Radiator1-2 (it’s free w/ Half Life 2)
This was supposed to be a three-part series, but much like it’s host engine, the Half Life 2 Episodes, I’ve lost almost all hope of ever seeing the third and final chapter. Well, at least we’ve got two amazing games to play! The first of these two mods, Polaris, puts you in the shoes of a woman on a date with a guy. Not only is this the first time I’ve seen sexuality or general attraction told from the female perspective in a game but its also goes deeper than some would be comfortable with. Even better, it gets right to the point, with little introduction you are dropped into the scene with your date, pointing out stars on a open campground. The actual gameplay feels a bit scattered, but with a quick runtime and multiple endings you’ll find the time to get the most out of it.

The second title in the series is Handle With Care. This is where stuff gets heavy. It’s a museum-type game where you control the pacing and order of difficult memories to bring up during a marriage counseling session. As the player, you get to pick what sort of issues fire off during the counseling session. Interactivity may feel a bit minimal, but I couldn’t  help but feel engaged all the way through this roller coaster of relationship disasters.

Everyday i dream the same dream (it’s FREE!)
A game about mediocrity sounds about as fun as counting sand, but things get pretty interesting when the world starts to fall apart. This 2D side-scrolling adventure game moves at a very slow pace. Things are minimal, miserable, dull and dreary. This sort of melancholy is evident in every aspect as you decide what to do with your last few days on earth. If you’ve wasted your life stuck in traffic at a dead end job, what sort of quirky things would you begin to notice as the world starts to die off? This is a game that suits a very particular mood. Play this when you’re feeling relaxed and particularly curious. It can be one heck of a thoughtful ride.

 

The Path
I’ve taken a lot of flak on the Brain-Freeze podcast for liking this game so much. Honestly, I can’t blame people for not getting into it. The Path is extremely high concept and requires a large suspension of disbelief with a huge disregard for practical thinking. This Tale of Tale’s adventure game is an odd twist on the story of Little Red Riding Hood. You play as one of seven little girls who must make their way down the path to get to grandma’s house. The Path is easy, but if you simply walk straight to the house, the screen turns black and it’s “game over, try again”. The point of the game is to get lost, discover clues and eventually meet your own version of the wolf. Each girl has a different backstory with a unique ending that’s only flushed out if you actually spend a LOT of time exploring. There is no real challenge or skill in The Path, just commitment.  So it’s no surprise that this game wont please everyone, but I felt like Tale of Tales gave back just as much as I put in. Through it’s interesting concepts and brilliant explosion The Path more than delivers a deep and meaningful experience. Wandering aimlessly through the woods isn’t always fun, it’s not event that engaging at times but the payoff for each wolf segment feels well worth it to me.

The Company of myself (it’s FREE!)
Most of the games on this list don’t have much in terms of gameplay, opting for strong narrative over mechanics. The Company of myself, is the opposite. The written narrative is interesting but its the gameplay that helps drive the emotion. For those who don’t play a lot of games, it can be a bit tedious and very frustrating at times. But Nintendo kids of the 90′s will have fun putting their platforming skills to the test in this damp dark world.

I wish I were the moon (it’s FREE!)
The actual concept of this game might just sneak up on you. Re-arrange characters and object to see the result. Then reset and try again. It’s a very simple idea that gets a bit deeper as you play.  There’s a boy, a girl and the moon. They all want to fall in love and it’s up to you to play with their hearts. If you can find all seven endings you’ll have a better understanding of why this relationship is so tragic. This ones a nice little quickie, about 5 minutes should do the trick. Indie game designer Daniel Benmergui has also made a handful of other goodies that are sure to make you think.

Short list of other “artsy” titles you should probably check out.

• Shadows of the Colossus& ICO HD collection
• Journey,Flower & Flo
• Little Big Planet 2
• Portal 2
• Walking Dead
• Passage & Sleep is death
• Dear Ester
• Fascade
• Kentucky Rt.Zero
• Anti-Chamber
• Thomas was alone
• Bioshock:Infinite
• Year Walk

TWRP consists of five interstellar musicians that have crash landed in Halifax, Canada to bring their ridiculous blend of Metal and Electro to the masses. Their debut EP The Device is full of sick synths and beautiful bass. The music will make you get up, shake your groove thing (supposing you have one), and rock your pants off. There’s something enchanting about the melodies that I have a hard time placing. As someone who has a hard time describing the technical reasons for why music is appealing to me, I can say that The Device is raw sex in audio form. It’s just got so much enthusiasm and personality, it’s almost impossible to ignore it.

I highly recommend checking out TWRP’s bandcamp and also their website for some more general space awesomeness. I hope to hear more from these guys soon. They’ve made an instant TWRP fan out of me.

*Photo used of the band is by webcomic artist Abby Howard who is also doing a mini-epic about TWRP which is pretty neat and you should check it out too maybe if you’re into that sorta thing.

Gallons first publicly revealed his talent when he began working with the Elephant 6 Collective, a small group of bands based in Athens, Georgia. He performed with musicians such as Jeff Mangum, Will Cullen Hart, and Julian Koster, but it wasn’t long before Gallons began to shine on his own.

Thirteen years later, Gallons has left the collective to pursue his own musical career, and explore other realms of art. Most recently, he  branched into the world of acting when he starred in the independent film Present. In the past six months alone, he has released three records, and is currently touring festivals with the film.

Heather Rose: How did you first become involved in the Elephant 6 Collective?

Nesey Gallons: Initially because I met and began corresponding with Will Cullen Hart, I suppose. That was in 99/00.

HR: While on the 2008 Holiday Surprise tour, you did not play many of your own songs, but some say that you had a large part in the whole thing coming together. Is this true? 

NG: Yes. In early 2008, I spent hours one night persuading Julian that he should follow what I called my “evil plan”, and in the morning he began making phone calls to the others and to Jim Romeo (Elephant 6 booking agent fella). I felt it best to conceal the truth in those days because it would be more inspiring to the others and the fans if Julian had seemed inspired to do it rather than reluctantly shoved by some obscure stranger! I did not wish to participate directly but he insisted that I come.

Nesey Gallons performing with the Elephant Six Collective, during the 2008 Holiday Surprise tour.

HR: You seem to have separated yourself from the whole circle of musicians, working mostly on your own or with entirely new artists these days. What caused this change? 

NG: A number of things, some unpleasant. I’m still on friendly terms with some of those guys. Others not so much.  I never felt like I was part of Elephant 6. Just someone who could be useful to them for a spell. Will and I have a deeper connection but it’s not something that really has a place in our normal lives. It’s more like a comet that comes around and has its season and then disappears again.

My own creative work has always been separate. I didn’t grow up with friends so collaboration doesn’t come naturally to me.

HR: The mood of your music usually feels quite melancholy or nostalgic. It’s obvious that there is great meaning behind what you do. Is it difficult to bear your soul in such a way to complete strangers? 

NG: No. It never really has been, but I’ve been really disassociative or something in the past. There’s a disconnect that happens that makes it easy, but maybe if I’m emotionally healthier it will actually get more nerve wracking. It’s been a while since I’ve played a show. It might be terrifying now!

HR: You were working on on When I was an Ice Skater for over ten years, correct? Do you find that the mood or meaning of your songs has changed over time? 

NG: I’ve found new dimensions with some but for the most part “Ice Skater” is a record that I knew the shape of even before I had the cloth to cut, if that makes sense. That’s part of why it took so long. I already knew the colour of a sound or verse but life had not yet placed the word or instrument on my palette.

HR: Tell us a little about your process with this record.

NG: Originally it was just a “shrug pile” …the songs that didn’t fit with the current project or that I couldn’t quite finish because they were beyond the scope of my experience. Gradually I came to see an album shaping. Parts of the recording date back to 2002 but I didn’t begin working on it in earnest until 2007. It wasn’t 10 years of continual work or anything. More like 10 years of patience. I didn’t pressure the album. I let it finish itself slowly as it was ready.

HR: The videos you have made for your songs, (as well as videos you made for the Music Tapes), all have a very similar look to them. Do you film and edit these yourself? You feature a lot of artwork and home-movie style footage; is there any significance in these things? How do the videos relate to the songs they accompany?

NG: I tend to like it when a record is tethered to reality by something really human and commonplace/familiar. I like documenting moments. So I end up with quite a bit of home movies or film diaries and the sort. The music videos tend to be made of these things partly because of money. I never really have money set aside to make art happen with so I just edit together things that are around. You know. You need lights and assistants or whatever to make real films.

HR: You’ve hinted a few times in the past to Ice Skater being the last “Nesey Gallons” record, and now you’ve released Blackout Era under the name “Smouldering Porches”. What is the significance in this name change? 

NG: Smouldering Porches is kind of an imaginary band. A few years ago, I played a show at the flicker theater and the front steps caught on fire and Eric Harris and I joked that my project should be called “Smouldering Porches.” A couple months later, I made an album called “Southern Winter” under the name. I just wanted to make something simple and easy with a different aesthetic. I wanted the material to be viewed separately from my Nesey Gallons albums. Maybe parallel, but on different tracks. There’ll hopefully be another Nesey Gallons record. I’m just starting to wonder whether or not I shouldn’t go to school to be a person who can make a living from anything. That’s part of what has motivated my muttering about “last” records… concerns about how I’m ever going to have health care, dental, be able to provide for children. That kinda stuff. You gotta be able to bring home the fake bacon. That starving artist stuff is all well and good for the young but older folks know what it’s like when it starts hurting just to have a body and the true terror of poverty begins to reveal itself.

HR: Blackout Era is considered to be the soundtrack to the film Present. How many of these tracks are featured in the film? Were any of them written specifically for the film? 

NG: Not really. Blue Brunswick sort of was. I had this unused piano track Patrick from Hot New Mexicans did for “Southern Winter” that I imagined being all echoey and out of phase with itself… it felt like it would be really cinematic, so I turned it into a song. I think there are just two songs from “Blackout Era” in the film. Joe used some stuff from “Eyes & Eyes & Eyes Ago” when he was editing while waiting on my soundtrack and we ended up deciding to keep some of it. I think “Nicholas My Dear” and “Wooden Whispers” are in the movie.

HR: What is the story behind the title of this record?

NG: I was deteriorating mentally in 2008. That’s why I hadn’t wanted to go to Athens and do music stuff. I felt I should stay in Maine and focus on repairing whatever was wrong with me, but Julian said I had to come because it had all been my idea. I tried to self medicate with alcohol and just turned into a drunk which sped up the inevitable crumbling that was happening in my personal life. I spent a few years drinking myself to death. Imploding and behaving abominably. During that time I wrote “Southern Winter” and the material that “Blackout Era” is made of. As I’ve sobered up and gotten my shit together I’ve referred to that whole period as my blackout era. It seemed like it might be an appropriate name for the album so I looked it up to make sure that Steely Dan or the Arcade Fire or whatever didn’t already make an album called that and saw all this Britney Spears stuff. Apparently she made an album called “Blackout” and proceeded to have a meltdown. That sealed it for me. Our culture likes to conceal the suffering of women by ridiculing it as if it isn’t legitimate, like somebody just had too much of their daddy’s whiskey and now they’re out of control; because they’re a dumb whore, not a complicated, tortured human being. I wanted to call my album that because it’s appropriate but also to make a statement about that stuff. My suffering was not any more profound than hers. Male suffering never is.

HR: Do you plan to play any shows to support either of these albums? 

NG: Not presently. I’m moving back to Portland, Maine later this year. Maybe when things settle down I’ll be able to play some shows regionally.

___

Listen to music by Nesey Gallons on Bandcamp

Follow Nesey Gallons on facebook.

___

Out of all the video games that could be turned into films, Ratchet & Clank seems like a no-brainer. Not only has this immensely popular series sold over 26 million copies across multiple Sony platforms, but the games have always had a “Saturday morning cartoon” vibe to them; making the jump to a cinematic story shouldn’t be much of a stretch. Also, Insomiac’s in-house writer, T.J. Fixman, will be scripting the upcoming movie.

They just might pull this off!

Part 1: The Email

Last week, Gawker posted a horrifically mean email that one University of Maryland sorority sister sent to her fellow members. It’s worth reading for anyone that:

a) likes to read private things that were never meant for their eyes,

b) hates the idea of Frats and Sororities and needs that opinion to be validated,

or

c) just wants to read some damn fine insulting wordplay. This woman has a gift.

Part 2: Michael Shannon

What do you mean you don’t know who Michael Shannon is? He’s one of our finest modern actors! Have you not seen Shotgun Stories? It’s streaming on Netflix.

How about Take Shelter? It’s one of the most honest portrayals of mental illness ever filmed!

He’s also the guy my sister calls “that scrunch-faced dude who’s playing General Zod in the new Superman movie.” Really though, watch Shotgun Stories and Take Shelter. Both are excellent.

Now that you’re up to speed, prepare yourself for humor:

Before he became a household name, Louis was a relatively family-friendly comic that made a few quirky independent films. As a young movie geek, I first discovered Louis CK through a showcase of his comedic short films on IFC way back in the 90s. I vividly remember CK’s The Legend of Willie Brown being my favorite of the bunch.  It still holds up, too:

LaughingSquid has posted a superb catch-all piece of the rest of Louis’ films. If you enjoyed Willie Brown, give the others a watch. They may not be what we’ve come to expect from modern Louis CK, but they are all very entertaining.

Based on the novel by Brian McGreevy, the series takes place in the fictional Pennsylvania town of Hemlock Grove. After a girl is brutally murdered, two of the accused suspects vow to find the truth.  But who knows what foul horrors they’ll uncover?

It’s werewolves. They discover at least one werewolf. Possibly more.

The show stars Famke Janssen, Bill Skarsgard, Lili Talor, and Penelope Mitchell. Eli Roth serves as an executive producer and directs the pilot, giving Hemlock Grove a nice stamp of horror authenticity… or something to hate, if you’re not a Roth fan. (But c’mon, Cabin Fever was pretty terrific. And he was the Bear Jew. You’re just being mean about this).

I’m always up for new horror, and Netflix has invested $45 million to produce Hemlock Grove. Let’s give it a shot. Who’s with me?

Hotdogs are my go-to cheapskate lunch, my car ride pit-stops and my 1am hangover stopper. You can pay as much or as little as you want for the doggy. This list will indulge both ends of the spectrum.  Let me be frank, these are my personal favorite  hot dog  joints:

Hot Dog Annie’s
Leicester, MA
Sweet diggity dog, the guys at Hot Dog Annie’s practically candy coat the caramelized onions that top each tiny bun. Small in size but big in taste, these cheap little dudes pack an awesome original sweet barbeque flavor. This is also my Mom’s favorite joint. She would go to Hot Dog Annie’s every day after school and while it may not be quite as cheap as it was back in the day, you can still get full for a couple bucks. 3-4 Original Sweet-BBQ Dogs come highly recommended.

(George’s) Coney Island
Worcester, MA
When most people hear “Coney Island” they think of Nathan’s Famous hot-dogs on Coney Island in New York. But the term “Coney” now refers to a type of sauce. George’s Coney Island in Worcester, Massachusetts has mastered that beefy Coney Sauce. They’re cheap and tasty, but aside from the fantastic value, what I love most about George’s Coney Island is the atmosphere. The old wooden booths haven’t changed much since they first opened in 1918. If you sit in the booth located directly behind the jukebox you might even see my initials scribed into the booth walls, right next to those of my past lovers. Coney Island is tasty living history.

Elvise’s
Leominster MA

Variety is the spice of life, and there are plenty of spices packed away in this low-profile restaurant. Their giant chalkboard menu stretches from the classics to some slightly odd originals, such as: the Tuna Roll (All White Albacore Tuna, Lettuce, Tomato), the Hula Dog (Bacon and Pineapple) or, my favorite, the Rachael Dog (Pastrami, Swiss Cheese, Cole Slaw and Brown Mustard). If you’re in the area and feel like getting “weird,” then you’d best get Elvise’s.

Dat dog
Up-town New Orleans, LA
This is probably the most trendy and expensive hot dog place I’ve ever been to. For every exotic dog they’ve got on the menu, there’s an exotic beer on tap to go with it. I mean, this IS New Orleans. I chose the Guinness dog; a huge German Frankfurter boiled in Guinness then smothered in grape jelly and topped with bacon. Ah-mazing.

Portillo’s
Chicago IL
Chicago’s best known for it’s pizza, but they’ve also got their own twist on the hotdog. Traditionally a Chicago style dog’s got a full size dill pickle and some peppers. The #1 rule of thumb though is “no ketchup” (sorry New England’ers). If you want to experience the most authentic dog in Chi-town you cant go wrong with Portillo’s. It also looks like a damn Norman Rockwell Theme Park on the inside.

Spike’s Junkyard dogs
Providence + Boston, MA
These dogs are huge. In fact, they are so big that they don’t even fit on a bun. You gotta chomp it down on a warm french roll. The variety of toppings is good, but for me, Spikes is all about the 100% beef dog. No matter how you dress it up with toppings,  it’s that beefy goodness that will keep you coming back for more. Those with small appetites need not bother. Spike’s is a real meal!

GnarlyDog (previously Jim’s Exotic Hot Dog Stand)
Winchendon, MA
Back when I was a kid, there was a little stand stowed away on a back road through the woods. This was Jim’s Exotic Hot Dog Stand. Jim packed a super weirdo menu. If you weren’t keen on a PB&J dog, then you might try your luck at something a bit… hotter. I watched my friend nearly pass out when he tried the Plasma Dog. It was gross fun. If you had the guts, you could even get your name on the wall for eating three Volcano Dogs. These delicious abominations were just too hot and scary for most folks to handle, so the shack eventually closed down some years ago. But  in 2011 it was resurrected in a camper trailer just off the back-roads of Winchendon, Massachusetts  and Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire.  This is the spiritual successor. This- Is- Gnarley Dog!  Nowadays, the menu might not be quite as eclectic as it once was, but what more can you expect from a RV window?

Hewtin’s Dog Mobile
Providence, RI
Weenies on wheels! The Hewtin’s hotdog truck is a force to be reckoned with. Each dog is made with local casing and the sauerkraut toppings are just as fresh. This killer combo makes for a delicious, super-local, Portuguese style doggy.  Look out Oscar Mayer Wienermobile – Hewtin’s got yah beat!

 
Olneyville New York System Hot Wieners
Providence, RI
Whats the difference between a “wiener” and a hotdog? It’s the meat, and if a hot dog is a mystery meat then a “wiener” is an even tougher nut to crack. I’ve heard rumors that the animal parts which fill a “wiener” are banned in some states because they’re just that bad for you. So, in comes Olneyville New York System “Hot Wieners”: The best junk food around. All that grease goes great with a tall glass of RI-style Coffee milk. Once your stuffed with their “original hot weiner spice” you’ll probably get a kick outta the atmosphere and “no bullshit” attitude of the employees. There aren’t any fakes in Oneyville; just real talk, real friends and real good food. This stuff is definitely not healthy, but I’m not complaining because a New York System Hot Wiener is a perfect way to end any night.

Fun fact: Some R.I. locals still call hot dogs -”Gaggers”. (but you probably shouldn’t do that.)

Well, that’s it for my personal favorites but I’m always looking for more. What’s your favorite? What dog did I miss? Where should I eat next?

Alas, all good things must come to an end. Omni stopped being printed in ’95 and puttered along in digital form until ’97. When the digital version shuttered, fans were suddenly left without an Omni fix.

Fortunately, the entire run of the magazine is now available free of charge on Archive.org. I’ll admit that this is old news to some, but it’s brand new to me. Let’s start downloading. We’ve got some reading to do!

This isn’t just a simple DLC add-on. Blood Dragon has nothing to do with the story of vanilla Far Cry 3. It’s a nostalgia-soaked love letter to 80′s action films and cyberpunk literature. The player takes control of Rex Power Colt, a cybernetic soldier voiced by Aliens and Terminator star, Michael Biehn. Rex is on a one-man quest to take down Omega Force, a rogue army of cyborgs. This is the video game I was born to play.

If the Steam pre-order page is any indication—and it usually is—Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon should retail for $14.99.