What’s in my Library Bag?
I practically live at my local library, I mean it is perfect for people who possess insatiable media-based appetites. I can find that book I have been wanting to read, listen to the new album by <insert band name here>, flip through magazines that I don’t want cluttering up my coffee table, and even rent a movie to take home.
This week my haul is pretty amazing. Here is my week of figurative consumption:
BOOKS
I have been on a quest to understand the comic book world and since Batman is such a big part of 2012 I thought I would start from the beginning. First page and I feel so comfortable because an old friend from my Archie Comics days is there. Commissioner Gordon is a dead ringer for Hiram Lodge (Veronica’s father) in my humble opinion. Sorry, I am partial to tangents. The dialogue in this volume is amazingly bad! I mean he sees a light in a window and says, “A light! I should go there!” don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t take much away from “The Batman”. It is fun to see where this character we all grew up with came from and appreciate the evolution in art and writing.
What stuck out?:
The violence in this book is different than what I see in modern day heroes. Batman has no qualms about killing in the early issues and he is injured quite a few times. He gets shot and because he is human, he needs to make tactical retreats and lick his wounds. Oh and of course the Joker! He is not some lame mobster like the other villains in this volume. He is smart and has a game in place while also being insane. I immediately thought of The Dark Knight when i read it because this Joker calls his plays. Another touch I loved was the use of nerve chemicals to leave his victims with a gruesome smile. Very dark, I enjoyed it.
Please Click to see my advanced review of the new Bloc Party album and the rest of what’s in my library bag.
Breaking Bad Season 5 Episode 3 Recap: Hazard Pay
This week we got back to the show’s roots and I must say I was quite pleased. Last week seemed like they were laying some much needed foundation for Mike’s character and now we are exploring the new team dynamic. So click for a complete episode 3 recap… Read More…
Album of the Week: Superhero Edition!
Superhero mania…
Both summer hits The Amazing Spiderman and Dark Knight Rises had soundtracks with impressive scores, but for those of us who enjoy lyrics and melody over ambiance this post is for you.
I have been going through my library to seek out the perfect Superhero Soundtrack and I came across this album from a few years back, circa 2006. There are a few stand out Superhero songs that were left out, like 3 Doors Down – Kryptonite and SuperHero by Jane’s Addiction. Though I think this compilation is pretty good on its own. The tracklist is made up of some original songs and others that are covered by some notable new bands.
So this week’s Album of the Week is: Read More…
Breaking Bad Season 5 Episode 2 Recap: Madrigal
The episode opens in Germany during a taste test with a big wig. He tries their new dipping sauces and you are waiting for him to do something sinister. His admin comes in and explains that they are back and this time there are 3 of them. He finishes his taste test and then heads to a conference room, where we see police officers waiting. Instead of greeting them he calmly takes the defibrillator from the wall and heads to the rest room. With a grace that is Gus-worthy he removes his coat and shirts before electrocuting himself to death. What is it with these crime bosses and worrying about their clothes in life or death situations? Read More…
Green Day New Single: Oh Love!
Wow, my Monday is just getting better and better. First we have No Doubt’s new single Settle Down and now here we have Green Day‘s Oh Love. Perfect accompanyment for my brief lunch break. As you may know Uno! is set to drop on September 25th 2012 with Dos! and Tre! launching soon after.
Get pumped with this lyric video:
Muse – Survival
I heard this song on the radio yesterday and for some reason Shazaam was totally useless. Then I came across this link that provided me with the name and huge news for a favorite band of mine… MUSE. This song has been chosen to be the official song for the 2012 Olmpics in London. Muse has truely outdone themselves this time, this rock-opera-queen-esque sound is perfect for olympians and us mere mortals alike. Have a listen….
Addictive Apps: Temple Run
As many you may know when you download the Amazon Appstore on your smart phone they offer a free app of the day. Recently the free app of the day was this little game called Temple Run. It is currently available for iOS systems, including the iPhone, iPad, and Android. It used to be .99, but as of this morning it is still being offered for free in the Appstore. I downloaded it mainly because it was free and a few Facebook friends had mentioned that it was an entertaining game. Typically this means it is of the Farmville variety and I steer clear, but while waiting for a movie to begin that night I peer over and both Danny and Ricky are playing this game. I start it up and somehow I am 3 days in with no clear recollection of where the time has gone. If I have a spare moment to kill I find myself running this endless maze and being chased by demonic monkeys.
This game is highly addicting for the mere fact that it is small bursts of increasingly difficult twists, dramatic drops, and multiple obstacles. They keep you motivated by having objectives that you can complete in order to increase your score and unlock power-ups and other characters. I have been more of the Angry Birds player in the past, but I appreciate the short-burst entertainment of Temple Run. This is a game that should be easy, I mean, you see a turn coming up you swipe and clear it, see a chasm you jump! Well, after a dozen or so turns you realize that it is not that easy and the game refreshes fast enough that you can try to redeem yourself almost instantly. That is what makes this game so addictive.
For you Disney fans there is a variation of this game to promote the newest Disney Pixar movie: Brave. 
Sacre Bleu: A Comedy D’Art
In July 1890, Vincent Van Gough went into a cornfield and shot himself. Or did he? Why would an artist at the height of his creative powers attempt to take his own life… and then walk a mile to a doctor’s house for help? Who was the crooked little “color man” Vincent had claimed was stalking him across France? And why had the painter recently become deathly afraid of a certain shade of blue?
A magnificent “Comedy d’Art” from the author of Lamb, Fool, and Bite Me, Moore’s Sacré Bleu is part mystery, part history (sort of), part love story, and wholly hilarious as it follows a young baker-painter as he joins the dapper Henri Toulouse-Lautrec on a quest to unravel the mystery behind the supposed “suicide” of Vincent van Gogh.
Click to read what I thought.
Album of the Week… Linkin Park loves listening to Skrillex
Linkin Park’s newest album Living Things has finally arrived.
The reviews I have seen so far have been pretty brutal, but after first listen it is exactly what I have come to expect from Linkin Park.They deliver their album with an easy flow that links each track together and Chester Bennington breaks up the heavy guitar rifts with his seemingly softer tenor that scream sings you through the song transitions.
One of my favorite albums of all time, Hybrid Theory, has been ranked as one of the best albums of the 00’s and has been awarded Diamond status. This band has a distinctive sound that has lifelong fans. I think that Linkin Park would really have to pull a miracle to surpass Hybrid Theory’s success, but I will keep listening just in case. Living Things is a bit heavier on the electronic feel than usual and for a workout album it is not bad. Loyal Linkin Park fans will not be disappointed with this bass-heavy album.
Green Day’s Official Trailer For ¡Uno!
It seems that everything now-a-days has a trailer, or a teaser for a trailer…
Movies, video games, music videos, books, and albums.
Most of us grew up with Green Day as one of our go to punk bands and it is always good news when they come out with a new album let alone a trilogy of albums.
“We are at the most prolific and creative time in our lives… This is the best music we’ve ever written, and the songs just keep coming. Instead of making one album, we are making a three album trilogy. Every song has the power and energy that represents Green Day on all emotional levels. We just can’t help ourselves … We are going epic as f—!”
Green Day is no stranger to staying on top of trends and so here is their trailer for their new albums: ¡Uno!, ¡Dos!, & ¡Tre!
The first of these albums,¡Uno!, is set to drop on September 25, 2012. Keep your ear out.
Call Yourself A Nerd 