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Laura Jane Grace Isn't Going to Ruin Against Me, She's Going to Reinvigorate Them
Morning Glory's Recent Tour Felt Like a Symbolic Farewell to Ezra Kire's Past, Invitation to his Future
Handling Hecklers with MC Chris: An Exploration in Putting Up With or Putting a Stop to Bullshit

Recent Reviews:  To the Moon | Huebrix | Minus the Bear | Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD | Awesomenauts | The Real McKenzies | Breton | Suzanne Ciani

Subscribe to our Podcasts: Sophist Radio | Unoriginal Soundtracks | Shuffled

April 17, 2013

Unoriginal Soundtracks #62: DJ Hero

Every other Wednesday, I share a playlist of songs tangentially related to a single game or series. Songs about alien sex for Mass Effect, world leaders for Civilization, and so on. Searching for relevant terms on Spotify is a great way to discover new music and uncover hidden gems. Make requests to @USPodcast on Twitter.

Unsurprisingly, the series of plastic-instrument games about turntablism inspires a playlist of hip hop. So enjoy this podcast of MCs rapping about two of their favourite things -- DJs and turntables.

April 03, 2013

Unoriginal Soundtracks #61: Assassin's Creed 3

Every other Wednesday, I share a playlist of songs tangentially related to a single game or series. Songs about alien sex for Mass Effect, world leaders for Civilization, and so on. Searching for relevant terms on Spotify is a great way to discover new music and uncover hidden gems. Make requests to @USPodcast on Twitter.

Being British, my school didn't teach the American Revolution. I doubt Ubisoft told the story accurately in Assassin's Creed 3, but the subject matter does make for a great playlist of prog, jazz, and sea shanties.

March 20, 2013

Unoriginal Soundtracks #60: SimCity

Every other Wednesday, I share a playlist of songs tangentially related to a single game or series. Songs about alien sex for Mass Effect, world leaders for Civilization, and so on. Searching for relevant terms on Spotify is a great way to discover new music and uncover hidden gems. Make requests to @USPodcast on Twitter.

SimCity left the Maxis garage the week before last and is still getting stuck at every red light. Our podcast provider's servers are still running, though, to give you this folky playlist about taxation, transportation, and industrialisation.

March 18, 2013

Shuffled #50: Cover Me, Porkins!

Every other Wednesday either Matt or Alex C-Y share their love of music in an assortment of ways. Shuffled is a podcast whose format is as varied as their tastes in music, so hopefully you won't ever be bored and everyone can find something to enjoy.

What makes a good cover song? People love a standard copy and paste job that stays as close to the original source as can be, while equally as many listeners love it when someone adds a bit of a twist to an old favorite. What ever you fancy, this here 50th edition of the Shuffled Podcast is full of cover songs ranging from very beloved  classics, to some more obscure cuts. Tuck in and enjoy!

March 06, 2013

Unoriginal Soundtracks #59: Thirty Flights Of Loving

Every other Wednesday, I share a playlist of songs tangentially related to a single game or series. Songs about alien sex for Mass Effect, world leaders for Civilization, and so on. Searching for relevant terms on Spotify is a great way to discover new music and uncover hidden gems. Make requests to @USPodcast on Twitter.

Thirty Flights Of Loving pushes visual storytelling and subtlety further than any other game. It's the exact opposite of Unoriginal Soundtracks, and it inspires this playlist of jazz, grime, and educational rock for children.

March 04, 2013

Update: Daft Punk working on new album for 2013


Back in late January, rumors started to swirl that Daft Punk would be leaving their current record label, EMI, and sign on to Columbia with a new studio album. While the former still hasn't been verified, a very short fifteen second ad aired during Saturday Night Live on NBC this past week. Does this mean a fourth studio album by the electronic duo is upon us? Maybe a re-release of a past album with new tracks? A new tour date? What ever it may be, I think it's time to get this hype space-train a rolling! Read on for a glimpse at the ad.

February 27, 2013

New single from Zorch


From SPIN comes some good news for fans of crazy and eccentric sounds. Zorch, an Austin based psychedelic duo, just dropped a new single this week and have signed on to Los Angeles recording label Sargent House.

'We All Die Young' is the first single to drop from the bands upcoming debut album Zzoorrcchh, which is set for a summer release (though no solid date has been announced yet). The song has a very similar vibe to their early unsigned free single Cosmic Gloss/E.M.F. with some very uplifting lyrics despite the song's title. Sargent House is home to other alternative bands such as Hella, Tera Melos, Boris, and Fang Island, and I can't think of a better home for this up and coming duo. If you dig music that goes off the walls, then hit the jump to hear the new song.

February 23, 2013

Unoriginal Soundtracks #58: Football Manager

Every other Wednesday, I share a playlist of songs tangentially related to a single game or series. Songs about alien sex for Mass Effect, world leaders for Civilization, and so on. Searching for relevant terms on Spotify is a great way to discover new music and uncover hidden gems. Make requests to @USPodcast on Twitter.

Video games are about aspirational fantasy and living new lives. And sometimes those lives are mundane things like an asteroid miner or a manager. The lives of football managers inspire this playlist of spoken word, soul, and punk.

February 19, 2013

Video: SoundStain by Aprons


Occasionally we get a few e-mails in the Cerebral Pop inbox that catch our eyes. In this case it is the new music video from the duo The Aprons. This dream pop team hails from Tel Aviv, and, according to their bandcamp profile, "met while escaping the great avalanche of 1805. Leaving their families of Siberian wolves behind, they embarked on their musical journey."

The music video comes off their debut album, SoundStain (which you can stream in full right here), and has some very solid production backing it up. The vibe of the video reminds me a lot of the movie Snow White and the Huntsman, but honestly, I prefer re-watching this haunted lullaby than the headache inducing mushroom trip of a fairytale retelling.  The video was directed by Liran Goldberg and took a team of 40 animators to create it. Watch the crystallized video after the jump.

February 14, 2013

Shuffled #49: Be My Bloody Valentine?

Every other Wednesday either Matt or Alex C-Y share their love of music in an assortment of ways. Shuffled is a podcast whose format is as varied as their tastes in music, so hopefully you won't ever be bored and everyone can find something to enjoy.

Happy Valentine's Day, even though I'm a tad late! What? You mean to say I'm right on time? No no! I'm not referring to the actual lovers holiday (or Singles Awareness Day if you prefer). I'm talking about the first My Bloody Valentine album release in over two decades. Two weeks ago the band dropped the much anticipated album to a lot of buzz and fanfare that their new website couldn't even hold up to all the traffic.

In celebration of their new release, I put together a quick playlist of tracks that are all part of the shoegaze genre. Check it out after the jump!