Top 50 Songs of 2008

First of all, I can't stress this enough - the order is entirely random - I couldn't hope to ever select a single song that defines an entire year. These are fifty songs that consistently made it into my playlist, songs I have trouble forgetting (even if I want to). These songs are taken from anywhere - full-length albums, EPs, singles, etc. and cross nearly all genres. The one rule is that only one track per artist/band was allowed.

I thought 2007 was a banner year for new music, so many great albums were released from the likes of The National, Jens Lekman, Dolorean, Josh Ritter, Architecture in Helsinki etc. But this year was more of a singles year. I found only a scant handful of records worthy of a complete buy. The majority of the year was spent purchasing a track here and another there.

You may find that many of the "it" artists who are tearing up the charts across the blogosphere such as The Dodos, Girl Talk, Foals, Wolf Parade, No Age, and TV on the Radio aren't featured on this list. That's because, be honest with yourself, they're bloody awful. When there are melodies they lack any sort of coherent structure and when these acts rock it's simply bone-jarring noise. I realize this is their aim, but this sort of music only makes me cringe and laugh....like listening to a Patton Oswalt record.

Also, a couple of these were released in 2007, but made it on the list because I only just discovered them this year. Other songs, like Bon Iver's "Skinny Love", aren't on the list because I heard them last year (even though Bon Iver had a higher profile re-release this year).

1) MGMT - Kids (5:03)

2) Cut Copy - Hearts on Fire (4:52)

3) Joan as Policewoman - To Be Loved (3:03)

4) Sun Kil Moon - Lost Verses (9:43)

5) Neon Neon (ft. Cate Lebon) - I Lust You (3:00)

6) Vampire Weekend - The Kids Don't Stand a Chance (Chromeo Remix) (4:03)

7) Crystal Castles - Courtship Dating (3:30)

8) Chad VanGaalen - Willow Tree (3:13)

9) Frightened Rabbit - Backwards Walk (3:31)

10) Vetiver - The Swimming Song (2:40)

11) Passion Pit - Cuddle Fuddle (4:32)

12) Samamidon - Wedding Dress (4:34)

13) The Boy Bathing - The Questions Simple (4:10)

14) The Little Hands of Asphalt - Blue & Green (3:04)

15) The Middle East - Blood (5:27)

16) The Low Anthem - Ohio (3:19)

17) Chairlift - Bruises (4:01)

18) Dent May & His Magnificent Ukelele - Pierce Avenue (3:05)

19) Taj Mahal - Never Let You Go (4:45)

20) The Hold Steady - Sequestered in Memphis (3:32)

21) The Acorn - Crooked Legs (5:08)

22) The Bird & The Bee - Birthday (3:29)

23) Shearwater - Rooks (3:21)

24) Micah P. Hinson - Sunrise Over the Olympus Moons (4:21)

25) The Decemberists - Valerie Plame (4:58)

26) Port O'Brien - I Woke Up Today (3:21)

27) Bowery Boy Blue - Great Dead Town (3:40)

28) Russian Red - Cigarettes (2:01)

29) Brooke Waggoner - Live for the Sounds (2:35)

30) Land of Talk - Some Are Lakes (3:41)

31) Fleet Foxes - He Doesn't Know Why (3:21)

32) Olivia Broadfield - Fool Today (2:44)

33) Ladyhawke - Magic (3:27)

34) Sam Sparro - Too Many Questions (3:56)

35) Kleerup (ft. Marit Bergman) - 3AM (3:57)

36) Drive-By Truckers - Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife (3:05)

37) Headlights - Cherry Tulips (3:28)

38) Blitzen Trapper - Black River Killer (3:28)

39) Friendly Fires - Skeleton Boy (3:33)

40) Langhorne Slim - Restless (2:17)

41) Laura Marling - Ghosts (3:01)

42) Deerhoof - Agoraphobia (3:22)

43) Mother Mother - Hayloft (3:03)

44) Centromatic - I, the Kite (3:04)

45) Anna Ternheim - To Be Gone (2:48)

46) Band of Horses - The Ends Not Near (The New Year Cover) (3:34)

47) The Lodger - The Good Old Days (3:23)

48) Young Coyotes - Momentary Drowning (2:36)

49) The Airborne Toxic Event - Sometime Around Midnight (5:04)

50) Kitty Hawk - Bear in the Morning (2:05)

Fallout 3 - Game of the Year

The original Fallout, the one that started it all, was released well over a decade ago. The sequel? Ten years ago. Load up either of the embryonic entries in this franchise and todays gamers are likely to be less than impressed. There's the primitive SVGA graphics, turn-based combat reminicent of a board game (not to mention the top-down isometric perspective), and only a scant handful of characters with full voice dialogue.

It would, however, be a disservice to dismiss these games so easily. The mechanics may be vastly outdated, but both games contain a vast, complex world in which your every action directly affects the future of the wasteland at large. The dialogue trees alone could fill a book, the map was massive with plenty of secrets to discover, and that's not including the clever strategies you could devise with a combat system that is turn-based.

Then came a few more forgettable entries, the cancelled Van Buren project, the bankruptcy of Interplay, and finally Bethesda saved the franchise by announcing they would be developing the third installment. Despite the fact that both Fallout 3 and Oblivion utilized the same engine, and contrary to the many pre-release conjectures and even some reviewers, you should know that Fallout 3 never feels like an "Oblivion mod".

The only manner in which Fallout vaguely resembles Oblivion is during conversations with characters, as the mechanics are nearly the same. Though it should be noted that Fallout features more interactive dialogue trees whereas Oblivion had simple, typically one-word topics. Unfortunately, perhaps due to every character being voice-acted, their replies sometimes aren't much varied. For instance, you'll often find a character will reply with nearly the same response to all three dialogue choices.

Fallout 3 was not a rushed release either, as is also often claimed by some reviewers. There was a very long development cycle for this title covering many years. In fact, the press release for Fallout 3 pre-dated the one for Oblivion, which was released in '06. Look it up. Fallout 3, without a question, contains the most impressive 3D world I've ever seen. It's simply astonishing the detail that went into crafting this world, from the ruins of Washington D.C. to the vast wasteland itself - rest assured it will take at least 100 hours to explore it all.

The only major complaint here is that there are relatively few developed cities to explore. Essentially, there are only two major settlements - the rest are merely small "trading posts". Also, Fallout 3 fails to replicate the "outlaw spirit" in *any* of their cities. For instance, Fallout 2 players will recall how seedy and dangerous the cities of The Den and New Reno could be. There were no guards and no one really cared if you offed a drug dealer or killed a shopowner. Not so in Fallout 3, as the wasteland cities are remarkably civilized.

The character development is top notch and utilizes nearly all of the elements from the previous games - most notably the perk system. Other than leveling, stat gains can be had by finding various skillbooks or collecting bobbleheads. These are unique items hidden all over the wasteland, akin to the intel pieces in games like Call of Duty 4. When you obtain your home in the game there's a display case on which you can place your bobblehead collection.

One serious, glaring flaw is the level cap. At level 20 your character will cease to gain experience from anything, effectively halting his or her development. I suppose this was something implemented to encourage creating multiple characters, but it mostly serves as a killjoy. Critics may argue that having a character who is proficient at a dozen or more skills is "unrealistic". Honestly, nothing is realistic about any game, it's all fantasy. For instance, every RPG ever made has allowed your character to carry many, many more things than a single person ever could. So if I want to make a level 78 character in Fallout 3 with every skill maxed - I should be able to do that, provided I gain enough experience.

Turn-based combat is simply not technically feasible in a 3D environment, but the developers recreated this experience as best as possible with the VATS system - which freezes the game and allows you to target any point on the enemies body. As many have mentioned here, there is one large flaw with VATS. In spite of what the percentage may say, there are times your shot may be blocked by the environment and there's no way to prevent your character from wastefully unloading twenty rounds into a concrete wall!

Fallout 2 had an astonishing array of various weapons and types of armor, and while Fallout 3 certainly hits all the high points - there isn't as much variety as the previous title. Still, there is a nice selection of ballistic weapons and energy weapons, in addition to a launcher that can fire tiny nukes! And that's not even including the weapons you can build yourself. . .

The radio stations present in Fallout 3 add a great dose of immersion. Galaxy News Radio, helmed by the colorful Three Dog, plays pre-war music in addition to commenting on what's going on in the wasteland. He'll often broadcast what your character has been up to - with occasionally amusing commentary. Some have complained that the station lacks song variety. I find this interesting, as the developers licensed some twenty songs from the forties and fifties. Besides, I'm sure most of the world's vinyl burned in that massive armageddon deal!

An amazing feature of the original Fallouts were the ending sequences. The narrator would explain in detail how all your actions affected each locale in addition to explaining how the world will progress forward. A small decision early in the game could have lasting ramifications for your characters ending sequence. Despite some early previews hinting at a similar system, Fallout 3 basically has two endings - one with good karma and one with bad karma. The rest are just very, very slight variations.

One last note: the Securom software, in this case, is NOT a big deal. The version here is limited to a simple disk check. I despise draconian DRM as much as anyone else (which is why I did not purchase Bioshock or Mass Effect) but Bethesda does not make use of the more extreme measures. Besides, if you dislike even the disk check - you should buy a console. PC gamers need to understand that malignant software like Securom (and DRM in general) is not going anywhere.

Top 50 Songs of 2007

First of all, and I can't stress this enough, the order is entirely random - I couldn't hope to ever select a single song that defines an entire year. These are fifty songs that consistently made it into my playlist, songs I have trouble forgetting (even if I want to). These songs are taken from anywhere - full-length albums, EPs, singles, etc. and cross nearly all genres. The one rule is that only one track per artist/band was allowed.

1) St. Vincent - Marry Me (4:41)


2) The Low Anthem - The Ballad of the Broken Bones (3:56)


3) Band of Horses - Detlef Schrempf (4:29)


4) Architecture in Helsinki - Lazy (2:55)


5) The Arcade Fire - Keep the Car Running (3:29)


6) The National - Fake Empire (3:25)


7) Dolorean - Heather Remind Me How This Ends (2:44)


8) Feist - 1-2-3-4 (3:03)


9) Jens Lekman - Your Arms Around Me (Acoustic Version) (3:12)


10) Josh Ritter - To the Dogs or Whoever (3:02)


11) Rilo Kiley - Silver Lining (3:36)


12) Beirut - A Sunday Smile (3:35)


13) Athlete - Flying Over Bus Stops (4:28)


14) Basia Bulat - Before I Knew (2:50)


15) The Rosebuds - I Better Run (3:49)


16) The Avett Brothers - Die Die Die (2:50)


17) Shout Out Louds - Normandie (3:23)


18) Sambassadeur - Between the Lines (2:44)


19) Rocky Votolato - Postcard from Kentucky (2:56)


20) Corb Lund - Horse Soldier, Horse Soldier (5:12)


21) Chris Garneau - We Don't Try (3:37)


22) Against Me - Thrash Unreal (4:17)


23) Brooke Waggoner - Hush If You Must (4:17)


24) Club 8 - Jesus Walk With Me (3:09)


25) Sea Wolf - The Cold, the Dark, and the Silence (4:25)


26) Great Lake Swimmers - When It Flows (3:34)


27) Illinois - Alone Again (3:11)


28) Magnet - Gospel Song (3:32)


29) Math & Physics Club - Nothing Really Happened (3:24)


30) Seabear - Libraries (3:18)


31) matt pond PA - Taught to Look Away (2:49)


32) Oh No! Oh My! - The Party Punch (3:59)


33) Loch Lomond - All Your Friends Are Smiling (3:47)


34) Marisa Nadler - Diamond Heart (3:47)


35) Ferraby Lionheart - Small Planet (3:14)


36) Andrew Bird - Heretics (3:33)


37) Honeycut - Shadows (3:38)


38) David Gray - One With The Birds (5:21)


39) Arctic Monkeys - Flourescent Adolescent (2:57)


40) Vandaveer - However Many Takes It Takes (2:31)


41) The Rumble Strips - Girls and Boys in Love (2:33)


42) The Cribs - Men's Needs (CSS Remix) (4:13)


43) Okkervil River - Plus Ones (3:43)


44) Mew - The Zookeeper's Boy (4:43)


45) Dappled Cities - Fire Fire Fire (3:48)


46) Interpol - Rest My Chemistry (5:00)


47) The Frames - True (5:14)


48) Spoon - The Ghost of You Lingers (3:34)


49) Peter Bjorn & John - Young Folks (4:39)


50) Eluvium - Radio Ballet (3:12)

Brooke Waggoner

Two months. It's been two months since the last update here on HHDC. How can that be? Is there not a wealth of material to cover?

It is theoretically possible to cover a new act every day for the duration of a lifetime without ever repeating - so why has it been two months?

In that time, dozens of new releases have hit the streets and a horde of new acts have uploaded their demos to the world at large. The bloggers have waxed poetic about new offerings from Owen Pallett's forthcoming EPs (he typically records under the moniker Final Fantasy), the latest news on new records from The Walkmen and The Broken West, and pretty much anything Bon Iver does.

There is certainly plenty of material to write about - as long as the parameters concerning quality have the bar set quite low. For instance, Mr. Pallett displays impressive technical talent with the violin, but the compositions themselves are clinical and mundane. His debut is more of a chore to work through, despite the scattered splotches of brilliance amidst the debris.

Both The Walkmen and The Broken West are wholly derivative acts, completely soulless entities that remain pleasant yet utterly passable. Now that I think about it - there was one track from The Walkmen I listened to a few times and found rather interesting. Though it should be noted I later discovered the song, "Another One Goes By", is actually a note-by-note cover of a song by the band formerly known as Mazarin.

As for Bon Iver, there's no mistaking his showmanship - one listen to "Skinny Love" is an instant hook...yet to delve deeper into his works is to reveal that nearly every song is built from the same mold. His debut record is like the Terra Cotta army of China - all different in some way or another, yet if you've seen one you've seen them all.

I cannot advocate covering a band simply because they exist.

If a group of people come together with some proficiency musically: an apt vocalist, inventive melody structures, and a smattering of bizarrely staged publicity photos - they're primed for the indie spotlight.

Theoretically, this would cover all the bases for a successful career in the music industry. Yet simply because these people are capable of miming the prerequisites it doesn't automatically follow that they will be compelling artists.

Still, if the act is capable of giving off the illusion of prowess, critics and bloggers will run wild with praise. A prime example of this phenomenon, unheard of until the internet age, is prominent indie act Black Kids.

Stupid headwear? Check. Empty, too-cool-for-school expressions? Check. Then they have to be awesome!

Black Kids are talented, as their single "Look At Me (When I Rock Wichoo)" stands to boast. The track is hopelessly upbeat and accessible. And yet it sounds exactly like something The Go! Team would produce, and worse - it sounds like a song we have all heard before a thousand times over.

Their first single, "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend to Dance with You", has helped to propel their debut record to the top ten spot in the UK. Evidently the public adores the "clever" song title, as you can find countless bloggers who've devoted part of their gushing reviews to that alone. Taken on its own merits, however, the song is solidly mediocre at best.

This recalls the hype surrounding the act Ok Go, who can only credit the inventive video for the song "Here It Goes Again" for selling thousands of copies of their debut Oh No. The song is a by-the-numbers pop-rock ice cream cake, a simplistic song derivative of nearly any other band in their genre.

Oh boy, this makes me wanna buy their record!

And yet, again thanks to the massively popular video, the song is featured in numerous commercials, has inspired countless parodies, and is a playable song in Rock Band. (I can personally attest that the track is a dull, tepid chore to cover in the game.)

In some ways I'm torn. If someone truly thinks an act like Black Kids are the highlight of Summer 2008, part of me wants to exclaim "God bless, enjoy"....while another part feels as if they're simply buying into the hype or subscribing to the sellout conundrum. That is summarily just as bad as listening to whatever the radio or television forcefeeds you.

I cannot advocate covering a band simply because they exist.

HHDC could cover material from the past during the intervals in which there is little in the way of fascinating new music. In fact, the majority of the entries here are devoted to such - from reviews of the legendary discography of The Smiths to the outstanding (and nearly forgotten) debut record of Martin Page. Many other bloggers use this technique in some form or another.

And what is that but an exercise in favoritism? A highly subjective jaunt into the favorites of someone half a world away. To a certain extent any blog by definition conforms to that description, yet I believe the primary purpose should be to extoll the virtures of emergent artists who can use all the exposure they can muster.

HHDC was created for the singular purpose of presenting innovative artists who are crafting the most sublime music of our generation. It was never intended to be a hype machine or a bandwagon - it was to be instead a beacon on the darkened corridors of the independent music world.

Those hidden crevices where Seabear resided, the craggly oak tree underneath which Josh Ritter strummed his guitar, and the cramped studio apartment where Brooke Waggoner rehearses were the only sort of places HHDC wanted to be.

This missive could continue until the end of this decade, but in the interest of saving time, I would like to return to the namesake of this entry - Brooke Waggoner.

I've been replaying Miss Waggoner's debut Fresh Pair of Eyes for the past month now (the entire six-track EP is available for free download on her website) and marveling at how inventive and beautiful the damn thing is.

Yes, it could be asserted that the work is derivative of other piano-based chanteuses such as Vanessa Carlton, but when an artist is as supremely talented as Miss Waggoner and performs with such divine conviction - it is an arduous task to simply dismiss the work out of hand.

So it was with great joy that I received the following Brooke Waggoner newsletter earlier this week, which read as follows:

Hi my friends,

So, next week is jam-packed with deals, steals, and freebies:

Tuesday (sept. 2), my new album Heal for the Honey will be available on iTunes for an exclusive offer of $7.99 - for the album in it's entirety! This will only take place for one week... AND, in the spirit of celebration, I am giving each of you a song from the album for FREE, entitled "Live for the Sounds." This is one of my favorite songs on the record. Full of string stabs, plural words, key changes, and romping drums - all tightly wound into a 2:30 package.

Tours promoting the new album are currently in the works, and I can't wait to get to your city and share with you all.

Much love!

Brooke

Beneath that was the link for the exclusive download "Live for the Sounds". After the inaugural listen I was once again overwhelmed with enthusiasm for this emerging artist, as there is a certain clarity to her work that is practically unparalleled by her peers.

If you doubt this, why don't you find out for yourself. . .



"Hush If You Must" from Fresh Pair of Eyes EP (2007)



"Live for the Sounds" from Heal for the Honey (2008)

Fourth of July!

"Born in the U.S.A."

Taken from Born in the U.S.A. (1984)

In honor of the 4th of July, we here at HHDC salute the classic Bruce Springsteen album Born in the U.S.A. - which was released exactly fourteen years ago today. With it's anthemic title track and lengthy list of singles (which extended for more than a year after the release), it remains the biggest selling Springsteen album and one of the finest records of the eighties.

Though not exactly a patriotic song, the title track is nearly always associated with the holiday (particularly since the release was deliberately timed to coincide with it) and so we present it here. Eat, drink, and be merry!

Bonus Track

"Star Spangled Banner (Live)"

taken from Jimi Hendrix: The Ultimate Experience (1993)

Stereolab

Stereolab's new record, Chemical Chords, is slated for release in mid-August. It's been four long years since their last LP and anticipation has been rapidly growing amongt fans of the avant-garde electronica/rock group.

While no material from the album is available at present, I couldn't help but think back to 1996 - specifically Stereolab's breakthrough work Emperor Tomato Ketchup.

It's a testament to the considerable talents of the group that, twelve years on, the music sounds just as fresh and inventive as the day it was released.

"Metronomic Underground" & "Cybele's Reverie"

Both taken from Emperor Tomato Ketchup (1996)

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

In 1972, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band released the landmark triple LP Will the Circle Be Unbroken. The young, shaggy haired band (best known, at the time, for their cover of "Mr. Bojangles") traveled from California to Nashville to create what they hoped would be a meshwork between two generations of musicians ensconced in the tradition of country and bluegrass music. What unfolded surpassed anyones wildest expectations.

The band was able to secure studio time with the giants of the genre, including: Roy Acuff, Earl Scruggs, Merle Travis, Doc Watson, and Maybelle Carter. In total, there are an incredible thirty-seven songs (thirty-eight if you count the dialogue track) - nearly all of which is indispensible material.

In the years to come, the band released two subsequent volumes in the same grand tradition, sometimes even featuring younger artists such as Alison Krauss and Vince Gill. Although none quite reached the artistic heights achieved on the first volume, there are still outstanding highlights to be found on both.

In 2003, roughly a year after the release of the third volume, the complete trilogy was released in a compact boxed set. It assembled the remastered version of the first volume (including four bonus tracks, though only one is a complete song), both successive volumes, and a DVD - comprising six discs in total.

Two booklets are also included: one details the song credits and performers for each track, and the other contains an interesting essay concerning the formation of the entire project.

The DVD is perhaps the best reason to purchase this set, even if you own one or two of the albums already. It contains an outstanding hour-long concert, a brief documentary about the band, a music video for the track "The Lowlands", and three bonus concert performances not included in the final version.

One of the highlights of the concert is the performance of "Catfish John" featuring Alison Krauss (pictured below). Others include a spirited rendition of the mad-cap instrumental "Earl's Breakdown" and a very fun, nostalgic performance of "Fishin' Blues" featuring Taj Mahal.

I've included some of my favorites from each album below, clicking on the pictures will direct you to each album's listing on Amazon. A click on any of the above photos will take you to the Amazon listing for the complete trilogy.

"My Walkin' Shoes" (w/ Jimmy Martin)

"Earl's Breakdown" (w/ Earl Scruggs)

Both taken from Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume One



"Mary Danced with Soldiers" (w/ Emmylou Harris)

"The Valley Road" (w/ Bruce Hornsby)

Both taken from Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume Two



"Mama's Opry" (w/ Iris Dement)

"Catfish John" (w/Alison Krauss)

Both taken from Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume Three

Neil Young

On my way to work one recent, misty morning I heard this track on the radio. Still half-asleep and bleary-eyed, my mind was entirely focused on the road ahead until this song appeared. Somehow, it all came together wonderfully.

Neil Young "After the Gold Rush" from After the Gold Rush (1970)

HHDC Mix EP #4

"The joy of music should never be interrupted by a commercial." - Leonard Bernstein

Morcheeba "A Well Deserved Break" from Fragments of Freedom (2000)

Sam Amidon "Wedding Dress" from All is Well (2008)

Mark Mallman "Knockout on 22nd St." from Between the Devil and Middle C (2006)

Voxtrot "The Start of Something" from Raised by Wolves EP (2005)

The Gray Brigade "Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want" from Fanfare (2007)

David Gray

Although entirely adequate for any season, this record lends itself best to quiet winter moments. In the midst of summer, the somber melodies appear slightly out of place - yet ultimately still inviting. Unquestionably Gray's finest work to date.

"Slow Motion" from Life in Slow Motion (2005)

Santogold

According to an interview on MTV, Santogold indicated the goals she had established for her self-titled debut album:

"I hope that I help break down boundaries and genre classifications. (People think that) If I’m a black woman I’m just about singing R&B. I guess with those producers (Timbaland, Mark Ronson) I’m supposed to be making club music. I’m not one dimensional and my music isn’t. I want the most people as possible to connect to it."

She needn't worry. Santogold, while often compared to contemporary M.I.A., is solidly within a league of her own. "Lights Out" will unquestionably factor within most (if not all) year end song-of-the-year lists.

It's already on mine. . .

"Lights Out" from Santogold (2008)

Frightened Rabbit

2007 was a banner year for new music. There were outstanding releases from the likes of Architechture in Helsinki, The Arcade Fire, The National, Andrew Bird, Rilo Kiley, Dolorean, The White Stripes, Interpol, Feist, Maroon 5, Eluvium, The Frames, Spoon, Josh Ritter, Jens Lekman, The New Pornographers....I could go on for quite some time.

Near the tail end of that year, a re-release raised quite a few eyebrows on the independent scene. It was Frightened Rabbit's first effort Sing the Greys. There was promise in the songs, but it did little for me and I moved along.

Now comes The Midnight Organ Fight, a record light years beyond their previous effort. There have been scant few heart-achingly beautiful albums released this year, Sun Kil Moon and Headlights leap to mind - and now Frightened Rabbit takes the lead.

Don't miss this one.

"Backwards Walk" from The Midnight Organ Fight (2008)

Over the Rhine

File Under: Music for an Overcast Day, Hopeful for Spring, The Picnic Beneath a Willow Tree or the Room with a View

"Born" & "I Want You To Be My Love" from Drunkard's Prayer (2005)

Neon Neon

Acts as diverse as Pacific! to The Killers have proven that adding an eighties edge to modern pop/rock arrangments can be highly successful fusions. It is a refreshingly original trend, despite that implicit fact that the bands are merely taking their influences to a literal extreme.

Neon Neon, for instance, utilized many instruments manufactured in the eighties to create the sound on their debut effort Stainless Style. The record is a unique concept album conceived around the high-profile playboy lifestyle of John DeLorean.

The eighties tribute theme is noticably prevalent on the album's strongest tracks: "I Lust U", "Raquel", "Belfast", and "I Told Her On Alderaan".

Unfortunately, the other half of the record is constructed with more pedestrian fare. Tracks like "Trick for Treat", "Luxury Pool", and "Sweat Shop" tread typical modern R&B blueprints with yawn-inducing results.

"I Told Her on Alderaan" from Stainless Style (2008)

Aphex Twin

"Avril 14th" from Drukqs (2001)

Classic Film Collections: Part 1.5

As a small addendum to the previous post, I've provided a couple of photos to illustrate the particular attention Warner Bros. paid with the period-authentic cover artwork for their classic dvd releases.

Classic Film Collections: Part One

Since the inception of the digital video disc, classic film has seen a vital rebirth thanks to the high-profile releases of obscure, nearly forgotten cinema. The most exciting aspect of this rebirth has been the thoughtfully assembled multi-disc collections centered around a vague theme.

For this installment, I've brought together the best of the hard-boiled noirish/gangster film collections - and added a couple of grand box sets of films based on literary classics. There are a wealth of other collections, including the "Signature Collection" line and a heap of musical box sets - some of which will feature in the next installment.

As one might expect from Warner Bros, the presentation of these sets is impeccable. As a general rule, the titles released prior to 2007 come packaged in standard dvd cases. For the ones released during or after 2007, such as the Literary Classics Collection, they are packaged in the slimcase format. I personally prefer the standard size dvd cases, but the slimcase format is definitely a "greener" way to go.

All of the films are on a single disc and packaged in standard dvd cases with some notable exceptions. The Film Noir Classic Collection Volume Four has ten films on five discs (two films are on each double-sided disc). Also, both the Film Noir Classic Collection Volume Three and Literary Classic Collection are packaged in slim dvd cases.

Film Noir Classic Collection: Volume One

1) The Asphalt Jungle (1950)

Introduction by John Huston derived from an Archival Interview.

Commentary by Auther/Film-Noir Specialist Drew Casper & Co-Star James Whitmore

Theatrical Trailer

2) Gun Crazy (1950)

Commentary by Auther/Film-Noir Specialist Glenn Erickson

3) Murder My Sweet (1944)

Commentary by Author/Film-Noir Specialist Alain Silver

Theatrical Trailer

4) Out of the Past (1947)

Commentary by Author/Film-Noir Specialist James Ursini

5) The Set-Up (1949)

Commentary by Director Robert Wise and Martin Scorsese

Film Noir Classic Collection: Volume Two

1) Born to Kill (1947)

Commentary by Eddie Muller, author of The Art of Noir

2) Clash by Night (1952)

Commentary by Filmaker Peter Bogdanovich

Theatrical Trailer

3) Crossfire (1947)

Commentary by Film Historians Alain Silver and James Ursini

Featurette - Crossfire: Hate is Like a Gun

4) Dillinger (1945)

Commentary by John Milius, director of the 1973 Dillinger

Theatrical Trailer

5) The Narrow Margin (1952)

Commentary by Filmaker William Friedkin

Theatrical Trailer

Film Noir Classic Collection: Volume Three

1) Border Incident (1949)

Commentary by Film Historian Dana Polan

Theatrical Trailer

2) His Kind of Woman (1951)

Commentary by Film Historian Vivian Sobchack

3) Lady in the Lake (1947)

Commentary by Film Historians Alain Silver and James Ursini

Theatrical Trailer

4) On Dangerous Ground (1952)

Commentary by Film Historian Glenn Erickson

Theatrical Trailer

5) The Racket (1951)

Commentary by Film Historian Eddie Mueller

Film Noir Classic Collection: Volume Four

1) Act of Violence (1948)

2) Mystery Street (1950)

Film Historian Commentaries by Dr. Drew Casper on Act of Violence and Alain Silver and Elizabeth Ward on Mystery Street

New Featurettes - Act of Violence: Dealing with the Devil and Mystery Street: Murder at Harvard

Theatrical Trailers

3) Crime Wave (1954)

4) Decoy (1946)

Commentaries by James Ellroy and Film Historian Eddie Mueller on Crime Wave and Writer Stabley Rubin and Film Historian Glenn Erickson on Decoy

New Featurettes - Crime Wave: The City is Dark and Decoy: A Map to Nowhere

Crime Wave Theatrical Trailer

5) Illegal (1955)

6) The Big Steal (1949)

Commentaries by Nina Foch and Film Historian Patricia King Hanson on Illegal and Film Historian Richard B. Jewell on The Big Steal

Vintage Behind the Cameras segment with Edward G. Robinson from the Warner Bros. Presents series

New Featurettes - Illegal: Marked for Life and The Big Steal: Look Behind You

Theatrical Trailers

7) They Live By Night (1948)

8) Side Street (1950)

Commentaries by Farley Granger and Film Historian Eddie Mueller on They Live By Night and Historian/Critic Richard Schnickel on Side Street

New Featurettes - They Live By Night: The Twisted Road and Side Street: Where Temptation Lurks

Side Street Theatrical Trailer

9) Where Danger Lives (1950)

10) Tension (1949)

Film Historian Commentaries by Alain Silver and James Ursini on Where Danger Lives and Alain Silver and Elizabeth Ward with Audrey Totter on Tension

New Featurettes - Where Danger Lives: White Rose for Julie and Tension: Who's Guilty Now?

Theatrical Trailers

TCM Archives - Forbidden Hollywood Collection: Volume One

1) Baby Face (1933)

2) Red-Headed Woman (1932)

3) Waterloo Bridge (1931)

Introduction by Robert Osborne

Baby Face Theatrical Trailer

TCM Archives - Forbidden Hollywood Collection: Volume Two

1) The Divorcee (1930)

2) A Free Soul (1931)

3) Night Nurse (1931)

4) Three on a Match (1932)

5) Female (1933)

Documentary Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood

Commentaries on The Divorcee and Night Nurse by Film Historians Jeffrey Vance and Tony Maietta

Theatrical Trailers of Female, Night Nurse, and Three on a Match

Warner Gangsters Collection: Volume One

1) The Public Enemy (1931)

Leonard Maltin Hosts Warner Night at the Movies 1931 with Newsreel, Comedy Short The Eyes Have It, Cartoon Smile, Darn Ya, Smile and Theatrical Trailers

New Featurette - Beer and Blood: Enemies of the Public

Commentary by Film Historian Robert Sklar

1954 Rerelease Foreword

2) White Heat (1949)

Leonard Maltin Hosts Warner Night at the Movies 1949 with Newsreel, Comedy Short So You Think You're Not Guilty, Cartoon Homeless Hare and Theatrical Trailers

Featurette - White Heat: Top of the World

Commentary by Film Historian Dr. Drew Casper

3) Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)

Leonard Maltin Hosts Warner Night at the Movies 1938 with Newsreel, Musical Short Out Where the Stars Begin, Cartoon Porky and Daffy and Theatrical Trailers

Featurette - Angels with Dirty Faces: Whaddya Hear? Whaddya Say?

Commentary by Film Historian Dana Polan

Audio-Only Bonus: Radio Production with Films 2 Stars

4) Little Caesar (1931)

Leonard Maltin Hosts Warner Night at the Movies 1930 with Newsreel, Spencer Tracy Short The Hard Guy, Cartoon Lady Play Your Mandolin and Theatrical Trailers

Featurette - Little Caesar: End of Rico, Beginning of the Antihero

Commentary by Film Historian Richard B. Jewell

1954 Rerelease Foreword

5) The Petrified Forest (1936)

Leonard Maltin Hosts Warner Night at the Movies 1936 with Newsreel, Musical Short Rhythmitis, Cartoon The Coo Coo Nut Grove and Theatrical Trailers

Featurette - The Petrified Forest: Menace in the Desert

Commentary by Bogart Biographer Eric Lax

Audio-Only Bonus: Radio Adaptation Starring Bogart, Tyrone Power, and Joan Bennett

6) The Roaring Twenties (1939)

Leonard Maltin Hosts Warner Night at the Movies with Newsreel, Musical Short All Girl Revue, Comedy Short The Great Library Misery, Cartoon Thugs with Dirty Mugs and Theatrical Trailers

Featurette - The Roaring Twenties: The World Moves On

Commentary by Film Historian Dr. Lincoln Hurst

Warner Tough Guys Collection (a.k.a. Gangsters Collection: Volume Two)

1) Bullets or Ballots (1936)

Warner Night at the Movies 1936 with Newsreel, Musical Short George Hall and His Orchestra, Classic Cartoon I'm a Big Shot Now, and Theatrical Trailers

Featurette - Gangsters: The Immigrant's Hero

Commentary by Film Historian Dana Polan

How I Play Golf by Bobby Jones No. 10: Trouble Shots

Breakdowns of 1936: Studio Blooper Reel

Audio-Only Bonus: Radio Show with Robinson, Bogart and Mary Astor

2) City for Conquest (1940)

Warner Night at the Movies 1940 with Newsreel, Oscar-Nominated Short Service with the Colors, Classic Cartoon Stage Fright, Theatrical Trailers

Featurette - Molls and Dolls: The Women of Gangster Films

Commentary by Richard Schnickel

Breakdowns of 1940: Studio Blooper Reel

Audio-Only Bonus: Radio Show with Alice Faye and Robert Preston

3) Each Dawn I Die (1939)

Warner Night at the Movies 1939 with Newsreel, Documentary Short A Day at Santa Anita, Oscar Nominated Classic Cartoon Detouring America, Theatrical Trailers

Featurette - Stool Pigeons and Pine Overcoats: The Language of Gangster Films

Commentary by Film Historian Haden Guest

Breakdowns of 1939: Studio Blooper Reel

Bonus Cartoon Each Dawn I Crow

Audio-Only Bonus: Radio Show with George Raft and Franchot Tone

4) "G" Men (1935)

Warner Night at the Movies 1936 with Newsreel, Comedy Short The Old Grey Manor starring Bob Hope, Classic Cartoon Buddy the Gee Man, Theatrical Trailers

Featurette - Morality and the Code: A How-to Manual for Hollywood

Commentary by Film Historian Richard Jewell

How I Play Golf by Bobby Jones No. 11: Practice Shots

Breakdowns of 1935: Studio Blooper Reel

5) San Quentin (1937)

Warner Night at the Movies 1937 with Newsreel, Oscar Nominated Broadway Brevity Short The Man Without a Country, Classic Cartoon Porky's Double Trouble, Theatrical Trailers

Featurette - Welcome to the Big House

Commentary by Film Historian Patricia King Hanson

Breakdowns of 1937: Studio Blooper Reel

6) A Slight Case of Murder (1938)

Warner Night at the Movies 1938 with Newsreel, Oscar Nominated Drama Short Declaration of Independence, Classic Cartoon The Night Watchman, Theatrical Trailers

Featurette - Prohibition Opens the Floodgates

Commentary by Film Historian Robert Sklar

Warner Gangsters Collection: Volume Three

1) Smart Money (1931)

Warner Night at the Movies 1931 with Newsreel, Musical Short George Jessel and His Russian Art Choir and The Smart Set-Up, Classic Cartoon Big Man from the North, Theatrical Trailers

Commentary by Film Historians Alain Silver and James Ursini

2) Picture Snatcher (1933)

Warner Night at the Movies 1933 with Newsreel, Musical Short Plane Crazy, Classic Cartoon Wake Up the Gypsy in Me, Theatrical Trailers

Commentary by Film Historians Jeffrey Vance and Tony Maietta

3) The Mayor of Hell (1933)

Warner Night at the Movies 1933 with Newsreel, Musical Short The Audition, Classic Cartoon The Organ Grinder, Theatrical Trailers

Commentary by Film Historian Greg Mank

4) Lady Killer (1933)

Warner Night at the Movies 1933 with Newsreel, Movie Retrospective Short The Camera Speaks, Musical Short Kissing Time, Classic Cartoon The Shanty Where Santy Claus Lives, Theatrical Trailers

Commentary by Film Historian Dr. Drew Casper

5) Black Legion (1937)

Warner Night at the Movies 1937 with Newsreel, Musical Short Hi De Ho with Cab Calloway, Technicolor Historial Short Under Southern Stars, Classic Cartoon Porky and Gabby, Theatrical Trailers

Commentary by Film Historians Patricia King Hanson and Anthony Slide

6) Brother Orchid (1940)

Warner Night at the Movies 1940 with Newsreel, Musical Short Henry Busse and His Orchestra, Classic Cartoons Busy Bakers and Slap Happy Pappy, Theatrical Trailers

Commentary by Robinson Biographer Alan L. Gansberg and Bogart Biographer Eric Lax

Literary Classics Collection

1) Madame Bovary (1949)

Vintage Pete Smith Specialty Short Those Good Old Days

Classic Cartoon Out-Foxed

Theatrical Trailer

2) Captain Horatio Hornblower (1951)

Vintage Oscar Nominated Short My Country 'Tis of Thee

Classic Cartoon Captain Hareblower

Audio-Only Bonus: Radio Show Adaptation with Gregory Peck and Virgina Mayo

Theatrical Trailer

3) The Three Musketeers (1948)

Vintage Fitzpatrick Traveltalk Short Looking at London

Classic Cartoon What Price Freedom

Audio-Only Bonus: Radio Promo

Theatrical Trailer

4) The Prisoner of Zenda (1937 & 1952 Versions)

Pete Smith Specialty Short Penny Wisdom

Cartoon The Wayward Pups

Audio-Only Bonus: Radio Adaptation with Ronald Colman

Fitzpatrick Traveltalk Short Land of the Taj Mahal

Oscar Winning Cartoon Johann Mouse

1952 Theatrical Trailer

5) Billy Budd (1962)

Commentary by Terence Stamp and Filmmaker Steven Soderbergh

Motion Picture Masterpieces Collection

1) David Copperfield (1935)

2 Vintage Technicolor Musical Shorts: Pirate Party on Catalina Isle and Two Hearts in Wax Time

Classic Cartoon - Poor Little Me

Audio-Only Bonus "Leo is on the Air" Radio Promo

Theatrical Trailer

2) Marie Antoinette (1938)

2 Vintage Shorts: Another Romance of Celluloid and Hollywood Goes to Town

Theatrical Trailer

3) Pride and Prejudice (1940)

Oscar Nominated "Crime Doesn't Pay" Short Eyes of the Navy

Classic Cartoon The Fishing Bear

Theatrical Trailer

4) A Tale of Two Cities (1935)

Oscar Nominated Short Audioscopiks

2 Classic Cartoons: Hey Hey Fever and Honeyland

Audio-Only Bonus: Radio Show Adaptation Starring Colman

Theatrical Trailer

5) Treasure Island (1934)

Vintage Dramatic Short The Spectacle Maker

Oscar Nominated Short Strikes and Spares

Classic Cartoon Tale of the Vienna Woods

Theatrical Trailer