Enemy Territory: Quake Wars (Xbox 360) / 2008 Activision / http://www.enemyterritory.com / After a decade of Quake games and the like, it becomes increasingly hard to believe that Activision would be able to link games together through a cogent and coherent storyline. “Enemy Territory: Quake Wars†has a story line that links it to the last three installments of Quake proper (II, III, and IV), and that is only one…
The Future of Emily / 2008 Facets / 106 Minutes / http://www.facets.org / The Future of Emily was directed by Helma Sanders-Brahms, who is known as one of the founders of the New German Cinema movement along with Werner Herzog and Rainer Fossbinder. This 1985 film is headed up by Brigitte Fossey, whom individuals may remember from Cinema Paradiso). Brigitte’s character Isabelle is a famous film actress that has a…
Variations VII by John Cage / 2008 Microcinema / 41/85 Minutes / http://www.microcinema.com / Variations VII is a John Cage performance that linked together dance, music, and art into something comprehensive and compelling. Microcinema has released this DVD with the film of this performance, along with the full performance (85 minutes to the 41 captured by the film) of Variations VII. The names associated with this film are huge: Robert…
Legendary UK act The Wedding Present released its first new full length in over three years on May 20. Titled El Rey, the album was recorded in early 2008 in Chicago by Steve Albini, marking the bandÂ’s first record with the noted producer since 1991Â’s renowned Seamonsters. Manifesto Records will be the U.S. record label. Written while frontman David Gedge was living in Los Angeles, El Rey burns with West…
Suicide Squeeze Records is pleased to announce the reissue of the critically acclaimed Minus the Bear release, They Make Beer Commercials Like This. This EP has been newly re-mastered and expanded with the bonus track, Houston, We Have Uh-Oh. This also marks the first time the release will be available on vinyl and will include a digital download code as well you can jam the tunes on the go.
Punk Rock Confidential #3 / :40 / $3.95 / http://www.punkrockcon.com /Â This is essentially what People would be like if it catered to punk music. There are so many fluff pieces in this magazine that Punk Rock Confidential should be relegated to shitter material status. At some point, who cares about who the individuals agitating for social change are in love with, or for fuck sake, what their pet looks…
In a time when fabrications and inventions rule our everyday lives, Silverlake based Death to Anders has created Fictitious Business, a surreal and cryptic look at life in the 21st century. Like paranoid eyes through a camera lens, this album dissects human dominance through expansion of un-wasted space, self-improvement, self-destruction, lust and beauty. Noise filled jangly guitars draws the listener into this American landscape, as darkly sweet harmonies connect the…
Lima, Ohio pop punkers HIT THE LIGHTS will release their sophomore record Skip School, Start Fights July 8th on Triple Crown Records. Skip School, Start Fights is the follow up to 2006’s buzzworthy This Is A Stickup…Don’t Make It A Murder which put Hit The Lights on the map and saw them tour with New Found Glory, Paramore, Cute Is What We Aim For, Cartel and Boys Like Girls. The band…
MJ , Release: Mi Sentimiento/My Feeling , In Stores Now MJ’s US album release of “Mi Sentimiento/My Feeling†offers a fusion of reggaeton, bachata, dances hall, R& B and ballad sounds that combine to create a revolutionary sound unlike anything that Latin music has experienced before. This album was produced by the “Dream Teamâ€: Eliel, Memo and Mambo Kingz. Wisin, half of reggaeton’s most important duo (Wisin y Yandel), collaborated…
SYNESTHESIA [sin-uhs-thee-zhuh] – noun A neurologically-based phenomenon in which a stimulus of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway, as when the hearing of a certain sound induces the visualization of a certain color.
Nick Motil – Everything’s Alright / 2008 Self / 5 Tracks / http://www.nickmotil.com / Nick Motil is rapidly becoming a household name. After selling over 5,000 copies of his previous releases and playing shows with acts as varied as Jason Mraz and Duncan Shiek, it just seems to only be a matter of time before Motil is topping whatever chart a major label is positioning him. “Everything’s Alright†is Motil’s…
Richard Frankz – The Traveler / 2008 Self / 14 Tracks / http://www.richardfrankz.com / “Just Being Me†is the first track on “The Travelerâ€, and the song is the perfect introduction to a singer that blends a contemporary sound with a late eighties / early nineties type of country music. Frankz goes into a slower, more sorrowful sound for the disc’s second (and title) track. The narrative style of Frankz…
Trueheart – The Road / 2007 Self / 12 Tracks / http://www.trueheartexas.com / “The Road†starts out with “Still Timeâ€, an adult contemporary track that plays on pop, rock, hair rock, and eighties music to make something that pretty much everyone can find something that they can appreciate and love. What is perhaps the strongest element to this first track is the ability of Trueheart to change musical directions at…
Jimmy Lloyd – S/T / 2008 Self / 10 Tracks / http://www.myspace.com/jimmylloyd Jimmy Lloyd begins his debut album with “Maybeâ€. “Maybe†is a rock track that showcases the vocal strengths of Lloyd, whom links together the vocals of Bob Dylan, Bryan Adams, and Bruce Springsteen. During this introductory track, the arrangements take on a hint of Neil Young, making this first salvo into something that is firmly rooted in classic…
Brandie Frampton – What U See / 2007 D&LF Records / 9 Tracks / http://www.brandieframpton.com / “Ain’t That Life†is the first track on “What U See†by Brandie Frampton, and one can immediately hear a modern, compelling brand of country music present in the track. “I Want You 2†shows the fury and intensity of Frampton’s vocals. In much the same way as a Carrie Underwood, the sizzling fury…
Janelia – I’m An African / 2008 JaneliaSoul / http://www.janeliasoul.com / http://www.myspace.com/janeliasoul / We rarely get African or African-centric albums for review at NeuFutur, so it really is an honor to receive Janelia’s “I’m An Africanâ€. Set to be released on July 3rd, 2008, “I’m An African†is sang in both English and Yoruba, representing the two sides to Janelia. This split identity speaks to the fact that Janelia was…
Douye – Journey / 2008 Self / 11 Tracks / http://www.douyetheartist.com / “Fly Away†is a very chill track, drawing on the early nineties style of R&B put forth by early Mariah Carey and TLC, while couching the vocals in a style that is influenced by the smooth jazz movement. What results is a track that is catchy, sultry, and smart all at the same time. “On For You†keeps…
Charlie Waller Makes Recent Duet Performances With Mark Ronson At The 2007 BBC Electric Proms & 2008 Coachella Look Out For Fall Tour To Follow
Razorcake #30 / $3 / 1:15 / 116M / http://www.razorcake.com / Razorcake has their thirtieth issue out this month, and boy do they come out with a strong step forward this issue. Of course, there are the average gang of idiots (Rev. Norb and Nardwuar) writing in this issue, but there are so many extrabits in this issue that makes this a must buy. For example, the history behind the…
Punk Rock Loser #1 (Free, No address / Rejectone@aol.com) (For Jersey Beat) This is what a zine should really be. A collections of pieces that a musician and journalist has collected for a number of years, and just dumped into print. While there is a lot of white space on each page (Jimmy divides each piece into its own section, as a result, some pieces have about 2/3rd of a…