous albums has some great feeling and emotion to them, Recitation is going to make you feel ways about life. You don't need to know what lead vocalist Tetsuya Fukagawa is saying to understand these songs. Some are obvious of happier tone, playing around with major chords and resolving progressions very nicely. Other songs are heavy and deep, transitioning from ambient to distortion effortlessly, really drawing out certain sections. It also seems as if Envy took a page out of Explosions In The Sky's book here and there for some of their ambient parts, which is by no means a bad thing.

The album also comes with a nice booklet that translates the Japanese lyrics for you, so you finally get a little look at what Tetsuya Fukagawa is giving us in his songs. And I have to say, his lyrics are legit.

I have to recommend Recitation to everyone. Go. Buy. It. It truly is an amazing album from an amazing band. Envy's sound is simply put, beautiful. EGS had the honor of going to see Envy at the Ottobar on Saturday, Sept. 25th to kick off their current American tour. If they are coming through your town, make sure to go to this show. I promise you Envy and all the bands on the tour will not disappoint. Also, we should have some videos up on our YouTube channel of Envy's performance very soon, so make sure to look out for that!

Wait...what?! #68

The first time I heard Beck's cover of "Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime" was while watching Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I was unaware that it was a cover but the song was orginally performed by the pop group The Korgis. And now you know!

Top Of The Mornin' Monday


That is all. Happy Monday!

Friday, September 24, 2010

Eleven Saints by Jason Webley and Jay Thompson



Need some cheering up?  Listen to this song!  It's a cheery, quirky, folk jam by Jason Webley and Jay Thompson that's not about anything.  I'm pretty sure it's the only song ever to mention "Wynona Rider", "unlevin bread", "Kafka", "Michaelangelo", and "Now and Laters" all in the same song.

This song has been around for a while, so sorry if you've seen it before.  I just happened to re-discover it this morning when I popped in an unlabled burnt CD on my drive to work this morning and was pleasantly surprised to find this track.

Wait...what?! #67

WTF?! Another David Bowie related post?! I'll try to make this the last one for a while but Nirvana's cover of  "The Man Who Sold The World" is classic! Enjoy and have a great weekend!


Internet Memes! Assemble!


How many memes can you pick out?  Let us know in the comments.  If you can guess them all you'll win a prize!*

*Disclaimer:  Prize not actual prize.  Prize is the harsh realization that you spend too much time on 4chan. 


Happy Friday gang!

Happy Friday 2.0

This is Hannah. Hannah is in love with Stephen. Hannah is moving to Japan and can't bear the thought of leaving her beloved Stephen. Hannah's mom did what every parent should do in this situation, record it and upload it on You Tube for my amusement. Thanks Mom!

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Best Mail Ever?

DeviantArt user Fydbac sends some awesome USPS packages. I have no idea what he's sending, but it really doesn't matter, because it's all about the packaging. Under each image, Fydbac states "I like to decorate the envelope when I mail work to clients (both sketch and standard). It's always random whateverthehellIwant sketches." Mr. Fydbac, I approve. I wish the stuff I got in the mail looked this cool. Hit the jump for some more of my fav's, and make sure to check out Fydbac's DeviantArt page.


Wait...what?! #66

Baltimore's very own Thrushes recorded a cover Mazzy Star's "Fade Into You" on the "Trees" single. You can add this song to the list of songs that if you don't like then you are dead inside! Enjoy!



The band was kind enough to mail us a copy of their latest album "Night Falls"! Expect a full review in the near future.

Science + Gummy Bears = Good Times!

It's a known fact that everyone loves gummy bears. If you happen to be one of the 4 people in the world who doesn't like gummy bears, here's the reason to change your mind. Science makes everything fun!

Pokemon Apokelypse

This fan trailer was made as a statement on how several movie frachises that are being rebooted as being dark and gritty. Whatever the motive may be, it doesn't change the fact that this is hilarious!

I Love David Bowie

So my newest obession on You Tube is watching videos of children crying! Yes, I realize that I'm a heartless bastard but they are hilarious. The child in the following video loves David Bowie. His mother offers to play The Cardigans instead and the kid cries even more. Really mom, The Cardigans or David Bowie?! Someone should report you to child services.

 

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

ETID: S#!T Happens.

For the past 9 weeks, Every Time I Die been putting together clips from various tours and posting videos each week for you, then fans! Every Wednesday marks the release of a new S#!t Happens episode, and they are pretty hilarious. They make me actually look forward to Wednesdays! I really hope this sparks more bands to do this on tour. It reminds me a little of The Chariots Ladies And Gentleman... documentary DVD, which I loved. Below is one of my favorites in the series, but make sure to go to www.vans.com/etid/ to check out all of the videos!

Wait...what?! #65

"The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou" is one of my favorite films of all times! A highlight of the movie was Seu Jorge's covers of David Bowie's classic hits. My favorite song is Jorge's rendition of "Starman". Enjoy! 



If you get a chance check out "Carolina"

Left 4 Dead Comic: The Sacrifice Part Two

Guess what, L4D fans?  Valve gave us more comics to read!  Part two of The Sacrifice dropped yesterday, which means new L4D DLC is just around the corner.  If didn't read the first part of the Sacrifice, you can catch up here.

DLC Quick Gaming Fix : Shank



I was completely ignorant of the DLC game medium and Shank has made me seen the errors of my ways! Shank is a side scrolling beat-em-up that is reminiscent of a Robert Rodriguez film. Klei Entertainment has given new life to a retro genre with this title.

Shank is a mob enforcer that has fallen in love with Angela. Shank's boss, Caesar, gives our hero a choice, kill Angela and he will inherit the criminal empire or Caesar will take care this distraction. Shank refuses and Caesar sends three of his top assasins to kill the lovers. Miraculously, Shank survives the attack and sets out on a path of vengeance.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Hopesfall, The Satellite Years

During the drive home from Ocean City this weekend, Scott and I decided it would be a good decision to introduce our friend to a band called Hopesfall, using their album The Satellite Years to showcase their talent. Upon listening, I really fell in love with the album all over again, and feel its definitely worth noting.

The Satellite Years really marks the peak of great music coming from Hopesfall. Released in 2002, this album continues to deliver on many levels to this day. At the time, Hopesfall was a hardcore/screamo band who mixed in some great ambient sections and songs into their albums, similar to Japanese screamo/hardcore pioneers, Envy. Their transitions seemed effortless, which helped make The Satellite Years an exceptionally great album from start to finish.

The album kicks off with the instrumental track"Andromeda" which really sets the tone with sounds that border both the screamo and ambient sides of the spectrum. The middle of the CD sports some amazing songs like "Waitress", "Decoys Like Curves", and "The Red Shift", all of which you wont mind getting stuck in your head for the next week. Closing out the tracks with a bang is "The Bending", and Hopesfall really couldn't have ending the album with a more fitting track.

After The Satellite Years, Hopesfall went through quite a few member changes. Their next full length album A Types had more of a straight forward alternative/pop sound to it, marking the end of what made Hopesfall so special in my opinion. However, I still urge to give The Satellite Years a try. It's an album that stands the test of time, and if Hopesfall were to ever tour again, I would go just to hear some of these tracks live. Check out "The Bending" after the jump.

Wait...what?! #64

Hey gang! Sister Hazel did an awesome cover of Sam Cooke's "Bring It Home To Me". I'm a chump for acoustic performances and Sam Cooke's music so this is a MAJOR WIN. Enjoy!

 

If you hate "All For You" then you are simply dead inside!

Bill and Ted's Excellent Inception



Yuuuup! That just happened!

Top Of The Mornin' Monday... On Tuesday!

I know I missed my normal Monday post yesterday to kick off the week, and for that, I apologize. Please accept this offering in return.

I give you The Boba Fett Plush Rocket Backpack! No one will ever question who your favorite Star Wars character is ever again. Make the right fashion statement in school this year. And if someone ever tries to pick on you for it... freeze their ass in carbonite, or at least with the dry ice you packed in all the pockets! Check out Thinkgeek for more deets on this backpack and more awesomes!


That is all. Happy Mon... err... Tuesday!

A New Voice for The Joker?



I had originally intended to write about Batman : Under The Red Hood. Since we at The Epic Gentleman's Society try to only write about things we enjoy, that plan quickly scrapped. Not that the movie was terrible, but for everything that I enjoyed, there was something that made me roll my eyes. In the end the movie turned out to be just "meh". What I enjoyed most about the animated feature was John Di Maggio's performance as The Joker.

Di Maggio is one of the best voice actors in the business. He is the voice behind Bender of Futurama, Marcus Fenix of Gears of War, Wakka of Final Fantasy X, among others.

A void will be left as Mark Hamill, who has played The Joker since 1992, will retire after Batman: Arkham City. I propose that John Di Maggio should be the next actor to voice the clown prince of crime. He is a recognizable name among fans of the video game and animation industry. And as I mentioned before, his performance was best thing about the mediocre film! So what do you think? Is Di Maggio the next Joker? If not, who would you cast?


SPOILER ALERT!!!!
This is one of the last scenes of the movie but it is a great example of Di Maggio's talent! You've been fairly warned.

Monday, September 20, 2010

X-Force: Sex + Violence

In X-Force: Sex + Violence, Domino is on the run from The Assassins' Guild (not Creed). The guild hired her for a heist against The Hand. Domino stole the money for herself and needless to say The Assassin's Guild is not pleased. Wolverine finds out about her predicament and insists on helping out his teammate.

Watching the chemistry between Domino and Wolverine was a blast! The duo are constantly bantering as the sexual tension between the two mounts. Once it erupts, the gloves along with the rest of their clothes come off. Their relationship is strictly carnal and isn't romantic by any means. As a character whose power is based on luck, Domino has a managed to get into a situation way over her head. Wolverine has no problem of pointing this out to her. At times I didn't know if Wolverine was going to attempt to kill or have sex with Domino. I don't think that Wolverine knew either. I would love to see more adventures starring these two characters.

Let's not forget about the violence. The fights are brutal and push Wolverine's healing powers to the limit. The carnage is beautifully painted by Gabriele Dell' Otto. I was really impressed with his work in Secret War and Dell' Otto doesn't disappoint with Sex and Violence. His use of shadows and lighting enhanced the intensity of the story. Almost every page consists of bullets, blood, and blades and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Friday, September 17, 2010

Gone For the Weekend

Hey gang, we have good news and bad news! The good news is that we are going to the beach today. Woot! The bad news is that there won't be any new posts today. Lamerz! We'll resume our normal posting schedule on Monday. Hopefully, the internet won't crack in half due to our abscence. Before we go, I'll leave you with a song that always reminded me of the beach. Hope that everyone has a great weekend!


Thursday, September 16, 2010

Ra Ra Riot "The Orchard"


Earlier this week, I read a review for Ra Ra Riot's sophomore album The Orchard. I've never really been a fan of the website, it's too pretentious for my tastes. Don't worry, this isn't going to be a fanboy rant against the site in question but I will respectfully disagree with the reviewer.

Wait...what?! #63

Oh Placebo, you never cease to amaze me. The band's cover of David Bowie's "Five Years" is a must listen. Enjoy!



Meds is one of my favorite songs by Placebo!

BCC2010: Omega Chase

Omega Chase is another comic written (and co-created) by Kieth Dallas and its a very interesting one. I've made it through issue one and I am left wanting more.

I have to give props to Kieth Dallas with how this comic is written. It draws you in right away. The narration/first person thoughts of main character Mack Baron have a lot of personality, and really fit in with the environment.

*Note* Possible spoilers after this, but I will try to keep it to a minimum.
The Omega Chase cover really shows us a bunch of what we can expect with the story: zombies in an old-timey Midwest, which is already exciting! My first thought was if its anything like Red Dead Redemption meets zombies, I'm sold hook, line, and sinker!

The comic opens up with us meeting Mack Baron, the the sheriff of a Providence Fields. The year is 1881, however Baron isn't so sure that is his place in time. He knows of key historical events that take place in the future, but has no memories of his past. So now we can expect some sort of sci-fi element added to the mix. There are hints of it towards the end of the first issue, but nothing specific. I am kind of hoping for an Assassin's Creed type of twist, but thats really because of my love for that game franchise. There's no telling what kind of twist this will take yet with just getting into the first issue.

Again, I really have to acknowledge the writing here. It does a really good job of setting up the feeling and tone for the time period. The humor is subtle but really helps break up the some of the seriousness. It definitely keeps you reading.

I really like where this comic is going. Again, I've only been through the first issue, but I'm excited to pick up the rest. I think this is a very interesting blend of genres, and ready to see where the rest of the issues will takes this story.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Phantogram: Eyelid Movies

Another month means another new set of awesome MP3 albums for $5 on Amazon, and this month has a must-have album in Phantogram's Eyelid Movies.

I actually just recently started listening to this album again, and man is it good. This is a great example of what a complete album should sound like. Start to finish, each song is a winner. They can stand alone and work as a whole. There wont be any skipping tracks on this CD.

I first heard Phantogram when they opened for School of Seven Bells at the Ottobar in Baltimore, MD. I actually wound up liking them over the headliners that night, and love them even more now with this album. Eyelid Movies is really an extension of their self titled EP which was fantastic in itself.

Phantogram consists of only two members: guitarist Josh Carter and keyboardist Sarah Barthel, and they really offer a little something for everyone. Phantogram has an electronic/indie-rock sound with light and heavy sounds mixed with great beats. I hate comparing bands to other bands, but its kind of like The XX meets Nine Inch Nails meets The Age of Rockets done ever so perfectly with some extra spice and flare. Phantogram is one of my favorite bands right now and you definitely need to buy their album Eyelid Movies ASAP.

Other awesome MP3 Albums on sale this month include Ray Lamontagne's Till The Sun Turns Black, The Avett Brothers' I And Love And You, Sufjan Stevens' Illinoise, Bat For Lashes' Fur and Gold, and MC Hammer's Greatist Hits. Dont miss out!

Ra Ra Riot at Sound Garden

Last night, Ra Ra Riot played in store performance at Sound Garden in Baltimore. It had been two years since the group's first performance at the store. The band performed a 7 songs from their albums "The Rumb Line" and "The Orchard". The folks in Ra Ra Riot have been known to put on a great show and last night's acoustic performance was not an exception.  Here's a clip of the the band performing "Shadowcasting". Be sure to check out our You Tube channel for other clips from last night's set and Explosions in the Sky!

Left 4 Dead Comic: The Sacrifice Part One

Check it out L4D fans, Valve made us a comic!  Ya'll should totally read it, it's pretty awesome.  It ties into the last DLC pack released for L4D2 and attempts to fill us in on the events leading up to it.  Go read now!

DLC Gaming Quick Fix: DeathSpank

The Fall gaming season is upon us.  This month we've already seen the release of Dead Rising 2, Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, and Halo: Reach; and there's plenty more heavy-hitter titles slated for release up through the holiday season.  

EGS is here to help keep a controller in your hand until that big name title you've had on pre-order for the past 6 months hit stores.

Today, we have the hilarious hack n' slash action rpg, DeathSpank--one of the many downloadable gems from this past summer.

DeathSpank is a heroic hero of the downtrodden who dispenses social justice like most heroes:  with violence.  DeathSpank's power is derived from a magical purple thong he wears (I'm not kidding).  And, it's up DeathSpank to use the power of his mighty undergarment, and a large variety pointy and smashy weaponry, to help free a group of orphans from the evil Lord Von Prong.

DeathSpank plays a lot like your typical dungeon-crawler (think Diablo and, to some extent, X-Men Legends/Marvel Ultimate Alliance).  DeathSpank roams a huge, cartoonishly rounded, open world, where he cleaves, bashes, skewers, burns, freezes, poisons, and electrifies any evil-doers in his path and collects mountains of sweet loot along the way.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Wait...what?! #62

Arrested Development are legends, so if they want to cover "Heaven" by Los Lonely Boys, then I'm cool with that. It's actually pretty enjoyable! Let me know what you think!



You say that you're not familiar with Arrested Development? Shame on you! Don't worry, I got you covered. Here's one of my favs!

BCC2010: Ghostbusters Con-Volution!

Walking around the Baltimore Comic-Con floor, I couldn't help but notice a Ghostbusters comic.

Ghostbusters is one of my favorite franchises ever. The original Ghostbusters movie is one of my favorite movies of all time (one of my feel good movies as well). I loved the cartoon series, The Real Ghostbusters, as a kid. I grew up with the Ghostbusters and continue to love them to this day. So obviously I had my hesitations when I saw a Ghostbusters comic. Could the comic hold up and be an extension of the Ghostbusters? Is this just a milking of a franchise hoping for more money with the recent success with the Ghostbusters video game and rumors of Ghostbusters 3? So I sat down with Ghostbusters Con-Volution and I thought it held up pretty well.

*NOTE* Possible spoilers after here, but I will try to keep them to an absolute minimum.

Written by Keith Dallas and Jim Beard, the Ghostbusters comic really feels like a cross between the movies and cartoon series. This particular comic felt a little more like the cartoon series because of the "comic-con" theme. In the movies, you never see the team without their trusty proton packs at the climax of the film. However, there were certain situations in the cartoon series where they left their gear behind and had to find alternate means of dealing with a ghost. This happens in this story and its done in a pretty fun way. You can tell the writers had fun with tying in some real life likenesses related to the comic world. The humor is pretty good as well, with jokes (again) really filling the space between the movies and cartoons. I am excited to get my hands on the rest of the comics in this series to see if they feel any more like the movies (I also want to see the proton packs in action :P).

One of my only real gripes with the comic is extremely minor and or an art related note. Josh Howard does a good job with the art, however I wish there was a little bit more difference in the way Ray Stantz and Peter Venkman were drawn. You can tell the difference between them with their dialog, but its hard to decipher one from the other by just looking at them. Other than that, I really enjoyed this one.

All in all, if you are a fan of Ghostbusters, this is going to be worth your time. Its fun and nostalgic. Give it a shot and let us know what you think!