Super Meow 3D World

Super Mario 3D World

The first game you play on your own new console always has a place in your heart and Super Mario 3D World is no exception. Before I review the game let me share my Wii U story. It all started when I played with the idea of getting one of those modern devices that plays old SNES games. Particularly, I’ve always wanted play Earthbound on a console. Though once I realized it would be difficult to acquire the game for any less than $100 dollars, I looked to the Wii U. Not only did the Wii U release EarthBound on its virtual console this year, it only costs ten bucks. Throw in the fact that I could get a a Wii U bundle (with Wind Waker HD) for under $300 dollars and I was sold. A cheap console with the all the nostalgia of Nintendo and even more nostalgia to come. In fact, the game in question has already left me with some fond memories.

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2013 Music Rundown: …Like Clockwork

Queens Of The Stone Age – …Like Clockwork

I guess I should get in on this 2013 Music Rundown, since I’m plenty guilty of not getting around to reviewing a lot of my favorite albums of 2013.

I never reviewed this particular album because for one, I didn’t check it out until a few months after it came out, and even then it took a little while to grow on me. Which seems a bit odd, since I can’t think of a lot of hard rock albums that I’d describe as “growers”, but I’d say this latest offering from Queens Of The Stone Age falls into that category. This is probably due to the lurching, slow-burning quality of a lot of these songs, which is somewhat of a contrast to the straight-forward pop-metal that these guys are known for. Which would also explain why this album has been slightly disappointing for fans who were looking for a return to QOTSA’s earsplitting glory days of Songs For The Deaf. But as a newcomer to this band, …Like Clockwork strikes me as a perfectly logical step in Josh Homme’s quest for maximum heaviness. Plus, Dave Grohl plays drums on most of the album. How is that not awesome? Continue reading →

I’m Burnin’ for You

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

I’m not a big Hunger Games fan. Is it because I’m a cynical adult male? Hopefully not. I liked the first book, never read the others, and enjoyed the first movie though I’d be lying if I said it was on my mind ten minutes after seeing it. Though I do remember being caught up in the hype of the first film and didn’t immediately turn to every social media outlet available to complain about the “changes” made after seeing it.

It’s hard for me to not be drawn to films when they become such phenomenons. This is why I bought a matinee ticket to Catching Fire. My only problem with the second chapter of this arrow-slinging heroine’s saga was I already felt fulfilled after the first film. Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) rose to the challenge, took out some tots, and everything was A-OK. What I didn’t realize was how much deeper this world went.

I got too caught up in the familiar sci-fi territory of “Big Brother vs. the Bourgeoisie.” Therefore I overlooked Suzanne Collins and her excellent grasp of structure and storytelling techniques. This means the story behind Catching Fire aren’t merely the table scraps of a good concept. I might even go as far as saying I was rooting harder for Katniss and Co. in this latest installment.

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2013 Music Rundown: Holy Fire

We did it in 2010. We did it in 2012. And now it’s back and bigger than ever than ever for 2013: the annual music-we-liked-but-couldn’t-be-bothered-to-review jamboree! So if you’ve been hankering for brief, rushed reviews of some great albums, you’re in luck. We’ve got like a whole month of them coming up. Like last year, I’ll throw in a YouTube of a song I particularly like in the place of the favorite tracks feature so you can sample each band. December, bitches.

Foals – Holy Fire

Foals’ 2010 album Total Life Forever is considered a big deal, I guess, because all the reviews I read reference it and how Holy Fire doesn’t live up to its ambition. Which, I don’t know, is just one of those things that I can’t relate to, since this is the first of their albums I heard. You’ll notice this setup is a recurring one between my recap posts. Anyway, Holy Fire is at its best when the babd is willing to spend some time on a song – I feel like the longer tracks are pretty successful at merging hypnotic sustainability with exciting emotion. Their sound is full of great comparisons, from the Talking Heads to Radiohead to TV on the Radio, and ever since I heard this album last spring it’s been a top choice for late night listening. Maybe you’ve heard the hit “My Number” on the radio, but this album is much more than that. Enjoy!

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