Review: Daft Punk – Random Access Memories
For me Daft Punk is and will forever be a part of our gaming lexicon. Whether it’s their electronic sound that affords them such a relation by proxy or simply a sharing of a universal demographic, the two are inseparable. So I felt it only natural to review this album. That and my love of their music over the years doesn’t hurt either.
Da Funk
When I first heard to the lead single “Get Lucky” from Daft Punk’s upcoming “Random Access Memories”, I was left slack jawed from the hand of funk which had slapped me upside the head. The intro bass groove backed by a solid drum rhythm leading to the chunky melodic guitar licks of Nile Rogers flowing seamlessly into the bright and poppy vocals of Pharrell, it was spot on. And just when your ears itched to hear the soulful robotic harmonies of the duo, they come in with impeccable timing. Pitch perfect collaboration
A few weeks back, Brandon, Shawn and I found ourselves sitting in my basement listening to the track extolling its’ glory. In that moment sitting there slowly bobbing our heads to the beat in coincidental unison. It felt like a song from an alternate 1970; Inherently familiar yet uniquely vibrant. It was like I had heard it before but not phrased this exact way.
Like the rest of my grooving compadres, I was excited and anxious as the release date approached. With the magical day finally here, only one question remains: does RAM work or does it fail? Well yes and no.
Hump Day Cartoons: Our New Electrical Morals
In an effort to prove that good cartoons are not dead, we have started on a quest to find the best little gems hiding in the cracks of the internet. We plan on presenting our findings in a fun little article called Hump Day Cartoons.
You remember growing up watching those cartoons which sometimes had a magical moral lesson at the end of an episode? Those little nuggets of wisdom which taught you how to be a better human being? Well Our New Electrical Morals, brought to you by the fine lads at Cartoon Hangover, is a show jam packed with such words of wisdom.
Review: Power Rangers Legacy Morpher 2013
This year marks the 20th anniversary of a long running franchise that I personally know and love called “Power Rangers”. I have many memories of watching this show every afternoon right as I got home from school as a kid, and for years on end I had I had asked for the Power Morpher/Blade Blaster set for Christmas, but never got it. That of course didn’t stop me in my older years (despite the stupid costs) with obtaining one and customizing it with gold parts, and even still. The Power Morpher is the “holy grail” item of the fans. It’s the one item that forever eludes many fans and collectors, due to the ridiculous price they go for both new and used and the scarce amount that are actually for sale at any given time. I still count myself fortunate for owning one.
When Bandai announced they would be releasing a brand new Power Morpher in honor of the 20th anniversary of Power Rangers, I became quite excited as this was a second chance (or first for those that are unfortunate to not have one) to get one. This Morpher, which is labeled on the box as the “Legacy Power Morpher” is a Toys’R’Us exclusive (boo) and has recently started appearing sporadically across the US. The MOMENT word hit that these were available, fans from all over the country scoured their Toys R’ Us to obtain this “new” holy grail in hopes that it would be as amazing as the original. After three weeks of waiting, and hunting, I was able to join the ranks of others to obtain this already legendary collectible.
Only one question remains now: Does it do it’s predecessor justice?
Wreck-It Ralph In 60 Seconds
Ever wondered what the whole plot of Wreck-It Ralph was about, but never found the time to dedicate an hour and forty-eight to watch the movie? Well first of all shame on you. Just last week we know you were busy playing Minecraft. I mean did you really need to spend twenty-eight hours perfecting your life-size recreation of The Wind Fish from Link’s Awakening?
Thankfully ‘Megasteakman’, a personal favorite YouTube user of mine, has taken the time to recreate and condense the entire movie into 60 seconds. That’s less than one percent of the original film’s run time! As someone who’s watched the movie, this is a very well done homage to the film.
NES Games Like You’ve Never Heard Them Before
Remember when the Beatles released a box set compilation comprising all of their remastered stereo recordings? Well if you don’t, it was quite a big deal. Audiophiles and Beatles fans were clamoring to hear the music they grew up with in a completely new way. And although I enjoy the Beatles, I never grew up with them in the same way my father or his generation did. Instead I grew up to the 8-bit chipped tunes of the NES. Now after 25 years, we have a brand new way to listen to our favorite NES soundtracks like never before: completely remixed and remastered in stereo.
Hump Day Cartoons: Toy Soldier
In an effort to prove that good cartoons are not dead, I have started on a quest to find the best little gems hiding in the cracks of the internet. I plan on presenting my findings in a fun little article called Hump Day Cartoons.
Hello boys and girls, this edition of Hump Day Cartoons is brought to you by me, Brian. Now I know usually Shawn handles this, but I watched something so powerful, so amazing, it inspired me to write this article. I will admit up front this is going to be a departure from the the normal Hump Day Cartoons featured here on Substance TV. We in fact will be featuring a cartoon…of sorts. More based off of a cartoon…or a 3D animated film, but cartoon-ish enough!
I’ve also taken liberties with the term “Hump Day”. I know it’s an expression for the middle of the week, but I thought why be only figurative when I could also be literal thereby serving two purposes.
Today’s animation comes from YouTube user GlinkoPlayman who gives use his interpretation of a classic scene from the film Toy Story using the Team Fortress 2 Source Filmmaker. The role of Woody is played by the Spy while the role of Buzz Lightyear is played by the Soldier (hence the name “Toy Solider”). What ensues is both humorous and mildly disturbing. So enjoy this literal and figurative hump day cartoon.
The Animation Workshop’s “The Reward” is Quite Rewarding!
Back in November,
Brian talked about the wonderful short Disney churned out to play with Wreck it Ralph known as ‘Paperman’. The short implemented new use of technology and texture rendering and looked simply fantastic. Yeah that’s right, I’m not talking about video games for once! Read more
