#Sonic and chip was only thing that made me endure feel like my life was worth it at that time

[celibibratty]

ugh, ugh, marina told me such a fucked up thing that mom said toward us kids, I didn't remembered that, now i remembered again, ugh, was a day that mom was angry with us for a reason, and it was at the time when we were obsessed with sonic Unleashed(we were very very little), it was so mean, she said "sonic and chip!, you two only care for sonic and chip, it's not sonic and chip that take care of you",............, ugh that was so cruel, so fake, you act like you care for the game too and then you talk trash about it, so rotten

[myboipracticallyimagines]

Right Beside Me - The Doctor x Reader

Prompt: The Doctor ages from 9-13 and reader must deal with the toll of change and loss. Reader goes through the many regenerations of the Doctor. 

You first knew the Doctor on his ninth body, more or less that is, but he preferred ninth. You were beside him the day he turned into his tenth self. It was shocking, and heartbreaking, and left you lonely in a way you’d never felt before. The man you had grown to trust, one might even go as far as to say love, had transformed almost completely, leaving you longing for someone who was still sitting right beside you.

 The aches in your chest slowly ceased as you came to the realization that he was still your Doctor. The way he always made sure you were safe first in a dangerous situation never faltered. The way he looked at you when he was sure you weren’t paying attention was still there. He was still your beautiful, loving Doctor. 

It was on this face you told him you loved him. 

You had just returned to the TARDIS after the events on the way to Midnight. Donna had already retired to bed and you were left alone with the Doctor. You sat on the floor, back resting against the railing. The Doctor sat with his back to the console, clearly shaken as well.  “I’m sorry you had to see that,” he finally said, eyes still yet to meet yours.  “I’m sorry I couldn’t help more. I wish I would’ve done more but I felt so powerless.”  “It’s not your fault. There is nothing you could’ve done to change what they had already decided.”

“I thought I was going to lose you,” your voice shook as you uttered what had now become your greatest fear. “I was so scared, Doctor.” “Hey, come here,” the Doctor soothed you, moving to sit beside you. He wrapped his arm around your shoulder, allowing you to push yourself into his side. He had removed his suit jacket and you could feel the warmth of his skin under his thin white shirt. 

Maybe it was the fear of losing him, or maybe it was just the stray adrenaline left in your veins, but something in you snapped. “I love you, Doctor. I don’t want to lose you.”  “I wish I could give you everything you want, but I can’t. It’ll hurt you to love me. I’m not like you - you already know that.”  “I do.” You were both quiet, but only for a moment. “I’d rather be hurt by you than be loved by anyone else.” Your voice was barely above a whisper, but it carried the weight of an anchor.  “I couldn’t do that to you.” “Doctor, you’re hurting me more by pushing me away. I’ve loved two of you now and I’ll love how ever many more I can. I wish my life was more than a small blip in time to you. I wish you would open yourself up to someone. You’re so alone, Doctor. I can see it when you think no one is watching.” “You will age and I will not. It will be the hardest thing you’ve ever endured.” “Please for once in your life stop being sensible and kiss me.” 

And he did. You didn’t know which one of you it surprised more, but your bet was on him. He grabbed you with a ferocity you had only seen on the worst of occasions. His moves were sloppy, but deliberate, showing a side of him that he had never shown you before. Never had you seen the doctor so uncalculated and free. You matched your energy to his, easily returning his passion. 

It was easy to love the Doctor. He was caring and kind, always leaving the world better than he found it. Or at least, he tried to. 

His last weeks on his tenth face were hard, to say the least. It started on Mars and only got worse from there. You could see it chipping at him, making him more irritable, to the point that he wouldn’t even want to be near you. Everything came to a climax when the Doctor defeated the Master. The finality of the situation allowed you to relax for the first time in what felt like an eternity. 

It was over. All of the Masters were gone, leaving only the Doctor. A bloodied and bruised Doctor, but him nonetheless. You were trapped inside of a cage, only a glass one, thankfully. Your fingers tapped against the glass, trying to draw his attention to you. He needed medical attention and a lot of rest and the sooner you got off of this planet the better. 

He slowly stood, eyes locking with yours. “You did it, love. I’m so proud of you.” You smiled, pressing your hands to the glass. “Help me get out and lets go home.” You don’t know when you started calling the TARDIS ‘home’, but at some point it became the truth. He walked towards you. “The Master left the nuclear bomb going. It’s gone into overload.” Your stomach sank. It was over. It was just over. Of course things didn’t end perfectly, they rarely did. “That’s not good, is it?” you ask, your voice beginning to get choppy as you fought back tears.  “No, all the excess radiation gets vented into there,” he says, nodding his head to the glass tank you were still encompassed in.  The Doctor would never leave you in a situation like this. His face was contemplative, sad even. You wipe your tears away quickly. “You can’t let me out, can you?” “It’s gone critical. Touch one control and it floods.” He pulls his sonic from his pocket, twirling it around in his fingers. “Even this would set it off.”

A sob forces its way through your throat. You press your hand harder to the glass, desperate for the closeness of the man you loved. He obliged, pressing his own hands on the other side. “Please leave me. I don’t want you to see it, Doctor.”  He draws in a sharp breath, “Oh, right then, I will,” he says, walking in only a circle to return right in front of you. “Because you had to go in there, didn’t you?” Anger now mixed with his sadness. “You had to go and get stuck. Because that’s who you are,” his voice cracks, looking you in the eyes once more. The anger in his voice has passed, leaving him looking smaller than you’ve ever seen him before.  “Please leave me, Doctor,” you cried out. “We always knew that I’d die before you anyway,” you said with a small laugh. It was all you could do to keep from crying. “Of course we did. Look at you, not remotely important!” He walked another few steps away before turning again. “But, me? I could do so much more!” He was no longer speaking to just you, maybe he never had been. He screamed at the sky, the way a child screams at their parent when they know they are being unreasonable. “So much more!” He drops, using a table as leverage. You want nothing more than to hold him as he shakily says, “But this is what I get. My reward.” His voice jumps again, rising with intensity as he shoves the contents of the desk onto the floor. “It’s not fair!”

He calms, his eyes finally meeting with yours. His eyes melted, showing the fear truly inside of him. You ache to console the Time Lord as he stood in front of you, body shaking as he tried to calm himself down. Slowly, he began moving towards you once more. “I’ve lived too long.”  “Please don’t. Whatever you’re about to do - stop it,” you beg. You remembered his first regeneration and how it crushed you. You knew that it would be even harder now that you had fallen even farther in love with this form of himself. “Doctor, please stop.”  He stopped in front of the door, pressing his hand against yours through the glass once more. “I love you.” 

He quickly opened his door, slipping in and leaving you just enough time to slip out before the radiation poured in. The tank turned red, illuminating his skin in a way that caused him to look non-human. He groaned in pain, sinking to the floor. You knelt beside him, telling him every reassuring word you could think of, aching to soothe his pain. His body curled into a ball, in the fetal position. It was the most vulnerable you had ever seen the Time Lord. You cried out to him, feeling the pain that he was going through in your own chest.

Not long after, it was over. The lights returned to normal and his screaming stopped. He stood, opening the door and simply stepping out. “Is that it?” you asked, knowing that it was too good to be true. His face remained unchanged, still the Doctor you loved.  “No. I’m going to change,” he said solemnly. 

That night he gave you instructions on how to drive the TARDIS. He knew that this wouldn’t be the last regeneration you saw and wanted you to be safe when the time came. You parked down at a safe location, hopeful that no one would bother you.  

That night he regenerated, causing the death of the man you fell in love with. But, you didn’t fall in love with a man, you fell in love with the Doctor. Your heart grew fond of the new face of your love. He was goofier and much stranger than his tenth form. But, in those few moments where the world fell around him, he was harsher than him. His soft edges masked the true sharpness of the man, making the shift even more alarming. 

You had forgotten how much his demeanor changed when he first regenerated. Everything was brand new and you had to fall in love again with not only a new face, but parts of a new man. His physicality was not the only change. There were days that you missed how easy it was to be with his last regeneration. Everything was smooth and you could sense his reactions almost as quick as he could. 

His eleventh form was a bit harder to learn, but you found yourself deep in love once more. Before you realized it you were used to the face you were waking up beside. You no longer had the jolt of confusion that you had when he first changed. All you felt as your eyes slowly focused on him was love.  “Good morning,” you’d whisper as he looked over at you, a blissful smile present on his sleepy face.  “Good morning, darling,” he’d reply, brushing his hand through your hair.  It was nice to have a calm moment together before you got into whatever antics came along with traveling with the Doctor. 

You enjoyed those adventures until your last, kissing him goodbye once more and waiting for his next form. It was hard and painful, but you did it again. 

And again. 

The Doctor was hunched over the console, clearly still feeling the effects of the new regeneration. He would need rest and lots of it. You had been through this three times prior, and were able to help him come out mostly unscathed. The Doctor stood, allowing you to finally see his new reincarnation. It took you a few moments to comprehend that this new face was that of a woman. “Oh,” you simply said, digesting the new form.  “Am I ginger?” she asked, her face lit up. When she smiled you could see the resemblance to her tenth face. Every regeneration, this one a little more so, startled you slightly. Even with your many years of loving the different forms of the Doctor, it was easy to shut down at a new regeneration. It normally took about a week for you to fully warm up to the new face, but it always happened.  You smiled. “No, blonde, and also female,” you said, pulling out the console mirror. 

“Blimey, never been one of those before,” she said, examining herself fully. “On another note, I believe I’m about to have a surge.” You knew that was your cue to retreat to your bedroom, and you did. You would often wait here for a day while the TARDIS was already parked at a decidedly safe location. 

Like every regeneration, the Doctor found herself in immense trouble, before consequently working herself out of it. Once the days of strife had settled, you thought that you could afford a day to relax. When you woke up, she was already out of bed, sitting on the couch in the corner, seemingly unaware that you had woken up.  “I thought we agreed on a lie-in, love,” you said, hoping to draw her back into bed for however long you could.  “Are you still happy?” her voice traveled in a straight line, more contemplative than accusatory.  “Of course I am, besides almost being caught on fire on that last planet. Why do you ask?” You shuffled to the couch, sitting cross-legged beside her.  “I’ve been through four changes with you now. No one has ever lasted this long.”  Your fingers slid up her jaw, resting on her cheek. Her eyes meet yours as she lets out a small huff, waiting for your answer.  “I’ve been with four of you, and I plan to be with as many more as I’m able to. I love you and each new day I spend with you is a gift in of itself.”  She smiles, your answer suffice for the time being. “Then let’s get going.”

[joshbentley-blog1]

2018, A Year in Music

A year would not be complete without a list summarizing the sonic triumphs and escapades it saw birthed. Here are my thirty favorite albums from 2018. Enjoy.

30. Kurt Vile - Bottle It In

The singer-songwriter returned in 2018 with a follow up to his 2017 collaboration with Aussie rocker, Courtney Barnett. While I enjoyed Lotta Sea Lice plenty, I found its overarching themes to be a bit dry and the songwriting to be a bit lackluster from two experts such as Barnett and Vile. But Bottle It In is a return to form for the unique Vile. His drawl-y, laid back, groovy guitar cuts and folk-rooted storytelling is potent as ever. A truly beautiful entry into the artist’s discography, Bottle It In is a must-listen for any fan of folk rock and silky smooth songwriting.

Genre:  Folk rock / singer-songwriter

Standouts:  “Loading Zones,” “Yeah Bones,” “One Trick Ponies”

29. Neko Case - Hell-On

Neko Case’s storied career as an artist finds itself here, with 2018′s Hell-On. The album is a reflection on all that Case has experienced thus far, and its delivery is both introspective and cinematic. There are songs here that feel like a stream of consciousness, and others are a bit more straight forward. Still, it demands the attention of the listener, for there are things to pick up on with each listen. What Case, and Hell-On, deliver on the most is catchy and fun ballads that have run through my head like an infectious earworm since its release. “Last Lion of Albion,” “Bad Luck,” and “Curse of the I-5 Corridor,” are standouts in particular.

Genre:  Singer-songwriter / folk pop / country pop

Standouts:  “Last Lion of Albion,” “Bad Luck,” “Curse of the I-5 Corridor”

28. Car Seat Headrest - Twin Fantasy

I was, admittedly, not the biggest fan of Will Toledo and his project Car Seat Headrest when I first listened to Teens of Denial. I found his songwriting to be a bit uni-dimensional at times, and the sonic palette to a bit bland. But after re-visiting his works repeatedly, I’ve become a bigger stan of Toledo’s. It’s undeniable that his knack for melodies is unrivaled. And I’ve come to appreciate his songwriting more and more with each successive listen. His re-release of the cult Bandcamp hit, Twin Fantasy, is a true success though. The refurbished instrumentation and production is a welcome facelift to this Bandcamp classic. And the bodacious and bright new mixing brings new life into Toledo’s work. The support he has received from Matador Records has resulted in an improvement on all fronts, from the record’s origins. It’s a beautiful, and perhaps nostalgic for some, release from Will.

Genre:  Indie rock / singer-songwriter

Standouts:  “Bodys,” “Stop Smoking (We Love You),” “Sober to Death”

27. Vince Staples - FM!

It was released on 2 November 2018 but it feels like something straight out of the humid heat of July. Another entry into the short and succinct album list of 2018, FM! is short-lived at only 22 minutes. But the album has plenty to offer. Seamlessly flowing from track to track, Vince’s latest endeavor plays out more like a in-studio performance for a radio show (as can be heard by the short radio-esque skits played as outros and intros). The songs are braggadocious. Vince raps over silky smooth west coast hip-hop-inspired beats and punches with flows to match.

Genre:  West coast hip-hop

Standouts:  “Feels Like Summer,” “Outside!” “Don’t Get Chipped,” “FUN!”

26. Florence + the Machine - High As Hope

Florence Welch is a symbol of freedom for me. Her unrivaled passion for her craft, her presence on the stage evokes images of royalty, and her unimpeachable strength make her one of my favorite vocalists of all time. Her voice fills rooms, stadiums, and the ears of millions. A perfect example of this potency is 2015′s How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful; an album that was cinematic, wide in scope and sound, and an important leap for Florence’s artistic career. But this year’s High As Hope is much more intimate. One could even call it a step backwards for Florence, but I would respectfully disagree with this statement. For me, High As Hope is a logical step forward for Florence. Following a loud and explosive release in 2015, a cathartic climax I’m sure, it makes sense to hear Florence make her descent down an intimate and minimal road. And down this road we see Florence explore and make available her struggles with loneliness, depression, and a myriad of other demons. She trades the titanic orchestral sets for pianos, sparse percussion, and cuts through these thin veils with her meteoric voice. But at the end of the day (and the record), there is an air of hope. Hope drives this record, and it’s what drives Florence, and that is more than enough for me.

Genre:  Chamber pop / art pop

Standouts:  “Sky Full Of Song,” “Hunger,” “June,” “No Choir”

25. Mount Eerie - Now Only

Phil Elverum has endured more than one can even begin to dream of. 2017 saw Elverum face the loss of his wife, it saw him begin to face single fatherhood. From that turmoil came A Crow Looked At Me, a beautifully tragic album that gave us a close up look at Elverum’s grief and loss. That album was succinct, precise, and to the point. Now Only is much more a stream of consciousness, a rambling of sorts, and it plays out much like Elverum is writing an epilogue to A Crow in real time. The song structures are varied, and some draw on into the ten minute range. It takes effort to really let this album sink in and marinate, and once it does it pays dividends.

Genre:  Singer-songwriter / indie folk

Standouts:  “Tintin in Tibet,” “Distortion,” “Crow, Pt. 2″

24. U.S. Girls - In a Poem Unlimited

In a Poem Unlimited is a beautiful art pop record, filled with enveloping and gorgeous layers of instrumentation. It’s refined, it’s sharp, and its sound is unlike anything this year has seen. Art pop, folk pop, disco, soul, synth pop, and baroque pop are all genres that blend together and come through in U.S. Girl’s most refined piece yet. And if there’s anything that sticks out especially, it’s the record’s production. It is just so polished. Of course Meghan’s vocals are as cutting as ever, but it is the record’s beautiful construction that keeps me coming back to this one. Songs like “Velvet 4 Sale,” and “L-Over” are particular highlights for me. I recommend this to anyone who wants a diverse sounding record, or a record to just fall into.

Genre:  Art pop / synth pop / psych pop

Standouts: “Velvet 4 Sale,” “Rosebud,” “L-Over,” “M.A.H.”

23. Jonny Greenwood - You Were Never Really Here (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Radiohead lead guitarist Jonny Greenwood first grabbed my attention, when it came to his work aside from Radiohead, with his score for Paul Thomas Anderson’s Phantom Thread last year. Gorgeous string arrangements and orchestral builds are swapped out for synthesizers and heavy percussive elements on this latest soundscape however. And while I loved Greenwood’s work with PTA, this latest project sees Greenwood using these tools expertly. His soundtrack is one of the best of this year, and it adds to the immersive world that Lynne Ramsay built in You Were Never Really Here. Dissonant and sharp guitars, thunderous and warping synths pierce your ears and create a sense of unease, matched when experienced while watching the film. And while some scores and/or soundtracks fail to stand on their own without their cinematic partners, Greenwood’s work here is more than enough on its own.

Genre:  Film soundtrack / experimental

Standouts:  “Tree Synthesizers,” “Sandy’s Necklace,” “Dark Streets (Reprise)”

22. Kali Uchis - Isolation

Colombian soul singer Kali Uchis made her full-length debut this year with Isolation. A diverse roster came together to collaborate on this project; the likes of Steve Lacy, Boosty Collins, Damon Albarn, Thundercat, and Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker appear on this record in some shape or form, and those are but a few to name. This amalgamation of artists and minds makes for a sonically diverse record, one that spans genres and emotions. And through it all Kali Uchis shines through as an up-and-coming talent. Still, there is plenty of room to grow, as the lyricism and songwriting on some tracks falls a bit flatter than others. But overall this record is so unique it stands above its contemporaries.

Genre:  Neo-soul / contemporary R&B

Standouts:  “Just A Stranger,” “In My Dreams,” “Feel Like A Fool”

21. Sons of Kemet - Your Queen Is a Reptile

London jazz unit, Sons of Kemet, delivered a revolutionary jazz record this year. Politically-fueled, unapologetically cultural, it is based in African music and African history yet brimming with ingenuity. Thunderous horns, bombastic drums and chaotic wind sections grow and pulse through this record. Broken up are these progressions by spoken word passages, which add depth and prose to the record. Your Queen Is a Reptile is surely a classic, and a definite listen for any jazz enthusiast.

Genre:  Afro-jazz

Standouts:  “My Queen Is Ada Eastman,” “My Queen Is Harriet Tubman,” “My Queen Is Angela Davis”

20. MGMT - Little Dark Age

Perhaps best known for their indie breakout hit Oracular Spectacular, with late-2000s anthems like “Kids,” “Time To Pretend,” and “Electric Feel,” MGMT was considered by some destined to fail to meet their success of 2007. Little Dark Age dispels these notions, with dark and gloomy pop cuts as well as a purposefully occult themes. MGMT never wanted to make mainstream pop music, and released Oracular Spectacular as an odd protest to such desires observed in their fans. This devotion to the subversions of mainstream pop followed them through their discography post-Oracular, but hits its peak here with Little Dark Age.

Genre:  Gothic pop / synth pop / psych pop

Standouts:  “Little Dark Age,” “When You Die,” “Me and Michael,” “She Works Out Too Much”

19. Adrianne Lenker - Abysskiss

Big Thief’s frontwoman, Adrianne Lenker, adds to her solo career with Abysskiss. Recorded within the approximate span of a week, the record has an air of urgency but is patient in its delivery. Lenker is reserved, yet determined in her delivery. The album is much like tramping on a trail or wandering through a city unknown. It winds, it hypnotizes. I found myself ensnared by Lenker’s finger-picking and her hauntingly beautiful voice. Fans of Big Thief will love this solo effort by Lenker, and I hope many others can find and appreciate its beauty in minimalism.

Genre:  Folk / singer-songwriter

Standouts:  “terminal paradise,” “womb,” “cradle”

18. Young Fathers - Cocoa Sugar

Scottish trio Young Fathers came out swinging with Cocoa Sugar. Blending a multitude of genres, Young Fathers have released their sharpest record to date. Its inclusion of neo-soul, conscious hip-hop, gospel, electronica, and R&B make for a sonic experience rivaled by few. The album builds and builds this chaotic wall of sound, finally reaching its release with tracks like “In My View,” and “Lord.” But the album is a engaging listen throughout.

Genre:  Indietronica / neo-soul / art pop / experimental hip-hop / gospel

Standouts:  “Fee Fi,” “In My View,” “Lord,” “Border Girl”

17. JPEGMAFIA - Veteran

DAMN PEGGY! 19 tracks. 47 minutes. This album slaps. Baltimore rapper/producer, JPEGMAFIA, has come out with one of the most experimental and abrasive rap albums of the century. Using sounds unnatural and inorganic to human ears, Peggy is creating songs unlike any of his contemporaries. It is difficult to put into words just how experimental and “out there” this album is.  His songwriting is excellently woven into these instrumentals and samples, making for catchy cuts and oddly comedic one-liners. There is a real texture to these songs, and the dynamic swells of sound make for a transcendent and mind-numbing experience. Veteran isn’t just one of the most creative rap albums I’ve ever heard, it’s perhaps one of the best rap albums I’ve ever heard.

Genre:  Experimental hip-hop

Standouts:  “1539 N. Calvert,” “Thug Tears,” “Baby I’m Bleeding

16. Jon Hopkins - Singularity

In the same realm of immersive listens, I don’t think there is one album this year that can reach the same heights (both literally and figuratively) as Singularity. This album feels like the genesis of a brand new world, like the exploration of the unknown reaches past our galaxy. It’s an odyssey of sound, an insurmountable summit of synthesizers, strings, percussion and much, much more. The album opens with the title track, “Singularity,” which sets the stage for what the album is meant to accomplish. The winding synths and electric drum beats create an atmosphere similar to the cold and unforgiving nature of space. Seamlessly, the album bursts into the song “Emerald Rush,” which slows things down at first, allows the listener to breath and grab hold of their whereabouts. But this feeling of ease and calm is sliced by the thunderous and monolithic bass-heavy bursts at around the 1:33 mark. From there on out the song becomes a tribal experience. The drum beats creating an almost religious evocation, of a religion foreign to Earth. “Neon Pattern Drum,” continues this ethereal theme and the song is a sonic representation of its title. Once again, tribal synths and drums entrap the listener, banishing them to a realm of neon and galactic enterprise. Jon Hopkins has created something truly special with Singularity. Its atmosphere and reach are indescribable.

Genre:  Ambient / tech house / IDM

Standouts:  “Singularity,” “Emerald Rush,” “Neon Pattern Drum,” “Feel First Life,” “C O S M”

15. Julia Holter - Aviary

While JPEGMAFIA may have released the most experimental hip-hop album of 2018, I firmly believe that Julia Holter released the most experimental and  dense album of 2018. Emphasis on “dense.” Let me repeat. This. Album. Is. Dense. Blending more genres than I can even think of, Aviary is layered and complex. Much like a tasting menu at a prestigious restaurant, Holter’s work demands patience and attention. But if you put in the time - for Pete’s sake this album is an hour and 30 minutes long - you will be rewarded. Holter crafts a universe of her own, and only she knows (or maybe doesn’t) how to traverse it, we are but left to helplessly follow in the hopes of finding our eventual way. And that’s what makes this album one of this year’s best. Julia doesn’t compromise here, and has the courage to craft an expansive and broad experience. In a year where succinct and short albums seemed to grab hold (e.g. Be the Cowboy), Aviary separates itself as a cacophonous cloud of grand and classical influences. Holter’s talents as a composer and multi-instrumentalist are present throughout the journey as well; she’s able to create a scape of her own, but one that reminds me of a futuristic world, one akin to that of the world of Blade Runner. The mixing draws up sour string arrangements and heavenly synths, her howling voice and earth-shattering basslines to great effect. She even sings in multiple languages, including: English, French and Latin. It’s mysterious. It’s frustrating. It’s painfully poetic. It’s a juggernaut of an album. But it is unapologetically beautiful in its own right.

Genre: Idk... to many (art pop / classical / avante garde)

Standouts:  “I Shall Love 2,” “Colligere,” “Les Jeux to You,” “Words I Heard”

14. Big Red Machine - Big Red Machine

The works of Justin Vernon and Aaron Dessner are enough draw the attention of many indieheads. From Vernon’s ventures as Bon Iver and Volcano Choir, and Dessner being a member of the acclaimed rock outfit, The National, there are enough accolades between the two of them that any sort of joining of forces would result in a sure fire classic. And that’s exactly what Big Red Machine is, in the most un-classic way possible. Songs from the record have been floating around the Internet for some time now, with Vernon and Dessner playing some songs live at festivals like Eaux Claires. But it wasn’t until this year we formally received notice that a record would be surfacing. The self-titled debut is much more akin to the sound of 22, A Million or Sleep Well Beast. Fans of traditional National, or older Bon Iver, may be disappointed to find the album relies on synths and motherboards instead of solely guitars, drum and bass. But behind all of the bleeps and bloops are notes of the artists’ original sounds. “I Won’t Run From It,” sound like it could have appeared on Bon Iver, Bon Iver, and “Forest Green,” could have easily been on High Violet if Vernon’s vocals were traded in for Berninger’s. Big Red Machine is a leap forward for the two artists, and it marks a pivotal point in their careers, one should not miss out on this project.

Genre:  Folktronica / indie rock

Standouts:  “Forest Green,” “I Won’t Run From It,” “Hymnostic”

13. St. Vincent - MassEducation

A complete re-imagining of her own Masseduction, Anne Clark is always at the forefront of the music sphere. She’s an elite guitarist, a visionary songwriter, and a fashion icon on top of all that. To re-record, re-imagine, and re-produce your own album is already a bold task, but for Anne it must have just been a logical step forward for her. Where Masseduction was experimental, sour, and sharp-edged, full of futuristic progressions and dystopian engagements, MassEducation is not. It is slow, intimate, subdued and minimal. Featuring mainly piano and acoustic arrangements, Anne has created a beautifully classic sound.

Genre:  Singer-songwriter / acoustic

Standouts:  “Slow Disco,” “Smoking Section,” “Los Ageless,” “New York,” “Pills”

12. Ought - Room Inside the World

Montreal post-punk outfit, Ought, add to the post-punk front this year with Room Inside the World. An album that’s groovy and hypnotic, Ought have improved upon their works of past with this entry. Lead vocalist, Tim Darcy, has a unique voice that cuts through the colorful palette of guitars, keys, bass, and percussion. The record chugs along with a deliberate nonchalant vibe, up until the release during the album’s midway point in “Desire.” A strong contender for song of the year, “Desire” marks a pivotal point in the album. It takes the build up of the previous four tracks, and adds to it with its own two minute and forty second build up, crescendoing to a beautiful arrangement of Darcy’s own voice backed by an array of singers. Room Inside the World is a passionate piece, one that is even better when experienced live. A solid post-punk entry deserving of every listen.

Genre:  Post-punk / art rock

Standouts:  “Desire,” “Disgraced In America,” “Into the Sea,” “These 3 Things”

11. Against All Logic - 2012-2017

Nicolas Jaar’s debut project on the Other People label is a beautiful house record. Seriously, this album is a broad soundscape, utilizing horns, deep and guttural synth blares, percussive snaps, soul and R&B samples, and disco and funk flavors. The songs fade in and fade out beautifully, creating a sonic cityscape and sweaty, club atmosphere. Jaar opens with the stunning “This Old House Is All I Have,” a jammy and soulful house cut. Tracks like “Cityfade,” and “Some Kind of Game,” blend funk and disco seamlessly with the digital character of boiler room house. Where Hopkins uses Singularity to imagine a space-filled void, wrapping the listener in stars, comets and cosmic gas, Jaar opts for a more down-to-earth approach. Synthesizing an urban, concrete-jungle type of space, Jaar masterfully pulls the listener into the middle of New York streets, Berlin clubs, and French dance houses.

Genre:  House / boiler room house

Standouts:  “This Old House I Have,” “Cityfade,” “Rave on U,” “Some Kind of Game”

10. Father John Misty - God’s Favorite Customer

Father John Misty’s Pure Comedy (2017) was one of my favorite albums last year. No album so poignantly critiqued the state of affairs the country sees itself in, what the world sees itself in. No album so vividly expressed the frustration, sadness, hopelessness, and abandon that many of us - including myself - have felt since that fateful election of November 2016. But what strikes me so powerfully now, is the knowledge that J. Tillman wrote Pure Comedy well before the 2016 election cycle. Certainly, it was not difficult for anyone to picture the road we as a country were headed down, but for Tillman to so succinctly capture those emotions before we felt them, that is something truly special.

Gone were the intimate and personal ballads found on Fear Fun or I Love You, Honeybear. Pure Comedy opted for a more meta-analysis type of song structure, critiquing society as a whole and all the populations that inhabit it. It chose to express a different type of love, a love for mankind as a whole. It had a much broader array of instrumentation as well; strings, horns, orchestral units all culminated to form a cinematic, almost theatrical sound. These elements made for an expansive and full-breadthed listen. So when it was announced that Tillman would follow up this masterpiece of a project immediately in 2018 with God’s Favorite Customer, I was intrigued to see where he would take us.

Back are the familiar song structures and instrumental arrangements found in I Love You, Honeybear and Fear Fun, back is the personal and introspective songwriting. It is (in a sense) a return to form for Tillman, or rather, Father John Misty as a character. But now, there is a sense of discomfort and dismay in Misty’s voice and delivery. It is an exploration of turmoil and it is unfamiliar to us, since Misty often comes off as confident and saturated with cynicism. This darker road we’re led down opens us to the struggles of an artist trapped behind a character. While Tillman may not consider his moniker a trap all of the time, the lifestyle his art brings has certainly caused him his fair share of hardships. And it is this honesty that is so potent to me. A beautiful, beautiful addition to an already superb discography.

Many disregard Misty because of the veil he portrays so often. A veil of cynicism, pretentiousness and superiority. But what I think many fail to realize and account for is that the veil is just that: a veil. Any character or performance can run the well dry, but I believe Misty is only reaching his peak at this moment. What keeps me invested is knowing that behind that cynicism, Josh Tillman is a deeply caring, professional and upstanding artist. His continued philanthropy is a testament to this love. And perhaps that is why God’s Favorite Customer struck such a strong chord in me. Hearing that this man has faced some of his darkest times, and yet still finds the strength and courage to help others, it is inspiring. So while you are free to judge Father John Misty the character, I think Josh Tillman deserves more than a fair shake for having helped so many of us during such dark times.

Genre:  Singer-songwriter / chamber pop / piano rock

Standouts:  “Hangout at the Gallows,” “Mr. Tillman,” “Please Don’t Die,” “We’re Only People (And There’s Not Much Anyone Can Do About That)”

9. Mid-Air Thief - Crumbling

This album and artist are shrouded in mystery, as far as I can tell. There is not much I can find on Mid-Air Thief and his work that isn’t written in Korean. Regardless, one thing remains clear, Crumbling is perhaps the most gorgeously textured album I’ve ever heard. It mixes elements of folk, synth pop, glitch pop, and bedroom pop to create a warm and inviting sound unique to itself. At times the album sounds like something one would hear during a Studio Ghibli film, and at others it sounds like the soundtrack to a crisp autumn afternoon. Crumbling is bubbly, sincere and vulnerable. It sounds like looking through old photo albums, it sounds like walking through the park on a warm summer day, it sounds like sharing a meal with those you love. There’s no other projects I can really compare this album to for you, and ultimately I think that’s a good thing. You just have to listen to this one for yourself to truly understand what I am talking about.

Genre:  Synth folk / synth pop / glitch folk

Standouts: I mean, the whole album... but “Why?” “Gameun Deut,” “Curve and Light,” and “Crumbling Together,” for sure.

8. Amen Dunes - Freedom

Much like hallucinating on psychedelics or living through a fever dream, Freedom is a euphoric and shimmery listen. The off-kilter structure of many songs, the groovy basslines and percussion, topped off by Damon McMahon’s sensual voice sends the listener into a trance. The album builds and builds, creating an ethereal sonic atmosphere, wrapping the listener like a ghostly blanket. It draws the listener in and traps them in a haze of memory, emotion and soul.

Genre:  Psychedelic folk / folk rock

Standouts:  “Blue Rose,” “Time,” “Miki Dora,” “Believe,” “Dracula,” “Freedom”

7. Parquet Courts - Wide Awake!

Politically-charged, funk-woven rock anthems are certainly not a dime a dozen. Smart, catchy post-punk cuts are not easy to execute, especially when trying to interject political themes and commentary on sociopolitical issues. But Parquet Courts, a Brooklyn-based indie rock collective, have certainly accomplished the seemingly impossible with Wide Awake! Providing perspective on violence, agency in the modern age, disparities in our modern economy. The lyrical focus on this album is superb, and there is a clear attention to the writing here. But the instrumentation is equally illustrative. Slick guitar riffs, funky bass lines, snappy percussion, and a myriad of effects keep the songs flowing with character. There’s also an amazing fusion of many genres. Funk, soul, garage rock, post-punk, and jangle pop can all be heard in some form or another on this record. No song sounds like its predecessor or successor, making Wide Awake! one of this year’s best.

Genre:  Post-punk / indie rock

Standouts:  “Violence,” “Mardi Gras Beads,” “Almost Had To Start A Fight/In and Out of Patience,” “Freebird II,” “Wide Awake,” “Tenderness”

6. Janelle Monae - Dirty Computer

Janelle Monae is an artist unlike any other. A musician, a model, an actor, a producer, and rapper, Monae’s talents and passions have combined to create unstoppable works. From her previous LPs, to her accolades for roles in films such as Moonlight, I was very much anticipating this latest release. It seems Monae is at her most adventurous right now, venturing out into modes and endeavors few other artists would dare explore. And she does so with such poise and strength on Dirty Computer. It is much more poppy and glossy than her previous works, but it is also conceptual and forward-thinking to a high degree. Exploring sexuality, love, individualism, and pride in all forms, the album is an exquisite listen. Songs like, “Screwed” and “Make Me Feel,” are overtly sexual, but backed by tangible passion and pride. Monae’s obvious inspiration from Prince is found on these songs as well, adding to the lust and mystery. The tracks “Django Jane,” and “Pynk” are infectious and inspiring anthems, preaching love for one’s self and hearkening to the struggles of being a minority in a tumultuous America. These are not the only songs with such impacts however. The entire project is a prideful piece of art, worthy of all the accolades it has received.

Genre:  Contemporary R&B / synth funk / art pop

Standouts:  “Screwed,” “Django Jane,” “Make Me Feel,” “Pynk,” “I Got The Juice,” “I Like That”

5. Mitski - Be The Cowboy

At her roots, Mitski is very much a punk icon. And what is more punk than the subversion of classic musical standards? Mitski opts for a much more brief and precise project with Be The Cowboy. At 14 songs and 32 minutes, it’s an album that sucks you in and spits you out in the matter of mere minutes. Songs average on the 2:30 length, leaving just enough to make you feel full but certainly not enough to leave you satisfied. And that intentional briefness is what kept me coming back to this album. The emotional climaxes that build are abruptly cut off, and I’m left feeling empty and yearning for more. The swells of love and loss keep you afloat for just a moment, only to drag you down and leave you gasping for breath. “Geyser,” opens the album, creating a sense of empowerment and vision. But I soon realized that Mitski is battling herself in this album. She is struggling to move on from the past, but more than certain that she has the power to do so. That’s what I think “Be the cowboy,” means. At least to a degree. That idea of capturing the symbolism and presence of the old gunslingers of the west. That idea of being strong willed and free flows throughout the project. Mitski is no longer apologizing for herself. She channels that energy of the cowboy and has created an album that speaks to the strength within us all.

Genre:  Indie rock / art pop

Standouts:  “Geyser,” “Old Friend,” “A Pearl,” “Lonesome Love,” “Me and My Husband,” “Nobody,” “Two Slow Dancers”

4. Lucy Dacus - Historian

Virginia native, Lucy Dacus, has had quite the year. From releasing her sophomore full length record, to joining forces with her contemporaries Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker, 2018 has proved to be a pivotal moment in the singer-songwriters career. And I couldn’t think of an artist more deserving of such success and praise. Dacus is so humble and soft spoken, it is a revelation when she belts out on tracks like “Night Shift.” Her presence on stage and on her latest album evoke such emotion and personality, making Historian one of my favorite albums of the decade. From a distance, many could label Dacus as your run-of-the-mill indie singer-songwriter. But from the moment the album kicks off, you realize this is something else entire. “Night Shift,” is a perfect example of Dacus’ mature writing and song structuring, with the songs building with emotion and boiling over after a certain point. Dacus’ soft voice becomes increasingly more powerful as songs go on, and fill the room with energy and emotion.

Delving into self love, loss and facing the inevitability of time, Dacus finds herself facing mortality and wisdom at the same time. There is a sense of growth on this album, especially when compared to her debut album. The crunchy guitar lines, the smooth drums and bass, emboldened by Dacus’ one of a kind voice hypnotize the listener. Songs vary in length beautifully as well. Dacus can easily write catchy singles like “Addictions,” but she is more than capable of (and perhaps better suited for) writing expansive and fluctuating ballads that creep towards the six, seven minute mark. Overall, there is a real comfort to this record, and an unparalleled presence that is sure to stand the test of time.

Genre:  Indie rock / singer-songwriter

Standouts:  “Night Shift,” “Addictions,” “The Shell,” “Nonbeliever,” “Yours & Mine,” “Timefighter,” “Next of Kin”

3. Haley Heynderickx - I Need To Start A Garden

Much like a garden, music is delicate and requires the utmost care to thrive and intrigue. If cared for properly though, the fruits of your labor will be bountiful. Portland-born singer-songwriter Haley Heynderickx understands this dilemma and explores its effects and roots on her debut album, I Need To Start A Garden.

Prior to her full-length debut, Heynderickx had released an EP in 2016 titled, Fish Eyes. The four song venture was bright with intimacy and care. It was like a collection of cacti and succulents, rough around the edges yet beautiful beyond compare. Featuring muted guitar tones, subtle ventures into nature and love, and not much else, the EP was a highlight for me in 2016. Haley’s voice is so pure and emotive, it’s evident her own stories are folded into the weaves of her music.

This is why I was so excited for her full length record this year. When the folk sphere has been dominated by acts such as Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver, and other giants for so long,it is refreshing to hear a new voice in the crowd.

I Need To Start A Garden opens with the somber, “No Face,” a song about self-reflection and self-doubt. And while accompanying tracks like “Show You a Body,” and “Worth It” carry heavy ethos and mystery, Haley isn’t afraid to mix in humor and on-the-nose self-deprecation. “The Bug Collector,” “Untitled God Song,” and “Oom Sha La La” mix up the pace and taste of the LP, trading subtle guitar lines for bright electric rhythms. Haley’s word play and writing talents are evident across the record, but I think these three tracks really display her knack for balancing her lyrics and her esteemed wordsmith-ing.

Much like a garden, music requires the maker to understand the mercurial nature of the process. It doesn’t just happen overnight. No artist better understands these frustrations than Haley. I Need To Start A Garden represents its namesake; its beauty hides behind a veil of minimalism, and its strengths are at times mistaken for faults. Haley’s folk roots give this album space and air to breath, and her ability to tell enchanting stories brings this album to life. If I Need To Start A Garden is any indication, Heynderickx will be back with perennial success.

Genre:  Folk / singer-songwriter

Standouts:  “No Face,” “The Bug Collector,” “Jo,” “Worth It,” “Untitled God Song,” “Oom Sha La La”

2. Boygenius - Boygenius EP

First and foremost, I understand that this collection of songs is technically an EP, not an LP. But I could not make a year-end list documenting all of the projects that I found transformative without including the Boygenius EP. Six intimate and simple songs, written and recorded in the span of a few weeks, including three of the most inspiring and talented individuals in music right now:  Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus. The sheer brilliance of this EP is in its simplicity, as well as its spontaneity and the comfort it so easily provides.

The joining of these three musicians and songwriters has been labeled as indie music’s next ‘supergroup,’ and it is difficult to refute such a label when their debut project and respective tour made such a lasting impact on my life, and I’m sure the lives of many others. When it was announced that Bridgers, Dacus and Baker were collaborating on a project together, I had no idea that the fruits of their labor would arrive within the year. But I am oh so glad it did. These artists are not unfamiliar to me, nor are they to each other. Bridgers and Baker have toured together in the past, and Lucy joined forces with Baker for some shows this year as well. However, I had no idea what any sort of project from these three would sound like, let alone how it would impact me.

Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus all have such unique sounds and distinct approaches to music. Baker is often associated with minimalistic arrangements; her debut solo LP featured only her voice, a guitar, a looping rig, and a piano. While her arrangements have grown and been fleshed out a bit more on her sophomore release, her style is consistent. Focusing on emotional releases through the exploration of here darkest times, Baker builds her songs to cathartic releases. Dacus is similar, but often chooses to flesh out her storytelling a bit more, and opts for a fuller instrumentation (e.g. bass, drums, and a second guitar). Her songs drift and sway, hypnotizing the listener until her progressions ultimately erupt. Bridgers is perhaps the most varied in her sound. Using a baritone guitar, an acoustic, slide guitars, drums, bass and synths. Her debut album was a joy to listen to because it flipped conventional indie rock and indie folk on its head. It didn’t revolutionize the sound per se, but her songwriting and humor shine through like few other indie folk records do.

These elements from each artist come together beautifully on the EP. The way each artist is able to harmonize with each other, work off each other and build the others up is incredible. Some songs highlight a different artist in some way. “Me & My Dog,” is a ballad featuring Phoebe on lead vocals and guitar, “Stay Down,” is forwarded by Baker and “Bite The Hand” kicks the EP off with Lucy’s velvety and somber singing. But there are also cuts that serve as vehicles for the three artists’ talents to merge and blossom. “Souvenir,” and “Ketchum, ID” in particular include exquisite harmonies between the three artists and verses are traded back and forth among the singers. This sharing of material not only allows the listener to experience each artist individually, but in a way it is the sonic embodiment of what this EP is all about. It’s about sharing, loving yourself and each other, and not being afraid to find comfort in the shared anxieties that life throws at you.

Genre:  Indie rock / indie folk / singer-songwriter

Standouts:  The entire EP

1. IDLES - Joy as an Act of Resistance

I’ve discussed how volatile and fickle heavily-political projects can be in this day and age. It is easy for the project to drown itself in self-righteousness or to lose itself in its own tone deafness. Political narratives in music can also become jumbled and indigestible if done poorly.  But this is not the case for Bristol punk outfit, IDLES, and their sophomore record here, Joy as an Act of Resistance.

Tackling UK-centric issues such as the Tory Party’s gaining grip on the nation as well as the recent Brexit controversies, Joy is very much rooted in the chaos and turmoil facing the UK today. However, the album’s messages can find relevance in the United States as well as a myriad of other countries. “Colossus,” the album’s opener, tackles toxic masculinity and its effects on the male mentality. “Never Fight A Man With A Perm,” continues this commentary with sour guitar licks and thunderous drums. Joe Talbot’s - the lead singer of IDLES - shout-like singing cuts through the mix to create a sense of urgency and resistance.

“I’m Scum” slows the record down a bit with rhythmic drums and subdued (for IDLES) instrumentation. It delves into the political and sociopolitical challenges that Britain is currently facing with its continued rise of the right wing party. Lines like, “I don’t care about the next James Bond. He kills for country, Queen and God. We don’t need another murderous toff,” and “This snowflake’s an avalanche,” deliver heavy social punches in such a vivid tone.

Joy’s political tone only continues to grow with “Danny Nedelko,” a ballad of sorts, praising immigrants and all the brilliance and love they bring to their newfound homes (where ever that may be). The song’s namesake is Talbot’s real-life best friend, Danny Nedelko, a Ukrainian immigrant to the United Kingdom. The track speaks on how every day immigrants bring immense value to their communities with lines like, “My blood brother is Malala. A Polish butcher, he’s Mo Farah.” Including the names of famous immigrants to the UK highlights just how one-sided and clouded many citizens’ views on immigrants are.

The album chugs along at breakneck pace, until “June,” the deeply emotional ode to Talbot’s daughter whose untimely passing proved to be a pivotal emotional moment in Talbot’s life. One that sprouted the genesis of this album, and one that will surely be held close for his entire lifetime.

Joy is a straightforward post-punk album with apt commentary that is applicable to any corner of the earth. But what makes this album my album of the year is its delivery of such commentary. Behind the chugging bass lines, the sharp and sour guitar lines, the pounding drums, and Talbot’s gruff voice is a message of love for one another. This juxtaposition only grows in effect with each repeated listen. From the outside looking in, it’s a rough-around-the-edges and jagged punk record. But once you peer deeper into the substance, it’s truly a representation of its title, a reaffirmation that joy is the simplest - and perhaps the most effective - form of resistance to those who work to spread hate and unrest.

Genre:  Post-punk / art punk / hardcore punk

Standouts:  “Colossus,” “Never Fight A Man With A Perm,” “Danny Nedelko,” “I’m Scum,” “June,” “Rottweiler,” “Television”

[antiques-for-geeks]

Game Review : Hungry Horace

Commodore 64 / Melbourne House / 1983 / Originally £5.95

A tired and overused Hungry Horace joke, yesterday.

As video game characters go Horace is not exactly one of the more memorable ones, unless you are over 40, British and the owner of a Sinclair Spectrum. Being a pack-in tape for Sir Clive’s rubber keyed wonder device, many woke up on Christmas Day to open a carefully wrapped box containing Horace’s first adventure, Hungry Horace.

Horace would have three commercial games devoted to him, but without the fame and longevity of Mario or Sonic, he faded into the background. That was, until resurrected by misty eyed Generation X’ers rueing their lost youth and Millennials who either remember him from passed down Spectrums or have watched longplays of his games on YouTube.

The first level and a view that is familiar to millions...

Hungry Horace, the first in his series, hit the shops in 1982. A Pac-Man clone, it was developed in Australia by William Tang for Beam Software with Alfred Milgrom contributing the design for Horace. Released on the Spectrum via Melbourne House, Psion and Sinclair Research, the following year Melbourne House went it alone to bring the game (and character) to the Dragon 32 and Commodore 64. There was a version being advertised for the Commodore Vic 20 with a 16k RAM expansion pack, but this never seems to have made light of day.

Converted to the Commodore 64 by Gregg Barnett whose name might be familiar to some of you for Way of the Exploding Fist, the game follows the same plot as the original for the Spectrum. Horace is in the park and decides to start picking the flowers. Or, depending on which game box you have, feeling peckish, starts eating the flowers. Just like the aliens from War of the Words TV series from the 1980s, the one with Richard Chaves from Predator. Natch, the park keepers are none too happy with Horace either way, so chase him around the four parts of the park - each with a maze to be traversed. Anyone would think that Horace had wandered into Hampton Court Palace...

The game doesn’t rigidly stick to the Pac-Man maze design aesthetic, to varying success.

While there is not a great deal of variety that can be brought to Pac-Man clones, Hungry Horace does at least play with the concept a little. Tunnels that warp you to another part of the screen are still there as are fruits dropped by your foes as they make their way around the maze. However, to progress to the next screen, it is not necessary to eat/pick all of the flowers on the screen, instead just to beat a path to the exit. Levels start with a single park keeper, but take long enough on a screen and another will soon be on your tail. Unlike Pac-Man’s four power pills that can be used to catch ghosts, there is only a single equivalent in Horace - a bell that when rung sends the park keepers into a panic. It’s all a bit Benny Hill, minus the crazy music. Move through all four screens and then the game wraps back to the first, with more park keepers.

So far then, this version is the same as the Spectrum’s. What set the Commodore version apart, aside from the slightly improved graphics and the sound is the maze editor. This is a pretty neat idea, creating your own levels for Horace to rampage around. Want to build a maze where it’s next to impossible to escape? Now you can. Another one with rude words written in the flowers like a student house garden in the summer holidays?  Go ahead. Sadly though it feels more like a programmer’s tool and is not all that intuitive, with it unclear how to play the levels you design. This kind-of renders the maze editor somewhat pointless.

This is the maze editor. Don’t ask what the chequer board layout is for, it doesn't seem to serve a purpose.

Then there are the controls. Although the addition of joystick control alongside keyboard is welcome, the crispness of the Spectrum game has been replaced by a sluggishness, which does the player no favours at all.

All in all however, Hungry Horace faithfully recreates the Spectrum game on the Commodore 64, but outside of adding the maze editor, doesn’t really make much effort to extend it and make use of the facilities the machine offers.

Make of that what you will.

Buying it today

While not rare, it’s harder to come by and is certainly not as ubiquitous as the Spectrum version. Expect to pay anywhere between £2 to £10 depending on condition.

Commentariat

Tim : When I had to migrate away from the Spectrum to the Commodore 64 due to the inability of my Spectrums to keep working after 12 months, I really missed Hungry Horace. I knew from magazine adverts that he had made it to the Commodore 64, so when I finally got my hands on it for my new computer, I could barely wait to play it.

Yes, gone are the hideous sounds of the title screen that the Spectrum suffered, replaced with an eclectic ditty (I would not go so far as to call it a tune). Overall the graphics and general FX are better, but somehow a little of the charm of the Spectrum version had been lost. It was still Hungry Horace, but it was just different enough for me to not like it as much.

One key difference is the Commodore 64 version’s controls. The park keepers are faster than Horace and when coupled with a control system that makes moving Horace as quick as turning an oil-tanker, it breaks the flow of the game. Add in that when a park keeper follows you into one of the tunnels you’re both guaranteed to come out at the same time meaning that you lose a life and what was competent Pac-Man clone becomes a frustrating.

One thing that I was really wanting to play with with the maze editor. I’m not aware of another game of the time that offered this at the time, but it’s not usable enough for you to want to make it work. A superb idea on the face of it, but the implementation falls short.

Overall, it feels like kicking a puppy to say much bad about Horace, so I’ll say this; it’s one of those games that is very much of its time and is probably better off left there.

Pop : I didn’t realise there was a version of this Spectrum icon for the C64 - it seems oddly out of place here. Hungry Horace is the game in the series I’m least familiar with, having seen ‘Skiing’ and ‘Spiders’ regularly round Spectrum owning friends houses. And... it’s competently programmed on the ‘64... but the level design is all kinds of wrong. There’s a one which is basically just a long corridor with a loop at the end and another one that’s mostly a wide open space. They feel really limited, which smacks of game design by someone who didn’t really know how to make games. Pac-Man still holds up today because it’s a brilliantly balanced game. Even making simple games work well takes skill and time. Horace’s effort, whilst featuring an appealingly odd character just doesn’t hold up to that kind of scrutiny. The maze editor is a great idea, but good level design is something I expect the developer to take care of, not something I have to rectify myself with a clunky set of tools!

Meat : I always felt that the weakest entry in the Melbourne House series was Hungry Horace though it’s easy to understand why it is so hard to see through the nostalgia and assess the merits of the game.

At the end of the day, it’s a middling Pac-Man clone that does at least try to be different. Not much more to be said about it. The game is not bad, but it’s not brilliant either. Horace as a character is a far more engaging, if strange, prospect and that he endures says more about him than his games.

Score card

Presentation 5/10

Nicely done but not going to win any prizes.

Originality 6/10

It’s got a few nice little features that distance it from other Pac-Man take-offs of the era. The maze design has to be applauded in at least trying to diverge from the convention set out by the arcade original. Plus the idea to include a maze editor was a nice touch…

Graphics 5/10

Tidy is the word; neatly meets the bar set by the Spectrum version. Feels a little sparse though and would have benefitted from a rethink.

Hookability 7/10

The first flush of this game is good and you’ll spend a while trying to get the hang of it.

Sound 4/10

Minimal, but well executed. The Commodore 64’s SID chip is not being taxed much, even by 1983 standards.

Lastability 4/10

Past the first flush of gameplay, the problems with the controls and maze design soon show through and become infuriating. The maze editor would have upped this score, was it better.

Value for Money 5/10

Not bad at the time and not too bad now.

Overall 5/10

A competent Pac-Man variant which honours the Spectrum original a little too much. Could have been much more given the Commodore 64’s resources.

[ipadsadvise]

Apple Watch Series 2 review: A tick closer to perfection

I ultimately have a need to stop cheating on my Apple Watch.

For the previous 16 months, Apple's wearable as well as I have had an on-again, off-again connection. The Apple Watch looks fantastic. It aids me remain fit. It tells the moment truly well. However it hasn't been the complete wrist solution I need.

With the Apple Watch Series 2, a lot of the concessions of Apple's first-gen smartwatch have actually lastly been taken care of. You could get GPS without carrying your apple iphone. The brand-new Apple Watch is water-friendly. And also it's constructed for rate. With the new, less-expensive Apple Watch Series 1 getting some of the same functions, is the Collection 2 seriously worth the upgrade?

While working on this Apple Watch Series 2 testimonial, I've been using the new device almost everywhere I go ever before considering that it came out Friday. The short response is, 'heck yes.'

Apple Watch Series 2 review

The Apple Watch layout you already love

Absolutely nobody is going to have the ability to tell you're using the brand-new Apple Watch Collection 2 unless you purchase the ceramic Version model. Also after that people may not notice.

The Collection 2 is a simple 0.9 mm more thick than the Collection 1. It weighs somewhat more, too, which I such as due to the fact that it really feels much more solid as well as expensive.

Other than that, every little thing looks the nearly similar on the outside as the original Apple Watch. Bands link to the device the exact same way. The Digital Crown as well as side switch have not relocated (its performance has altered though). And also there's still the same optical heart price sensor bump on the bottom.

The body of the Apple Watch has never ever been a problem. It looks classy, although it's one of the most high-tech watches ever before made. It's neither ostentatious neither nerdy. You could use it while playing sporting activities or participating in a gala, making it a really practical style piece.

Apple Watch Collection 2 GPS tracks your every move

What Apple Watch Collection 2 does not have in layout changes, it greater than makes up for on the inside. The most significant new addition is a GPS chip. This function alone is worth the buy. Especially if you like exercise.

I not need to stuff a Plus-size apple iphone right into my small running shorts when opting for a jog currently that Apple Watch Series 2 can connect to GPS satellites. The connection is intended to secure super-fast, so you do not need to await satellites to line up simply to start your workout.

One of my greatest gripes with the Garmin Fenix 3 I've been making use of rather of my original Apple Watch is the length of time it considers GENERAL PRACTITIONERS to lock on. Way too many times I've been a quarter mile right into my hike before the watch signaled me that it was lastly able to obtain a GPS signal.

Apple Watch Series 2 is intended to be wicked quick at this, however there's simply one problem. The tool's display never shows 'GPS' or another indicator to show it's attached. You simply have to take it on faith that there's a connection behind the scenes. When you obtain back to your iPhone, you can examine your path on a map.

In my limited screening, I discovered the GENERAL PRACTITIONER to be rather strong. It's equally as great as various other running watches I have actually used from Suunto and Garmin, just those smartwatches do not pack almost as numerous various other great features for non-runners as well as sports types.

Apple Watch Collection 2 display is brighter

Apple Watch Collection 2 packs the brightest display screen Apple has actually ever before made. It's even more than 2 times as bright as the Collection 1 (as well as the initial model). The increased brightness doesn't prove that noticeable indoors, yet it assists a great deal outdoors. While on runs, I could review my workout summary much simpler, also under the brilliant Phoenix az sun.

No elevation tracking in Apple Watch Series 2

While Apple Watch Series 2 included a new chip to gauge just how much you go, it still can't track your elevation. Frankly, this sucks.

If you're a trail runner, mountain cyclist or walker, seeing exactly how much you climbed up throughout a workout is vital if you would like to know simply exactly how hard your route was. There's a big difference in problem in between running 5 miles on level roads verses 5 miles with a 2,000-foot elevation gain.

The only means to obtain your elevation data is to load your apple iphone along for the flight. It's not a big discomfort for me due to the fact that I 'd want that information most during a route run or walk, and also I generally lug my iPhone in my backpack. If you want to use it in a race, however, it's still not ideal.

Until Apple includes an altimeter to its wearable, it will not be taken seriously by endurance athletes.

Apple Watch's fast new processor

The new dual-core processor in the Series 2 loads 50 percent much more refining power compared to the original Apple Watch and also you can definitely tell. This watch is shrieking fast.

I really did not run Apple Watch Series 2 with a battery of examinations, but using it side-by-side with its precursor you can see just how much faster applications lots on your wrist. The difference is definitely astounding for a second-generation product.

Opening applications on the original Apple Watch was annoying. It needed you to hold your wrist up while the tiny processor spun for 5 or 10 secs. With Apple Watch Collection 2, apps seem like they upgrade nearly instantaneously.

Apple's watchOS 3 upgrade contributes to the speed rise, though, as well as it's offered for any Apple Watch version (including the original). With watchOS 3, native apps load faster compared to ever and are likewise more efficient. The upgrade likewise transforms the functionality of Apple Watch's side button: Now it brings up a dock of applications, giving you a fast peek into your essential info.

I'm still waiting on the very first awesome third-party application, yet the large Apple Watch UI adjustment makes getting in and out of apps a lot faster. (Find out even more regarding watchOS 3 with Cult of Mac's overview: Ways to use watchOS 3: Tips, tricks as well as hidden tweaks.)

Apple Watch Collection 2 battery life

The added weight in the Apple Watch Collection 2 comes from its bigger battery. This still doesn't bring multiday battery life, so you'll still be billing the brand-new Apple Watch every day. I really did not observe any significant gains in battery life, so it's most likely that all the added juice is being made use of to power the new GPS chip as well as display.

Water resistance

The water resistance of the original Apple Watch was quite strong. Believe me: I shed my own some times while high cliff jumping, as well as 2 times the waterproofing held up enough time for my watch to be discovered alive.

Apple Watch Collection 2 is really water resistant, with a rating of as much as 50 meters deep. You can currently feel comfortable bathing with a little computer system on your wrist, or taking your Apple Watch on your following snorkeling adventure.

My preferred small new attribute is the water-ejecting speaker. Once you complete wallowing in the water, the Apple Watch Collection 2 sound speaker releases a collection of sonic pulses to push water from the wearable. The attribute triggers immediately when you have actually finished a water exercise.

Better exercises with Apple Watch Collection 2

Thanks to the improved waterproofing, Apple Watch can accompany you on swimming workouts, whether in the ocean or in a pool.

The display immediately secures as quickly as you start a workout, so it will not react to water droplets or water pressure. To finish an exercise, you spin the Digital Crown (which likewise triggers the audio-ejection treatment to spit out water).

With the Exercise app in watchOS 3, you'll also get 12 many others settings, including a brand-new setup for elliptical machine devices and even more choices under the 'Various other' classification. Whatever sporting activity you're playing, Apple Watch could track it.

So, should you get one?

Anytime I was asked by an unfamiliar person whether they should obtain the Apple Watch, I would certainly inform them no. It's excellent for informing time and inspecting your notices, but if you don't generally prefer to use watches (I do not), then it's most likely to gather dust.

Apple Watch Collection 2 implies my solution adjustments. I still don't think it's a must-have. If you desire one, go for it. It's the most effective watch you could get. It's elegant. It's a fantastic fitness tracker. It does greater than other watch ever before made.

And now that it could finally track your place and also take a swim, it's lastly beginning to be deserving of the hype.

[theseventhhex]

No Age Interview

Dean Spunt & Randy Randall

‘Snares Like A Haircut’, No Age’s fourth full-length, sounds like the good stuff and smells like the buzzy burning off of an aura, the marine layer suddenly vanished, leaving a thin layer of smog over the songs, simmering sock gazing tunes, revved and displacing enormous amounts of sound soil. Recorded in a few days, ‘Snares Like A Haircut’ finds No Age in full-on mode, because there was nothing else to do but go full-on. With ‘Snares Like A Haircut’, No Age scrub the itch in the little moments, engage actively with the process and carve/plaster/shave something in an album shape that’ll last… We talk to Dean Spunt about being more self-reflective, having a psychic connection with Randy and being vegan…

TSH: No Age’s excellent current release ‘Snares Like a Haircut‘ was not an album you had to labour over, instead it came about very quickly...

Dean: Yeah, it felt wonderful for things to fall into place so naturally and quickly for this album. We had spent some time after ‘An Object’ trying to find cohesive ways to write music and it wasn’t really happening. I think the long break and just a change in our individual lifestyles allowed us to get back into the studio and create so seamlessly.

TSH: Do you feel there is a shift in instrumentation coming into play with this record?

Dean: Personally, I would hope that the evolution of our sound from the last album is tighter, more progressive and more realised. From the outset, I don’t know if the intention for our instrumentation is ever too different sonically. I think sonically the shift in our sound has a lot to do with the samples, guitars, drums and vocals all competing for this space. All of these instruments vibrate with each other and cross paths to forge our sound. This is essentially the way we’ve done things since we started - we always have a lot to play around with.

TSH: Does your creative process still revolve around being somewhat selfish; knowing that the first person you have to satisfy is yourself because it’s hard to put the energy into making music if you’re not excited by it...

Dean: Absolutely. It’s really important for us to just smile and have a good time when we create. The energy this time around consisted of a lot of laughing and an overall playful atmosphere. I mean I don’t know how you can make music or art and not want to challenge yourself as an individual first and foremost. I’ve never fancied the idea of being a studio musician - I look to create and experiment.

TSH: This record also sees you and Randy asking who you are as individuals and what your place in the world is - very much a self-reflective outlook...

Dean: I think being more self-reflective this time around was mainly circumstantial in a sense, especially living in America today. Also, there’s the notion of globalisation and us thinking ‘where do we fit in? ‘An Object’ did touch on globalisation a little too with the packaging we did for Sub Pop. The idea was to stop and think about the stuff that we’re purchasing all of the time and throwing away too. We were very much looking into the idea of what it means when an artist is making the product versus someone in a plant or some sort of factory. How does this interact with us buying and making art? Also, because we had such a long break I worked on other things outside of the band and I felt like I found more of my individual space as a person, which comes into play too.

TSH: Knowing that you ended up feeling rejuvenated in the lead-up to this album, what sort of obstacles did you endure initially?

Dean: For so long doing No Age extensively with the constant touring and record releases made me feel like I was part of a never-ending cycle. Always working with this band and creating became hard, and maybe it’s my ego talking, but you lose yourself in this bubble. I just felt like I had my head down and like I was running, but I didn’t dwell on where I was running to. Eventually it was the time out that made me feel rejuvenated. We had to stop and take a break, you know? At the end of the day you need some ideas to create art and me constantly staring at Randy’s face for hours on a plane wasn’t helping, haha!

TSH: Was kicking off the record with ‘Cruise Control’ a decision that you both made early on?

Dean: Actually, no. We were having a hard time finding an opener and this track was chosen later on. I do recall that it was Randy’s idea to start with that track. It was the right choice too, because the track sort of sucks you out and just kicks in. It felt appropriate for this album to just have this ‘let’s go’ approach and for us to not think about things too much from then on.

TSH: How did you go about structuring and layering ‘Drippy’?

Dean: ‘Drippy’ was an interesting song to bring together. It was initially a lot slower and it didn’t feel right to both of us. The song initially had these open chords and it reminded me of a Wire type of track. At first ‘Drippy’ was a lot thinner sounding and we decided to discard it. In time we revisited the song and suddenly there was something about the melody and the lyrics that stayed with us. We ended up including bar chords before we tweaked it some more and let it become what you hear now.

TSH: It must be really pleasing to know that collaborating with Randy for such a long time has allowed you both to have complete creative control, which in turn allows for such impressive consistency...

Dean: I appreciate you saying that our music is consistent, and I hope that listeners feel the same way. Really this group is just me and Randy collaborating in the most efficient way that we can. Whenever we feel capable, that’s when our work tends to be at its best. After so many years we really have this psychic connection - we don’t really need to speak - we can create seamlessly. On this record we were able to tap into this way of working a lot easier because of the time off. It’s cool that we allowed this album to rock out.

TSH: Do you delve into the musical advancements much when you go online?

Dean: Well, I tend not to read reviews, ha! If I just walked on my street and heard everyone’s opinion with each passing day, I’d probably go crazy. I tend not to get lost when I use the internet either. I only delve deep into the internet if I need to look up something specific, like a piece of gear or finding a curry place and seeing if the reviews for the place are any good. I guess everyone is a bit of a know it all these days with many platforms to make one seem special. Regardless, I think you just have to tune out what you don’t want to hear and find a healthy balance with modern day technology.

TSH: Does fatherhood occupy most of your spare time?

Dean: Oh, definitely. Fatherhood certainly occupies a lot of my time, especially the way that we raise our child. I love spending time with my little one and I feel it’s important to show him even at the age of 2 that you should always do what you want to do - even if you’re not making money from it. I’ve met a lot of people recently who have kids and they’ve stopped their careers because of being parents, so they get another job. To me, that’s just a horrible thing to show your kid - to have to give up what you’re doing. I mean music is what I do, what would I be if I didn’t do this? Everyone needs money, but you still have to maintain your values and moral codes.

TSH: Being vegan is also imperative to your lifestyle?

Dean: I’ve been vegan for 20 years. To me, killing animals to eat is ridiculous and so disgusting. It’s remarkable how some people say they love animals and that they are not savages, yet they still eat them. If you at least like animals, the least you can do is not eat them, and then you can still say you love animals respectively. People often think we’re so extreme for not eating animals or being vegan, but to me the extreme thing is to eat an animal that was alive and is now dead. Now that is messed up. My whole family is vegan and it’s an important part of my life. It should always be a primary concern to care for animals and their wellbeing.

TSH: Speaking of veganism, did Randy master his recipe for his vegan chocolate chip cookies?

Dean: Yeah! He nailed it man. They’re really good!

TSH: What defines No Age’s mentality looking ahead?

Dean: At this point, the fact that me and Randy are still creating music together with devotion and positivity - that’s all that matters. We’re having a good time and using the psychic connection that we’ve honed in on over the years. I think we’ll continue to use our music to communicate with ourselves and with our audiences. Hopefully along the way we can inspire people that come along for the ride.

No Age - “Send Me”

Snares Like a Haircut