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.
There's only three of us again this week, but we still manage to talk about A LOT of games. Do you see how good we are to you? WELL, DO YOU?!?
Ahem. Anyway, this week we talk smack about inFAMOUS, Little Big Planet, Alpha Protocol, Red Dead Redemption, God Of War 3, Sim City, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Heavy Rain DLC, Portal and Modnation Racers. As if that wasn't enough, we also found time to weigh in on OnLive and the Crackdown 2 demo, as well as start up a Heroes Of Newerth competition. Oh, and don't forget Horse Boy!
Whew! I think I need a lie down!
This week's featured music is "Mountainhead" by 65daysofstatic.
Without further ado, here is the fourth track from Shoes And Socks Off's forthcoming album Robin Hood Waiter Champion Have-Not, entitled "I Hope You Know What You're Doing".
Hey, the latest podcast is up. thought you might like to know. E3 was the main thing on our minds this week. We talked trends, games and Mark recaps his experiences on the show floor. Plus, we have some quick radars at the end to cap it all off. Get it on itunes.
As promised last week, here is the latest track from Shoes And Socks Off's upcoming album "Robin Hood Waiter Champion Have-Not". The track is called "Psychological Tinnitus", and the video features some interesting stop-motion, much like the video for The Smashing Pumpkins "Thirty-Three". Check it out, and let us know what you think.
Good, it's on. We thought you might like another podcast so we made one for you. It's short so don't get too excited. Enjoy the dulcet tones as our voices move you.
This week we have some pre-E3 discussion, talk some Splinter Cell, God of War III, Red Dead, EVE Online and Joe Danger.
To promote the upcoming release of the new album by Shoes And Socks Off -- the solo project of ex Meet Me in St. Louis singer/Shield Your Eyes bassist Tobias Hayes -- record label Big Scary Monster Records are going to post a new track from the album on Youtube every week until August, when the album releases.
The new album, titled Robin Hood Waiter Champion Have-Not will be Tobias' fourth album under the Shoes And Socks Off monicker, and is set to release in early August, by which time every track on the album will be available to view on Youtube.
As such I'll be posting links to the new tracks every week, starting right now with the first two videos, posted below.
If you like it, you can buy the first three albums in a limited edition three CD set here. If you prefer your music a little more . . . free, then you can download three tracks from Shoes And Socks Off To Where The Skyline Is Fortified With Windows And Doors album -- as well as a whole bunch of other free stuff -- by signing up at www.bsmrocks.com/friend. Alternatively, you can download a six-track covers EP here. Either way, enjoy the show!
Aaaaaand we're back. Last week was a bit rough around the edges, hopefully this week we sound a little better. I mean the audio fidelity of the show production, not the content (that will NEVER improve). On a side note - I'm selling my PS3 and almost all of my games in preparation for an iPhone 4!
This week we talk about Eve Online, Blur, Shattered Horizon, MAG, Battlefield, Dante's Inferno, WarioWare, God of War III, Ace Attorney, Pokemon SoulSilver and Vampire AIDS. Sorry, I mean Daybreakers.
Whoa. This is the first podcast we've done in two months. We're a little bit rusty but don't worry. Before you know it we're back to the one-liners and knee-slappers that you're oh so accustomed to.
This week is all about Red Dead Redemption, Lost, Alan Wake, Split/Second, Super Street Fighter 4, Halo: Reach Beta, Bioshock 2 and Sleep is Death.
After establishing themselves as an instrumental post-rock band – albeit one with an predilection for electronica – on their debut album, The Fall Of Math back in 2004, 65daysofstatic have evolved, with respect to both their music, and their musical style, on each subsequent album. On previous albums, this evolution has largely been due to the band's willingness to experiment with the instrumentation and tone of their music, whilst staying within the realms of their own unique style. On We Were Exploding Anyway however, the band have focused less on progressing their style, and have focused on redefining it instead.
On 65daysofstatic's earlier albums, the band's aim was simple; to combine fuzzy, punk-inspired post-rock music, with Aphex Twin-style beats, drum-loops and samples. With each consecutive album, the rock aspect was gradually toned down, while a greater range of instrumentation produced a more measured sound. On We Were Exploding Anyway – 65daysofstatic's fourth studio album – the band have seemingly left their post-rock past behind them, and have instead produced an album that borders on electronica. In doing so, the band have removed – or at least toned down – the vast majority of the additional instrumentation which peppered their previous albums, as well as curbing much of the standard instrumentation too; conventional guitar and drums have been used sparingly on We Were Exploding Anyway, making way instead for keyboards and samples.
After repeat listens though, it becomes apparent that this paradigm shift isn't the result of the band reinventing their sound, but rather from taking the core idea of their music and turning it on its head; on previous albums, the band's focus has always been on emphasising the rock aspect of their sound whilst using electronic aspects to shape it. On We Were Exploding Anyway the band have taken the opposite strategy, and have used the electronic aspects as the base of their sound, and used rock elements to colour it. Whilst We Were Exploding Anyway is certainly a departure from the band's previous albums, as well as being arguably a more challenging listen to traditional rock fans, it is nevertheless a fantastic, varied album, and one which commands just as much praise as their previous efforts.
Album opener “Mountainhead”, with its combination of keyboards and guitar, sounds like the soundtrack to a 16-bit era side-scrolling beat 'em up, and sets a suitably high-energy tone for the rest of the album. “Dance Dance Dance” starts slowly, and evolves into a throbbing, bass-heavy, dance music-inspired groove, before blowing up in a mushroom cloud of guitar; this is ironically juxtaposed next to the relative serenity of the layered, competing piano of track “Piano Fights”. Elsewhere, The Cure's Robert Smith provides vocals which accompany the hyperactive music box that is the loop-centric “Come To Me”. In typical fashion though, the band have saved the best for last, and final track “Tiger Girl” is a suitably epic ten-minute excursion to close the album out in style. Whilst this is another heavily dance music-inspired track, it remains possibly the truest to the post-rock ideal, and the song doesn't so much build over the course of its ten minute duration, but rather evolves slowly until it is virtually unrecognisable from that which it started from.
Whilst it may seem that 65daysofstatic have taken their music off in somewhat of a tangent on We Were Exploding Anyway, on closer examination it's clear to see that the band are still making brilliant music, and still hold true to the post-rock ideal which they started from – they've just found a new way to convey it. In taking the emphasis away from the more traditional rock elements, these suddenly become much more dramatic; much more relevant. Whilst it may be different, We Were Exploding Anyway is a refreshing and vital album. So much so, in fact, that you can't help but wonder what the band will do next.
You can listen to almost all of the tracks from We Were Exploding Anyway right now on the band's Myspace page, and an MP3 of the track "Tiger Girl" can be downloaded free from the band's Website.
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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!