June 2010

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

Submitted by Robert Gomez on Wed, 2010-06-30 10:49
Platform: 
PC
Rating: 
8/10

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Car Flip

GTA: Chinatown Wars on the DS was my first Grand Theft Auto game and it remains one of the best games on that platform. When Vice City went on sale on Steam I decided I had to try out a proper 3-D GTA game on the PC.

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A-Z

Submitted by Robert Gomez on Tue, 2010-06-29 11:46
Artist: 
Colin Newman
Format: 
CD
Rating: 
10/10

After creating three of the greatest records of the early punk years, Wire fractured into various solo projects. As far as I am concerned, A-Z is Wire's fourth record. It feels like the natural next step after 154. A-Z is filled with more synthesizers and song structures are more abstract and weird. The end result is simply mesmerizing.

Posted in Record Reviews

Republic

Submitted by Robert Gomez on Mon, 2010-06-28 10:33
Artist: 
New Order
Format: 
CD
Rating: 
4/10

New Order always has at least one great track on each of their records ("Regret" in this case). They fill the rest of the CD with some forgettable and boring songs. Stick with greatest hits compilations from this band and ignore everything else.

Posted in Record Reviews

House at the Edge of the Dark

Submitted by Robert Gomez on Sun, 2010-06-27 23:12
Artist: 
Giallos Flame, The
Format: 
MP3
Rating: 
9/10

Thanks to some free mp3 credits from Amazon, this is the first album that I ever purchased as a download! I have to say, I am really liking this release. The Giallos Flame is an English band which models its sound after the synth-laden prog-rock of late 70s/early 80s Italian horror movie soundtracks (Fabio Frizzi and Goblin). I have their first CD and it was good, but, at times it was maybe just a little too jazzy for my tastes. House at the Edge of the Dark is much better. They really lay on the howling analog synths and there is a much more consitent feeling from beginning to end. I can't wait to hear more from this band.

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Birdemic: Shock and Terror

Submitted by admin on Thu, 2010-06-24 10:58
Rating: 
8/10

Incredibly bad film. Horrible acting, dialog and effects. The net result is an incredibly fun, so-bad-it's-good movie that you have to see with a crowd. Went to the Chicago premiere!

Posted in Movie Reviews

Survival of the Dead

Submitted by Robert Gomez on Thu, 2010-06-24 10:52
Rating: 
6/10

Another modern zombie movie that doesn't even attempt to be scary. I guess the Hatfields vs. McCoy setup could have been interesting, but the characters are just dull or stupid. Romero wants us to know that WE are the monsters, and has been telling us that rather blandly for the past decade.

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Birdemic®: Shock and Terror™ Chicago Premiere!

Submitted by Robert Gomez on Sun, 2010-06-20 17:59

Me and James Nguyen of Birdemic: Shock and Terror Fame

Last night I attended the Chicago premiere of James Nguyen's Birdemic: Shock and Terror and got to shake hands and chat with the director (pictured above... he's the one with the menacing claws). Birdemic is a movie that has to be seen to be believed. It's an ultra-no-budget "romantic thriller" filled with tons of cheap digital bird effects, brain piercing eagle screeches, scenes of driving, hilarious dialogue, more driving and lots of, how shall we say, "creative" film editing choices.

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Murder Inc.

Submitted by Robert Gomez on Thu, 2010-06-17 13:14
Artist: 
Murder Inc.
Format: 
CD
Rating: 
6/10

The first full length release from this band is just more of the same. Impotent Killing Joke with a Chris Connelly's David Bowie wannabe vocals. I like a couple of the songs (Last of the Urgents is quite good) and I am always glad to hear Martin Atkins' tom-heavy drumming, but, like the EP, this material is just average.

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Corpuscle

Submitted by Robert Gomez on Wed, 2010-06-16 09:23
Artist: 
Murder Inc.
Format: 
CD
Rating: 
5/10

Murder Inc. is basically early 90's Killing Joke with Chris Connelly singing instead of Jaz Coleman. Without the nervous energy of Coleman the band is just sort of blah. The songs can go on too long and never really seem to go anywhere interesting.

Posted in Record Reviews

Electrical Audio BBQ

Submitted by Robert Gomez on Fri, 2010-06-11 22:36

So, 1/3 of Nonagon posts in the Internet forums of Electrical Audio and, as a result, we will be playing at the super-secret underground music festival called the Electrical Audio BBQ (or something like that) on Saturday, June 12th at 1:40pm. We are not supposed to tell anybody about it but I figure no one reads this Web site, so I will promote it here. The address is 3722 W. Chicago Ave. Bring $15 and some raw meat, ear plugs and kevlar, I hear the neighborhood has its share of ruffians wandering the streets.

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