Reviews

Closer at the Start by Jonathan Dimmel – Simple and Clean

Simple, simple, simple, but it doesn't mean it's not good. Easy listening pop rock is what best describes Jonathan Dimmel's music. There are times when we need simple and straightforward songs to make us feel good and Closer at the Start is the best candidate if you want something not so loud, not too quiet and not too sappy. According to Dimmel, the songs are "strait(sic) from the heart. I was over trying to make something commercial, this is my first attempt at just letting what comes out happen." Perhaps he should have tried this method sooner.

Warzone 2100 – open source real time strategy game

Want to play something that's more challenging than the usual shoot and kill? Warzone 2100 offers you a real time strategy and tactics game designed to make you think and destroy at the same time. Warzone 2100 was published by Eidos Interactive and developed by Pumpkin Studios. Originally, the game was released on a commercial status but by December 2004, much of the source code for the game was tagged with a GNU. Today, the title is a full open source game that you can download and enjoy right at the comfort of your own home. Take your wit and skills to help rebuild a new civilization for mankind or simply have fun blasting the enemy from beyond the gates.

Boris Kostin aka Restin presents “Not So Scary” – A Free LP from Mix Galaxy Records

Moscow-based Boris Kostin also known as Restin brings us “Not So Scary,” an EP of ambient music fit for sleepovers and storytelling sessions, wherein the theme is either a little scary-creepy, or somewhat freaky. Kostin’s EP title seems perfectly appropriate if you would listen to the singles individually. Listening to the entire EP is a different story because this EP could get your imagination going on and on, track after track.

Julandrew – Sings Your Favorite Songs II

Sweet married couple making great music together. No, Meg and Jack did not get back together. Most people might think that creating music with a partner is simply too much, as if it's not enough that you live in the same house; you have to work together? Well, not for Julandrew. Brainchild of couple Julie Handy and Andrew Philip, the band's latest lineup (as of October 2009) includes, Ryan Duffie on Guitar and K.C. Hawes Domingue on piano/keyboards. Sings Your Favorite Songs II is a 5 song compilation of some tracks that the band has recorded. They contain both new and old songs.

Angels & Airwaves give you Love – a free album download

I feel I should preface this review by saying that most Nu-Rock bores me. I kind of got over my rocker-girl phase as soon as I got out of high school, and to be honest I find that most modern rock bands don't really offer much I haven't heard before. That's why it surprises me so much that I absolutely love Love, the much-hyped brand-new album from alternative rockers Angels & Airwaves.

Here Be Dragons – An Introduction to Critical Thinking by Brian Dunning

Here Be Dragons is a helpful 40 minute film on critical thinking. Created by Brian Dunning, it is a series aimed for general audiences and those that are looking to be more discriminative of the things offered to them. Here Be Dragons pretty much centers on critical thinking directed towards marketing and other presentations done by the mass media. If you are simply tired of getting dissuaded into thinking that a particular product can do wonders for you, here's how you can avoid making the same mistake again. All you really need to do is apply a bit of critical thinking.

Enough Dubs 2 – Compilation Sequel from EnoughRecords

EnoughRecords released a well-received music compilation called “Enough Dubs” in 2008. After two years of waiting, music enthusiasts can now get the sequel, “Enough Dubs 2” still for free. Bass lovers should listen to “Enough Dubs 2” for its bass-focused arrangements from contributing musicians worldwide. Two years is a long time, but EnoughRecords makes up for the long wait by besting itself on this one. “Enough Dubs 2” was compiled by PS & Dipswitch.

Rust by No, Really – Acoustic Folk Pop that Leaves You Wanting More

Sweet vocals laced with uncluttered instruments and emotional lyrics. If there's one thing you'll notice about No, Really right off the bat is that the vocals are extremely sweet and easy to listen to. Rust compiles 10 soft, electronic folk songs with mournful melodies and revealing lyrics. It's a brand of folk pop that's easy to love without even trying. No, Really's soft melodies will make you look back to your own heartaches, joys and sadness. All that from a girl from Tennessee with a guitar.

Rigs of Rod – car, truck, airplane & boat simulation game

Rigs of Rod is the perfect game or software to have if you are a big fan of trucks, cars, airplanes and boats. If you love driving and want to know what it feels like to handle different types of vehicles, then RoR is a great game to have. It's an open source game that will let you crawl, drive and fly in a free and open space. It uses real physics to help give its players the real feeling of driving a truck down a highway or of making a nosedive with an airplane.