Friday, October 3, 2008

Rock Photos: B&W

Click on each picture to see the full size.


The Beatles and Yoko in the studio.


Publicity shot of the Doors.


The original Pink Floyd enjoying some champagne.


Duane Allman in front of a sign with his namesake.


Jimi Hendrix backstage with the Who.


Publicity shot of Tom Petty and the original Heartbreakers.


Kurt Cobain with cat.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Things I Cannot Stand #1

Each and every day, someone does something that just pisses me off. These daily occurrences just get under my skin. Today, while I was at the store, I see a guy back out of his parking spot as fast as he can and speed away. Who the hell do you think you are? Yeah, backing out fast and bolting away in your big pickup really makes you a cool, cool guy. Thankfully, he didn't hit the mother and little daughter with their shopping cart. What a douchebag.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Top 5 albums of 2008 so far

1. The Mars Volta - Bedlam In Goliath (Universal Motown Records)

$13.49 from Amazon.com, click above to buy.

Continuing with their neo-psychedelic sound, the Mars Volta's fourth album presents a much more developed sound than their previous two albums. Bedlam In Goliath returns to the band's roots ala De-Loused In The Comatorium. New drummer Thomas Pridgen fits in perfectly with the band's sound. The songs feature rich textures, complex rhythms, and the incorporation of instruments such as saxophones, violins, and flutes. Definitely my favorite of 2008 so far.

2. Beck - Modern Guilt (Interscope Records)

$9.99 from Amazon.com, click above to buy.

Produced by Danger Mouse and Beck himself, Modern Guilt features Beck's broken musings backed by his classic blend of rock, hip-hop, funk, blues, and folk. With Cat Power featured on two tracks, the album proves to be an excellent addition to the legendary Beck canon.

3. Jakob Dylan - Seeing Things (Columbia Records)

$10.99 from Amazon.com, click above to buy.

After Jakob Dylan's break from The Wallflowers, he decided to pursue a solo career. Seeing Things, his solo debut, was produced by the legendary Rick Rubin. With Dylan's talent and Rubin's ability to bring out the best in an artist, we were treated to a disc full of intimate, acoustic, and reflective songs. Every song proves that Jakob's songwriting talent must have been passed down from his father, Bob Dylan. Seeing Things will leave you feeling relaxed and can help you get over the loss of The Wallflowers.

4. Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer (Sub Pop)

$12.99 from Amazon.com, click above to buy.

Created from good old fashioned jam sessions, Wolf Parade's second album proves to be their best release to date. Each tracked delivers punch after punch, most driven by the band's creative use of synthesizers. With extremely well-done instrumentation, At Mount Zoomer will make you realize just why you like Wolf Parade in the first place.

5. Mudcrutch - Mudcrutch (Reprise Records)

$9.99 from Amazon.com, click above to buy.

Here's an album that's 30+ years in the making. Tom Petty's original band, which includes Heartbreakers Mike Campbell and Benmont Tech, finally came out with their debut eponymous album. From the traditional "Shady Grove" to the Petty penned "Bootleg Flyer," this is a classic you will be able to listen to for years. Though loose and jammy at times, each track delivers a decisive blow to your ears.

It's Finally Here!

319 days after the release of Bloons Tower Defense 2, the third installment in the series has finally hit the web. From developer NinjaKiwi, BTD3 sticks with the standard gameplay from the past two games but also features some new upgrades. Here's a screenshot:



There are four tracks to choose from initially, but you can unlock the other four by beating the first four on easy mode. New upgrades include extra long range and razor darts for the standard monkey towers.

I've just completed the first level and am excited to continue play. The best part about Bloons Tower Defense 3 is that it is much longer and provides more challenges than the previous two. I'm looking forward to see what the so-called secret weapon is.

Play Bloons Tower Defense 3 @ NinjaKiwi.com