Hey people-still-reading-this. As you probably know, I left ElJay for my own off-site blog a year or so back. I had some requests and started cross-posting entries here, and that seemed to go okay for a while, but it requires a bit of maintenance. I sometimes (lotstimes) make long, image-filled posts, and so as not to break anybody's layout or fill a friend's page, I have to come over here and manually edit the entry with cuts. But then if I find a typo or need to edit something (ONLY ALWAYS), any changes strip out my lj-cuts, so I have to play the game all over again.

And that's only when LJ is actually working. It's gotten to where any post I make on my blog takes several extra minutes to actually go through to completion because LJ has pissed off the Russians again this week or something.

All this is basically me saying that I'm not going to be cross-posting to LJ anymore. BUT! I do have an LJ syndicate feed that someone set up for me forever ago. If you want to keep up with me here on LiveJournal, this should be all you need. It won't be the entire post, but you'll know when I've updated and get a snippet to see if you actually give a shit before clicking the handy link to read the whole thing. The feed seems to update consistently, if not instantly, and is a pretty good compromise if you only want to deal with LJ.

Said feed is here: http://jetwolfblog.livejournal.com/

Even better, if you use an external news aggregate such as say Google Reader, then you can add me there too with http://blog.jetwolf.com/feed/

And of course there's always me on Twitter @JetWolf where I not only spam the fuck out of everybody but also automatically post notification when I update.

Hopefully nobody feels left out in the cold. You know me, I'm pretty easy to find and pretty lazy, so I get it. I think there are enough options here to keep you as much in the know as you wish to be, while exerting near zero additional effort. And zero effort is what I'm all about.

Mirrored from JW's blog A Pen, a Pique and a Plan. Consider replying there. It's very shiny and keeps me sane.

 

Me and fantasy go way back. In the mid-80s, Mindy (my best friend at the time) and I discovered the genre and a lifelong love was formed. Together we read Elfquest and Dragonlance and MythAdventures and a series by David Eddings whose title eludes me but I can still picture the covers. We played Bard’s Tale and King’s Quest on our brand new Tandy computers. If it was fantasy, we were interested. It seemed inevitable that we’d eventually learn about Dungeons & Dragons (which we did) and want to try it (which we did).

We each bought our starter box–

–and got modules, and then came together for several weekends and played. It went well! Except in how neither of us really wanted to read the Dungeon Master instructions, it was only the two of us, we were both far more interested in making characters than actually playing them, and were all of about ten years old with the corresponding attention span.

And so D&D came and went, and although the attraction to the concept never died, it was mostly fed by the Lone Wolf series and so many computer games. Still, I’d keep flirting with the idea of tabletop roleplaying, occasionally checking out different books or giving in to my deep attraction to polyhedral dice.

When Mike and I hooked up, it wasn’t long before we found another common interest in RPGs. Mike had played much more extensively than I back in the day with a group of his friends, and even had his own old books to add to our burgeoning, outdated collection. We toyed with the idea of playing, but this was about the time we got heavily into Magic and in the wake of the destruction it left behind (a story for another time) and deep involvement in our MUD of choice, the idea faded. We considered it again with the release of 3rd Edition, even going so far as to buy a couple of the core books, but never even got to the stage of creating characters.

Fast-forward to PAX. (If you don’t know of PAX, I invite you to read my write-up of last year’s visit, starting here.) PAX is, of course, a celebration of all manner of gaming, so while video games were largely what attracted us, it’s impossible to not be caught up in all the love and excitement for every genre including, of course, pen-and-paper. After PAX 2010 the interest was sparked anew but the field had opened dramatically. Totally burned by just about anything with the Wizards of the Coast stamp (thus excluding Dungeons & Dragons, as TSR had long since been swallowed up by WotC), Mike did his research and settled on Pathfinder. I picked up the core rulebook with some birthday Amazon gift cards, and … then the book sat there for months.

Oh, we read it (okay, Mike read it) and were impressed and excited. I even got him the Advanced Player’s Guide for Christmas. We’d say to each other, “We really need to try Pathfinder!” And the other would agree heartily, and then we’d do nothing. We even got up to the point of rolling me some characters, but we only got part-way through one and then something else came up, our attention shifted, and we never returned.

Then something changed. I’m not sure what. But a few months ago we seemed to mutually decide that This Was It. Characters wanted to be created, monsters wanted to be killed, loot wanted to be found. We went out, bought ourselves some awesome new dice (because if there’s one thing I’ve known since my first Red Box, you can never have too many dice), and next thing I knew I had myself a party of four new characters. A few days after that and Mike had picked out an Adventure Path for me to run, we’d found a fantastic game store super close to our house, and we had the first book in-hand.

We even moved our little dining table to the center of our big-but-not-used-for-anything living room.

And when we learned that this table was wholly insufficient, we upgraded.

Then there was the playing. We’ve probably been about two months going through this first book of “Kingmaker” – though we did have a few weekends we didn’t play and that included a break where we flipped sides; Mike created a party and I ran him through an adventure (my first time DMing since like 1987! and I liked it!). I’ve been having just a crazy amount of fun, flexing my on-the-fly creativity while I juggle four distinct personalities against whatever crap flies in our face.

It all came to a head on Saturday as we reached the climax of the campaign, locating the evil Stag Lord holed up in his bandit-ladden fortress. The conflict took something like five hours from discovery to victory, and we were up playing until gone 3am. It was some of the most fun I’ve had in ages.

Tomorrow, you shall hear all about it.

Mirrored from JW's blog A Pen, a Pique and a Plan. Consider replying there. It's very shiny and keeps me sane.

 

Tonight in conversation with Mike, Amy and Scott, a thought occurred to me.

Secret Six ended with Bane returned to his path of violence against Batman. His latest plan hinges not on assaulting Batman himself but destroying the Batfamily. The Robins, Huntress, Azrael and Batgirl are all specifically named. There’s even pictures of each, though Batgirl is, of course, Stephanie Brown.

Gail Simone (writer of Secret Six) said today on Twitter: “Everything that is in the last issue of Secret 6 will still be in continuity, including Scandal’s redheads, no worries! :)” Which means, of course, that Bane’s dedication to hurting Batman’s extended family will also be in continuity.

Gail will be writing the new Batgirl series and in case you missed it, this will be the Barbara Gordon Batgirl.

The same Barbara Gordon who has set the comics world abuzz and ablaze by no longer being paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair. In a newly established DC universe that will contain a rampaging Bane – another favourite of Gail Simone – who has sworn to tear apart Batman’s loved ones including the specifically-named Batgirl who must, by default, now be Barbara Gordon.

And when you think of Bane, what do you think?

Yeah.

EDIT: A new train of thought coming out of a conversation with my friend Jason after he read my post. All of this does, of course, piggy-back on my personal theory that it’s only a matter of time before Barbara is back in the chair. Would they do it that soon? Would they do it like this? I don’t know. I’ve said before and I maintain that I have faith in Gail Simone, but she’s at the mercy of DC editorial who in my opinion don’t exactly have the most stellar record.

I believe that Bane vs. Batgirl will happen. I also believe that Bane will in fact break her. However the more I think about it that may not be as bad as my gut reaction thought.

Like I mentioned in an earlier post talking about Barbara returning as Batgirl, we’re all going to be waiting for “it”. The chair will always loom in the shadows. Every major confrontation, every significant battle, and we’ll be waiting for it to be “the one”. We’re coming at these new stories from a place in the future, waiting for the inevitable events that will always echo until they are once again realized: Uncle Ben will be always be murdered, Dick Grayson will always become Robin, Steve Rogers will always be out of time, Superman will always crush on Lois Lane. The details may change, but the core remains.

And so we will wait – whether consciously or subconsciously – we will always wait for Barbara Gordon to once again be in a wheelchair.

So what if DC/Gail Simone realize this? What if, rather than try to hide from it or deny it, they embrace it. Give the audience what it expects. Bane will, in fact, break the Batgirl.

However this time, what if she is able to heal? Bruce did it after all, why not Babs? Would the reaction to Barbara no longer needing the wheelchair have been quite as severe if we had actually read her struggle, watched her painful rehabilitation and felt her determination? Had she fought back and inspired us rather than it being a magic wand with a magic fix? I don’t know for sure, but you know, maybe.

And that could also banish the demon. We won’t keep waiting for that one bad day to come for Barbara because it already happened. We watched as she met her destiny head-on and then beat it. The world opens for Batgirl from that moment forward, and that’s the most optimistic thought I’ve had on this new series since first hearing about it.

Mirrored from JW's blog A Pen, a Pique and a Plan. Consider replying there. It's very shiny and keeps me sane.

 

Next Tuesday Harmonix could quit and never release another week of DLC, and I would be satisfied. Of all the bands I’ve most wanted in the game, the only (reasonable) one Harmonix hadn’t given me was Def Leppard. They teased me with “Foolin’” in Rock Band 3 of course, but that was not enough, not even near enough. And then, as though sending me a personal love letter, comes this week’s announcement: A Def Leppard six-pack, each and every one pro-charted.

I love you too, Harmonix. I love you too.

 

The Songs

* Def Leppard – “Animal (Live)” +
* Def Leppard – “Bringin’ on the Heartbreak” +
* Def Leppard – “Photograph” +
* Def Leppard – “Pour Some Sugar on Me (Live)” +
* Def Leppard – “Rock of Ages” +
* Def Leppard – “Undefeated” +

+ = pro-guitar/bass chart available

 

The Thoughts

The first thing to leap out to me – aside from the words “Def Leppard” melding beautifully with “DLC” – was the one that can strike fear into the heart of any excited Rock Band fan: “(Live)”. Both “Animal” and “Pour Some Sugar on Me” are so marked which, coupled with Guitar Hero’s live Lep tracks, make me think that something has happened to the Hysteria masters. I was thoroughly unimpressed with the versions GH3 had to offer, and am thus tentatively pleased to say that this week’s live tracks come from Def Lep’s new album Mirrorball. Which I have not yet listened to, so this is a treat.

Show me what you’ve got, live version of “Animal”. Okay wow, that is one hell of a faithful rendition. If you know the song but were considering not getting it because it wasn’t studio, allow me to allay your fears: this is near-perfect. About the biggest difference is with the harmonies on the chorus, but I think they could actually work a bit better in the game being more well-defined. So! The song itself. It’s probably one the more sedate of the Leppard songs on offer this week, but loaded with their style. The guitar switching off from rhythm to lead, the catchy drum beat, and the prominent, layered vocals are all on display. I suspect that it will be the lowest tiered for difficulty, but a blast on every single instrument, so this might be a good pick for more casual groups.

“Bringin’ on the Heartbreak” is an unexpected, pleasant inclusion from Def Lep’s second album, High ‘n’ Dry, way back in 1981. What really makes it a surprise is the fact that it features guitar work from Pete Willis, who Phil Collen would go on to replace … though you know now I’ve said that, I bet they’ll use the 1984 rerelease version that has Phil and a fuckton of unnecessary synth. Which if so (and it seems likely given that HMX have another whole instrument they can include with this version), that’s a little disappointing. The synth is so prominent in the rerelease that it detracts from the guitar and wrecks the flavour of the song. Still maybe HMX will mix it down a little. And it’s a really great song whichever version they use; the finest example of a hard rock power ballad. Sav’s bass here is among my favourites of his, subtly steering the mood. The harmonizing guitars are perfect, with a few surprise solos (watch out for the end of the song). And vocals are, of course, lush and powerful; I expect a high vocal tiering. As a ballad it’s slower than most of the pack, but don’t let the tempo fool you – there’s going to be some challenge in here.

EDIT: I checked with Aaron with Harmonix, and he feels confident that it’ll be the original album version and not the 1984 rerelease. In which case, Maximum Awesome achieved.

This brings us to “Photograph”, which I suspect is going to be a very good seller this week. I personally think is one of the greatest rock songs ever recorded. Absolutely every piece aligns perfectly. It’s filled with catchy riffs and blistering solos (again, watch out for the last 45 seconds or so, where the difficulty is going to dangerously spike), harmonies at maximum efficiency, drums keeping the song driving along then surprising you with amazing fills, and Joe Elliot belting it out as only he can. I’m obviously biased here, but I genuinely can’t think of a single reason that absolutely everyone wouldn’t add this to their game.

I’m inclined to say that “Pour Some Sugar on Me” would be the obvious best seller this week, but there’s that pesky “(Live)” tag again. Even if it’s as faithful a rendition as “Animal” above, that’s going to cut into sales. But being a great recording will help, so let’s check it out. Well that’s definitely the intro they use live, which you won’t find on the studio recording; and it’s going to KILL YOU, guitarists. I can’t even conceive of what that will look like in a pro-chart. It quickly segues into familiar territory however, and you know? This really is a good version, and I say that as someone who was geared up and ready to be hyper-critical. It’s not as close to the original as “Animal”, certainly. There’s a bit more guitar flare (even outside the intro), Joe sounds a teeny bit rougher, and overall the tempo is just slightly faster. This sounds like what it is: Def Leppard singing “Sugar” live. But – and this is the really important part – it’s a good live version. It’s packed with energy (I mean seriously, I’ve seen Def Leppard live multiple times throughout their career and not only did this plonk me right into the seat but made me want to go see them again right this second), the instruments sizzle, and the group sounds amazing. What I said for “Animal” applies here as well: if you were trepidatious about picking this up because it’s live, don’t be. This song, and this version, belong in Rock Band.

This pack is hitting a lot of my favourites, but that list wouldn’t be complete without “Rock of Ages”. Luckily that’s here too. This is probably my favourite Def Leppard song and has tremendous personal attachment about which I won’t bore you. I think this too will be a top seller and frankly it’s tough to think of a reason that anybody would pass up the chance to add it to their game. I think in terms of straight Rock Band party vocals, this will probably be the most fun pick this week, as it’s less about the three-part harmonies and more call-and-response, which is never anything less than awesome. The drums are also a stand-out, doubtless helped by the sections with minimal guitar and the heavy, relentless beat that drives the song. Listening to it with an ear to the game I actually think this will be comparatively easy to play; I think it sounds a lot more complicated than it is, which is interesting. And something of a pleasant surprise, since a lower tier means it can appeal to more players. So there! Even less of an excuse to pass it by!

The last song this week is “Undefeated”, which is the first single, and one of the few studio tracks, from the aforementioned new album Mirrorball. This is the first completely new song for me this week, so I’m particularly curious. Hm, well the drum intro is reminiscent of “Sugar”, which I’m not sure is the wisest move, but let’s see how the rest plays. Perhaps of no surprise, the harmonies are extremely stand-out. It’s not bad, but I can’t say that it immediately grabbed me (like say “Go” from their last album Sparkle Lounge). The riff in the verses is interesting, being a sort of heavy country thing that really pops with the rest of the song. I gotta say it’s about the harmonies though which elevate the song from merely average. Oh, and as I’ve cautioned throughout, watch out for the last 45 seconds of the song when the guitar has clearly been saving up its difficulty to come pound you.

 

The Summary

As should be clear by now, I am stoked for this pack, and my excitement has only grown as I’ve worked through this post. A fantastic selection of songs spanning throughout Def Leppard’s career, with “Undefeated” being the only track that I’d say is less than absolutely amazing. As far as I’m concerned, you should just buy the whole thing. Bassist, drummer, guitarist or vocalist? This pack is custom made for all of you.

But if you don’t want to do that, you madman/woman, then my recommendations are pretty straightforward. Keyboardists don’t have much this week, but wait and see if I’m right about “Bringin’ on the Heartbreak” being the 1984 rerelease and grab that. Guitarists looking for a challenge, it’s all about “Pour Some Sugar on Me”; it’s live but it’s smoking. Casual groups looking for something easy but awesome, go for “Animal”. And everyone should get “Photograph”, which will not disappoint on any instrument whatsoever.

Mirrored from JW's blog A Pen, a Pique and a Plan. Consider replying there. It's very shiny and keeps me sane.

 

Cruddy mood from Moment One today, but I decided to use the cruddiness to do a bunch of stuff I’ve been procrastinating on; I figured, my today has suck built right in, why not use it encompass all suck and spare future days that might otherwise be decent. So I’ve gotten a haircut (which I didn’t actually like, but such is the price I pay for never really having much to offer besides “shorter than this”), washed my car, and got an oil change. Spent most of rest of the afternoon working on the return of my comic reviews, which should be up tomorrow. Man I am rusty.

Tonight we decided to finally bust out some of those Rifftrax Shorts DVDs I got Mike for Christmas – it’s only been eight months, why not! If you haven’t bought any yet, I caution you away from Wide World of Shorts. We tried in three separate players and it wouldn’t actually play more than the second short. Very disappointing. Shorts-tacular Shorts-stravaganza however, worth it for “If Mirrors Could Speak” alone. And that was me with Curmudgeon Mode activated, so there you go. I wave the worn and dented cane clenched in my gnarled curmudgeonly fist. But with approval.

Mirrored from JW's blog A Pen, a Pique and a Plan. Consider replying there. It's very shiny and keeps me sane.

 

Oo I did say I’d start blogging again tonight didn’t I? So of course I forget all about it until it’s almost 11.30pm and I’m in bed about to sleep. Of course.

It’s been pretty clear that I dropped out of doing these in the past few months. I won’t bore with details, suffice it to say that Things Happened and I hit a bit of a bottom. But what follows a fall is getting back on your feet, and that’s what I’ve been working on doing. It hasn’t been easy, but what ever is, right?

In truth I had one of the Best Weeks Ever (or at least Lately) last week, but I think it’s just set me off double for this week. That’s sort of why I’m pushing back and starting to blog again. Seize the moment, turn a negative into a positive, and other such cliched bullshit.

What I’ve been up to lately. Writing. Working on assorted projects. Lots of the tabletop RPG Pathfinder, which will be deserving of an entry all on its own. Trying to enjoy things. Thinking about starting this up again. Actually doing it.

It’s a small step, but one I congratulate myself on nevertheless.

Mirrored from JW's blog A Pen, a Pique and a Plan. Consider replying there. It's very shiny and keeps me sane.

 

When I picked up my first X-Men comic back in the 80s, I quickly realized one thing: Rogue is bloody awesome. It is truth. It is law.

Every Tuesday I will share with you a moment, a panel, a scene, that proves it.

Because: Rogue. FUCK YEAH.

( Read more... )

Mirrored from JW's blog A Pen, a Pique and a Plan. Consider replying there. It's very shiny and keeps me sane.

 

Another week of singles and another week of Happy Times. There’s some gems this week, though funny how landing just that one “perfect” song can make a release amazing even if you don’t like anything else in it. (But I do, so bonus!)

 
 

The Songs

* Beastie Boys – “Make Some Noise”
* Beastie Boys – “No Sleep till Brooklyn”
* Heart – “Barracuda” +
* James Brown– “Super Bad, Pts. 1 & 2” +
* Rufus (ft. Chaka Khan) – “Tell Me Something Good”

+ = pro-guitar/bass chart available

 

The Thoughts

The Beastie Boys kick us off this week with “Make Some Noise”, a track from their latest album which I actually hadn’t heard until just now. (First of all: awesome video.) It has that “I don’t know this” plastic wrap that packages all new songs and prevents them from immediately connecting on a deeper level, but you can hear that it wouldn’t take more than a few listens to do that. I wandered off to take care of something after listening to the song and ten minutes later as I return to this post, the chorus is still looping in my head. Instrument-wise I’m happy to say it fares much better than Rock Band 2′s “So What’cha Want”, even if it’s kinda buried in there. Drums – which sound pretty fun – and especially vocals are where this song lives however. As predicted for “King of Rock”, having multiple vocal tracks for rap songs in Rock Band is bloody amazing. “Make Some Noise” is a song with fun built into it already; for an even better time just add some friends with good vocal rhythm (or none at all for fun of a whole different kind).

This bring us to “No Sleep Til Brooklyn”, which was the Beasties song I was lobbying for way back in Rock Band 1. Needless to say, I’m thrilled to finally have it in the game. It’s a pounding energetic blend of rock and rap, which is one of my personal genre pets; when it’s done well it’s tough to beat. While the drums sound like they’ll be less interesting than the other Beasties song, for guitar it’s no contest. Although riff-heavy, that riff is constant and is an integral part of the song rather than tacked on. And that’s without getting into the solo (by Slayer’s Kerry King) which is shredtastic. All of this coupled with the three-part rap and a fully shoutable chorus that begs for audience participation makes this a must for any Rock Band party.

After all these years of talking incessantly on the internets about stuff I love and stuff I hate, you probably think you could make a decent guess about what I might think of certain groups. Groups such as say Heart – great guitar and stellar vocals from a hard rock girl-led band. What’s not to like? I agree with you totally, up until the point where I remember that I just don’t like Heart. I don’t even know why. I could not begin to tell you. I say all this to help explain my surprising lack of enthusiasm for “Barracuda”. I recognize that it’s a classic. I can get into the driving galloping guitar to a point. I’ll probably even pick up the song to give my library a wider selection of female rock vocals. But that’s about as far as my feelings go for “Barracuda”.

Let’s jump genres entirely to James Brown with “Super Bad”. If you haven’t played funk tracks in Rock Band yet, let me tell you it’s bloody hard. I don’t know that any drum track quite stresses me out like “Sex Machine”; I start that thing totally relaxed and end up with clenched shoulders like I’m the Juggernaut, bitch. That said, I think “Super Bad” is almost too much for Rock Band. It’s nearly 10 minutes long and is essentially a jam session. Everyone involved is a master of his instrument and playing from his soul, which makes it all the more difficult for a plastic replica following a structured chart. As amazing as this song is, as much as I adore funk, no matter how badly I want to play some Bootsy Collins pro-bass, I just don’t think I’d have fun with this in the game.

“Tell Me Something Good” by Rufus (and Chaka Khan) wraps up the week, and makes a good funk alternative to “Super Bad”. It’s a very sensual song, between the wah-driven guitar, slinky bassline and amazing Chaka Khan vocals. Of course the difficulty curve is way the hell lower too (except on vocals). It lacks the punch and energy of most of the other songs this week, making it a great addition this week for variety’s sake.

 

The Summary

Keys players are kinda boned this time, but if you’ve already mastered all those Yes songs from last week, well you probably should be in a real band and not a plastic one.

Bassists, you need to check in with “Super Bad”. Much as I want that pro-bass chart I’m not sure it’s for us, but it might be for you. Otherwise “Tell Me Something Good” is a solid choice, with “Barracuda” a distant second.

For drummers, “Super Bad” easily claims the most difficult spot – I mean are they even going to chart you those bongos? If so, well, good luck with that. If you’re looking for a bit less intensity then I’d say “Make Some Noise”.

“Barracuda” is the natural go-to for guitarists, and I suppose I can’t argue that too much. Don’t overlook “No Sleep Till Brooklyn” however. Like I said, it’s pretty riff-heavy until the solo, but that’s fairly comparable to “Barracuda”‘s gallop in my book.

Vocalists? Take your pick. Unlike the instruments probably the one I’d recommend against the most is “Super Bad” – not a lot of fun or challenge there, and those squeals of James Brown’s, holy god, good luck not making your bandmates want to punch you when you try to hit them. Otherwise it mostly depends on your style. If you’re predominantly a solo singer then “Barracuda” and “Tell Me Something Good” both will be fun (the latter more challenging). If you have a group however then it’s all about the Beastie Boys.

Mirrored from JW's blog A Pen, a Pique and a Plan. Consider replying there. It's very shiny and keeps me sane.

 

Coming in late today, but with some good news. Or potentially anyway, depending on how much you enjoy progressive as a genre and/or this week’s artist specifically. As though repenting for last week’s keyless options, Harmonix more than makes up for it with a five-pack of Yes.

 

The Songs

* Yes – “Heart of the Sunrise”
* Yes – “I’ve Seen All Good People” +
* Yes – “Owner of a Lonely Heart” +
* Yes – “South Side of the Sky”
* Yes – “Starship Trooper”

+ = pro-guitar/bass chart available.

 

The Thoughts

Before we start it’s worth noting that with Yes you’re almost certainly going to get your money’s worth. Of course if you don’t like the song then length becomes a punishment, but let’s assume you have some interest here. “Heart of the Sunrise” for example is almost 11 minutes long, and the first three and a half of those are instrumental. Which are the best parts of the song in my opinion. Generally I like Yes’s vocals more when they pile on the plush harmonies, which are largely non-existent in this track. The music more than makes up for that however. The song is structured with several differing sequences of varying tempos so it’s almost like getting multiple songs in one. (A theme you will see a lot this week.) What’s more, every instrument just packs up and goes off on its own journey, occasionally sending a postcard home to keep everyone in touch but otherwise doing its own amazing, interesting things. Frankly unless you hate the song I have difficulty in coming up with a valid reason why anybody would leave this out of their collection; you’d be hard pressed to find a better play value in all of Rock Band’s library.

If you’re thinking you don’t know any songs by Yes, “I’ve Seen All Good People” would be my first challenge to you; this thing gets massive radio play. This song opens with the type of harmonies I was talking about and they feature prominently throughout, so that’s an immediate fat check in the “plus” category. Interestingly as a mirror image to “Heart of the Sunrise”, the instruments are relatively sparse for the first three and a half minutes. But once it hits that point, it becomes an awesome jam (if a little repetitive for the vocals).

And then if you still think you don’t know any songs by Yes I present “Owner of a Lonely Heart”, secure in the truth that there isn’t a single person in the world who grew up with MTV who doesn’t know this song. It was their biggest hit, and not coincidentally their shortest and most accessible in the pack; pretty sure it’s going to be the one that sells the best this week. It’s really quite different from the standard Yes sound on display in the rest of this pack. It’s loaded with catchy riffs (hello bassline) but feels lacking in depth, at least compared to the rest of the pack if not its contemporary songs of the time.

Probably reflecting my own predilection toward harder sounds, I’d put “South Side of the Sky” up there with “Heart of the Sunrise”. The first part of the song has a rough almost Deep Purple-esque guitar that batters you for a few minutes before giving way to an extended piano solo soon accompanied by those three-part harmonies all singing wordlessly, creating a beautiful sequence that I suspect will be hilariously butchered by most Rock Band parties but should be something amazing if you have a group that can pull it off. Eventually this near-tranquility melts away and the brutal guitar returns to finish you off. If all you’ve ever heard of Yes was “Owner of a Lonely Heart”, give this song a listen before calling it a day; the group has so much more to offer than what “Lonely Heart” showcases.

Rounding out the pack we have one of the proggiest of all prog songs, “Starship Trooper”. It’s extremely difficult to pin it down in a brief series of quick thoughts. You have the standard of different movements combining to form a whole, but the thing that makes it work so well is the transitions between them. Each section is so distinct and strong enough to stand alone, but they way they meld together you don’t even realize you’re in a new part of the song until you’ve already been around the block a few times and hit up the local pub. Then there’s the end. The final three and a half minutes (“Würm” for those of you keeping score at home) is such a relatively simple series of chords, but the constant rise, the layers building upon layers, makes it one of my all-time favourite rock instrumentals. Of all the songs this week I’m probably most excited for this one.

 

The Summary

It’s incredibly difficult to pin it down to just the one song this week. Well, maybe not so much for keys – the middle part of “South Side of the Sky” makes it a pretty easy recommendation. Everyone else? Ugh, so hard. Okay vocalists I think I’ll have to go with either “Owner of a Lonely Heart” if you prefer to go it solo or “I’ve Seen All Good People” if you have some talented friends. But consider “South Side of the Sky” if you and those friends of yours like a major challenge. Drummers, guitarists and bassists? Truth is you can’t really go wrong this week, though ironically I’d nudge you away from the pro-charted tracks and more toward “Heart of the Sunrise” and “Starship Trooper”. Really though, this is a fantastic pack with so much to offer to each and every instrument, coupled with incredible play value for your money. Don’t let this week pass you by without checking them out.

Mirrored from JW's blog A Pen, a Pique and a Plan. Consider replying there. It's very shiny and keeps me sane.

 

Harmonix has been talking about this batch of DLC for a couple weeks now, so the only real surprise is how many pro charts are available this week (four total, one legacy). It’s a pretty simple test to gauge your excitement level about the DLC. Do you like Soundgarden? If so, congratulations! If not, tune in next week because that’s all we have.

 

The Songs

* Soundgarden – “Blow Up the Outside World”
* Soundgarden – “Burden in My Hand” +
* Soundgarden – “Fell on Black Days”
* Soundgarden – “Outshined” +
* Soundgarden – “Rusty Cage”
* Soundgarden – “The Day I Tried to Live” +

Pro-guitar legacy upgrade:
* Soundgarden – “Pretty Noose” +

+ = pro-guitar/bass chart available

 

The Thoughts

If you’ve been reading my DLC commentary for the past few years then you probably by now have a pretty good handle on my music tastes and know that I have a weird relationship with grunge/early to mid-90s alt rock. It’s arguable that no group embodies that more than Soundgarden. Thus “excited” isn’t exactly the word I’d use as I get ready to listen to many of these songs for the first time since high school. But on the other hand I note how pleasantly surprised I’ve been to hear songs and groups that I hated then and rediscover and appreciate them now. Perhaps that’ll happen for Soundgarden as well.

The first song in the pack is “Blow Up the Outside World”. It’s more a emotion than a song to me. The whole thing is one big mood, and as you might expect it’s not exactly a pleasant one. In a nice change it’s the bass that stands out most to me in this song, though more for tone than intricacies – it’s a simple riff that so well encapsulates the atmosphere of the song. Overall as a song the word that springs to mind is “sedated”; I feel like the song shot itself up on something an hour before talking to us. Great for mood, great for emotion, but to play in the game? Not for me.

“Burden in My Hand” kicks off with a very different feeling. Chris Cornell wails from moment one accompanied by … a ragtime piano? That’s actually kind of awesome. The song as a whole in fact was a very pleasant surprise. I don’t get all tingly at Cornell’s voice as seems to be the norm so I was mostly ignoring him and I’m glad I did; the instrumentation in this song is pretty exciting. It’s all very busy, but not overpowering and comes together well for a song that’s superficially upbeat but with a sinister undercurrent. A definite maybe. (Listening to it again I’m not 100% certain if this has piano in it or not, but I sincerely hope so.)

Next is “Fell on Black Days” which is pretty much what I think when I think of the group. It does nothing for me. All heavy sound with basic riffs, some effect-driven guitar noodling and plenty of Cornell’s trademark vocal stylings. It is the Soundgardeniest of all Soundgarden.

Then there was “Outshined” which it seemed was on MTV and the radio constantly at one point. Despite how many times I must’ve heard it, I must say it’s a hell of a lot more metal than I remember. The whole thing is a sort of murky soup for me with the occasional riff or lyric surfacing for a just moment before being swallowed up by the rest of the song.

What most stands out with “Rusty Cage” is how the guitar sounds just slightly off. It lends the whole song an unsettling feeling that’s bombarding you from all sides. For the first three minutes anyway, then the whole thing changes tempo dramatically and nearly becomes an entirely new song. All told this is an odd one, but I think will provide one of the more interesting challenges for the game this week.

And finally there’s “The Day I Tried to Live” which I’d forgotten until I heard it just now. It’s a surprisingly optimistic song despite the tone, and makes for a good endcap to the pack. The instruments in this one are fairly standard and unexceptional, at least as compared to the rest of the choices, but I think this one is my favourite vocal melody. It’s different enough that I recommend giving it a listen if you’re not sold on Soundgarden’s style.

 

The Summary

It’s pretty clear this isn’t a pack custom made for me this week, which made it all the more a pleasant surprise to find myself quite liking “Burden in My Hand” – but probably only that. I do like “The Day I Tried to Live” probably best as a song out of any other this week but I can’t see me playing it in the game more than maybe once or twice. For everyone not me? Well if you’re a fan of Soundgarden I expect you’re thrilled with this pack and certainly don’t need me to tell you what’s awesome and what isn’t. If you’re just looking to pick up one or two though, then truthfully you can’t go wrong but I think “Burden in My Hand” and “Rusty Cage” are standouts in terms of (my assumed) gameplay.