New Kids on the Block Return for the Music

In case you haven’t heard of New Kids on the Block, they were one of the first groups to really the start the boy band music phase. They formed in 1984 with the aid of producer Maurice Starr, but didn’t really become big until the late 80s with their second album, Hangin’ Tough. Danny Wood, Jonathan Knight, Donnie Wahlberg, Jordan Knight, and Joey McIntyre soon became household names and teen idols. After sold-out arena concerts, chart-topping singles, and a giant media & merchandising blitz that included their own cartoon, they disbanded in 1994 due to the changing music scene and feeling burnt out. There have been many attempts to bring them back together for a reunion, but this time they are coming back on their own terms and for their own reasons. After being dictated for so long and having limited control over their careers, frontman Donnie Wahlberg spearheaded the comeback to make it all about the music. With such a positive reaction surrounding their resurgence, their new album, The Block was met with much anticipation and hype. While they are known more for their ability as performers and entertainers rather than amazing vocalists, the new music was still slightly disappointing.

The members of NKOTB first started working together in late 2007 after a demo of a song called “Click Click Click” by singer/producer Nasri made its way to Donnie. After contacting the rest of the group, that was the first track to really inspire their big comeback. While their return was supposed to remain low-key, internet leaks soon led them to show their hand early and push the project up in the schedule. With Donnie putting his acting career on hiatus, Jordan, Joey, and Danny placing their solo careers on hold, and Jon coming back to the entertainment industry after leaving real estate, they placed a huge bet on trying again. The reception has been astounding, with their young fan base now adults and with kids of their own. With all of the guys pushing 40, the irony of being called “New Kids” is a point much of the media like to make. They have been fighting for musical credibility since their old days, with accusations of lip-syncing and many of their big hits being written for them. While their 1994 album, Face the Music really showcased their singing talent with an R&B influence, it failed to catch on. Now with their latest effort, The Block hitting stores, they instead went with a more “urban pop” sound that manages to stay relevant but lacks substance.

NKOTB at their first comeback performance on the Today Show. From left to right: Jonathan Knight, Donnie Wahlberg, Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, and Danny Wood.

From the get-go, you can tell The Block won’t be a big vocal showcase. None of it sounds bad, but you can tell tools like Autotune and voice modifiers have been used to mask some of their group weaknesses. “Click Click Click” sort of became the anthem for their comeback, which has a nice R&B groove that fits with main vocalists, Jordan, Joey, and Donnie. The song talks about a guy taking pictures of his girl, which is a theme seen throughout the album. Their first true single, “Summertime” takes a safer approach, echoing their classic pop style more than any other track. The song certainly created a buzz, and their most recent single aptly titled “Single” is a collaboration with Ne-Yo. It gradually eases the listeners to their R&B/pop shift, but the overall tone of The Block will most likely alienate many expecting typical ballads or pop songs. One of the biggest things that stand out is the good production quality. Donnie is one of the main producers of the album, collaborating with others like Timbaland, Red One, and Polow da Don. None of the tracks would sound out of place on typical Top 40 radio or with R&B artists like Chris Brown. However, the lyrical content remains mostly uninspired and repetitive. As mature adults, it’s a little surprising that most of their songs still talk just about sex. “Sexify My Love” and “Lights, Camera, Action” are just a few that are pretty self-explanatory. “2 In The Morning” is one of the few that actually show a little variety and depth, a slower-tempo track that discusses issues with a wife or girlfriend.

A collaboration with Teddy Riley and The Pussycat Dolls on “Grown Man” isn’t a bad song, but it’s typical pop fare. Timbaland’s track, “Twisted” sounds a little different from his typical work. Sounding a bit more dance/techno-inspired, it has an interesting hook and beat. The tongue-in-cheek title, “Full Service” features original boy band, New Edition and is one of the more fun songs that really works. The final track, “Stare At You” is the closest thing to a ballad, but it doesn’t quite resonate like their older songs. The deluxe version comes with four bonus tracks, and I think they sound better than some of the official album tracks. “One Song” has a nice dance groove, while “Don’t Cry” is a nice mix of ballad and solid back beats. “Officially Over” sounds like it would be an appropriate closer with a fun jingle-like beat and vocal flow. The final song, “Looking Like Danger” is more of a typical urban pop track. One of the surprising omissions is the exclusive iTunes album track, “Close To You”. Initially teased in an early video hinting at their comeback, it’s a simple classic NKOTB-style track with mostly just a piano and their harmonies. I think it’s one of the better songs to come from this album session, which is a shame that many won’t hear or know of it.

Overall, the big New Kids on the Block comeback seems more about nostalgia than anything else. While the group members made it more about the music, there are very few tracks that really stand out on the new album. They did a great job of making modern pop music, but their vocal performances are weaker than the production itself. The repetitive and overused sexual content is a bit tiring as well. NKOTB always placed an emphasis on performing and touring, which this album should facilitate appropriately. But if they decide to stay together for another album, I hope they add more variety.

Google Chrome Enters the Internet Browser Market

Google isn’t new to innovation or stepping into new markets. Their Gmail e-mail service, Adsense advertising program, and purchase of YouTube are just a few examples of their smart business practices and forward-thinking mindset. They are just about universally praised for their company work ethic and various products, and now they’re entering the crowded internet browser market with their open-source project, Google Chrome. Borrowing features from popular browsers such as Firefox, Safari, and Opera, they combine it all into one simple, easy-to-use interface that keeps things basic and low-key. Although it’s only currently available for download to Windows XP and Vista users, it is still in development for other operating systems. You can read their informative web comic to find out why they decided to develop a browser and a more detailed look at its inner workings, but here is a brief list of some of its features.

One Box For Everything
Web search. Web history. Address bar. Suggestions as you type. One unified box serves all your browsing needs.

Dynamic Tabs
You can drag tabs out of the browser to create new windows, gather multiple tabs into one window or arrange your tabs however you wish — quickly and easily.

Crash Control
Every tab you’re using is run independently in the browser, so if one app crashes it won’t take anything else down.

Application Shortcuts
Use web apps without opening your browser. Application shortcuts can directly load your favorite online apps.

Safe Browsing
Google Chrome warns you if you’re about to visit a suspected phishing, malware or otherwise unsafe website.

One of the biggest differences with Google Chrome compared to other browsers is the amazing speed difference. The change is noticeable compared to its competition, which should please consumers who are using slower machines or anyone that wants a faster browsing experience. Everything loads much faster because each tab is loaded as its own separate process as well as improvements like its new Javascript engine. It even comes with its own task manager to allow users to see what is taking up the most memory and terminate them. But unlike its competition, Chrome takes a minimalist approach to its user interface and features. Rather than bloating the browser with tons of extensions, cluttered tool bars, or other options to slow things down, everything is pretty simple. But like Google’s homepage, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. Their new tab features are really nice, being able to seamlessly move them in a new window and back without skipping a beat.

Most of their advertised features have already been done before in other browsers either as a built-in component or a third-party extension. Their smart address bar was a much touted feature in Firefox 3, although Google modifies it slightly to utilize its search engine capabilities. Safari is also capable of detaching tabs into new windows, although it is not capable of reattaching them. They also have a custom start page that has large thumbnails of most visited pages, recent bookmarks, recently closed tabs, and other similar information that looks very similar to Opera’s Speed Dial feature. Incognito mode is also just another phrase for private browsing. But Google has acknowledged all of their competition for laying the groundwork for all of these great features, which is better than just outright stealing.

Only time will tell how Google Chrome will evolve and if it will resonate with consumers. Competition is a never a bad thing and should inspire Mozilla, Microsoft, and all of the others to improve their product. The fact that their browser is open source is great for users that want to tweak and experiment with the code. Google always keeps things nice and simple, and Chrome is no different.

Macross Frontier Brings Classic Feel, New Attitude

The story and universe of Macross is most likely better known as the Americanized title, Robotech. Piecing together three separate series together into one, it took certain liberties to make everything fit together. The first season, The Macross Saga is one of the most popular and more accurately represents the original Japanese version, Super Dimensional Fortress Macross. While there have been various side stories, sequels, and continuations of both versions, Macross Frontier has been gaining a lot of hype and interest since it made its Japanese television debut earlier this year. The new series follows the same time line as the original Macross and commemorates its 25th anniversary with a twenty-five episode long season scheduled to wrap up at the end of this month. Frontier shares many of the same themes and elements as the first series while maintaining its own identity and providing strong points of its own.

Super Dimensional Fortress Macross follows the battle between humans and a race of giant war faring alien creatures called the Zentradi. As one of their spacecrafts crashes on Earth, the humans adapt the advanced technology for their own uses in preparation for a pending invasion. Creating advanced fighter jets that can transform into a Battloid robot mode and a fighter/robot hybrid called gerwalk, the new space force and the surrounding city soon get caught in a huge space war. The love triangle between fighter pilot Hikaru Ichijyo/Rick Hunter, idol singer Lynn Minmay, and military lieutenant Misa Hayase/Lisa Hayes becomes one of the central storylines as the war intensifies and the two separate cultures try to put their differences aside. Macross Frontier takes place after this series and its sequel, Macross 7. Much like the comparisons between the original Mobile Suit Gundam series and the recent production, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED, they both share many of the same themes, plot elements, archetypes, and other appropriate nods. Frontier also shares elements from the OVA sequel, Macross Plus as well as music by famed anime composer Yoko Kanno. The story follows the 25th colonial fleet, called the Macross Frontier. Many colonies and fleets explore the vastness of space as a new bio-mechanical alien race called the Vajra start making attacks. Like the original Macross, Frontier is a space opera featuring a complicated love triangle between characters inspired by Hikaru/Rick and Minmay.

The new alien Vajra attacking a Valkyrie variable fighter in gerwalk mode.

Alto Saotome is a high school student enrolled in the Mihoshi Academy pilot training course. Yearning to fly in real skies, he has a troubled past after leaving the famed family business of Kabuki theatre. His feminine features get him teased with the nickname ‘princess’, but acts normally with a slightly aloof attitude. He meets Ranka Lee, a young girl working at a Chinese restaurant that loves to sing and idolizes popular singer, Sheryl Nome. Sheryl is known across the galaxy and is finishing up her tour at Macross Frontier. The character dynamic between the three is immediately felt, with each seeming like an exaggerated version of their original Macross counterparts. While Alto is somewhat different from Hikaru/Rick, they both share some personality traits. Rather than rehashing the old love triangle, they instead separated the much-criticized Lynn Minmay into two separate characters. Ranka Lee captures the naive, innocent young girl that strived to find love and become a singer. Sheryl Nome exhibits that superstar status and fame while showing confidence and a little bit of arrogance. The character designs feel a little weak, especially in the three main characters. However, they soon evolve beyond their stereotypical trappings and show how much they have to offer. This new dynamic feels fresh and very distinct, not only showing their relationship with Alto but also their growing careers.

The animation itself looks very clean. The 2D animation/CGI hybrid can be seen here, taking a page from Macross Plus when it comes to overall aesthetics. Everything looks very fluid, from the cityscapes to the epic battles. You can see the futuristic influence present in military tools as well as everyday life. Story and individual plot elements share some similarities to the original Macross, but they feel new and are more like homage than copycatting. In true space opera fashion, there is plenty of political intrigue, amazing battles, strong characters, and mysteries abound. With the humans and Zentradi mostly living together in peace, this new alien Vajra race as well as the secret SMS independent military team add to most of the battles as reasoning and motivations are deciphered. Skull fighter team leader Ozma Lee shares many similarities to Macross’s Roy Fokker, taking on that big brother role both in battle and civilian form. Even if you’re not familiar with the Macross universe, Frontier stands well on its own and has a lot to like.

Michael Brun (left) and Klan Klan are both apart of the SMS military division.

The music was composed by Yoko Kanno, who is well known for working on Cowboy Bebop, Wolf’s Rain, Ghost in the Shell, and Macross Plus. She definitely sets a tone no matter what the scene, each fitting well together. Her ability to make each score sound unique and different is amazing. But perhaps the most intriguing part is the the presence of two singers in the series. Sheryl Nome provides the strong, energetic songs with a concert-like feel. Ranka Lee takes things in the other direction, switching between fun, catchy, or more somber. Both singers are more or less friends than rivals, with Ranka and Sheryl even singing a duet version of “What ’bout my star?”. While some scores can sort of fade into the background, Yoko Kanno’s music is at the forefront.

With only a handful of episodes left to go, Macross Frontier is definitely proving its worth. It truly feels like a revitalization of the series, capturing the essence of the original Macross. The show stands well on its own, capable of being enjoyed without extensive knowledge of backstories or histories. With so much packed in so far, there’s just about something for everyone to like.

Rock Band 2 – The New Instruments

Although the original Rock Band game launched less than a year ago, the sequel is going to launch on the Xbox 360 on September 14 with other platforms following before year’s end. With Guitar Hero World Tour making their own full band additions to stay in competition, the battle for music/rhythm supremacy is starting to heat up. While both games can boast about their large song lists and new features, perhaps one of the more important improvements to look at are the new instruments. Many prefer the GH guitars over the RB Fender Stratocasters, and GH’s new drum set with two elevated stock cymbals are making many gamers turn heads. However, Rock Band’s new instruments are more than just a new paint job. With some smart forward-thinking in Harmonix’s designs, they may tempt previous RB owners to shy away from the new Guitar Hero instruments and even contemplate getting the new ones.

Images courtesy of GameSpot

The durability of the original drum set was often brought into question, an issue which caused Harmonix and EA to establish a robust customer service program that allowed for fast and easy replacements of defective instruments. The drum pad hit accuracy, low rebound/bounciness, and the sturdiness of the pedal are all problems that have been remedied. Similar to Guitar Hero’s new drums, the RB2 set also boasts quieter, bouncier, and velocity-sensitive pads. Not only will the drum sound be less distracting and gameplay be improved, but the game will also detect how hard you are hitting the drum and adjust the sound effects accordingly. This should help for those drummers that would wail on the drums with wreckless abandon. Besides the new color scheme, a cosmetic drum target has been added to each pad to give gamers something to aim at and keep hits in the center. The drum heads use a mix of silicone and plastic to create a drum head that should give more acoustically pleasing feedback and a more satisfying experience. The pedal is also metal-reinforced, which should prevent breaking. It also stays attached and flush with the drum set when lifted up and moved, which should make transportation easier. There are also marked height adjustments on the bars to make it easier for multiple people. The feet also have non-slip pads to prevent shifting while playing. But the most intriguing addition are the new expansion slots that allows up to three cymbals to be remapped from the drum pads. They will also emit an in-game cymbal sound to add to the realism. There will be a premium electric drum set made available from ION, but the new stock set sounds pretty good to me.

Images courtesy of GameSpot

I am one of the few that actually prefer the Rock Band guitars over the original Guitar Hero design, but hopefully these new changes will help convert some of the naysayers. Besides the new sunburst color scheme, the biggest addition is an auto-calibration feature on the guitar. Adjusting lag on HDTVs have been the biggest problem with music/rhythm games, and the Rock Band in-game tool allowed for a lot of human error due to manual adjustments. There is now a photo sensor/mic that can be held up to the TV and automatically calibrate for both audio and visual lag. Besides that, the fret buttons have become much quieter and reportedly make virtually no noise at all. The strum bar has increased response time, less mushiness, and reduced travel distance to detect a strum to combine for a much improved feel. The smaller, elevated fret buttons and metronome-like strum bar on the GH guitar were features that made it hard to go back to after playing the original RB guitar. The tilt sensor has also been improved and allows for a wider freedom of movement. Smaller changes like a stiffer, textured neck, removable headstock, and a screw-less battery door are small touches that make the guitar a more viable option. There will also be high-end third-party guitars made available as well as a larger amount of options.

Perhaps the best news to come from this ridiculous music/rhythm game war is both Sony and Microsoft stepping in to mandate controller/instrument compatibility across rival games. This means that instruments from Konami’s Rock Revolution, Activision’s Guitar Hero World Tour, and Harmonix’s Rock Band 1 and 2 will work without flaw. It is both a surprise and relief that Activision has allowed compatibility in GHWT, but no word yet on patching support for older GH titles. For a more detailed chart, check out Joystiq’s Instrument Compatibility Matrix.

With almost universal compatibility across these latest wave of games, frivolous barriers like incompatible controllers are mostly a thing of the past. Add to that additional third-party controller support and offerings, and this allows consumers to pick the instruments that best fit both financially and ergonomically. It’s still tough to convince previous Rock Band owners to fork over almost $200 for these new instruments along with the game, but they are really making it tempting. Hopefully we’ll see soon how the Guitar Hero bundle will stack up.

Projekt Revolution Tour, Part Two – Linkin Park

After attending my first Projekt Revolution tour last year, the Linkin Park concert definitely exceeded my expectations. Coming not long after the release of their most recent record, Minutes to Midnight, it was one of the earlier opportunities to hear many of the new songs live as well as enjoy a lot of the old ones. With this year’s tour wrapping up their M2M touring cycle, their final single, “Leave Out All The Rest”, and one of the last dates on the schedule, they certainly went out with a bang. While there really wasn’t much in new material, the entire concert was non-stop energy with very few breaks. There were a few new intros to classic songs, a couple of remixes, changed-up setlist, and a surprise or two that kept things fresh and interesting. The entire band puts so much of themselves in the performance for the fans, it never dragged and it was actually surprising when the concert ended. Add to that their second consecutive year offering a digital download of the show, and that makes for a truly memorable experience. Picking up where I left off in Part One, Linkin Park was, of course, the highlight of the experience.

Their set started out big with a visually impressive introduction by the three-man Street Drum Corps that included an amazing percussion cadence, lighting work, and an industrial look and sound that precluded the surprising opener, “One Step Closer”. Usually used as the closer, the song really energized the crowd and the set from the get-go. Other favorites like “Lying From You” was remixed a little bit and “Somewhere I Belong” kept the energy flowing. While PR’07 opened up with an exciting intro to “No More Sorrow”, it was still great to hear it again. The guys didn’t have much to say, instead leaving the music to do the talking for them. However, Mike did briefly mention wanting to go out (of the tour) the right way before heading into “Papercut” which just caused even more crowd reaction. As the first track off of their debut album, Hybrid Theory, it gives a nice first impression of the band and is always fun to hear live. Points of Authority also had a surprising remix/intro with Mike Shinoda’s hip hop side project, Fort Minor starting things off with a verse from “In Stereo”. They even went into this nice rock freestyle that changed things up a little bit. They didn’t stray too far from the rock vibe, but it was a change of pace.

Mike Shinoda’s musical talents include piano, guitar, rapping, and singing.

They went into “Wake” with an exciting new intro, which just built up more excitement for “Given Up”. Although “From The Inside” may not be one of their bigger songs, it’s one of those concert favorites that’s always really great to hear live. They slowed things down a bit in their next section of songs, but changed it up from their set. After going into their current single, “Leave Out All The Rest” with Mike on keyboard, they went into another popular hit, “Numb”. But perhaps my favorite song in the whole concert was “The Little Things Give You Away”. It’s the last song on Minutes to Midnight and has so many amazing little details and an ethereal atmosphere that I’ve rarely heard captured as well as this performance. With Mike starting out with a piano intro, it all just gelled perfectly. Chester’s vocal work was spot-on and Rob’s drum solo built up to Brad’s guitar solo. In the studio recording, Mike layers his voice to create a three part harmony with Chester to finish the song. Bassist Phoenix normally joins in to recreate this, but it has never sounded so amazing until now. “Breaking The Habit” was moved around, but ended instead with Chester singing the chorus a capella. “Shadow of the Day” is another great slower tempo song from M2M that closed out their mini-section.

Mike Shinoda (left, rhythm guitar) and Phoenix (bass) playing together.

Mike once again changed things up a bit by adding a verse from “Hands Held High” to the intro to “Crawling”. This was one of the first songs I heard from the band, so it’s another song that’s great to hear live. It was made even better when Chris Cornell of Soundgarden and Audioslave returned the favor from earlier in the show and came out to sing with Chester. They officially ended their set with “In the End”, but came out for an encore with a new intro to “What I’ve Done”. Another live favorite, “Faint” closed out the encore, and a handful of people actually started to leave. But then another drum set was set up at the front of the stage where Rob Bourdon proceeded with an amazing drum solo. That led into a great finish with “Bleed It Out”, which really fit with the overall tone and energy. It was made even more exciting when Street Drum Corps came out again to join the band with marching band percussion instruments in tow. While they had their own percussion break, Rob joined the group to close out the song in this epic drum finish that was pure adrenaline. It ended on a great note that had the sold-out crowd cheering.

It may not have been packed with new material or anything revolutionary, but it was a concert for the fans that never felt old or stale. The new changes and additions were fun and all of the big songs were played. I was hoping for a couple of down tempo tracks like “My December” or “In Between”, but Linkin Park played non-stop and kept the crowd excited and the energy coming. The elevated stages, varied instrument positioning, and the amazing light work all added to a great experience that felt unique from the previous year. The entire Projekt Revolution tour is really solidifying its position among the other great music festivals and offers a nice injection of alternative rock.

Projekt Revolution Tour, Part One – Opening Acts

Many artists have started their own music festivals to showcase favorite bands, particular genres, or sometimes just a certain atmosphere or feeling that other tours don’t necessarily exude. Projekt Revolution is no different and was first started up by Linkin Park in 2002. Originally intended to mash up different genres similar to the band’s diverse musical make up, it has since become a more rock-oriented show after returning last year from a brief hiatus. Projekt Revolution 2007 was my first, and it nicely showcased smaller artists on its second Revolution Stage while showing the bigger names on the Main Stage. Featuring artists like Mindless Self Indulgence, HIM, and My Chemical Romance, it was jam-packed with star power and great music. The tour also “went green”, donating portions of their ticket sales to their Music For Relief charity and using bio-diesel in their tour buses to reduce emissions. With Linkin Park’s most recent album, Minutes to Midnight just recently released, their concert felt new and exciting. With this year’s festival, they took everything a step further with their charities, the music, and the excitement. Headlined by Linkin Park and Chris Cornell of Soundgarden and Audioslave, it definitely had a distinctly different feel. While LP was the main attraction, the other bands also put on a really strong showing.

Projekt Revolution 2008 was the first to tour outside North America and featured exclusive bands like The Used, N.E.R.D., and Jay-Z. The US tour bands stayed closer to rock than hip hop, but it was still a great show. I unfortunately missed the Revolution Stage in its entirety, so I didn’t catch Atreyu, 10 Years, Hawthorne Heights, or Armor for Sleep. I did see most of the Main Stage, but missed the first performance of Street Drum Corps as people were coming in. Things really started off with ASHES dIVIDE, which features frontman Bily Howerdel of the Tool offshoot, A Perfect Circle. I was mostly unfamiliar with the new band, but they are described as “at times very atmospheric and moody, and at other times very heavy riff-driven with tribal-like drums.” From what I saw, that statement actually holds true. They could do a slower and slightly mellow song and it wouldn’t sound out of place with a bigger, heavier song. One of the tunes that fits perfectly is their new single, “The Prey”. It features some catchy melodies with some fun riffs. Their first single, “The Stone” shows how it can be a little heavy and atmospheric at the same time. “Forever Can Be” is also a good example of something a little lighter but full of emotion. As their first tour, ASHES dIVIDE made a nice impression. They had problems maintaining energy and crowd reaction, but that was more likely attributed to their early spot on the stage, smaller stature, and inclusion of mellower songs in their set rather than an all fast-paced, up-tempo affair. They recently released their debut album, Keep Telling Myself It’s Alright and are definitely worth looking into.

Busta Rhymes was supposed to appear on the Main Stage, but he left the tour early due to “complicated business matters”. I was disappointed to miss his performance but wasn’t really a huge fan. I was interested in how well The Bravery would do, and they didn’t disappoint. I’m mostly a casual fan, but they had this stage presence that commanded your attention. A nice variety of songs were played from their two albums, The Bravery and The Sun and the Moon. One thing that stood out to me versus their studio recordings is their great bass-heavy sound. It made everything sound bigger and better, even though their music isn’t exactly my favorite. They opened with “Swollen Summer”, a nice energy-packed song that continued the pace throughout. Their most recent single, “Believe” has seen some decent radio airplay, but lead singer Sam Endicott showed his strong personality when he messed up the lyrics during their performance and was joking that his lyrics “were like jazz.” He also pointed how well-read the crowd was when he dedicated “Time Won’t Let Me Go” to the audience and the characters in the novel/film adaptation of The Outsiders. Songs like their debut single, “Honest Mistake” still had that great 80s-like New Order vibe and “Every Word is a Knife in my Ear” was just pure fun. They may not have been my favorite, but this NYC-based group gave a lot of energy and personality that made for a really good set.

Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington of Linkin Park teamed up on the song, “Hunger Strike”.

Most people probably know Chris Cornell best from his days with Soundgarden and the recent supergroup, Audioslave, but he’s just recently went solo and put on a great performance that showcased his chameleon-like ability and a setlist that had songs both new and old from his former bands and off his upcoming solo album, Scream. He really got the crowd excited when they played a pre-recorded strings arrangement of “Black Hole Sun” before his show started with “Cochise”. He masterfully controlled the crowd, with virtually everyone on their feet for his set. A nice addition was during “Hunger Strike” when Chester came onto the stage to help sing the part normally done by Eddie Vedder. The new material also sounded really great, as “Watch Out” had a nice groove and a little R&B feel to it. Other hits such as “Like A Stone” was redone as a solo acoustic piece and “Be Yourself” had a nice drum build up and largeness to it. He even dedicated “Show Me How to Live” to his former bandmates in Audioslave. “Scream” is another new track that had this melodic beat very different from his previous work. As the name implies, it really displayed his command of the crowd. And of course, he finished it off with perhaps his most popular song, “Black Hole Sun”. It still sounds fantastic years later, not to mention the amazing guitar solo. His show was like a marathon of energy and hits with new material stuck in-between. With Chris Cornell constantly changing form in each of his projects, I like where he’s heading now.

While I wasn’t as familiar with the bands in this year’s tour as I was previously, they still put on an energetic show. I’m still disappointed to have missed some great acts, but I liked what I saw. With the tour coming to a close, they put on a great performance that came to a climax with Chris Cornell. Look for my review on Linkin Park’s show coming soon.

UPDATE: Check out Part Two and my review of Linkin Park’s performance now.

Pokémon Peril: The Introduction

“When you’re a kid and get your first bike, you want to go somewhere you’ve never been before. That’s like Pokémon. Everybody shares the same experience, but everybody wants to take it someplace else. And you can do that.”

–Satoshi Tajiri, creator of Pokémon

Pokémon.

You know you loved it at some point. Whether you played the games religiously, collected/played the Trading Card Game, watched the show, or stole your friend’s handheld every now and then at school, just about every kid in the 90′s got their hands on this game at some point. Even if you weren’t a dedicated fan, it wasn’t hard for anyone to see the effect it has had on popular culture and how collecting and battling creatures could be fun. For some, the games were nothing but a fad, and the allure to “catch ‘em all” faded after the first and second generations. Despite this, there were many hardcore fans who felt that the games still had much to offer.

More than ten years later, Pokémon has shown its endurance as a franchise, and continues to gain new fans, currently holding 5 places in the top 20 best-selling console games of all time between the different and newer versions of the game. Unfortunately, fans of the original series have little to look forward to, and the franchise has become stagnant. It seems as if the company wishes to cater to its constantly renewable audience, and is always targeting the same initial age group of kids. Innovation in the games has become a joke, and the only real changes are more annoying than enjoyable improvement.

With that, I would like to introduce a 5-piece segment that focuses on the following elements of the series, including new elements that I feel have been taken in the wrong direction or unnecessarily added, old aspects that have allowed the games to maintain their success, and some suggestions on how Nintendo and The Pokémon Company can please fans.

These are some of the topics that will be covered:

• Graphic Styles/Movement
• Storylines
• Battle System
• Trading System/Global Trade Station (GTS)
• The Anime Series

It is my goal to relate to others that enthusiasts of the original series are still interested in seeing new ideas for future games. In addition, it is also my hope that some will see Pokémon from an adult point of view, rather than the stereotypical childish cash cow that Nintendo has outwardly embraced. While there may not appear to be any steps towards evolution of the franchise, instead of just new evolutions of Pokémon, there is always potential that fan outcry may have some effect.

Upcoming Xbox 360 RPG Releases, Part One

While the release of Final Fantasy XIII may be a long ways off, Microsoft managed to secure a large selection of RPGs for their console. Many are slated to release this year, including a handful of new IPs from Square Enix. Some can be considered traditional RPGs, but they all feature action-based gameplay and look polished with something to like in each. While the console hasn’t been known for the genre, they have gradually been expanding their palette to fit a wide variety of game titles. Although Microsoft is doing well in America, they’re hoping these new titles will boast their market share in Europe and especially Japan. Paid exclusives aren’t new in the industry, but some point fingers at them for questionable business tactics and bullying. But with the console struggling in two of the three major regions, these games look to help a troubled market while filling in a genre gap. With this article separated into two parts, I’ll first look at two upcoming RPG releases, Namco Bandai’s Tales of Vesperia and Square Enix’s Infinite Undiscovery.

Tales of Vesperia has recently released in Japan and has already become a big hit. The Xbox 360 has been doing very poorly in the region, but the game has already caused the console’s limited stock to be sold out. The Tales series and RPGs in general fare much better there, but that should be a good indication of the game’s quality and how it should fare here in America. Although not as big as Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest, Tales of Vesperia is the first of many exclusive RPGs for the 360 and is the first game in the series to make the leap to current-gen consoles. The title looks to have a strong production team with Ah! My Goddess creator Kosuke Fujishima as character designer, animated movies by Ghost in the Shell studio Production I.G, and much of the same team that worked on the previous games. Tales has very clean anime-style graphics, looking to seamlessly blend gameplay and movie segments. The story follows former knight Yuri Lowell as he journeys outside the sheltered towns and gets wrapped up in a plot to use ancient technology called blastia for evil purposes. Tales utilizes a real-time battle system like previous games, but has a handful of additions. The “overlimit” gauge can unleash various effects or powerful Burst Artes attacks and can be stacked to one character or spread out to the whole party. A new equipment-based skill system, and encounter linking add to the gameplay while traditional elements like weapons quests and collectable costumes round things out. With the game’s August 26 release date just around the corner, it looks like a good time to jump into the Tales series.

Many jokes have been about its name, but Infinite Undiscovery is the first Square Enix RPG to be released on the Xbox 360 since the port of Final Fantasy XI Online and is touting “true evolution” for the genre. Everything happens in real-time, with each decision can lead to new discoveries and affect future gameplay events. Exclusive to the Xbox 360 and the first of many Square RPGs slated for release on the console, the game is looking pretty good. The title uses a real-time action-based battle system where your party of up to eighteen characters gets placed in situational battles. Rather than mindless encounters, each fight will be more important as the solution to each battle won’t always be so obvious. An example used utilizes the game’s day/night cycle to infiltrate an enemy base rather than barging in. The combat itself looks very fun, with a variety of regular attacks and skills at your disposal. A new gameplay feature called “Connect Action” will allow you to control enemies, allies, or other NPCs to unleash different attacks or unveil new story elements. The puzzle-solving aspect to the situational battles looks very intriguing and allows for a lot more ways to finish off a fight. The story begins with a flute player named Cappell, who is mistaken for Sigmund the Liberator and is thrown in jail. An unlikely hero at best, he gets caught up in a wide cast of characters, including the real Sigmund, as they unravel a larger plot. Infinite Undiscovery is set for a worldwide release with a North American date of September 2 and other regions following a few days afterwords. The game looks to preserve its traditional elements while maintaining a wide appeal to non-RPG gamers. It hasn’t received much hype, but Square Enix’s first original 360 RPG is looking pretty good.

The Xbox 360 has plenty of quality games in most genres, but RPGs always seemed to be lacking. They look to finally fix this problem with two great games coming in just a couple of weeks. Tales of Vesperia is already a hit in Japan and Infinite Undiscovery is shaping up to be as well. With even more great RPGs coming this year and beyond, Microsoft seems to have things well covered. Look out for part two sometime soon.

Les Misérables – The Dream Cast in Concert

The team of Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil have created many works together, but their most famous has to be Les Misérables. It is perhaps the most celebrated French musical and has spawned numerous productions worldwide. It is based on the original 1862 novel by Victor Hugo, which tells the story of a wide cast of characters in 19th century France during a period of revolution. This 10th anniversary rendition is a concert version of the musical, bringing together some of the best actors of productions around the world to reprise their role for this one-time only show. With the likes of Colm Wilkinson, Philip Quast, Michael Ball, Lea Salonga, and many more getting together to make up this dream cast, this is one of the more memorable versions if not quite definitive.

Les Misérables made its debut in Paris in 1981 but failed to capture an audience. It wasn’t until British producer Cameron Mackintosh began work on an English language version that the musical truly took off. Premiering in London in 1985, it was met with mixed reviews but was a huge hit in the box office. Featuring new material and a rough translation of the original French lyrics, the show took off quickly and spawned Broadway productions around the world. The story follows many characters as they struggle to survive and start up a revolution after one of the few leaders and torch carriers for the poor passes. There are some many strong personalities that each have a different tale to tell. The freed prisoner Jean Valjean and policeman Inspector Javert are in constant battle after Valjean breaks his parole and gets caught up in the revolution. The forced prostitute Fantine struggles to keep her daughter Cosette alive as she deals with problems thrown at her. The tragic love story with Marius and Éponine is touching and Enjolras leads the charge of revolution. While it has been over twenty years since the English language version debuted, it still remains a classic to this day with global productions still playing.

Colm Wilkinson (Jean Valjean, left) and Philip Quast (Javert) put on very strong performances.

This 10th anniversary concert was certainly one of the most fun Les Misérables has ever been. Featuring a slightly more modern score than the original musical and more of a concert with orchestra and costumes than a full production, it doesn’t take anything away from the experience and shows all the highlights with the biggest songs and the entire story. Jean Valjean’s prologue and story introduction immediately make an impression and shows the poor conditions of France and his inner struggle after living through its justice system and trying to make amends. Factory worker-turned-prostitute Fantine has a sad story to tell, as she struggles to make enough money to keep her daughter Cosette healthy as she lives with innkeepers, the Thénardiers. But things really take off in “Look Down”, as time passes and the poor start to take a stand against the grim conditions and the little scraps they’re being given by the government. “ABC Cafe/Red and Black” is one of the more powerful songs in the concert, as Enjolras inspires the other revolutionaries and Marius falls in love amidst the beginnings of war. If there is one song that acts as the theme, it has to be “Do You Hear the People Sing?”. It truly encompasses the passion the characters are feeling as they take up arms for revolution.

Lea Salonga and Michael Ball (Éponine and Marius, left) help tell a tragic love story that complements the main struggle well.

The love triangle between Cosette, revolutionary Marius, and childhoood friend Éponine acts as one of the larger focal points in the story as war begins. “A Heart Full of Love” is full of emotion as all three pour their feelings out in song. But “One Day More” is another powerful song that nicely spotlights all the major characters and the stories they have to tell before battle really begins. As they make their stand at the barricade, the revolutionaries start to contemplate their life and the possibility of dying in “Drink With Me”. While the story develops, you really feel for the characters and what they’re trying to do. As the concert climaxes and finishes through the epilogue, it keeps that gritty realism of the outcomes of war and keeps that little light of optimism shining to the end. There are many great and memorable songs throughout, but perhaps one of the biggest moments was when seventeen Valjeans from productions around the world take the stage to each sing a few bars of “Do You Hear the People Sing?” in their native language to close out the concert. It was a nice touch that made this 10th anniversary a little more special.

Whether you are familiar with Les Misérables or not, this amazing anniversary concert is a truly epic rendition. It may not be the complete recordings or feature the best actors in each role, but it shows the musical full of love and passion for the source material and the celebration of its longstanding history. There are still productions premiering throughout the world including a recent Broadway revival that even featured Lea Salonga taking on the role of Fantine instead for part of its run. No matter how you see or hear it, Les Misérables is a classic in any form.

Mountain Dew Voltage Officially Declared Winner

For anyone who saw the standings before voting closed, the winner should come as no surprise. Since the polls closed July 31st, it was inevitable that Mountain Dew Voltage would take the win as the next official flavor. Described as having a raspberry citrus flavor with ginseng, it definitely had the strongest Dew impression, if not my favorite flavor. Mountain Dew Revolution simply tasted like a weaker berry-flavored version, which paled in comparison and didn’t really have a strong taste. Mountain Dew Supernova had an okay strawberry flavor, but it felt more like a generic soda rather than a Dew brand. I was slightly disappointed with all three drinks, but the best one did win in the end. Read my full thoughts here.

In order to continue the momentum of Pepsi’s successful marketing campaign, they were originally going to announce a new contest to allow consumers to decide how the new flavor was going to be “introduced to the people”. It looks like they delayed this event until next month, which is a bit of a let down. Hopefully this new kick-off event will actually solidify Voltage’s place in the Mountain Dew line rather than being seen as another random limited edition flavor. That most likely means that it won’t be seen in stores until this new contest is decided, which is unfortunate. Perhaps the anticipation will build up even more excitement. There isn’t much left to do at DEWmocracy, but the forums are open and you can still create a Voltage ad with their video maker. I still can’t help but be disappointed by the lack of at least an announcement to get people excited or interested.

For better or worse, Mountain Dew Voltage will stand alongside the original flavor, Code Red, LiveWire, and Baja Blast as the official line of active brands. Pepsi did a great job of allowing the consumers to decide their next flavor, as previous attempts either tasted mediocre or felt too gimmicky. While they possibly could have done better, Voltage isn’t a bad soda and it should be interesting to see where they take things from here.