Top ten albums of 2007

10. Handsome Furs - Plague Park

Dan Boeckner (of Wolf Parade fame) and his wife Alexei Perry surprised in 2007 as the Handsome Furs with their synth-pop debut, Plague Park. The record is the definition of minimalism - solely consisting of synth, sparse guitar, drum machine and vocals, the record pulses with emotion and a true sense of intimacy. Clocking in at less than 37 minutes (with only nine tracks) Plague Park may be over quick, but the short length serves the individual tracks well, keeping them fresh and interesting. Standouts include “What We Had,” “Handsome Furs Hate This City” and “The Radio’s Hot Sun.”

9. Jens Lekman – Night Falls Over Kortedala

Night Falls is the best pure pop record to come out this year. Lekman offers small slices of life taking place in the titular Swedish city, Kortedala. Ranging from awkward dinners at a girlfriend’s (“A Postcard to Nina”) to break-up songs, to straight-up love songs (pretty much everything else) Lekman’s tracks are filled with vitality and color, brought to life by his unique and wonderful vocals, string, horn, and bell arrangements. Sometimes happy, sometimes sad, often humorous, Night Falls is always whimsical and joyous.

8. M.I.A. – Kala

M.I.A. has joined Kanye West and a handful of other rappers that it’s O.K. for hipsters to like. Her follow-up to 2005’s Arular is chock full of clever samples, near spotless production and interesting guest appearances. On “Paper Planes” M.I.A. borrows The Clash’s “Straight to Hell” and adds samples of guns reloading and cash registers slamming to glorious result. Kala runs the gamut of sounds and genres, showing off M.I.A.’s broad musical taste and aptitude. Whether it is Bollywood inspired songs like “Bamboo Banga” and “Jimmy,” or slowing down and distorting the Pixies “Where Is My Mind?” chorus on “20 Dollar” almost beyond recognition, Kala is a triumph.

7. The White Stripes – Icky Thump

Icky Thump, the sixth full length from the White Stripes, is a return to the more blues influenced rock music Jack White idolizes. Following the mixed reception of Get Behind Me Satan, another sub-par album could have doomed the band to mediocrity. Instead, Icky Thump brings a pure blues and country rock feel that cements the White Stripes as one of the premier bands of the decade. Unlike previous White Stripes albums, Jack White’s guitar is allowed to do much more of the talking – serving as the centerpiece to almost all the records singles. On “I'm Slowly Turning Into You” and “You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You're Told)” White lets loose and the result is some great blues/rock for modern and traditional music fans alike.

6. Klaxons – Myths of a Near Future

Rave. Nu rave. Dance punk. Whatever the Klaxons are labeled, one thing remains constant – Myths is a killer record. The Debut from the U.K. trio is easily one of the best dance albums of the year. Packed with angular, frenetic guitar riffs, en-masse vocals, synth beeps and chirps and funk bass lines, Myths is a lesson in how to correctly do dance music. Songs like single “Golden Skans,” “It’s Not Over Yet” and “Gravity’s Rainbow” can be a welcome reprieve on any iPod filled with more “serious” music. If the Klaxons are the next great British band or simply a flash in the pan remains to be seen. But bands could do a lot worse as a first (and/or last) record than Myths.

5. Patrick Wolf – The Magic Position

Wolf’s story is one of an 11 year old prodigy with a knack for the violin, piano and writing songs well beyond his years. Releasing his first solo album at the ripe age of 20, Wolf has met near sweeping critical acclaim for all subsequent releases. 2007’s The Magic Position features a more mature and focused Wolf than in his previous efforts. His mix of strings, piano, synths and a wholly one-of-a-kind, crooning voice makes for one of the most unique listens this year. Although the record loses steam in its last third, the joy of songs like “Accident & Emergency,” “Bluebells,” “(Lets’ Go) Get Lost” and the title track, is undeniable. Also, extra points for best cover art ever.

4. Radiohead – In Rainbows

What can be said of In Rainbows that hasn’t been said already? It’s a much awaited release from one of the world’s most popular acts. It can be had for no cost, legally. Above all else - it is one hell of an album. In Rainbows can be filed under the “pleasant surprises of 2007.” Not because it’s a great record from an obscure band – quite the opposite. In Rainbows is a surprise because absolutely no one saw it coming. The album was announced mere weeks before it could be “purchased” through the band’s Web site. With so much positive PR, In Rainbows could have just been average and it would have been well received. But Thom Yorke and company decided to make one of their best records in years. From anthems like “Bodysnatchers” and “Jigsaw Falling Into Place” to sprawling emotional ballads like “Videotape” and “Reckoner,” Radiohead have done it yet again.

3. Arcade Fire – Neon Bible

This is the most puzzling release of 2007. It went from not on my list, to tenth, to somewhere in the middle, to two - finally settling at three. Neon Bible may be atop every best-of list - or none of them. I have no idea. The fog surrounding Arcade Fire’s second full length may have something to with the astounding success of the band’s first record, Funeral. Practically putting Canada on the indie rock map, Funeral has been hailed as on the best records of the past decade or so. Living up to that amount of praise must be anything but easy. What’s so wonderful about Neon Bible is that the singles (“Intervention,” “No Cars Go,” and “Black Mirror”) start to fade into the background the more one listens to the album. Tracks like “Windowsill” and “(Antichrist Television Blues)” start to move to the forefront. The more you listen to Neon Bible, the better and more complete it gets, with each song revealing its purpose and value.

2. Feist – The Reminder

Although the single “1, 2, 3, 4” has been all but killed thanks to that infamous iPod ad, Leslie Feist managed to create one of the most beautiful albums of the year. Opener “I’m Sorry” is a wonderful break-up/apology song, showcasing one of the best voices in music today during the last 45 seconds or so. With soothing bass, acoustic guitar licks, upbeat piano and the silky smoothness that is Feist’s voice, the songs on The Reminder will thaw even the most jaded music fan’s heart. “Sea Lion Woman,” “Past and Present” and “I Feel It All” are all deserving of their own commercials.

1. Animal Collective – Strawberry Jam

It had been nearly four months and dozens of records listened to with Feist hanging on to number one. I honestly didn’t think it could get much better than the pop/folk perfection that was The Reminder. But from the opening video game beeps of Strawberry Jam leadoff track, “Peacebone” it was clear there was a new number one. Animal Collective have been a staple of the “freak folk” sub-genre since their first album in 2000. Their mish-mash of unnatural synth, tribal screams, alien guitars and ability to hide amazing hooks beneath it all, has made the band one of the most interesting acts around. Strawberry Jam is the apex of the band’s attempt at “pop” music. The haunting, slow-building “For Reverend Green,” the marching band-esque “Derek” and the spectacular ballad “Fireworks” take listeners on a tour of dozens of different sounds and styles – all of them worth the price of admission.

Honorable mentions: Okkervil River - The Stage Names, Bright Eyes - Cassadaga, Panda Bear - Person Pitch, Stars - In Our Bedroom After The War, New Pornographers - Challengers, Kings Of Leon - Because Of The Times, The Shins - Wincing The Night Away, Justice - Cross.

Countdown to Armageddon

David versus Goliath. Satan vs. God. Schwarzenegger vs. The Predator. Mario vs. Bowser. All epic chapters in the struggle of good versus evil. You can now add 2007 Patriots v. Colts to that list.

This isn’t the game of the decade or century – this is the game of the millennium - probably of all time.

On one side there is Bill Belichick and his hoard of ruthless, bloodthirsty thugs hell-bent on obliterating all opposition that stands before them. Wrongfully accused of cheating by the NFL, Kaiser Belichick has commanded his troops to take no prisoners on their path to vengeance.

Tom Brady – the Darth Vader to Belichick’s Emperor Palpatine – has eviscerated opponents to the tune of 30 touchdowns to 2 interceptions over his first games and is on pace to re-write the record books in his opponents blood. Almost all his touchdown passes have come with opponents already conceding defeat, often down by 30 or more points in the third or fourth periods.

Aiding Brady and Belichick on their quest to shame the game of football and the institution of the NFL is their new receiving corps. Made up of “to the highest bidder” mercenaries (many of whom have criminal records), this group’s only loyalty lies in their desire to see their enemies' will broken and bodies' beaten down.

Randy “Baby Eater” Moss has caught 11 touchdowns, all the while constantly trash talking opposing defenses, dogging it on plays that aren’t centered on him and doing inappropriate end-zone celebrations – much to the delight of the classless Belichick. Wes “White Supremacy” Welker has six TD’s on the season and is currently under investigation by the FBI for possible ties to international terrorism. Donte “Spits-In-Your-Face” Stallworth has three touchdown catches this season – with his longest catch going for the completely inappropriate 69 yards.

Playing the Spartans to Belichick’s Persian Army are the pure and darling Indianapolis Colts. Tony Dungy has compiled a happy-go-lucky cast of God-fearing gentlemen who just “want to play the game the way it was meant to be played.” Defending Super Bowl champs, the Colts have quietly gone about their business this season - often kneeling three times and punting once they take leads of more than six points. Known to shake the hands of each and every member of the opposing organization (including ball boys, camera men, owners and cheerleaders) after victories, the Colts are without a doubt the classiest team to ever play professional sports.

The team’s leader, Peyton Manning, came from humble beginnings. Selected in the sixth round with the 199^th pick in the NFL draft, it took a freak injury to incumbent starter Drew Bledsoe for Manning to take the reins. He went on to win numerous Super Bowls, all the while staying humble and out of the public eye. Manning owns the single season touchdown record and “would be delighted” if Brady were to break it. Funny, good looking, a great actor and one hell of a football player, Manning embodies what it means to be a man – almost as much as Bret Favre does.

Manning’s primary targets are the handsome and friendly Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne. Life-long Colts, these two Jerry Rice-like players represent what it means to be wide-outs. They are known to never complain about opposing defensive backs rough, physical play – often complimenting them if they are shut down in AFC Championship games. They play through injuries, have never taken off a single play, block for their running backs and give every touchdown ball they catch to children diagnosed with cancer.

So the stage is set between these two historic rivals. It will undoubtedly be the greatest game ever played – not only in football, but in any sport. The game will rival the legendary Stanford/Cal “the band is on the field” game. There will be an enormous 30+ point comeback that will be better than the Bills/Oilers playoff game in 1993. Trick plays will be run similar to the Oklahoma/Boise State Fiesta Bowl in 2007. Oh yeah, that Trinity High 15 lateral play – that’s nothing compared to what the Colts have planned for the opening kickoff. Red Sox/Yankees in the 2004 ALCS? Forget that. The 2007 sudden death MLB contest featuring the Rockies/Padres? Less drama than a high school play. The “Miracle on Ice” between USSR/USA? Getting there, but still not even close.

This game will be most like World War II, except if the Axis were crushing opposing armies by 25.5 thousand casualties per battle and running up the death count. God help us all if Belichick (Hitler) and Brady (Mussolini) are victorious over Dungy (Roosevelt) and Manning (Churchill) in the war game of the millennium.

Third time’s the charm - Halo 3 best in series

Halo 3 is the most important video game of all time.

Note that is “most important” - not best. Halo 3 is doing something for the video game industry that is far more important and impacting than how good or bad the game is.

The marketing blitz for Halo 3 has bordered on surreal. Mountain Dew cans, NASCAR cars, 7/11 slushies and Burger King french fry wrappers all bear Master Chief’s (the games hero) likeness. Even Radio Shack, which doesn’t sell video games, is going to carry the title.

One would think that Halo 3 was Hollywood’s next big blockbuster – not a mere video game. The game has already gone gold prior to release, selling one million copies (via pre-order) in North America alone. Many Halo fans lined up before midnight on Monday just to get the game as early as possible

Halo 3 is - without doubt or hyperbole – the single most hyped video game ever. It is probably one of the most hyped media releases ever.

That being said, there is no way a game this built up could live up to the massive expectations put upon it. Anything less than immaculate and it will be seen as a failure to many.

For those unfamiliar to the series, Halo is a sci-fi action story that takes place in the year 2552. The story revolves around a faceless, futuristic armor-clad hero named Master Chief. The Chief has to save the world from a hive-minded alien race (the Flood) from infesting the universe.

The plot isn’t anything thought-provoking, but it does the job of keeping the game interesting and the action flowing. But most people don’t play Halo for the compelling plot - they play it for the frenzied action.

Halo 3 delivers this action through a variety of futuristic, over-the-top gunplay and vehicular mayhem that all span across gorgeous landscapes. Players will take on a myriad of alien races ranging from the hulking, simian-esque Brutes to the disgusting reanimated corpses that are the Flood.

On a purely aesthetic level, Halo 3 is a stunning game. Pools of water reflect sunlight and respond to steps through them. Tress and grass wave in the wind - while enemies and allies alike have detailed facial expressions. It is one of the best looking Xbox 360 games available, probably trailing only Gears of War and Bioshock.

The musical score and voice acting is also spot-on, especially for an action title. The orchestral music swells up at appropriately tense moments and takes a back seat when necessary. The voice over work is particularly well done. Whether it’s a nameless Marine or Master Chief’s sidekick, Cortana, the voice work is consistently solid throughout.

Halo 3 has a copious amount of weaponry at the player’s disposal. Stand-bys such as the sub-machine gun, grenades and shotgun are back - with a few tweaks in appearance and clip size. New additions such as the Spartan laser (capable of cutting vehicles in half) and the gravity hammer (capable of sending opponents flying) are a blast to play with and will keep Halo 2 veterans on their toes learning new tactics.

New to Halo 3 is the equipment. These items won’t dish out punishment, but can be invaluable in combat situations. Their effects range from forming a shield around the player that is immune to gunfire (Bubble Shield) to slowly draining enemies’ health (Power Drainer). The equipment adds another wrinkle to the game without feeling unfamiliar or forced.

Vehicles in Halo 3 have gotten a lot of the attention from the developers. The newly added Mongoose (a two-man, four wheeled ATV perfect for capture-the-flag) and Hornet (basically the human version of the Covenant Banshee) are a joy to drive in solo and multiplayer games alike.

Speaking of multiplayer, it has always been the crux of the Halo series. Sure the campaign mode is enjoyable - but the game’s value truly surfaces when multiple players are involved.

Like its predecessor, Halo 3 supports Xbox Live as well as system link multiplayer - with the ladder allowing up to 16 players in a single game. The game comes with a number of brand new maps that have been meticulously thought out to stand up to hundreds of thousands of games.

One of the new features of multiplayer is the Theatre. In it you can watch replays of your last two dozen or so games - pausing, fast forwarding and slow-motioning the action. You can then save screenshots or record miniature clips of something awesome you did and share them with your friends - or better yet - enemies.

There is also a map editor called the Forge in which players can change locations of weapons, vehicles or almost anything else on any of the games multiplayer maps. Although not a true map creator featured in other titles, the Forge is deep enough to keep ambitious players tweaking maps for hours and hours - adding new twists on familiar maps. The Forge also supports Xbox Live, allowing players to share their maps with players around the globe.

It’s creative and forward-thinking content like the Forge and Theatre that separates Halo 3 from other console titles.

Underneath all the hype and marketing lies a truly wonderful action video game. Anyone who bought and played either the original Halo or Halo 2 will thoroughly enjoy Halo 3 for quite some time. Those new to the party – this is the reason you’ve been looking for to buy an Xbox 360.

Although Halo 3 isn’t immaculate, it is extremely enjoyable and anyone who calls it a failure would be remiss. The campaign is better than Halo 2’s and wraps up the trilogy in a definitive and satisfying manner. The multiplayer is superb, as is expected from a Halo title. New additions - the Forge, Theatre and graphical and weapon upgrades - solidify this already spectacular franchise as one of gaming’s all-time greatest.

Halo 3

Xbox 360, $59.99
Bungie Studios, Microsoft Game Studios

September 25, 2007

Halo 3 Beta impressions

After reading everything there is online about the much anticipated multiplayer Beta for Halo 3, I finally got to play it yesterday. The three level Beta was an absolute blast to play and should rejuvenate even the most grizzled of Halo 2 veterans.

The folks over at Bungie seemed to have thought about every angle, tweaking and changing things enough to keep the game fresh, but not too much as to alienate hardcore Halo 2 fans. There are new weapons, maps grenades and vehicles. There are modified old guns, the new equipment system, adjusted controls and shiner graphics.

I could easily see myself wasting tons of time playing this slice of the game, thankfully, I don't have a 360. Yet.

For those who don't relentlessly hound the Internet for info on Halo 3, the biggest change in the game if the equipment. Reloads (and all subsequent commands for X) have been mapped to the left and right bumpers on the 360 controller. The X button now uses any equipment you have, to a variety of satisfying results.

The bubble shield was by far the most enjoyable and interesting equipment available in the Beta. Upon use, the bubble shield expands around your character in, well a big bubble. This bubble is impervious to bullets and grenades, but can be passed through freely by allies and enemies alike. This causes some very entertaining situations. The first time I used the shield, I tried to walk out of it and throw a grenade, only to not run far out enough, dropping the frag into the shield and killing myself.

From protecting teammates who are holding the Oddball to getting those precious seconds while your health recharges, the bubble shield will be a welcome addition to the Halo arsenal.

The other equips weren't as exciting as the bubble shield, but should prove to be useful once the full game is released. The portable grav lift has some deep strategic uses, particularly in CTF and Assault variants. You can drop it anywhere, either to find some place high to snipe or to avoid using doors or other easily defending positions.

I had very limited experience with the trip mine, mostly killing myself the few times I acquired it. It seems like a nice lat ditch effort weapon and should be adept at racking up that new medal for getting a kill after you've died. The power drainer seemed the worst of the equipments, acting as a sort of inverted bubble shield. Instead of protecting you, the power drainer lowers the shields of anyone within its radius, eventually killing them. It also disables vehicles, which is a nice option for those without rockets/Spartan lasers.

As cool as the equipment are, weapons are the lifeblood of the Halo franchise. It is clear that some weapons needed nerfing (sword, sniper auto-aim, plasma pistol, battle rifle) and others needed a shot in the arm (brute shot, needler, pistol, SMG) from the previous game. Thus far Bungie seems to have done a good job addressing these needs.

The needler is now more powerful, reloads faster and seems overall a better gun. It cannot be dual wielded anymore for "purple rain," but it's for the better. New kids on the block, the Spartan laser, brute pistols and assault rifle (of Halo 1 fame) seem balanced and are fun to use. The laser is the only gun I am worried about as it is essentially a sniper that eats vehicles for breakfast, but time will tell.

There is just so much to talk about this relatively small sample of Halo 3. The maps are good, the guns are fun to use and balanced, the equipment adds a layer of strategy, the vehicles are a blast and seem like they may actually be useful and best of all - it still feels like Halo.

1UP has a great strategy guide on all things Halo 3 Beta which anyone who's interested should check out.

One thing I know for sure, I am probably going to be about $458.99 dollars poorer come November.

NBA Playoffs: Round 2

So I am late on my predictions (final exams and such) and didn't do so hot in my predictions. Three out of four in the East and a forgettable one out of four in the West. The Mavs/Warriors series was amazing and the Jazz/Rockets was great as well. Other than that there were a lot of teams that barely showed up, (Heat, Wiz, Nuggets and LA) making for some boring games.

The second round is already underway and is promising to be a whole lot better than the first. So with some series already two games in, here are my predictions - with a little cheating.

West

Spurs over Suns in seven
San Antonio leads this series 1-0 already, but I honestly thought they were going to win the series anyway. The defense is just good enough, Nash cannot guard Parker and the Spurs are just simply built to win in the playoffs. When the Suns don't shoot the three well, they lose. If the other games are half as dramatic as game one, this will be one hell of a series.

Warriors over Jazz in seven
That's right, give me some of that Golden State kool-aid and save me a seat next to Jessica Alba on the Warrior bandwagon. Looking at game one the Jazz played Golden State's style and ended up winning the game. But the Warriors can take solace in the fact that they were a Jason Richardson wide open three away from leading that game with less than a minute to go.

The Jazz will kill the Warriors on the boards and Boozer will have some huge games, but I don't believe Utah can keep playing the Warrior way for an entire series. Plus I don't care how good a road team Utah is, that crowd in Oakland is going to be insane.

East

Cavaliers over Nets in six
The series no one cares about. The Raptors/Nets series was pretty even and yet terribly unwatchable. In game one of this series the Cavs won 81-77. Yawn. This series needs a LeBron vs. Carter brawl or something to make it exciting. As far as the game goes, the Cavs are better on the boards, have the better star, and actually have players who aren't guards. Inconsistency be damned, Cavs win.

Chicago over Detroit in seven
I know they are down 0-2 to the best team in the East. I know they are young, inexperienced and probably a little out coached. But something tells me the Bulls aren't going to go down this easily. Ben Gordon has done a disappearing act so far and I think that will change. Chris "Fountain of Youth" Webber dropped 22 points in their last win, I don't think that will happen again. Even if the Bulls don't win, I think this series goes longer than four games.