Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Life Hacks: The Infograph

Now before you go writing this infograph off as a waste of precious time today, please take a moment to reconsider. This may be one of the only infographs to give some great life tips and tricks, some of which I am sure you will consider adopting. So hit the jump and see for yourself some neato stuff to improve you.



Arcade Fire and HTML5


Everyone needs to go here and watch this: www.thewildernessdowntown.com. This is one of the most impressive examples of new web technology/code that I have seen to date. Built with HTML5 and CSS3, this interactive video shows some great techniques of how the web will be changing for the better in the near future. Arcade Fire definitely hit the nail on the head with this feature, and it makes me all kinds of excited to dive deeper into HTML5 and CSS3 to see what I can come up with. If you aren't a web designer or developer and don't care about what this HTML5 mumbo-jumbo is, I still recommend that you watch this. The experience of this video is pretty amazing and powerful.

*Note: Since this uses HTML5 and CSS3 elements, you will need to view it in a browser that will support it. For the best experience, make sure to install and use the latest version of Google Chrome.

Chewie and Han

You're welcome!

Wait...what? #53

Hey gang, sorry for the absence. Please accept today's entry as an apology! Here's Lightstar Champion performing an acoustic version of The Cribs "Men's Needs". Enjoy!



If you liked that be sure to check out "Midnight Surprise"! It's about 10 min but worth every second.

1990's You So Crazy!

The 1990's provided us with so many awesome things. It gave us The Martin Lawrence Show,  Juice, and who could forget BeBe's Kids! It also provided us with some pretty goofy things! Case in point, The Mario Bros. teamed up with Milli Vanilli. Watch and be amazed!

 

Monday, August 30, 2010

Marvel: The Infograph

Here are some cool fun facts about Marvel in infograph form. View the entire infograph after the jump.


Top Of The Mornin' Monday


Baltimore Comic-Con is officially over, and this makes Megatron sad. Me too, buddy... Me too.

As for a quick update, we had a blast at the con and have a ton of cool stuff to talk about! We hope to start writing all of that up this week, as well as return to our daily posting schedule. Stay tuned! 

That is all. Happy Monday!

Friday, August 27, 2010

EGS Update


Hey everyone! Just wanted to give everyone a quick update. Firs things first, sorry for the lack of posts this week, especially the past few days. We have been really busy this week in preparation for Baltimore Comic-con this weekend. Rest assured that we will be back with normal posting next week, fill with lots of Comic-con stuff.

Now on the topic on Comic-con... WHO'S EXCITED?! You know we are! We will be at Comic-con both days this weekend. Make sure to come hang out with us at the Third Eye Comic's booth, which is booth 812. It is going to be a fun filled day in Baltimore to say the least. See you there!

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Wait...what? #52

Yesterday we featured a cover of a song by Hot Chip. Today, we have a cover by Hot Chip and Peter Gabriel. This is an epic cover of Vampire Weekend's "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa". Enjoy!

Guile's Theme Goes With Everything.



You know Guile, right?  He's the flat-topped, musclebound, flash-kicking, sonic-booming, badass representing America in Street Fighter.

You see, like all the Street Fighters, Guile has a theme song--a particularly epic theme song.  So epic, in fact, that the internet has declared that Guile's theme can fit with anything and everything.


Now go home and be a family man!

Rusko.

Two words: Bass Sandwiches. This is definitely a step in a different direction for artists to feature here on EGS, but one that shouldn't be over looked. Bringing us music all the way from England, this is Christopher Mercer, better known as Rusko. Trust me, if you like to dance, you are going to love this artist. Rusko is a dubstep DJ, creating some of the most fun and creative songs and remixes I have heard in a long time. For those of you new to dubstep, its a style of electronic dance music combining trance/techno/drum and bass/trip hop/you get the idea with lots (see LOTS) of bass. He is also one of the most animated and energetic DJs I have ever seen. Rusko's album "O.M.G.!" hit stores on May 4th of this year, and it is a gem. If you are a fan of So You Think You Can Dance, then you had the pleasure of hearing his remix to Kid Sister's "Pro Nails" during the Stepping routine with Twitch and Kent.

Check out one of Rusko's most popular songs below in "Woo Boost." Warning before you watch: This is probably one of the most trippy music videos you will ever watch, but the song is awesome. Right now, his "O.M.G.!" album is currently on Amazon for $5, so give it a shot! After the jump you can find his video for "Hold On" featuring Amber Coffman as well as the Stepping routine from SYTYCD.



Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Portal Song "Still Alive" Slowed 800%

'Still Alive' from Portal, slowed down 800%. by xihilisk

This slowing things down to 800% is apparently catching on.

Portal players all remember being rewarded to the quirky and hilariously catchy song "Still Alive" by Jonathon Coulton" upon completing the game.  "Still Alive" at 800% is gloriously epic and oh-so soothing.

I recommend listening to it in headphones.  I am being so sincere right now.

Wait...what? #51

Grizzly Bear performed an amazing acoustic cover of Hot Chips "Boy From School". Enjoy!


Scott Pilgrim vs. The Matrix



Neat, some crafty/bored internet-goer decided to recreate the "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" trailer using clips from the Matrix.  I have to give them props, it's pretty well done.  If only The Matrix movies were more like Scott Pilgrim....Woah.

Oh, and if you haven't seen "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" yet, GO RIGHT NOW!  It probably won't be in theaters much longer since it's not doing well in the box office, so time's running out.  Seriously, stop reading this and GO!

Monday, August 23, 2010

Wait...what? #50

Johnny Cash's somber cover of U2's "One" can be found on "American III: Solitary Man". If you aren't familiar with the Johnny Cash and Rick Rubin collaborative on American Records, go check it out RIGHT NOW! Enjoy!

Read Comics in Public Day

Saturday, August 28th is not just the kick-off to the Baltimore Comic-Con or Jack "The King" Kirby's birthday but it is also "Read  Comics in Public Day". The awesome folks at Third Eye Comics in Annapolis have come up with a great promotion for the event and to further spread the love of comics.
Here's some info that Third Eye posted on Facebook explaining how you can participate!

"1. Read Comics in Public, Get A Sweet Coupon! - Anyone who snaps a picture of themselves reading a comic in public between today and Saturday August 28th, and sends it to us, will receive a 20% Off On Any Trade Paperback or Hardcover coupon. It's that simple. Send us the pic of you reading one of your favorite titles in a public place, and get hooked up.


2. GET FREE COMICS on Saturday 8/28/10 and Spread the Love - We WANT you to spread the joy of comics, 'cause just like us, Third Eye Faithful, you are comic missionaries. So, on Saturday 8/28/10, pop by the shop, and let us know you plan to be doing some public reading, and you'll get hooked up with a free comic of your choosing. We'll have an assortment of some goodies, ranging from Walking Dead #1 to the first issue of Wolverine: Old Man Logan. Even if you've already read one of those, keep it handy on you when you are out and about, and that way you'll have something cool to pass off to anyone you meet.

3. Win A $50 Gift Card - The person who takes the most pictures of themselves in different public settings reading comics while rocking their Third Eye Comics t-shirt will win a $50 Gift Card! Don't have a Third Eye shirt? We've still got most sizes in stock, so c'mon by and snag one."

With a event like this, everyone wins! If you're at Comic-Con this weekend, stop by Third Eye Comics' booth and learn why they are our favorite shop!

Top Of The Mornin' Monday


Some awesome paintings of some awesome people. That is all. Happy Monday!

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Partytime Panda

Or Bed Intruder Panda... which ever you prefer. I know this song is already old and overplayed, but this is probably the best mash-up ever to breathe new life into this song.

Friday, August 20, 2010

What If... Historical People and Events Had Facebook Pages

It would look a little something like this.


Hit the jump for a complete set of images and hilarity. Have a great weekend everyone!

Orginal Subspace Theme From Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World


Just kidding! I got really bored and slowed down the theme song to "The Price is Right" 800%, but it does sound like a freaky track that would be played in subspace. This was inspired by the Justin Bieber video. This is only a short clip as the final version is about 1 hour and 50 min long. If you want a copy of the full song send me your email address and I'll hook you up. Learn from my mistake and don't listen to the full version while drinking Brandy!

TRON Legacy Soundtrack Compilation

There has been some controversy about this video ever since it was posted. And the main argument I am referring to is that about Daft Punk. People are going back and forth talking about if this is actually Daft Punk on the soundtrack or not. While I kind of hope it is Daft Punk, either way it really doesn't matter. It definitely has a Daft Punk feel, and I like it! I'm definitely looking forward to getting this sound track when it comes out. Take a listen for yourself and see what you think.

Wait...what? #49

Today's post is a fun one! It's not from an album or concert but rather the television show "Curb Your Enthusiasm". I'm not going to explain the backstory of the scene because the post will become a love letter to this amazing series. So before I digress, here's John Legend covering "You Don't Know Me" by Ray Charles. The clip after Legend's performance might be NSFW. Enjoy!

One Of These Lucas Lee Movies Should Be Made...


So everyone has seen Scott Pilgrim by now, right? Well I guess the answer is no with the box office numbers last week. SADFACE. :(. Seriously though, if you haven't seen it yet, definitely go out and see it... Right now! You're in the middle of work you say? Doesn't matter. Scott Pilgrim vs The World is going to be way better than whatever menial task you are currently doing. I promise. Scout's honor.

Now with that out of the way, if you have seen it, you know that SPVTW had some brief glimpses of the movies Lucas Lee starred in. This week, some of the posters that were made for those films were released. I am secretly kind of hoping one of these will get made. It would be like the Machete of SPVTW. These are the kinds of movies that would be so terrible, they're awesome. More posters can be found after the jump. Enjoy!

Diggin' Through the Crates: Lie to Me

Try and tell me that this cover isn't rad
Today, we are going to look at one of my favorite songs from Heiruspecs', 2005 album, "A Tiger Dancing". I remember the day that I bought this album. I was at Best Buy in White Marsh (believe it or not but they used to carry some amazing indie hip hop). The cover art immediately pulled me in and after seeing that the album was on sale, I went straight to the register.

As I was walking to my car, I was franticly peeling off the plastic so I could listen to the album ASAP! I didn't have anywhere that I needed to be, so I was aimlessly driving around, enjoying my new purchase. I was thinking about how fun and mellow this album had been and then "Lie to Me" came on.

The song simple starts with piano and guitar.
Then Muad’dib delievered some of the most emotional lyrics I've ever heard. In a genre of music that is filled machismo and bravodo, it's not common to hear an MC being brutally hones about his emotions. Muad’dib spits at a break neck pace and as lyrics comes to its conclusion, the song builds to point that it seems to explode. The drums finally kick in and are accompanied by a string section that beautifully compliments the sentiment of the lyrics. Then the track is slowly stripped away of its layers and fades the same way it began, just a piano and guitar. This ladies and gentlemen is how you end an album!


 

I'd Like Some Pound Cake



Happy Friday. You can get back to your lives now.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

PODCAST: ???

Eevery Thursday for the past month I have given some recommendations for podcasts to check out. Those were:

The Nerdist Podcast
IGN's Girl Fight Podcast
Mogwai Rock Action Podcast
IGN's Three Red Lights Podcast

So now I am turning things over to you. I am looking for suggestions for podcasts to check out and feature next month. I am willing to give anything a listen. All I need is the title and where I can find it at. So give a shout out to your most favoritest podcasts and let see what turns up! Can't wait to see some suggestions :D!

Piranha 3D

The cast of Piranha 3D would like you to consider their gem for every Academy Award this year. And after watching this, I approve. Piranha 3D for best picture!


Wait...what? #48

Today we have another Fiona Appel cover. Her "Unplugged" performance of Jimi Hendrix's "Angel" is simply stunning. Enjoy!

Help Make Puppy Cow A Reality


Halp! Puppy Cow Needs Us!

Jamie Noguchi, one of Super Art Fight's veteran artists/illustrators, is trying to raise money to make his most famous creation a plush toy for everyone to enjoy. Noguchi is hoping this will be the first in a line of toys he would like to create. The Puppy Cow Plush will be seven inches tall, and feature utters made out of a fake leather material.

We here at The Epic Gentleman's Society can never say enough good things about the folks over at Super Art Fight. So if you have a few bones to spare, please donate to help make a dream a reality. There are all different kinds of puppy cow art and collectibles you can receive from Jamie himself for being all kinds of generous and nice.

Click here to go to the Kickstart page, which features a wonderful video promoting the project. You can also stay connected with Puppy Cow on Facebook.

Identity Crisis

Since this story is a few years old, I've decided to include a few  SPOILERS in this post. Fair Warning!




DC Comics has gone through alot of crises over the years. Whether it be a "Crisis on Infinite Earths", an "Infinite Crisis", or what will hopefully be the "Final Crisis", it seems like the protagonists of DC Comics can't catch a break. My favorite "crisis" story is one that didn't feature a villain that threatened existence. The events in "Identity Crisis" played out on a much smaller stage but still changed the DC universe.

The story begins with the murder of Sue Dibny, the wife of Elongated Man (I agree, it's one of the worst superhero names ever. From here on, I'll refer to him as Ralph Dibny). Sue was mysteriously murdered at home while planning a birthday party for Ralph. As the funeral ends, the super human community furiously hit the streets seeking answsers. While this is going on, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Zatanna, Hawkman, The Atom and decide to go after the most unlikely of suspects, Dr. Light. With the current incarnations of The Flash (Wally West) and Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner) tagging along, we learn why Dr. Light is a suspect.

 Front Row: Zatanna, Black Canary
Back Row: Flash, Hawkman, Atom, Green Lantern and Green Arrow
Several years prior, Dr. Light stumbled onto the Justice League's headquarters in space. The satellite is empty with the exception of Sue. In the time it takes the League to respond to Sue's call for help, Dr. Light has brutally attacked and raped her. To prevent this from happening again, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Zatanna, Hawkman, The Atom, Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) and The Flash (Barry Allen) decide to not only erase Dr. Light's memory of the incident but try to shift his personality.

Dr. Light's memories are restored during his confrontation with the heroes. After Dr. Light makes his escape, Superman informs the group that Dr. Light couldn't have done it based on Dr. Mid-nite's autopsy. As the investigation continues, more family  members of the super hero community are targeted. The question remains--who is the killer and how did this person learn the secret identities of the heroes?


Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Wait...what? #47

I watched "Pleasantville" last night and it reminded me how much I love Fiona Apple's cover of  "Across the Universe" by The Beatles. Enjoy!

NSFW Wednesday: 10 Minutes of TF2 Rage

SUPER NSFW DUE TO 212 F-BOMBS!



I would definitely heed the warning at the beginning on this video.  This dude is loud and indiscriminate with his f-bombs.  Seriously, get your ear muffs ready on this one.

Piggybacking off of Matt's NSFW post from yesterday and in a similar vein from my TF2 Kittygeddon post from a while back--I bring you 10 minutes of unmitigated rage from TF2 player Chozo.  Seriously, this guy makes Christian Bale sound like Mr. Rogers.  What's even better is that he can back up all his talk with skill.

Also, I'm pretty sure Chozo's gamer pic looks something like this...

Daytrotter

Daytrotter is one of the best indie rock blogs on the internets! The crew at Daytrotter offer some truly heart warming live recordings and videos. The artists featured on this site provide alternate renditions of previously recorded songs and some unreleased tracks. With each song you can find some great commentary on the recordings. It's been through this site, that I've discovered many of the musicians that have found a special place on my Ipod. Did I forget to mention that the site is updated daily? And that the tracks are FREE? Check out their impressive catalog and get your download on!

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Wait...what? #46

Kaiser Chiefs covering Klaxons' "Golden Skans" is full of win! Enjoy!



If you liked that, then you should check out "Everyday I Love You Less and Less"!

No Love for Kurt Vonnegut

THIS VIDEO IS NOT EVEN CLOSE TO BEING SFW!



ENVY.

I don't even know where to begin with this band. So I will start with what sparked the initial reason behind this post. On September 25th, Baltimore will be graced with presence of Envy, and I am just as excited about this show as I am for Explosions In The Sky. Coming to us all the way from Tokyo, Japan, Envy will tour the US this fall for the third time. Baltimore is lucky enough to have this band playing the Ottobar, which will give any fan the best show they could imagine, and be closer than ever.

For those who don't know, Envy is one of the pioneer screamo/hardcore bands from Japan. However, since beginning their journey in 1992, their sound has evolved so much. While elements of screamo and hardcore are still present, the band has incorporated a lot of post rock and ambient sounds. Add in pure emotion to each song and you have the equation for an amazing band that anyone could find inspiration in.

With this US tour also comes the 5th album release for Envy. The US will be able to listen to all 12 tracks on October 12th this year. So expect a few songs to be played off of this new album at the show, as well as many older favorites. 

Unfortunately, the day they will be touring through Baltimore is the same day as Virgin Fest. I have a feeling this will hurt the attendance for the Envy show. However, this is not a band to be missed. If you are torn between the two shows, I have to say please go see Envy (and get tickets early in case they do sell out!). Everyone playing Virgin Fest will be back eventually. Not often do we get to see a little part of Japan in our hometown, and have that little part be one of the best bands coming out of Japan. This is promising to be an amazing show. 

Check out Envy performing "Chains Wandering Deeply" live below, as well as some of their tunes on Myspace.

Monday, August 16, 2010

King Curtis Approved.

JOYISFULLOFLIES! Bacon IS good for me! INFO-GRAPH'D!


In conclusion, Joy, you just got served.


Music for Your Thumbs #5: "Threshold (8-bit Cover)" - Brian LeBarton



Ok, so this song isn't technically from a video game--even though it totally sounds like it is. So, I'm making an exception this week.

You want to know why?

Because this song is from the "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" movie soundtrack!

The original version is by Sex Bob-Omb, the fictional band that Scott Pilgrim plays bass for in the comics and movie. Listen to Sex Bob-Omb's version after the jump. It's filled with lo-fi indie rock goodness!

Wait...what? #45

Ted Leo is bringing the goods with a medley of Kelly Clarkson's "Since You've Been Gone" and "Maps" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Enjoy!



Here's some more Ted Leo & The Pharmicists goodness!

Top Of The Mornin' Monday


That is all. Happy Monday!

Friday, August 13, 2010

I'll have the Miso Soup, please.


Have a great weekend everyone!

WTF?!

I love Yeasayer and Kristen Bell! Expect posts about both in the future!

Wait...what? #44

You may be familiar with The Futureheads' cover of Kate Bush's song "Hounds of Love" but Ra Ra Riot has done a cover that is equally amazing! I've seen this band three times and each time they've closed the show with this cover. The band's second album, "The Orchard" hits stores August 24th! Enjoy!



Be sure to check out "Dying is Fine"!

Jollibee Has Bieber Fever!

Not even Jollibee can control himself when Biebs is on the radio!

Thursday, August 12, 2010

PODCAST: IGN Three Red Lights

For this weeks podcast, I am going back to IGN and video games. I give you IGN's Three Red Lights. This is where I would usually give a synopsis of what usually goes on in any given session, but this particular podcast never really sticks to one thing. Ever. And that is kind of the charm here. Obviously with it being an IGN podcast, video games get talked about. However, the crew here goes on so many tangents that it really just feels like a group of people sitting around a mic and just chilling out and having a good time talking about whatever makes them laugh. And you will find yourself laughing right along with them.

So many podcasts try really hard to have personality, be funny, feel a lot like a radio talk show. That kind of approach always comes across as really forced to me (I loathe talk radio, especially morning radio shows). Here, its about as laid back as it gets, and its just fun for fun sake which I can respect. So load up that iTunes, start downloading Three Red Lights, and prepare for some lulz.

Wait...what? #43

Yesterday, I mentioned the band Best Coast. In this video the band covered "I'm so Bored" by Wavves. Enjoy!



If you liked that, you should check out "When I'm With You"!

The Oregon Trail

ZOMG AN OREGON TRAIL MOVIE MY LIFE IS COMPLETE!

Just kidding. Its fake. But as a trailer for a fake movie, this doesn't look half bad. I would venture to say if this were to be taken seriously, it would be better than at least half of the video game inspired movies out there or currently being made (not that it would be that hard to do...).



Dammit now I want to play Oregon Trail. I'm totally rolling a banker and facerolling my way to Oregon.

Scott Pilgrim Game Pitch Video: Now With Extra Retro!



What?  Scott posting something Scott Pilgrim related?  NO WAY!

Kotaku posted this pitch video for the Scott Pilgrim game, which has a super old school gaming vibe.  Also, listen for some sick 8-bit covers of White Stripes, Ramones, and Smashing Pumpkins.

I'm still crying myself to sleep over the fact that I can't play the actual game yet due to the PS3 getting the exclusive before the movie release date.  But, with the Scott Pilgrim movie coming out Friday, I think I'll manage...maybe...

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Talkdemonic

This.Band.Is.Amazing.

With a name like Talkdemonic, some of you might expect some terrible metalcore band. But that is far from the case. Kevin O'Connor and Lisa Molinaro put together one great folky/ambient/classical/electronic/cultural/post-rock sound. On drums and violin respectively, their instrumental masterpieces truly come together perfectly. Their sad parts are deep, and their happy parts are light, and mesh so well together. It's pretty incredible how much thought and emotion these songs spark. It's hard to put them into one particular genre other than instrumental because their sound can vary so much from song to song. And that is by no means a bad thing. It truly makes them stand out among so many bands like them. I could seriously listen to this band all day and night. Their songs are just so mesmerizing.

There is a ton more to listen to, watch, and read over at Talkdemonic's website. Definitely check out this band!

All Summer

Converse asked Kid Cudi, Rostam Batmanglij of Vampire Weekend and Bethany Cosentino of Best Coast, to make a song. The result was 2:57 of awesomeness! The video is just as mind blowing as the song! If only the trio would make an album together.



You can download the track here!

Wait...what? #42

Today's post is by the band responsible for the music in the Scott Pilgrim video game (which is amazing by the way), Anamanaguchi! Anamanguchi has put an 8-bit twist on Weezer's "Holiday". Enjoy!



Be sure to check out "Dawn Metropolis"!
You can also download some FREE tracks here!

Flossing

I'm pretty sure this is how flossing works for just about everyone. Thank you The Oatmeal.

WTF 90's!?: Quake Mod X-MEN FPS



The above video is a MARVEL SANCTIONED X-Men first-person shooter that utilizing the Quake engine.

Yes, Marvel officially endorsed a game that revolves around players going all Rambo on characters from one of their most popular franchises.  But yeah, if you've ever wanted to obliterate Cyclops with a rocket-fire-bomb launcher and here him scream like a Tusken Raider when he dies, then this is the game for you!

Props to Kotaku for posting this and reminding us how crazy the 90's were.  Also, check out Bishop's shoulder pads at 2:26 in the clip!

Click here for the full post on Kotaku.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Madden 11

So I occasionally play the ol' sports games. Guilty as charged. I'm pretty pumped for this football season since the Ravens are looking to be a really good contender this year. And what better way to help get the football blood flowing then playing a little Madden? I know not everyone is a huge sports fan or sports game fan, so I will keep my thoughts short.

Madden 11 is going to be a great game for the casual sports gamer. The flow of the game has picked up a lot. The biggest addition that spans all game modes this year is GameFlow. GameFlow is basically the "Ask Madden" easy button and a play is chosen for you. From there you can call an audible, change your hot routes, or run the play as planned. This option really speeds up the game play. You can still chose plays the old way, but I think hardcore Madden players are going to find it more frustrating than fun. Since I am more of a casual gamer, I love it. This allows you to spend more time on the field and less time going through pages of plays, trying to find just the right one.

The other big addition is being able to play with a party of people online as opposed to just one-on-one. I haven't spent any time with this new feature yet, but it looks promising and I can see how it would make the game a lot more fun if everyone is into it.

Other upgrades include the player models, new tackle animations, and more speed on the field. Madden 10 felt a little sluggish, and Madden 11 definitely feels more fluid.

All in all, if you are a football/Madden fan, your're going to buy it. It's the only way to get your updated rosters without spending your entire life trying to trade and draft every single player for every team in Madden 10. If you're in question about whether it get this, I say if you are more of a casual gamer, then go for it. I think you will find yourself pleasantly surprised by this installment of the Madden series. Hardcore gamers are going to find a lot of the drafts, create-a-player, and franchise mode to be exactly as Madden 10 was. The extra multiplayer modes will be your draw for this game.

Hope to see a bunch of you on the field [as this will probably be the only game I will be playing until Fable III]!

Wait...what? # 41

I wish that I could find a mp3 of today's cover. Lily Allen has done a wonderful yet quirky rendition of Keane's "Everybody's Changing". Enjoy!



If you liked that, then check out "LDN"!

La Blogotheque

It's hard to believe that you would check out a blog besides our own, but if you are I hope that it's La Blogotheque. La Blogotheque is the ultimate music blog. Is it because of their awesome music reviews? Nope. Do they provide the interwebs with music news faster than everyone else? Guess again. It's because of their feature "A Take Away Show"!

"A Take Away Show" places musicians in intimate, and on several occasions, awkward settings to perform. The venues have ranged from the streets of Paris to a bathroom stall. Since many of the performances take place while walking or in such crampped spaces, the artists are forced to use only a portion of their equipment. The result is a slightly different but always enjoyable performance.

The videos are shot in such a beautiful way. I wish that a DVD was realeased, collecting these magical performances. I guess, I'll have to settle for the links to download the videos. Do yourself a favor and check this blog out!

Music for Your Thumbs #4: "Prince Fleaswallow's Rap" - Parappa the Rapper



Parappa the Rapper is the true story of an inner-city, bipedal, dog-boy's (Parappa) quest to impress the humanoid flower girl he's totally crushing over.  During his journey, Parappa teaches us that many of life's lessons can be solved by droppin' lyrical bombs.  Parappa's skills not only pay the bills, but also help him master karate, learn to drive, sell useless junk (as shown in the video above), bake a cake, and--most importantly--bump his way to front of a line to use the bathroom.

Ok, enough snark.

Parappa is bizarre product of the 90's, but it was still a lot of fun.  Parappa was one of the first music/rhythm games (along with Bust A Groove to appear before the age of plastic instruments.  It was just so weird and different for it's time.  All the music is cheesy and downright strange, but that's what helped make it great.

Also, since I've been MIA for a bit, I've attached some bonus Parappa parody videos from Mega64 and Robot Chicken.  Vids/links after the jump.

Monday, August 9, 2010

DV8 : Gods and Monsters

DV8: Gods and Monsters is a reboot of a team (and I use that term lightly) book from the 1990's. What seperated DV8 from most titles was that the chararcters were not afraid of using their powers for personal gain. My knowledge of the original series is limited so I can't really comment on how faithful Brian Wood's portrayal of the team is compared to previous interpretations.


Isaacs's redesign of team members (left to right) Frostbite, Freestyle, Powerhaus,Copycat, Threshold, Bliss, Evo and Sublime

In "Gods and Monsters", DV8 has been deserted on a familar but foreign and primitive world. The team doesn't know why or how they've arrived on this planet.The story is told through team member Copycat's point of view, as she is asked to recount the events that occurred on the planet by an unknown person. We learn that the team quickly fell apart and went their serperate ways for various reasons. As each member is exploring this exotic world, they are accepted by different tribes as gods. On this world, the members of DV8 find what their lives were lacking on Earth. For some it's the discovery of a new use of their powers, a chance to earn respect, or a way to numb their pain. As the characters become comfortable in their new roles, it doesn't take long for the gods to become monsters. Watching team members interact with each other as they have accepted their new status alludes that only one outcome is possible. A conflict that will not only destroy the team but the entire world!

Woods should be applauded for making this story accessible to readers that are unfamiliar with DV8. Without using flashbacks or directly recalling previous stories, we have a sense that the team has a long and very dysfunctional history together.


The Pax Cecilia

The Pax Cecilia is a band that I return to time and time again. I saw this band squeeze into the original Charm City Art Space in Baltimore a few years ago, and even with the lack of a real sound system or any space to move, this band still sounded great. What I love most about this band is their diversity. They could write a beautiful piano and orchestral song and transition it ever so perfectly into a dark  and sad metal song. Their blend of styles is amazing and every member is a dynamic and important piece to the puzzle. Since their 2007 release of Blessed Are The Bonds, The Pax Cecilia has been pretty quiet, as members have taken on various other projects. However, from what I understand, new Pax material is in the works, and I couldn't be more excited. I'm hoping this means a possible tour will also be on the horizon sometime in the near future. Only time will tell.

If you would like to take a listen, all you need to do is go to The Pax Cecilia's website. Here, you can download their entire album Blessed Are The Bonds for FREE. Enjoy.

Wait...what? #40

Today's entry is the perfect way start your work week. Dirty Projectors' take on Bjork's "Hyperballad" will put a little pep in your step. Enjoy!



Want some more Dirty Projectors and Bjork goodness? Here you go!
Be sure to check out "Temecula Sunrise" by Dirty Projectors!

Diggin' Through the Crates : Nastradoomus Volume 1&2

When it comes to Nas's album "Nastradamus", fans are split into two camps. Those that think it is the MC's weakest album or those that zealously defend the album.

Many criticized the album for possessing several lack luster instrumentals.Enter MF Doom! MF Doom (now simply known as Doom) took one of Nas's most questionable albums and gave it new life as the two disc "Nastradoomus".

Volume one contains remixes of "Nastradamus", while volume two is comprised of songs throughout Nas's career. My only gripe with the album is that the we've heard all of these instrumentals before on Doom's previous albums. With MF Doom basically recycling beats, the album is really a mash up and not a remix. Despite that, "Nastradoomus" is a great album that any fan of Nas or Doom should have in their collection.

This One Time at Band Camp

You may have noticed that, the links that I've attached to the posts about Blithe Field and Apple Juice Kid, are to a website called Band Camp. Band Camp is the ultimate site for music nerds.  For musicians, it is a simple way to set up a website/online store for your music. For music fans, it is the best site to find high quality files of amazing music and score these tracks on the cheap! My Ipod and wallet have been thanking me since I've started visiting this site!

Here's a video explaining how the site works.

Top Of The Mornin' Monday


Stock boy FTW. That is all. Happy Monday!

Friday, August 6, 2010

In Honor Of Shark Week, Pt. 7


This picture never gets old. Hope everyone enjoyed shark week!

Wait...what? #39

Today we have another cover by The Dillinger Escape Plan. The guys performed an awesome version of the Billy Idol classic "Rebel Yell". Enjoy!

Holy Amazon(.com), Batman!

This is definitely an event to be noted. How many people take advantage or Amazon's $5 MP3 Downloads every month? I know I do. For everyone not in the know, every month Amazon.com has a new set of 100 MP3 Albums to download for only $5. Well this August is a little different, and it also means happy early birthday to me! For this month only, Amazon doesn't just have 100 MP3 albums for $5, they have OVER 1000 downloadable albums [insert over 9000 joke here], waiting for you to click the purchase button. And it gets better. Its not just a list of tons of tunes no one downloads. There is some legit music in this months list. Some examples on the list are Grizzly Bear's Veckatimest, Ray Lamontagne's Trouble, Daft Punk's Musique Vol 1, A Fine Frenzy's One Cell In The Sea, The Bird and The Bee's self titled album, and even Ace of Base's Greatist Hits! All genres have something to offer this month. This is definitely an event to check out and grab some of your favorite artist's music for super cheap. Get those credit cards ready, head on over to Amazon.com, and start downloading!

Paul Robertson

It's going to be a very long four days, as we wait for the release of the Scott Pilgrim video game. As much as I love Scott Pilgrim, the main reason that I am excited for the game is Paul Robertson. Robertson is in charge of the animation and artwork. He is probably best known for the epic "Pirate Baby's Cabana Battle Street Fight 2006". His work is fast paced, creative, filled with references to anime, video games and pop culture, and very insane. With Pilgrim being a licensed product, I wouldn't be surprised if this was Robertson's tamest project.

Here's the latest trailer involving Zombies!




My favorite Robertson film, "Kings of Power 4 Billion %". Don't try to make sense of the plot, your head may explode!

Pt. 1



Pt. 2
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Thursday, August 5, 2010

In Honor of Shark Week, Pt. 6


Blast from the Past: Steroid Edition. 
Why isn't Discovery just showing re-runs of this all week?

Diggin' Through the Crates : Lois Armstrong Remixed

No, you didn't misread that! The Apple Juice Kid remixed Louis Armstrong. I know, on paper it's blasphemy, but then I listened to the album--it's fantastic! The Apple Juice Kid manages to stay faithful to Armstrong's original recordings and puts a modern and refreshing twist on the songs. It's one of the only hip hop albums that I can listen to with my parents around and not feel embarrassed.

You can download/stream the album here. Let me know what you think!









This is one of my favorite songs from the album!

Wait...what? #38

I am going to start every morning with today's entry! Here's Jukebox The Ghost covering "Temptation" by New Order. Enjoy!



If you liked that here's another awesome song by Jukebox The Ghost!

PODCAST: Rock Action

For this weeks podcast, I'm switching it up a little, and keeping it short and sweet. This week I am recommending Mogwai's Rock Action podcast. Hosted by Gareth Main and Anthony Chalmers, this podcast revolves mostly around covering the latest indie songs, as well as some unsigned and unfinished/work in progress material. But what I love about this particular podcast is that the songs that are chosen for each week are so incredibly diverse. You never feel like you hear a song that sounds remotely like the previous one. A lot of genres are represented in each session as well. The hosts will talk a little in between songs, reflecting on the past song, giving some facts, and setting up the next one, and thats about it. This is a great way to find some good, up and coming artists and music. With the selections being so diverse, you might need to weed through few songs that you might not like. But I can promise no matter what kind of music you listen to, you're guaranteed to find something that fits your fancy in each hour. By all means give this one a listen.

In Honor of Shark Week Pt. 5

Take that Nick Fury!

Your LOL for the Day

Now why couldn't every Soulja Boy song be as entertaining as this?!


NSFW!


You can find the original and not nearly as entertaining version here. The original has earned Soulja Boy a spot in the Home For Infinite Losers!

Blithe Field



Those of you that saw Patrick Boivins "AT-AT Day Afternoon" video, are already familiar with the incredible music of Blith Field. For those of you not in the know, imagine RJD2 meets ....music video? with al little Talkdemonic sprinkled on top.                         

Blithe Field made his latest album "beatiful wave '74" available here to stream/download. The best part is that you "name your price" to download. 

I downloaded the album two days ago and it has been playing on a non-stop loop.The songs on the album are mostly instrumentals with some spoken word samples. Some the songs reminded me of the amazing music heard in promos for Toonami. You won't regret downloading this album!

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Yippeekayay!

They are The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza.

Yup, kids. That's right. If you look up this band expecting to find something involving the actual Tony Danza, its not going to happen. This band is a little different from what we usually post here on EGS, but they deserve a shout out. Their mathy metal is very much in a league of its own. Danza released their third album, Danza III: A Series Of Unfortunate Events this summer, and its one great album. Even though Danza is sporting an entirely new line up, their sound still feels like home. Josh Travis' guitar work on the new album is absolutely amazing. And it translates so well live. Danza is currently on the Over The Limit tour this summer, with a bunch of cities left to go. I had the pleasure of seeing them live in West Springfield, VA, and they were great as always. If you get a chance to see them on tour, by all means do so and pick up their albums. Any fan of metal/hardcore/metalcore/mathcore/whateverkidsarecallingitthesedayscore will not be disappointed at all. Thats an EGS guarantee.




Wait...what? #37

The Protomen performed a cover of "Danger Zone" that would make Kenny Loggins and Archer proud! Enjoy!

Today's Secret Ingredient Is...

Lulz.

In Honor of Shark Week Pt. 4



If only Jaws was more of a gentleman, like this classy fellow...

This shark would have had better manners while devouring people.  "Terribly sorry, old boy.  But, I seem to have bitten off your right leg."

Kanye's Tweets as Captions for New Yorker Cartoons



As many of you Twitterers know, Kanye West joined the Twitterverse not too long ago.  Kanye is famous for his hit "George Bush doesn't care about black people" and his team-up with Taylor Swift "I'ma let you finish" among other things.

Well, some brilliant and blessed soul decided to take Kanye's tweets and use them as captions for New Yorker cartoons.  And, this pleased the Interwebs.

Check out a whole bunch of them here

In Honor of Shark Week, Pt. 3

Call Kenny Loggins cause you're in the "Danger Zone"!

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Is Hell's Kitchen About to Get Some Cajun Flavor?

After Shadowland concludes, Marvel plans on replacing Matt Murdock as Daredevil. On Monday Marvel released an image hinting at Nova. On Tuesday the image below was realeased. I hope that this is true. It would be great to see Remy interact with people outside of the X-Men. He possesses similar acrobatic and fighting skills to Murdock. As reckless as LeBeau can be, I think it's safe to say that he is a man without fear! No one has done anything interesting with Gambit in years. This would be a great chance to start over and focus on the things that made Gambit a fan favorite.


One Step Closer to the Rise of the Machines

At least the inventor had the common sense, not to give it legs or arms. Why do the Japanese insist on tempting fate?! Haven't they seen the horrors seen in the Terminator and Matrix movies. You can decide if I'm talking about the robots or the movies themselves.

Go Shark Yourself!

At The Discovery Channel's website, you and all of your friends can shark yourself! Its quick and fun! Here's a pic of yours truly all Jaws'd out. Unfortunately shark grills were not an option. : (



In Honor Of Shark Week, Pt. 2


Wait...what? #36

Today's entry made me ROFL big time. Here's The Dillinger Escape Plan covering Van Halen's "Hot For Teacher". DEP is a band that you must see live! Enjoy!