TBS Over Fox Any Day of the Week

It's no secret that I am a staunch supporter of Team CoCo. Hell, I wrote this article well before any of the Conan/Leno hubbub went down. But I haven't written anything since it all blew up in Conan's face, so I thought it was about time for me to weigh-in on the most recent development. TBS was the right choice.

I think everyone had gotten so used to the idea of Conan moving to Fox, that when it was recently announced he would be getting a show on TBS come November it was tough for people to actually grasp the idea. So let's take a step back and really analyze this whole situation.

Insufficient Funds: I Come to Shanghai

Insufficient Funds is a regular post in which we feature a free, or very close to it, piece of media that you can enjoy without overdrafting your bank account.

You may not have heard of I Come to Shanghai unless you're an avid follower of video games. One half of the band is freelance video game journalist Robert Ashley, and it was through his pimpage on game podcasts upon release of the album that I heard about it. But don't worry if you aren't a fan of video games, as it isn't at all a requirement for enjoying the band.

I Come to Shanghai is just good, quality psychadelic pop music. The best part? You can download the entire album for absolutely free from their website http://icometoshanghai.com/. And should you enjoy it, be sure to read my interview with Robert from last year, as well as go and drop them some donation money to make up for the great music.

Movie Review: Kick-Ass

Kick-Ass begins as an attempt to tell a realistic story about just what would happen if some comic nerd decided to put on a costume and fight crime, and in that area it completely delivers. From the opening shot of the movie, in which a winged-"hero" leaps from the top of a skyscraper -- only to smash into a taxi below -- we're shown that putting on a ridiculous costume in an attempt to become a hero is just about the stupidest thing you could ever do.

And after being barraged with scenes that show the grim reality of the asinine decisions that the main character, Dave Lizewski, is making for himself by wearing a scuba suit and trying to fight gang members, it leads to just about the most amazing action scene I've ever seen in an action movie. Becoming every possible cliche, I was almost about to lean forward onto the edge of my seat and wipe the sweat from my brow as Dave, a.k.a. Kick-Ass, takes on three attackers by himself to protect their victim.

Video Round-Up: Re-think Edition

Video Round-Up is a weekly post collecting an assortment of videos from around the web. Whether they be music videos, creative viral marketing, just plain cool, or just plain ridiculous, they will all be found on Video Round-Up.

Whether it's good ol' fashion art, a modern twist on sci-fi, a satire, or a different point of view, this week's videos feature creators who take something and make something else out of it.



Joshua Harris created some great art out of trash bags and air pressure in subway tunnels--another thing on the list of creative stuff I can't do.

March Music Wrap-Up

The Music Wrap-Up is a monthly summary of my favorite and other notable new releases. The songs are for sampling purposes only. Artists or labels notify me with any complaints and I will remove the song as soon as possible. Please support these musicians as that's the reason I'm featuring them in the first place.

There was so much wonderful music this month, and it's all over the board. Whether you want the soulful stylings of the adorable Zooey Deschanel, the upbeat ska of Streetlight Manifesto, the crazy antics of Liars, or the calm, soothing beats of Bonobo, you're set. And I'm not even going to mention Broken Bells, Jonsi Birgisson (from Sigur Ros), Jaguar Love, Small Brown Bike and the live albums from bands like Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly, and The Weakerthans!

And while I'm not mentioning things, I just listened to NPR's All Songs Considered Spring Music Preview today, and there is plenty more great music coming out that I didn't even know know about. Stars is putting out a new CD this year?! I LOVE STARS! So click the link below, enjoy some amazing music, and stay tuned to Cerebral Pop's Music Wrap-Up all summer long so that you won't miss out. Give all the music a chance! You might just like each and every selection, I sure do.

Scroll right to the bottom for the playlist if you want to listen to each and every Wrap-Up song without worrying about clicking play all the time.

Car-tunes!

As a child, whenever we became hyped up on the latest sugar-coated cereal craze, most parents were relieved that our hopped-up selves were outside playing freeze tag. Whenever we became a housed menace though, they were mercifully spared as we were entranced by our precious cartoons.

Nowadays, you will seldom find any 20-something "adult" who will concede that today's cartoons are of the same quality as the ones we used to watch.

So, let's take a walk down Nostalgia Lane, shall we? Ever wondered what the contributors to Cerebral Pop's favorite old cartoon themes are? No, of course you haven't. But here they are. With the themes included. Enjoy!