http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2007 by the authors Fri, 2 Jul 2004 11:52:20 EDT http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/ Phillip WinnSunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding. Administration0@blogcritics.org Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/07/02/115220.php Andrew DuncalfeThe thing about Katie Melua's debut album is that it doesn't offer anything that hasn't already been heard before. Call Off the Search is a pleasant combination of bluesy jazz instrumentation and Melua's gorgeous husky voice. Like Norah Jones before her, Katie Melua's music evokes a warm, dark club with cigar smoke in the air, well-mixed cocktails on the tables and a chanteuse and her piano at the front.After listening to this album over the last three days, I can't really pinpoint any one song that stands out, and that is Search's weakness. It's very pleasant music to listen to while you're doing something else, but it's rather unsatisfying if you're looking for music to get lost in.Katie plays her own instruments and has writing credits for two of the tracks (the rest are covers). Since she is more than a pretty face with a good voice, mediocre is probably too harsh a word, so I'm going to describe Search as "safe." Katie will not surprise you with anything unexpected or uncomfortable, but she's not going to blow your socks off either. I give Call Off the Search 3 stars out of 5.Also here. Music17049@blogcritics.org Fri, 2 Jul 2004 11:52:20 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/02/16/155207.php Andrew DuncalfeIn case you haven't noticed- and if not, start reading Day by Day and catch up- Day by Day has been running a series that highlights the problems with California's system for dealing with dead-beat dads.(Thus pointed the Limey Brit.) Politics12809@blogcritics.org Mon, 16 Feb 2004 15:52:07 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2003/12/05/105428.php Andrew DuncalfeWow! The guys at Penny Arcade have so far rustled up $30,000 worth of toys to be donated to the Seattle Children's Hospital for Christmas. Outside of Amazon's warehouses, this must be the largest accumulation of Amazon boxes ever. If you want to get involved, check out the Child's Play website.(Also noted at my place.) Sci/Tech10702@blogcritics.org Fri, 5 Dec 2003 10:54:28 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2003/12/04/185114.php Andrew DuncalfeThe Grammys show once again that they're generally irrelevant as a metric of quality music. As a metric of ClearChannel's current flavor of mass-produced blandness, on the other hand ...No chance for a quality star like Norah Jones to sweep up this year, either.(Also muttered here at the Limey Brit.) Music10684@blogcritics.org Thu, 4 Dec 2003 18:51:14 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2003/09/06/060811.php Andrew DuncalfeImagine a society that has advanced to a point where foreign policy does not need to involve war, and where violent crime is no longer a fact of life. This is the world of Equilibrium, and what a glorious world it is!Of course, there's got to be a catch. In order to neutralize anti-social behavior, the general population is kept dosed up on a drug that deadens violent emotion. The catch is that it also deadens all other emotion. Dosage is mandatory; non-compliance is a capital crime. Orwell gave us a future where free thinkers are most certainly not welcome. Equilibrium gives us a future where you're not even allowed to feel.Sense offenders are sniffed out by Clerics- highly trained agents who have the ability to detect emotion in other people. John Preston is a prodigal among this elite, but things start to change the day he accidentally misses his dose.Equilibrium's premise may be exaggeratedly farfetched, but it is a terrifying premise none the less. Is the prize of a world without violence worth the cost of a life without feeling? As the movie's title suggests, life is equally sterile for everyone: all buildings share the same grey décor, all desks share the same design and are organized the same way. Anything that might arouse emotion is banned: music, art- even the windows are covered with opaque tinting, lest anyone be moved to tears by the beauty of a sunrise over the city. The fate of a sense offender is grim: massacre during a Clerical raid, or incineration in the city furnace if you get captured. The resulting cookie-cutter life is nicely captured by Kurt Wimmer's stark, utilitarian direction.Did anyone mention that Equilibrium is actually an action film? Because underneath its modern-fable exterior, that's exactly what it is. The fighting sequences are focused on Christian Bale's Preston, master of the Gun Kata, a rote-learned technique that places a gunfighter in the statistically most survivable position in relation to his opponents, while simultaneously calculating the firing angles to most efficiently kill everything that poses a threat. What this actually means is that Equilibrium is a movie that doesn't just combine guns and kung fu á la The Matrix; guns are actually a part of the kung fu, extensions of the master's body like a ninja's sword. Naturally, this results in sequences where Preston takes on vastly overwhelming odds and comes out on top, but damn, does it look good. Oh yeah, speaking of swords, there are plenty of those as well (although with considerably less blood than you might expect, given the injuries that they inflict).Equilibrium does have its flaws- mostly in the form of plot holes and under-developed secondary characters- but they do not detract enough from the film to sufficiently explain why Equilibrium has been so woefully ignored. Apparently it sneaked into theaters last summer, and sneaked out just as quickly. I had never heard of it until yesterday, when I watched it at my college dorm. It's out now on DVD, and is certainly well worth a rental if not a purchase (it's on my wishlist). Recommended.See Nick Barrett's review here.(First seen here at my place.) Video8151@blogcritics.org Sat, 6 Sep 2003 06:08:11 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2003/07/28/002115.php Andrew DuncalfeGlass Harp isn't likely to be a familiar name to many people younger than 40. If you know who Glass Harp are, then it probably doesn't matter what I say here, unless you didn't already know that Hourglass, their first studio album in almost thirty years, is coming out in August.Since I'm just a twenty-something college kid, Glass Harp was around just a little bit before my time, and I'm not at all familiar with their previous work. However, I did recognize the name of the guitarist- Phil Keaggy, an accomplished rocker who went on to a successful solo career after Glass Harp disbanded in 1972. The Harp's reunion is anything but another showcase for Keaggy, though, who tends to indulge only in very minimalist solos here and there. In fact, the production of the album as a whole tends towards simple understatement, leaving plenty of room for rocking out when the songs are played live.There is plenty of variation among the sixteen tracks, which the band's website describes as a "tasty musical stew." "7 in a box" opens strongly with a bluesy guitar floating over a crazy 7/4 riff that defies categorization. Glass Harp's 60's roots naturally show through in places; "You whisper something" has vocals reminiscent of the Byrds. Meanwhile, "Lupins'" is a short study in drum loops and synthesizers which fades into the rock anthem "If love is all we've got."Hourglass's weak spot is in the lyrics, which, while uplifting and inspirational, are occasionally trite and sugary. The worst offender is the chorus to "Everlasting light:" "I know that you will be/My everlasting light/Shine for all to see/Like a star at night."Overall, Hourglass is a decent album, but with 16 tracks, it wouldn't have suffered if one or two of the weaker songs had been dropped. It should definitely appeal to anyone who likes old fashioned rock, and it has enough variety that fans of other genres are likely to find something to catch their attention. A must have? Perhaps not, but if you buy it, Hourglass won't be a waste of your money.Blogcritics has an exclusive 4-track MP3 sampler available here for just $3, and there are also other Blogcritics reviews from Jim Schwab, the Theory, and Dan Hersam.(Originally posted here at my place.) Music7268@blogcritics.org Mon, 28 Jul 2003 00:21:15 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2003/07/09/104210.php Andrew DuncalfeSo I watched Evanescence play on the Tonight Show last night. It wasn't pretty. Granted, TV performances are often less than perfect, but this was just bad. The mix was awful- all vocals and guitars, with very little drums and bass. Amy Lee sang horribly off-key throughout most of their latest single, Going Under, presumeably because she couldn't hear herself. At least, I hope that's the reason. I'd hate to think that their album sounds so great solely thanks to digital pitch correction. The band's stage presence was also rather insipid, consisting mostly of Lee jerking uncertainly around the stage and Ben Moody crouching angstily over his guitar- it certainly didn't inspire me to rush out and buy tickets to their next show. I hope Evanescence lasts long enough to really make their live performance something special; their music is good, but if last night's show is representative, they've got a lot of work to do in order to realize their potential.(First posted at my place.) Music6829@blogcritics.org Wed, 9 Jul 2003 10:42:10 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2003/07/09/094221.php Andrew DuncalfeSweet! U2 are releasing the DVD of their huge homecoming Slane Castle (in Dublin) concert from the end of the 2001 Elevation tour. I'm expecting it to be everything that the lame TV special wasn't. This show was special in so many ways. It was the first time for U2 to return to the Slane Castle venue (with space for 80,000 people- and they filled it up to capacity twice!) in 20 years- what better way to finish a hugely successful tour than by returning to an old venue and playing in front of two massive hometown crowds? The second Slane concert (September 1, 2001) was particularly emotionally charged because it came the day after Bono buried his father, and it is this second show that will be featured on the DVD. Finally, if it wasn't actually the very last, then it was one of the last shows that U2 played before September 11, so it marked the end of an era in that sense as well. The DVD is set for release on 17 November. To tide you over, you can get some MP3s of the Slane II concert and the recent performance at the opening ceremony for the Special Olympics here.Via U2log.com.(This article was first seen at the Limey Brit.) Music6827@blogcritics.org Wed, 9 Jul 2003 09:42:21 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2003/05/31/033038.php Andrew DuncalfeI shouldn't have been surprised by Finding Nemo. After all, it was made by Disney-Pixar, the same people who brought us two Toy Stories, a Bug's Life, and Monsters, Inc., and they were all brilliant films that were successful because they were cute enough to attract the kiddies, clever enough to attract their parents, and funny enough to attract the generations in between. Which is why I was happy enough to agree to watch Pixar's latest when my lady announced that we were going to the movies tonight, but also why I wasn't expecting anything fantastic. After all, how many movies can they make before they come out with one that falls a little flat?Apparently they can make at least five. Finding Nemo is excellent. Marlin (voiced by Albert Brooks) is a clown fish whose wife and spawn were eaten by a marauding barracuda. Nemo is his sole surviving son, so naturally he's a bit protective of him. When Nemo is scooped up by a diver as a trophy, Marlin embarks on an epic journey to Find Nemo.Part of what makes Nemo so rich is the vast array of well developed characters. Marlin is protective of his son, but afraid of the open ocean. In order to find Nemo, he must step a long way out of his comfort zone. Along the way, he runs into Dory (brought to life by Ellen DeGeneres), a blue fish who suffers from short term memory loss. Just what he needs; a "natural blue" bimbo to get in his way and slow him down. Meanwhile, Nemo has been put in a dentist's fishtank, where is taken under the fin of Gill (Willem Dafoe), an angelfish who happens to be a veteran of several unsuccessful attempts to escape into the harbor on the other side of the clinic window. As if the characters weren't enough, they are brought to life in a variety of different locales, from the Great Barrier Reef, to a shipwreck, to a high speed ocean current, to a city harbor. Nemo also serves as a reminder of just how funny the Australian accent can be.So go on, then. Go and see it, mate. You won't be disappointed.(This review was also posted here at the Limey Brit.) Video5760@blogcritics.org Sat, 31 May 2003 03:30:38 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2003/05/21/020103.php Andrew DuncalfeI went and saw Matrix:Reloaded again today, and it was definitely better the second time around. I walked away from it the first time with the impression that it was too long, too much to get your head around in one sitting, but with very cool visuals. It didn't drag as long the second time around, and while it was still a little slow getting going, I appreciated the early exposition scenes in Zion more than before.Enough has been said elsewhere about this movie, so this isn't going to be a full review; just a recommendation to give it another shot if you weren't very impressed the first time you saw it.A few things that I picked up the second time around, that I missed on opening night: When Neo encounters the agents outside the captains' meeting at the very beginning, they refer to him as "The Anomaly." Ironically enough, a sign in the courtyard where the "Burly Brawl" takes place prohibits brawling. There are three or four philosophical monologues throughout the movie, and their emphasis alternates between choice and pre-determination. Where exactly did Neo go when he flew for the first time, and who was he looking for in that dark room? :Reloaded raises a number of questions, and while most of them should be resolved in :Revolutions, don't be surprised if some of them are not, or are only answered in part; the Enter the Matrix videogame contains an hour of footage that fills in some of the gaps in the story.I couldn't resist the buying impulse, and I just installed all four CDs' worth of the game. Unfortunately, my first impressions are not as good as I hoped they would be. Controlling your character (you play two- Captain Niobe (who happens to be Morpheus' ex) and Ghost, one of her crewmembers) is tricky, although I expect this will get easier with practice. Except there is no practice area where you can hone your skills without having to worry about real enemies taking your untrained ass apart. You're thrown straight into the action, and it's sink or swim, baby. The biggest irritation so far is the lack of a target reticle for your guns. How the hell are you supposed to efficiently take down the bad guys when you can't even aim your weapon? Combine this with some graphics glitches (the shadow effects are flickery, and I've already suffered a hard system crash), and we're definitely off to a poor start. Hopefully it gets better- I'll let you know.(Posted here at the Limey Brit.) Gaming5481@blogcritics.org Wed, 21 May 2003 02:01:03 EDT