Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Going Green, The Green Day Way


Green Day is on the cover of the latest issue of Rolling Stone and as much as I love them and hate reading, I bought the magazine to see what they're up to, and because they're the greatest band on the face of the earth.

Now I don't know how these fancy things work, but the date on the corner of the magazine says May 28, 2009. Now either I'm insane and my iBook has joined me in Jingletown, I got it early, or I'm just normal and happened to stumble across it at a typical launch time. The real question is, did anyone just catch one? A real Green Day fan should have. If you didn't, keep reading, because you need it.

Do I review music for a living? No.

Will I act like I do for today? Hell. Yes.

The latest album is truly a work of art. How does it stack up against American Idiot, the album that set the bar in 2004 for all of Rock & Roll? Does it stack up at all? They're both rock operas to make the music world stop and take a look, and they both hint at a Hawthorne Heights album cover, but where does the road split?

First off, you year radio static, and a soft voice comes through the speakers in a John Lennon-like whisper. A tune mellow and twisted enough to put your kids to sleep goes on for a minute, and then a rock opera much like something from The Who blares, full and forward, an assault on the senses. While pleasantly still musical, it seemingly speaks through a distorted Gibson Les Paul and a wall of Marshall stacks twice as high as the singer commanding them. Backed by a bass as precision cut and clearly refined as glass, and a 3 dozen piece drum kit not played, but artistically commanded by a master.

The trifecta is a winner. It beats American Idiot on all fronts but a hit pop single, and that's something that every fan new and old has wanted for a while now - at least as far as I know. While I still love songs like Holiday, a pop group Green Day is not. There are obvious singles-to-be, but they are rooted deep behind The Clash, Bruce Springsteen, and maybe a hint of Boston-esque obsessive compulsive perfection.

From start to finish, radio static links most of the songs, in a way that any FM station links so many different bands' songs to one another, through fadeins and fadeouts without interruption, even if often the songs have nothing in common. That's what this album feels like. 18 works of art all totally different, yet flowing. I could name off songs like Know Your Enemy, Restless Heart Syndrome, East Jesus Nowhere, Christian's Inferno, and two different tunes called Gloria, but what does that do for you? It tells you the titles. Wow. You're edumacated now.

Go and find out for yourself, even if for no other reason than to broaden your musical horizons and prove me wrong, but don't miss out on it, because you'd be about as stoopid as this kid.

Yes, it has some American Idiot influence, and they are still relevant and modern, but they are going back to true-to-their-roots Green Day, with some obvious riffs coming from an album they themselves dropped 15 years ago, which has sold that many copies in millions I may add.

Let me know what you people think, good or bad, in email or a response right here. The best band on earth is back in full swing, thank God.

That's right America, I said it. God. Out loud. GOD. Are you offended? MERRY CHRISTMAS. Does the pain burn you? Are you going to sue me? CHRYSLER. BAILOUTS. Now what?! Stimulus Package! Take that. I laugh at blind censorship - it's so exhilarating.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Thanks From Skippy

I don't know where all the love is coming from, but you people freaking rock. I'm talking AC/DC style.

I've gotten numerous emails from numerous people for numerous reasons. regarding numerous parts of my numerous blog. Numerously.

Actually that was a lie, they were all about me, but that's typical. So I got overzealous. There are a lot of people asking me to put links to their sites in my link list. There are a lot just telling me they appreciate my blog.

There are also a lot of spam messages. A lot. Like a hundred a day.

Thank you GMail spam filter. For all of your warming protection.

So anyway... In the meanwhile, I'm happy to say I'm going to be sitting on a lot of free time to get back to what I love doing. Being awesome and telling you all what's good with the world.

I'll be back soon. Thanks for reading, and while I work up some magic, enjoy the archives. I dusted them off myself.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Need For Speed Car List

I know many people have been looking for a car list, so I figured I would create one here. Short, sweet, and to the point.

Naturally, these were the first cars I bought. Once purchased, they are removed from the list, so I can't list them in order, but these are basically the low end vehicles..

Pontiac Firebird - '77 maybe
Pontiac Solstice
Chrysler 300
Ford Mustang GT

..and the rest, in remaining order..

Nissan 240 SX
Mazda Mazdaspeed3
Volkswagon Golf GTI
Mazda RX8
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
Nissan 370Z
BMW M3
Nissan GT-R
Dodge Viper SRT10
Ford Mustang Fastback - '67
Mercedes Benz SL65
Ford GT
Lamborghini Gallardo
Porsche 911 GT2
Porsche Carrera GT
Pagini Zonda

It's a decent lineup, but I wish they had a larger variety of manufacturers instead of several cars from a few brands. A Charger would have been welcome, as would a Jaguar or any Chevrolet, but personally, I can't complain. Even a severe lack of Corvette doesn't kill the game.

I love the game already. Well worth $10 thus far. I would give it an 9 out of 10 simply for my car thought, and there's a sort of turning aid that sort of turns your car for you. Sort of. It's faint, but it's there. Sort of.

I'm happy it finally came out - it took long enough. How many times have I mentioned it? Jayzus. It's the only non-pre-loaded App on my home screen. It's that good, it replaced Apple's Remote App in that spot.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

NEED FOR SPEED UNDERCOVER RELEASED


That's right, I said it!

NEED FOR SPEED UNDERCOVER is now AVAILABLE, and you can download it HERE, right NOW!

I am downloading it as we speak, and I will keep updating this post as time goes on.

I've finally broken my personal vow of silence holding out for this games release, and now I'm happy to be one of the first to post the link to the game.

It is $9.99, and I will say that I support this game now 100%. Even if I impatiently waited since September.

IT'S OUT! WOOHOO!!!