Downloadable Music – By far Rock Band has the most downloadable music (often referred to as downloadable content) in comparison to any other music game. Not only is the mass of DLC superior, but Harmonix also allows you to import almost all of your Rock Band 1 songs for play into Rock Band 2 for a $5.99 fee through the corresponding store (Playstation Store or Xbox Marketplace). Despite its dominance, Rock Band’s DLC can be improved. Recently Harmonix decided to expand its horizons and release a country pack and for the holiday season, a collection of Christmas songs were released. It would be interesting to see the sales on these items. I wouldn’t expect them to be best sellers. While downloadable music opportunities are restricted to an extent by the willingness of the record company to license the music as available, it might still be a good idea to allow user voting and then communicate more with the users as to what the status of the development is on these tracks.

Presale Previews – A very simple enhancement that might really help sales would be to put either audio or video previews on the Playstations Store and Xbox Marketplace. In some cases, the user may not know the song by title and artist but rather by listening to it. Even a short audio preview would accomplish this reminder. A video showing the song playing and how the notes are organized ingame might be even more useful.

Game Enhancements – While Harmonix may be hesistant to do this due to concentrating on getting more downloadable music and also wanting to leave some new features for future Rock Band releases, consumers no doubt would appreciate some game enhancements. Criterion who make Burnout Paradise have probably done the best job with DLC to improve the gaming experience. Criterion also made all of the enhancements free which Harmonix would not be required to do, but some specific improvements would really make game play better. Here is my wishlist:

• Countdown into game after pausing (this could be added as an option as it is in Guitar Hero)
• Ability to create your own tour (pick your own songs to be played on whichever level you want and construct your own custom tour which would add replayability)
• Song timer – add an option to include the time remaining in the song on the screen.
• More freedom in Quickplay with setlists – when making a setlist and choosing a difficulty level, the user is chained to placing all songs on the same difficulty level. As we know, some songs on medium as equivalent in difficulty to some songs on expert.
• Reward instead of punishment for trying higher difficulty levels – Despite your current status (on tour your user should have a # of stars and a noted difficulty level), you are punished by losing fans if you fail on a higher difficulty level. This takes away from a user trying out a harder setting. I would suggest not taking away any fans unless the user is already at the same or higher difficulty level than the setting they are currently attempting. For example, you have 5 stars on Hard and try expert and fail – no fans are lost. However, you have 5 stars on Expert and try a song on Hard, you would lose fans if you failed. This does not take into account that different songs vary in challenge depending on the song itself, but it’s a start.
• Better stats recording – Have a separate high score for each difficulty level. A comprehensive chart in the main menu showing all high scores for each instrument for each level would be a nice add-on.
• New High Score notification – this can be done on all modes. When a user attains a new high score, include a new high score notification once the song is done.
• Include an option to show how many notes are consecutively correct on screen during gameplay.

These are all ideas for enhancements that could be done via patching or even made available for a fee through the respective storefronts.

Will we see any of these improvements issued by Harmonix or are they too nervous to ruin a good thing as it stands or maybe they need to save features to help sell future Rock Band releases?

The last system I bought (not including my PSP) was an Xbox (not 360). In its original state, the Xbox was not extremely useful to me other than using it for games. The reason for me actually getting an Xbox was due to me learning that it could be used for more than just a gaming machine, if it was altered by doing a software modification and installing Linux on it. This would allow for homebrew apps to be installed and would also allow it to serve as a conduit between a home server and a TV in terms of streaming media files (movies, music, photos). It also had a built in weather forecast and also the ability to play non-original games (copied). Of course, I would never do such a thing, but clearly some users would consider this an advantage. Moving on to newer technology…

One of the major disadvantages of buying anything made by a large company is that they tend to restrict a lot of features on it due to property protection. While this is understandable, it really restricts the user at times. The following information discusses the PS3’s native capabilities. I have done absolutely nothing to change any of the stock items. All of these features are included out of the box! This is what really impressed me about the PS3:

Sony’s PS3 gives the user a lot of control and here are some examples:

• Easy to swap out hard drive. The PS3 comes with a serial ata hard drive which is easily accessible and also easily changed by the user if desired. If for example, you purchase a PS3 with a 40GB hard drive and want more space, Sony includes a backup utility for your files and also will prompt you to format the new drive when installed. From there, all of your previous files can be restored.
• Install Linux. Sony even has an option right in their menu that allows you to install any version of Linux you like as long as it is compatible with the PS3. What a great way to support open source!
• Play your media files across your network through your PS3. The PS3 firmware update 2.0 added support for the Divx codec (which was a huge reason for my purchase) so that most video files can now be played. I suspect that Sony will add more when requested in the future.
• Standard USB ports. Instead of inventing some odd input, Sony chose to use standard USB ports for connecting their controllers and accessories. Did I mention that you can connect a USB keyboard and mouse and use that to browse the internet with the built in browser? Also, you can plug in any USB external device (flashdrive, hard drive etc) and copy files to it.

The Playstation 3 is technologically superior to any other gaming system on the market.

• The 3.2Ghz processor boasts 8 cores so there will be no shortage of power anytime soon.
• The Graphics processor is also multi core
• Includes Blu-Ray for both games and movies. Recently Blu-Ray unofficially cemented its place in the future of media. The massive storage capacity allows for game content which means better resolutions on games and sharper movies.

The Playstation 3 offers many cost effective values to the user:

• FREE online gameplay. Yes, Xbox zealots will find some way to criticize the quality of this, but the mere fact that Sony made the effort on behalf of their customers to do this instead of imposing a monthly fee is a great thing in my opinion. In terms of the quality, I’ve used it for several games it it seems perfectly fine to me.
• The Playstation store is a button click away from loading which does have very inexpensive older titles for purchase as well as game add-ons. Also, you can download FREE Blu-Ray previews, game demos and movie trailers.

Sony cures Cancer!! OK, well, not exactly, but they are at least doing something to help — or allowing you the chance to help.

• Sony includes a built in option to use Folding at Home which is a way to use this incredibly powerful processor to do the work of complex computer equations that are helping to find the cure for many diseases. This again, is totally free. Over one million users are signed into Folding at Home through the PS3.

Someone recently asked me which system to get. I answered by saying that they are all good systems and I stand by that. It really depends on what you want to do with the machine. For example, due to the fact that the Wii and Xbox 360 have been out longer, they have a lot more games. Another factor is that the game developers will need more time to be able to use the power of the PS3. Since I am not a hardcore gamer, this is something I don’t mind waiting for. Having said that, I currently own four games: Tiger Woods 2008, Assassin’s Creed, Ratchet and Clank – Tools of Destruction and Burnout Paradise. All of these titles look amazing and are a lot of fun to play. Even the games I have downloaded are very engaging.

Ultimately it’s your choice to decide on whether you want one of these systems and also which one suits you best, however; it is very hard to beat the PS3 when you measure its all around usability.

This is definitely worth picking up. There are a few tracks I could do without, but the vast majority are extremely solid.

Even though a lot of the tracks contain a pop like element, Adema still is able to redefine itself as a rock band though with enough grit on other tracks to balance out.

This is a solid release and definitely worth checking out.

Zeitgeist which is German for “The Spirit of the Age”, definitely has the unmistakable Pumpkins sound of old. Not just with Billy Corgan’s vocals, but also similarities in guitar playing and arrangements  and of course Jimmy’s signature drumming.

The singe “Tarantula” received a lot of airplay and “Doomsday Clock” was featured on the Pumpkin’s myspace page.

After only a couple of listens, it’s hard to make a judgment, but it sounds more like candidates for “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness”. Check it out if you are a Pumpkins fan.

Evans Blue will probably not sell a million records with this release but that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve recognition and respect for releasing two of the most accessible cd’s of the past several years. These cd’s may take a few listens to really get into some of the tracks and hear the subtleties  of the vocals, but it’s well worth the investment.

This is a project that got pushed forward and was a chance for the members to have some fun and in Chad Grey’s eyes – pretend to be 19 all over again, have fun, sing about the rock and roll lifestyle, drinking, partying and all of the things from come from being in a rock band. Mudvayne’s topical tunes usually are more serious so perhaps this is a respite that Chad needed.

I can tell that you cannot expect this to sound like a Mudvayne album because it doesn’t. You will definitely hear the unmistakable sound of Chad Grey’s voice which makes you think it’s Mudvayne at times, but as you listen to the music, you quickly realize it isn’t the same.

Is change good? Well, it all depends on you. Mudvayne is my favorite band and Chad Gray is obviously a reason for that. Any chance I get to listen to Chad sing is a good thing, but there are a lot of reasons why I like Mudvayne so much and a lot of those reasons are missing. I didn’t clearly hear Greg’s guitar work as much as I would have on a Mudvayne record largely due to the other band members drowning him out. I have listened to a lot of Nothingface and really like their stuff as well, but again, it seems better dismantled instead of amalgamated.

Apparently the new Mudvayne record is done and will be released in the fall of 2007. In the meantime, check out Hell Yeah and see what you think.

Why has Canada been ruled out? In Pandora’s words: “We are deeply, deeply sorry to say that due to licensing constraints, we can no longer allow access to Pandora for most listeners located outside of the U.S. We will continue to work diligently to realize the vision of a truly global Pandora, but for the time being we are required to restrict its use. We are very sad to have to do this, but there is no other alternative.”

It’s unfortunate these sort of things happen, but it is just another example of how legislation is disorganized and unsettled. This is technology surpassing legal imagination and it surely is just another example of many more instances to come.

While the overall album is more of a brooding sentimental stride as opposed to the usual explosion of anthems, it still contains Manson’s steadfast unmistakable vocals that always seem to stay on point and rasp at the most appropriate times. No one in the music industry has this innate ability to open up and sing and sound so natural and yet ride the line of cracking completely as well as Manson. One thing about Manson is that you know whatever you are seeing, hearing or reading, it is all as genuine as Manson can portray it.

It didn’t seem like all that long ago that Shadows Fall released “Fallout from the War” in 2006 which was the follow up to their 2004 “The War Within”. Of course this is speculation on my part but it appeared from listening to “Fallout from the War” which was a very solid release that it appeared to be extra tracks that perhaps were previously unrecorded or written while on tour of “The War Within” as they bear a striking similarity in sound. Very few songs stand apart from as having a unique sound in comparison to the previous release.

This is not the case with “Threads of Life”. While some songs sound unmistakably familiar such as “Dread Uprising”, “Redemption” and “Final Call”, others showcase a lighter side of the band like “Another Hero Lost” and “The Great Collapse”. Shadows Fall die hards will not be disappointed with in your face songs like “Burning the Lives” and “Venomous” which offer an immediate Shadows Fall experience from the opening chords.

It’s difficult to pick a favorite release at this point as “Fallout from the War” continued to grow on me after several listens and I still will routinely add it to a playlist. One thing is true – Shadows Fall plan to be around and keep touring. They put on an excellent show as well.

• Long Fade outs — we know what it’s going to sound like and how you will say those same words for the next 3 minutes, so please spare us the white noise and just do a quick fade out, or better yet, have a good ending that punctuates the song.
• Singing about nursery rhymes or making childhood references that should be relegated to subject matter that actually warrants it.
• Repeating the same word or phrase more than 3 times consecutively without offering even a vocal change to it. Seriously, most people don’t have the attention span for this.
• Song titles with the word “song” in the title — we know it’s a song, there’s no need to remind us. It would be equivalent to labelling everything edible at the grocery store with “food” after the item’s name. This is unnecessarily redundant and unimaginative – especially for an “artist”.

I would like to thank the makers of Audacity which I commonly use to edit out those irritating long fade outs to make a decent song with extraneous banality added into a decent song again.

Finally after a long wait -  Toronto based band Billy Talent has released a new collection of songs. On the aptly named “II”, the band delivers what fans of the previous release appreciated. Songs that have received some airplay are “Red Flag” and “Devil in a Midnight Mass”. Although these straight ahead rock tunes re-introduce us nicely into the Billy Talent sound, there are many other tracks worth checking out. The syrupy elements of “Pins and Needles” and “Surrender” should give both attention on the old school commercial infested radio stations. In contrast, “Burn the Evidence” crunches and forces itself ahead with the signature sound once again. There’s something to be said for the interweaving of screaming background vocals of Ian D’Sa and pressing nasal tone of Benjamin Kowalewicz wrecklessly wrenching his way through with a sense of intention.

Lately I’ve been listening to the newest Seether release which is a compilation of some of their best known tracks and they’ve mixed in a cover or two as well. They do Peal Jam’s immortality which actually lends itself well to the acoustic sound creating a new dimension to the atmosphere of the song. This is a solid release for sure, not all tracks are stellar in my opinion but 7 or 8 are rock solid making this well worth the listen.

Keane has released a new cd called “Under the Iron Sea” which is a follow to their critically acclaimed successful release “Hopes and Fears”. Keane delivers exactly what one of their fans have grown to expect: feel good sombre, occasionally thought provoking tracks with some definite standouts in: “A Bad Dream”, “Crystal Ball”, “Is it Any Wonder” and the melancholy “Hamburg Song”. I would say this new release may not have any likely chart entries like the previous “Everybody’s Changing” or “Somewhere Only We Know”, but it has its merits is putting together a more solid collection woven throughout the track listing. If you liked the last Keane cd, check this one out.

A quick note on Mudvayne – There is a collection of approximately 1 hour horror films called “The Masters of Horror” and an accompanying soundtrack. Mudvayne’s music has been a pre-occupation of mine for quite a while so whenever I see something I don’t have, I ensure I check it out. Mudvayne offers “Small Silhouette” to this soundtrack which seems to follow suit more with the sound of “L.D. 50″ rather than “Lost and Found”. One track, but worth listening to for any Mudvayne fan.

On the same one track note, Killswitch Engage has a song on the WWE’s wreckless intent CD called “This Fire Burns”. This is pure bliss, reminiscent of “When Darkness Falls”. If you like Killswitch at all or like heavy music in general, check out this one!