If you're as big a fan of instrumental/ambient/post-rock music as I am (um, that's a thing that could happen, right?), then you're in for a treat; whilst you were sleeping, the post-arockalypse happened.
A few days ago, I stumbled onto a post-rock compilation available for free download, released by strangeglue.com. The compilation, entitled Strange Glue And The Post-Rock Underground: Vol. 3 is comprised of eight tracks from a selection of post-rock bands from all over the world. Whilst some of these bands are well established (Pelican, the American Dollar, pg.lost) there are also a lot of relatively obscure bands on the compilation too. The one thing that doesn't change, however, is the unrelenting quality of each and every track on the album; the standard of music on offer here is exceptionally high, especially for a free download. The biggest surprise though, is just how good the lesser known bands on this compilation are; I really can't recommend French band Microfilm, German band Collapse Under The Empire or Russian band Analog Sound highly enough. Put quite simply, there's not a single bad track on the entire compilation.
If I've managed to pique your interest, and you'd like to check the album out for yourself, you can download it from here.
Look, I'm a patient guy. When you tell me that something I like is coming out I will patiently wait without turning into some forum troll crying about release dates. But some of these iPhone apps need to come out soon or I'm going to burn a kindergaden to the ground.
Netfilx and Gamecenter for iPhone were announced alongside the iPhone 4 months ago. Where the hell are they? Almost half of the features I was excited about for iPhone 4 are still not on my device! Can we get those sometime soon? JUST GIVE ME THE RELEASE DATE!... Also: Hulu. Give me my Hulu Plus Pass already, you butt horns.
Next up: Games. One of the awesome new improvements of iOS 4 is that you can use the iTunes music library on your phone in games and apps. The very next day that this feature was discovered Elite Beat Agents and Audiosurf should have been announced. People, LISTEN. These games need to come to iPhone. They are perfect for the device. The fact that they're not available, or even announced yet.... again, the kindergarten.
Microsoft have just announced the lineup for this year's Summer Of Arcade promotion, which can be found below.
July 21st - Limbo (1200MSP) July 28th - Hydro Thunder Hurricane (1200MSP) August 4th - Castlevania: Harmony of Despair (1200MSP) August 11th - Monday Night Combat (1200MSP) August 18th - Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light (1200MSP)
Whilst Limbo, Castlevania, and Lara Croft look to be the stars of this show, just remember that Microsoft usually hold back their best and most high-profile games for this promotion, so it'll be worthwhile keeping an eye on Hydro Thunder Hurricane (an F-Zero/Wipeout style, water-based racer) and Monday Night Combat (an arena-based online multiplayer shooter) as well. I have to say that I'm slightly surprised that Hydrophobia -- a timed Xbox exclusive, also due out around the end of summer -- didn't make the list given the publicity it's been getting recently.
I hope you've got a whole bunch of virtual cash saved up, because this week's arcade offering is a doozy! Coming to both XBLA and PSN this week we have Monkey Island 2 Special Edition: Le Chuck's Revenge, the sequel to last year's HD update of Monkey Island. The game is set to release on PSN on July 6th, for $10 US, and on XBLA on July 7th for 800MSP.
Not satisfied with that, lucky Xbox owners will get the chance to pick up Blacklight: Tango Down on July 7th too. The downloadable online multiplayer FPS is set to hit XBLA on July 7th for the price of 1200MSP. The game will be heading PSN and PC soon, though no official date has been given as yet.
If you want more information, you can find videos for both games after the break.
Released earlier this year, British psychological thriller Exam chronicles the fate of eight candidates as they enter into the final stage of recruitment for a mysterious Fortune 500 company. However, being one of the most influential, and secretive, companies in the world, it soon becomes apparent that the candidates are faced with no ordinary selection process, and the movies 100 minute run time serves as an insight into what people will, and won't do for the sake of money, prestige and power.
With regard to the films premise, it's a remarkably simple set up; after making it to the final round of selection, the candidates are placed in an exam room together, and are given eighty minutes to complete a test. In order to do so, they need only answer one question. The caveat to this, is that the candidates must first figure out what the question is, all the while following a strict set of rules – deviation from the rules in any way results in failure of the test, and immediate expulsion from the selection process. As it winds toward its climax, the movie takes some bizarre twists and turns as the candidates try to figure out the question, with each idea becoming more and more outlandish as they get closer to the eighty minute deadline, and before long, the candidates begin to turn on one another as desperation and suspicion take hold.
Despite a chaotic, and somewhat predictable ending, the movie starts out well, and does a good job of drawing the viewer in by creating a palpable sense of intrigue, and before long you'll find yourself joining in with the guessing games and semantic evaluations. Most of the logic the movie employs in dealing with its central mysteries is easy enough for the viewer to follow along with, and in some cases the movie even does a good job of subtly leading the viewer to a certain conclusion, only to later show it to be nothing more than a dead end. The movie also does a good job of showing how easily people can get swept up by the tide of unfolding events, especially when part of a group of like-minded individuals; during the course of the movie, the candidates ideas dovetail from rational and well thought out, to tenuous and frantic all too easily as time continues to slip away from them.
However, the film is let down somewhat by the ending, both in terms of the deterioration of the volatile group dynamic, which seems a bit silly, and by the ending itself – parts of which seem largely telegraphed. Despite this though, Exam's premise is still an interesting idea for a movie, and is, for the most part at least, quite entertaining, as well as being something of a pastiche of (and perhaps a cautionary tale for) reality TV shows.
Good news everybody! The gang of four is back for this week's podcast. Don't get too excited though, because Steven brings up vampires again. Tyler gives up on reading, Mark tries to shoot some deer and Giang turns into Gay Robot.
This week we cover Super Mario Galaxy, Alan Wake, Field and Stream, Futurama, True Blood, inFamous and Puzzle Quest 2. We also finish things off with a listener email about PlayStation Plus.
This week's track from Shoes And Socks Off's forthcoming album Robin Hood Waiter Champion Have-Not is called "CYF".
As the fifth track taken from the new album, "CYF" features another great, and strangely compelling stop-motion video, and this track may just be my favourite one so far -- I literally listened to it six times whilst writing this post!
Check out the video below. You won't be disappointed.
Over the last couple of years, UK record label Alcopop! Records have released a series of compilation albums under the Alcopoular monicker. Now on its fourth iteration, the Alcopoular series has gained something of a reputation for itself -- not just because of the quality of the minor label indie music contained within, but also because the themed packaging for each compilation has gotten more and more unique with each album; the first album came on a 3" CD, the second came on a tape, and the third came with a treasure map inside a glass bottle. For the fourth album in the series, the label are really pushing the boat out, as listeners get to pick and choose their own customised collection from a restaurant-style menu according to their own personal tastes.
Whilst the full album track list consists of twenty six tracks, listeners have two buying options: for £5 (£7 worldwide for physical copies, £5 for digital) you get to choose fourteen tracks from the menu (two from the "Starters" list, five from the "Main Course" list, three from the "Dessert" list, and four from the "House Wine" list) or for £7 (£9 worldwide for physical copies, £7 for digital copies) you can go for the "All You Can Eat" menu, and get all twenty six tracks!
A full track listing for the compilation can be found here, and all physical copies of the compilation come with a hand-made, personalised menu displaying your choices. If you're thinking about buying one, and are unsure as to which tracks to get, I highly recommend the tracks by Kevin Devine, Talons, Jose Vanders, Freelance Whales and My First Tooth.
Hey everyone! As you may/should have heard during our latest podcast, we are giving out a free copy of the game Heroes of Newerth.
Heroes of Newerth is a multiplayer arena combat game, and an updated take on the Warcraft III mod, DotA, but you PC gamers should already know what it is. The game costs $30 to buy, is download only, and playable on PC and Mac. I was just going to leave it open to our podcast fanbase, but that wouldn't really be fair the rest of you, so now it's open to everyone.
All you need to do is leave a post on this comment that says...anything. Whatever you want, it doesn't really matter. Just leave a comment and you are automagically entered to win. We will pick the winners later this week. Good luck!
Mark Hill Editor, Podcast Host Tyler Miller Editor, Artistic Director Steve McKay Contributor, United Kingdom Giang Cao Contributor, Australia Russ Crandall Contributor
Bloguin is the revolutionary blog network specifically focused on helping bloggers get the most out of their websites. We're currently working on building a large network of online communities and hope to expand our blogging coverage to include a wide range of topics.
Advertisers
The Bloguin Network allows advertisers to promote their products and services to our ever-growing number of visitors. We offer both site-specific ad placements as well as the ability to run a network-wide campaign. If you're interested in working with Bloguin to meet your advertising needs, please contact us.
Bloggers Wanted
The Bloguin Network is always looking to expand. We're specifically looking for blogs in the sports, entertainment, and video games field, but are open to adding any type of quality site. If you're a blogger and interested in joining our network, please fill out our application form.
The Bloguin Login
The Bloguin Login gives you full access to everything our network has to offer. Your name and password will work for each and every one of our sites. Signing up is simple, and will allow you to post in all our forums, create member blogs, and access other cool features! What are you waiting for? Create an Account!
Bloguin is the revolutionary blog network specifically focused on helping bloggers get the most out of their websites. We're currently working on building a large network of online communities and hope to expand our blogging coverage to include a wide range of topics. 
The Bloguin Network allows advertisers to promote their products and services to our ever-growing number of visitors. We offer both site-specific ad placements as well as the ability to run a network-wide campaign. If you're interested in working with Bloguin to meet your advertising needs, please contact us.
The Bloguin Network is always looking to expand. We're specifically looking for blogs in the sports, entertainment, and video games field, but are open to adding any type of quality site. If you're a blogger and interested in joining our network, please fill out our application form.
The Bloguin Login gives you full access to everything our network has to offer. Your name and password will work for each and every one of our sites. Signing up is simple, and will allow you to post in all our forums, create member blogs, and access other cool features! What are you waiting for? Create an Account!