Ni Hao, Kai-Lan is, for those who have not watched the show, a Nickelodeon effort that It finally seems as if some children’s companies are getting the fact that parents do not want to go out and spend $20 for the equivalent of two episodes. This DVD contains four episodes – the titular one, Lulu Day, Roller Rintoo, and Wait, Hoho, Wait. To top that, there are a few bonus…
The St. James represents our first foray into Chambourcin, and we could not have gotten a more solid introduction to the varietal. From when we first brought it out of its shipping crate, the presentation of the ’08 Chambourcin is classy, with labeling that calls forth the seventies and early eighties while maintaining a current sort of flair. This red wine can be enjoyed on a number of levels, be…
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 is the latest in the Kingdom Hearts series and focuses in on Roxas, giving players the opportunity to take on different RPG elements through both single and multi-player modes. The panel system is the most interesting element here, in that players are given the ability to customize different item sets, magic, and weaponry. Adding more to the customization that one can have, the multiplayer mode allows the…
Where most of our experiences with Absolut have been with traditional types of flavors (Save for last year’s Absolut Los Angeles) Absolut Boston is truly something to come from left field. One need only look at the blend of different elements that comproise the vodka, which take elderflower (imbibers might be familar with elderflower as the basis of St. Germain) and link it together with black tea. When individuals get…
“Cain Station†starts out with some nice multi-part harmonies that seem to take use of Pennywise, Against Me, and even This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb, ensuring that listeners will sing along after a listen or two. “Drink Myself Into Oblivion†straddles the line between country, punk, and bar-rock. Fans of acts as wide as Mojo Nixon, Rehab, and even Hank the IIIrd will find something to caterwaul on about…
“Love Story†is a catchy bit of Latina pop that takes on equal parts of Shakira and Gloria Estefan; that is to say, both older and newer representations of the style are included. Rather than limiting herself to a smaller subset of fans, the overtures that are made here on this introductory track will ensure that anyone lucky enough to happen onto the album will be sticking with it for…
“Better Days†is the first track on Amanda Morra’s album, and it immediately strikes listeners with a sound that is familiar, but looks to take the pop genre in bold, new ways. The coy vocals of Morra’s are allowed to shine alongside a set of instrumental arrangements that properly highlight’s Morra’s vocals at all the right times. After this initial salvo, “Strike One†comes forth in a much more sultry…
“Save The Yuppie Breeding Grounds†is the first track off of “Manifest Densityâ€, and it shows that Moraine expects more out of their listeners than most bands. Where the average CD will gradually pick up steam as the tracks roll on, “Manifest Density†immediately showcases intricate arrangements and complex emotions that will require a listener’s full attention. Moraine’s overall approach during this track is hard to decipher, but one can…
It has been over a year since the last time that we had the chance to review The Empty Mirror. Their last release, “Overwhelmâ€, was an impressive piece of work. Their latest album, “Abstracted Catholicâ€, builds upon some of the trends first heard during “Overwhelm†while further evolving their sound. The first track on “Abstracted Catholic†is “Stainglassâ€, and it sets the tone for the rest of the album. This…
With a very approachable price (one can purchase this for well under $15 at most online retailers), the 2006 Ghost Pines Chardonnay (enjoying a blend of grapes from Sonoma, Monterey, and Napa counties) represents another piece of evidence to back up the claim that wine does not have to be pricey to be eminently enjoyable. While there are bits and pieces of a more woodsy flavor (represented in a vanilla…
Each of the twelve cuts on “Whatcha Gonna Do†is an additional piece of the beautiful puzzle that represents Lynch’s own unique skill set. Those that are in the know would be familiar with Lynch’s prior work, beginning with eir work in the underrated Front Porch String Band. Listeners are given a microcosm of what is to follow with the disc’s first track, “Great Day in the Mornin’â€. “Great Day 
Black Mold is the electronic side of Chad VanGaalen, a Canadian artist that has rapidly becoming a force up north. This 19-track album may seem to some to be similar to what Conor Oberst attempted to do with “Digital Ash in a Digital Urnâ€, but I feel that there has been much more work done in crafting this effort by VanGaalen. The disc itself starts out with “Metal Spider Websâ€,…
This DVD may just be one of the most important that PBS has put out, as it looks to delve into the causes and explanations for why the banks rapidly spun out of control in the last few years of the oughts. Specifically, this documentary centers around the acquisition of Merrill Lynch by Bank of America. Where a set of facts about the banking crisis would have been essentially all…
After “Blameless?†is able to kick things in gear, the first track that really commanded my attention would have to be “World Machineâ€. In this track, a wide swath of the electronic genre is covered, whether it be “Pretty Hate Machineâ€-era Nine Inch Nails, Phil Collins, and New Order. While there is a decidedly eighties flair to the track, Wedlock is able to flex their muscles and make this into…
In the last ten or fifteen years, it seems as if soccer has become a much larger phenomenon than it ever has in the United States. It stands to reason that there would have to be games released that showcase the United States’ new-found love for the sport, and while there are a number of different soccer sims on the market, Imagine: Soccer Captain is one of the few that…
Hey! It’s the first time here at NeuFutur that we have had the honor of reviewing a beer, so what better than giving some time to one of the most well-known independent brewers in the United States – Samuel Adams. This time around, we are giving their Summer Ale a spin. There is a complexity present to the Summer Ale that is simply not present with many beers that can…
Despite having a budget that would be dwarfed by any major Hollywood project, Safehouse is able to showcase every strength that is present, be it the cast, production, or scenery present. The film starts out focusing in on an island paradise that houses a fishing/tourist business headed up by Emily (Carolina Hoyos; Lethal Force, Golden Empire). To ensure that everything goes off without a hitch, Cooper (played here by Johnny…
To celebrate the release of Black Gives Way To Blue, Alice In Chains and neufutur.com are giving one lucky fan a chance to rock out with a brand new guitar. Enter now for your chance to win a G&L Rampage Jerry Cantrell Signature model signed by the band.
“Travelin’ Man†may be a cover of the Ricky Nelson classic, but I feel that the richness of Daring’s vocal and the gusto that he has in placing the cover at the beginning of the album turns it into his own song. The vocal quality of Daring here is great, in that he both keeps the sanctity of the original track, he adds his own flair, and is still able…
It seems that there are some problems when titles are based off of real-life attractions. When we had our last crack at a title that was based off an amusement park, the title felt to constrained by the real life park and kept things buckled down a bit too much. However, I feel that Disney has a hit on their hands with Toy Story Mania!, a title that works off…