The Playlist

www.npcreviews.com

2008-08-25T07:02:00.001-07:00

This blog has moved to our very own real domain: www.npcreviews.comGo there.

A Couple Of Good Samaritans

2008-08-07T05:06:00.000-07:00

Here's a shot of me and Hellboy hanging out in Universal Studios yesterday.OK, so it's not the Hellboy (a.k.a. Ron Perlman), but this guy was a damn good double. Related Posts:To Hell And Back

The New Philosophy

2008-08-03T19:03:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been decided.NPC Reviews is the name of our new site. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, sitting there scratching your heads and wondering what the hell the NPC stands for, it's a gaming term for Non Playable Characters, the kind of characters that you see and can talk to, but you never get to control.Why we chose it? Who knows. But it's a bit less obscure then Don't Feed

Until Further Notice (Important Read!)

2008-07-27T17:53:00.000-07:00

I don't know how many people actually read this site regularly, but first I'd like to say thank you to all of those who do.You may have noticed the content has not been updating as regularly as it used to and it's not because I don't care anymore, but actually because I (along with some close friends) are working on a real Web site, an official site with our own .com (none of this blogger stuff)!

'Look Out For Detox'

2008-07-23T10:22:00.000-07:00

After Snoop Dogg let loose last month that the long-awaited Dr. Dre album, "Detox," was completed, the good doctor himself confirmed to USA Today that the album is indeed complete.Dr. Dre has led a long a illustrious career from his role in the historic N.W.A. as well as discovering other rap acts like Snoop Dogg and Eminem, but only has two solo projects to his name: 1992's "The Chronic" and

In Memoriam. ('The Dark Knight' Review)

2008-07-18T13:59:00.000-07:00

The hype leading up to Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” could stretch for miles. From forums to message boards, previews and early reviews, the entire media world has had one collective, large hard-on for the Caped Crusader’s newest adventure against the late Heath Ledger’s maniacal Joker. Well, if you’ve been skeptical about the whole thing – you best start believing. The hype is real. “

E3 Day Three Wrap-Up

2008-07-16T22:09:00.001-07:00

The Electronic Entertainment Expo (or E3 as it’s known by the gaming community) has officially kicked off and will run for the next few days. Each night, The Playlist Blog will post the cream of the crop from the new news and announcements. It’s A MadWorld Out There – Sega unveiled a new trailer for its uber stylish, uber bloody action game. If you haven’t had the honor of seeing this thing in

E3 Day Two Wrap-Up

2008-07-16T04:05:00.001-07:00

The Electronic Entertainment Expo (or E3 as it’s known by the gaming community) has officially kicked off and will run for the next few days. Each night, The Playlist Blog will post the cream of the crop from the new news and announcements. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars – Details are scarce on this one, but we do know that it is a legit entry in the GTA series coming only to the Nintendo DS

E3 Day One Wrap-Up

2008-07-15T00:03:00.000-07:00

The Electronic Entertainment Expo (or E3 as it’s known by the gaming community) has officially kicked off and will run for the next few days. Each night, The Playlist Blog will post the cream of the crop from the new news and announcements.Release Dates Galore – Many of the A-list titles set for this fall were given release dates or at least a window for the when the game should be hitting

To Hell And Back

2008-07-12T04:55:00.000-07:00

Hellboy (Ron Perlman) and a new toy, the Big Baby. Everyone’s favorite big, red demon is back – and certainly with a vengeance. Hellboy (Ron Perlman) returns in director Guillermo Del Toro’s follow-up to his 2004 supernatural action film, “Hellboy II: The Golden Army,” a beefed up sequel that overshadows its predecessor in every way. Despite the first movie’s lackluster

'Hancock' Pleases, For The Most Part

2008-07-04T07:14:00.000-07:00

Will Smith as post-rehab Hancock. What’s a summer without a big budget Will Smith movie? Not much of a summer at all (at least for the box office). This year, the former man in black offers us “Hancock,” a misunderstood superhero who also happens to be an alcoholic, rude and an all around dick. Combine these elements with Smith’s undeniable charm and ability to really get

Innocence Is Freedom, Innocence Is Bliss

2008-07-04T05:05:00.000-07:00

The other night, I was over my girlfriend’s house, playing “Super Smash Bros. Brawl” with her 10-year old brother when he asked me a question. Hey Stephen,” he said. “Have you ever played ‘Metal Gear Solid?’” The question was most assuredly brought up because of Solid Snake’s inclusion in the popular Nintendo button masher. I replied with simple “Yes

New Gym Class Heroes Single Hits July 8th

2008-06-30T17:18:00.000-07:00

"Cookie Jar," the first single off of the Gym Class Heroes' third studio album, "The Quilt," is set to be released online July 8. The song features R&B singer The Dream.The song is yet another example of the Geneva, NY-based band's ever-evolving sound. The titular cookie jar Travis McCoy rhymes about is a metaphor for all the girls he sleeps around with, but he has to be careful of getting

Drop What You're Doing. Go See 'WALL-E.'

2008-06-29T21:03:00.000-07:00

The guys over at Pixar Studios (but more specifically director Andrew Stanton) have done it again. They’ve created an instant animated classic that is sure to touch the hearts of all young and old, will probably rake in a ton of cash at the box office and perhaps even pick up an Oscar. The story of “WALL-E” takes place more than 700 years in the future where Earth is an abandoned heap of trash

Diablo. F******. Three.

2008-06-28T05:22:00.000-07:00

"And the heavens shall tremble."If you were up this morning at around 5:45 a.m. (Eastern), you may have heard the screams of millions of delighted fans as Blizzard Entertainment (purveyor of all things awesome like "Starcraft") announced at their Worldwide Invitational 2008 that "Diablo III" is coming.Let's let that sink in."DIABLO III."After weeks of speculations and rumors, including a

Get Going To 'Get Smart'

2008-06-19T21:00:00.000-07:00

Steve Carell (left) and Anne Hathaway in "Get Smart." It’s good to have Steve Carell back. It’s been three years (Only three? It feels like forever.) since the popular funny man starred in “The 40 Year Old Virgin,” his last great, big-screen comedy. Sure, “Little Miss Sunshine” and “Dan In Real Life” were great films and Carell performed excellently in those, but we, the

"Tha Carter III,' 'Viva La Vida' Mean Business

2008-06-19T10:48:00.000-07:00

So last Tuesday, Lil Wayne's long awaited "That Carter III" was released. The result? Nearly 500,000 copies sold on day one, with the first week total at 1.1 million. That makes it the first album since 50 Cent's "The Massacre" in 2005 to break one million in week one.Also according to the Nielsen Soundscan, "Lollipop," the lead single, is the year's highest selling ringtone.Coldplay's "Viva La

'Viva' La Coldplay

2008-06-18T21:40:00.000-07:00

“Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends” Coldplay Sounds Like: Coldplay in a Peter Jackson film. Coldplay’s newest album is big – not literally, that’s more of a metaphor (the album only clocks in at 10 tracks and two hidden ones) – but sound wise, this is their most epic LP yet. From the cover art (a painting commemorating the July Revolution of 1830 by French painter Eugene Delacroix), the

Five Minutes With The Boxing Lesson

2008-06-15T22:46:00.000-07:00

The Playlist: Describe The Boxing Lesson in one word. Paul Waclawsky: Interesting.Jake Mitchell: Pure. Jaylinn Davidson: Unstoppable. TP: There's a heavy space/psychedelic theme about you guys. What was the inspiration behind that?PW: We did a lot of drugs in college. JD:I think it is both a direct reflection of what we grew up on and a combination of things that we wanted to hear in our most

'Seeing' Is Believing

2008-06-12T08:47:00.000-07:00

“Seeing Sounds” N.E.R.D Sounds Like: Half fresh and funky, and half watered down déjà vu. On their first album, “In Search Of…”, Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo and Shay Haley established themselves as the hottest thing since sliced bread. With fresh beats, witty and comical rhymes and a sound all their own, created something for both the skaters and the hip-hop heads to dance to. The follow-up, “

Get Smart Critic Screening

2008-06-11T07:51:00.000-07:00

I was in the city last night for the critic screening of "Get Smart" at the lavish HBO screening room on Avenue of the Americas but sadly I'm not allowed to say anything or post a review until the film releases next Friday, June 20. I can however post this small, blurry, headshot of Rolling Stone movie critic Peter Travers, taken from across the theater on my camera phone.Yeah. That's right.

Nearly 'Indestructible'

2008-06-08T00:43:00.000-07:00

“Indestructible” Disturbed Sounds Like: A 50-minute, high-speed car chase. With fire. And power chords. If Disturbed’s fourth studio album had to be described in one word, it would be “relentless.” Fueled by Dan Donegan’s thrashing guitar work and David Draiman’s frantic yet melodic vocals, the Chicago, Ill.-based group have crafted an album that never seems to let up from start to finish, and

Top Ten Disturbed Songs Part II – 5-1

2008-06-02T10:23:00.000-07:00

Here’s the second part of the Top Ten Disturbed Songs. 5. Stupify Album: The Sickness Why: A definite fan favorite. Not much else to it. Key Lyric: “All the people in the left wing rock / And all the people in the right wing rock / And all the people in the underground rock / I find myself stupefied, coming back again.” 4. Liberate Album: Believe Why: One of the few

Top Ten Disturbed Songs Part I - 10-6

2008-06-02T07:59:00.000-07:00

Serious metalheads don’t like them because they aren’t metal enough, contemporary radio listeners can’t listen to them because they’re too heavy, but for those who like to dabble in the metal scene now and then, Disturbed is just right. David Draiman (you know, the guy with the scary piercings) and his band are ready to release their fourth album this week, “Indestructible,

King of Trill

2008-06-01T11:27:00.000-07:00

“II Trill” Bun B Sounds Like: The filthy, dirty south Albums: “Trill” (2005), “II Trill” (2008) Trill – to be true and real to one’s self. The word, one of Port Arthur, Texas origin, is a southern gangsta way of thinking, and is credited to none other than rapper and one half of the Underground Kingz (UGK), Bun B. Coming just months after the untimely death of Pimp C,

Sex? Yes please.

2008-06-01T10:32:00.000-07:00

Carrie's place.Thanks to viral ad campaigning, movie trailers and all-around hysteria, most of you are probably aware that the "Sex and the City" movie was released on Friday. If you didn't, you do now.My girlfriend and I traveled to Manhattan Friday morning for the purpose of a) seeing the movie in its native land and b) I had bought us tickets for a NYC hotspots bus tour our anniversary, this

P.S.

2008-05-15T11:39:00.000-07:00

In other Pokemon news, Pokemon Platinum, the expansion to Diamond and Pearl, will be due this fall. Much like Pokemon Yellow, Crystal and Emerald, Platinum won't offer an entirely new quest, but rather new elements to the story like say, new sidequests or a few new Pokemon. Certainly not for the casual Pokemon fan, but for the diehards, a must-have. Pokemon Diamond and Pearl were the first

Calling All Pokemon Masters

2008-05-15T11:25:00.000-07:00

Big news today if a) you love Pokemon or B) you hate the Japanese.Pokemon USA, Inc. has announced that the first-ever Video Game Showdown, a tournament between gamers from the US of A (all the way!) and Japan, pitting the most talented and dedicated Pokemon Diamond and Pearl gamers of each nation against eachother. The event is to take place August 16 in Orlando, Fla.Interested? I know I am.

5 Minutes With Flo Rida

2008-05-08T11:41:00.002-07:00

Flo Rida is big. Like Incredible Hulk big. The Playlist: In a competitive hip-hop market today, you have artists coming out every day, new albums dropping all the time, as a new artist yourself, what steps do you plan on taking to make sure there’s a sequel to “Mail On Sunday?” Flo Rida: Well, basically stay on the road I was on prior to my success, signing a deal. Gotta

Space Age Knockout

2008-05-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

The Boxing Lesson Sounds Like: A psychedelic blend of Angels & Airwaves and The Mars Volta Albums: “The Boxing Lesson EP” (2003), “Radiation” (2004), “Songs In The Key Of C” (2006) and “Wild Streaks & Windy Days” (2008) Paul Waclawsky is not of this planet. In fact, the lead singer and guitarist for Austin, Texas-based band, The Boxing Lesson, may not even be of this

Gettin' Silly With It

2008-05-03T20:41:00.000-07:00

Ok, ok. Soulja Boy is a joke, we all know it. But we can't stop listening to him.We all thought music was at an all time low when songs like "Booty Meat" and "Yahhh!" took the airwaves.We were wrong.V.I.C.'s "Get Silly" featuring Soulja Boy. Now we're at the lowest of the low. Apparently this has been out for a few months. I can't stop watching it.

My First 15 Minutes In Liberty City

2008-05-03T16:14:00.000-07:00

Niko Bellic - my new alter ego."Grand Theft Auto IV" arrived in my hands at 4:35 p.m. (Eastern) on April 29th, the day of its release. My dilemma?I had work at 5.I made many bounds (and leaps) up to my 6th floor dorm room, eagerly tearing away at the packaging along the way to reveal its shiny innards - indeed it was finally here and I was dying of anticipation. By the time the game was out of

5 Minutes With T-Pain

2008-05-03T16:11:00.000-07:00

T-Pain: always watching out for lasagna. The Playlist: So T-Pain, you’re just 22-years old, yet you have two hit albums, with a third on the way, and a Grammy under your belt. Who or what do you credit for your success? T-Pain: Well, I credit myself, for one, that’s obvious. And I credit Cee-Lo. Cee-Lo Green has got a lot to do with what I’m doing right now. Yea. Cee-Lo and

It's Not Easy To Forget 'Sarah Marshall'

2008-05-03T16:03:00.000-07:00

Jonah Hill and Jason Segel in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall." “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” the latest in the “from the guys who brought you ‘Superbad’” line of films, proves one thing for certain – those “guys” definitely know what they’re doing when it comes to making comedies. The movie is great and genuinely funny, and follows in the footsteps of its predecessors. So what’s

Falling Short Of The Mark

2008-04-16T18:26:00.000-07:00

The boys of Fall Out Boy are best known for their extremely wordy song titles, catchy radio hits, excruciatingly similar sound to Panic At The Disco (total posers) and their emo tones. But as experience has shown this reviewer, one thing they certainly can do is put on a show. Last summer, Fall Out Boy toured the nation as the headlining act of the annual Honda Civic Tour, much to the delight of

Today Is Metal Day.

2008-04-14T19:21:00.001-07:00

So a few of my friends decided that their dorm room was far too hot (which it was - notice the use of the word "was") and felt it was time to cool things down. Solution - and I mean the only true, viable solution at this point in time...THE MOST METAL THING OF ALL!!!\m/ DUCK TAPE THE BOX FAN TO THE CEILING! \m/I tell you, you really learn things in college.I can't wait till this thing falls off

Well Since We're On The Topic...

2008-04-14T19:19:00.001-07:00

Viking Grant. Pretty f***ing metal.

Pirates, Vikings and Celtics - F***ing Metal.

2008-04-14T14:51:00.000-07:00

Before we get into this week’s column, let it be known that music Web site NME.com has reported that the Guns N’ Roses album, which has been long lost in production hell, “Chinese Democracy” has been finished. Geffen Records confirmed to NME that they have received a finished copy of the album.I consider myself a fan of all kinds of music (except country, I hate country) from rap to indie, world

A Hero's Goodbye

2008-04-11T18:19:00.000-07:00

Dan HsuA piece of me has died today as - much to the regret of myself and fellow EGMers, gaming fans and journalists everywhere - as Dan "Shoe" Hsu has declared his resignation from 1Up and Electronic Gaming Monthly. His entire post about this sad moment is below. It is also on his 1UP page titled as "Goodbye."He will be missed.Goodbyeposted: 04/11/2008Dear readers, industry friends, and

These "Ruins" Are Worth Checking Out

2008-04-08T10:03:00.000-07:00

Jena Malone and Laura Ramsey in "The Ruins" At first glance, “The Ruins” seems like an atypical horror film with good-looking young people in a foreign place getting killed off one by one by some unspeakable evil. While most of that statement holds true, there is a bit more to the film then meets the eye. The story follows five young vacationers – a group of four friends and

These Will Rock You

2008-04-08T08:28:00.000-07:00

This column is Baron Davis approved. Ok so this isn’t as glorious as it could have been seeing as the UConn women were knocked out by Stanford Sunday night and the men have long since been eliminated, but spring is still a time for sports. Baseball season is just under way, the NFL draft is but a few weeks away and the NBA playoffs are quickly approaching. So how bout we take

Hahahahahaha. It's A Shark.

2008-04-07T19:42:00.000-07:00

Hahahahahaha.

Why Concert Committee, Why?

2008-04-06T06:21:00.000-07:00

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Spring Weekend here at our wonderful institution of learning has had quite the track record that includes parties, couch burnings and massive amount of students and police at Carriage House and Celeron Apartments – or as College Humor says, “Where 12,000 people get s***** in a parking lot.” Either way you take it, it’s given our school a notorious

Spring Bloomers

2008-03-25T04:37:00.000-07:00

Spring is the season for “new.” As we prepare for the coming warm weather and dust off the cobwebs that winter may have left behind, A-list artists of all genres prepare to release new albums and singles to compete for the top spot in pre-summer spotlight. But instead of fueling the mainstream music industry’s fire, why not check out some of these new acts that are sure to gain some momentum in

Second Cut Makes "Legend" A Bit More Legendary

2008-03-17T21:07:00.000-07:00

When “I Am Legend” was released last December, most audiences and fans of Richard Matheson’s 1954 novel had one standout issue with the film – the ending didn’t reflect the rest of it. Well good news for those of you who left the theater feeling slightly cheated as Warner Bros.’s 2-disc DVD release of “I Am Legend” includes a second cut of the film, or just a fancier way of saying a better,

Yea, Poop Is The Word

2008-03-17T20:50:00.000-07:00

First off, do not buy “The American Poop Movie.” Don’t rent it, don’t download it and if by some chance someone gives it to you as some sort of gift, be offended and punch them in the face. If that doesn’t say enough to you about how terrible this film is, then read on and prepare to be convinced – this is a bad movie. Now you must be thinking, “There’s got to be some sort of saving grace, it

Like A Hall Of Famer, Inducted For The Very First Time*

2008-03-17T20:43:00.000-07:00

It was 26 years ago, 1982 for those who don’t know their numbers, in which a young woman from Bay City, Michigan made it big. The song was “Everybody” and it found instant success on the American dance charts. One year later, it was “Burning Up,” and then finally in 1984 came “Like A Virgin.” The rest is what some may say is history, but this history continues to write itself as the queen of pop

A “Country” For Men Young And Old

2008-03-17T20:41:00.000-07:00

Last fall, partners-in-crime Ethan and Joel Coen released unto the world “No Country For Old Men,” an adaptation of Pulitzer Prize winning author Cormac McCarthy’s book of the same name. At first glance, the film was a tale of a wrong place, wrong time man on the run and those who were chasing him. But underneath the surface of this West Texas thriller was much more – an all-around fantastic

Top Nine Nine Inch Nails Songs. Ever.

2008-03-04T10:57:00.000-08:00

On March 2, at 6 p.m., Nine Inch Nails front man Trent Reznor released unto the world his latest work, “Ghosts I-IV.” The album, which was recorded over the course of 10 weeks last fall, is 36-tracks of instrumentals which Reznor described to rollingstone.com as “a soundtrack for daydreams.” The first nine tracks are free to download from the “Ghosts” Web site, or one can pay $5 and download all

Gears Of War II Confirmed For November!

2008-02-20T15:45:00.001-08:00

Epic Games revealed at the GDC that "Gears of War II" is coming, and sooner then some may have expected. The game will be released this November exclusively on the Xbox 360 and will be running on the Unreal Engine III. The trailer - which you can find below - is stylish, but sports no in-game footage. Instead it has everyone's favorite badass who isn't Master Chief, Marcus Fenix, with the

Leerone Taps Carole King, Obscurity On Debut Album

2008-02-20T14:13:00.000-08:00

It’s kind of hard not to like Leerone. The Israel-born, Los Angeles-raised singer-songwriter is one part Carole King, one part Regina Spektor and a few dashes of an obscure indie vibe that is oh so popular amongst the college circuit these days. Her voice emits a resonance of power and range, and all around she’s fun to listen to. Her previous efforts, two self-released EPs, found success

Sheryl Crow: Not Having As Much Fun

2008-02-15T07:32:00.000-08:00

In 1994, shortly after the release of her debut album, “Tuesday Night Music Club,” Sheryl Crow told the whole world that all she wanted to do was have some fun. Fast forward 15 years and Crow, now 46, is more about having debates over serious matters than anything else. “Detours” is Crow’s first new album since 2005’s “Wildflower,” since she was diagnosed with breast cancer and since she and

Classic Feel Saves Kravitz's 'Love Revolution'

2008-02-08T17:31:00.000-08:00

When Lenny Kravitz released 2004’s “Baptism,” it was supposed to be a whole new direction for the funk-rock artist, but with his latest release, it seems he’s back at square one. “It Is Time For A Love Revolution” is an eclectic mix of the Kravitz the industry knows – vocally and lyrically – and a blend of late 60s and early 70s rock. The result is an uninspiring yet solid

Yep, It's A Spice World Out There.

2008-02-08T16:51:00.001-08:00

Mobs of girls? Check. Bright, flashing lights? Check. Hydraulic lifts? Check. Countless costume changes? Definite check. Choreographed moves and back-up dancers? Check and check. Those are certainly the ingredients of a pop concert. Not just any pop concert, but The Return of the Spice Girls World Tour. Last Wednesday night, my girlfriend and I ventured down to Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, NY

I'll Tell You What I Want, What I Really, Really Want

2008-02-06T07:01:00.000-08:00

Soooooo...I'm going to see the Spice Girls tonight at Nassau Coliseum. Pretty sweet, eh? I know your jealous. Rumor has it that there's some infighting going on as the girls have cancelled the last six shows of the tour. It was gonna happen eventually. From what I hear, they put on a great show, and you can be sure that I'll be posting about by week's end.Spice Girls - girl power is alive and

Top Ten Most Important Songs By Black Artists

2008-02-04T14:14:00.000-08:00

As we all know, and if you don’t, then you didn’t go to elementary school in this country, February is Black History Month. In honor of this month of … honoring, I’ve searched high and low for the top ten most important songs in music history by black artists based on cultural and musical impact. 10. “The Message” Artist: Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five Released

Don't Venture Into This "Wilderness"

2008-02-03T11:52:00.000-08:00

Before discussing anything else, lets just understand that “Strange Wilderness” is not worth watching. In fact, it probably doesn’t even think it counts as a movie. Now that that’s aside, “Wilderness” is the latest from Adam Sandler’s production company, Happy Madison, which is also known for such “gems” as “Deuce Bigalow: European Gigalow,” “Benchwarmers” and “Grandma’s

A Bittersweet Weekend.

2008-02-03T06:45:00.000-08:00

Ok, thats a bit of an understatement. This past Friday night, the first for those of you who are keeping track, my associates and I took a trip to the movies. Seems innocent enough right? Well how about the part where we stuffed the five of us into a two-door, four-person Honda prelude that certainly seen it's fair share of voyages. And that it was raining so hard, I thought we were going to die.