Disney Interactive Studios has teamed up with pop-punk band Plain White T’s for content, videos and promotional efforts for its upcoming music video game Ultimate Band. Developed by Fall Line Studio in Salt Lake City, Utah, Ultimate Band takes gamers of all ages on a journey to achieve rock stardom starting as garage-band beginners and working toward the ultimate rock notoriety. With the Plain White T’s featured in Ultimate Band, fans can play their favorite band’s music in an accessible game with great value.

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And, what choices!  These three pictures define American cinema and showcase the talents of some of film’s greatest artists.  Many of cinema’s greatest moments come from these three films.  And, now, with Paramount’s DVD release, future generations can enjoy these dazzling works of art.

For the full article visit Static Multimedia “The Centennial Collection” Film Features Item

With the hardware capabilities of next-gen consoles, Tomb Raider: Underworld is quick to offer “an interactive world that reacts and remembers.”  Basically, unlike other adventure games of the past, things won’t be as simple as off-screen restoration.  Burned objects stay burned, destroyed terrain stays destroyed, creatures will not respawn, and if Lara decides to get down and dirty, she will stay down and dirty until she goes swimming or if the rain comes and washes her clean.  Speaking of rain, weather effects are set to play a big role in environment navigation.  In essesnce, not only should it be detrimental to move through the slinging rain and wind, but balancing on a rocky ledge that is slick with water will cause Lara to have to take greater care, lest she slip or slide.

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For the full clip visit Static Multimedia “Guns N’ Roses Chinese Democracy TV Spot” Music Videos Item

I turned on Offend Maggie and was pleasantly surprised.  The guitar kicked in and I was thinking, “Great!  Sounds like White Stripes… Razorlight… The Raconteurs.”  (I actually thought “Neat!  Sounds like…” but I thought the word ‘neat’ would make me lose credit as a rock journalist – too late)  I liked it.  I was grooving or bobbing my head or whatever a nerdy, overweight music fan does when a good guitar riff comes on.  I couldn’t be happier.  Was this a new band that I hadn’t heard of let alone listened really good?  Would this music find a permanent place in my collection?  Would some of these songs join my iTunes playlist that I listen to while surfing the net?  Or, the playlist I listen to while doing my morning calisthenics (just jumping jacks and burpies – nothing serious)?  I really thought I’d found something special.  Then…

For the full review visit Static Multimedia “Deerhoof-Offend Maggie” Music Reviews Item

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Brendan Canning of Broken Social Scene took a few minutes out to speak to me the other day before BSS’s capacity show at Chicago’s historic Vic Theater. I caught up with him after an atypically long sound check: more accustomed to playing boxy rock clubs, the band wanted to make sure they had their sound down pat at the cavernous venue:

“We’ve played the Metro a bunch of times in Chicago…I like the big theaters, but I sort of like a standing room only audience to be honest with you.”

Our fearless post-rocker then excused himself for a moment – when he got back to the phone, he assured me that their management is tight; and so is the budget: “[That was] our tour manager Robin, making sure the interview’s going smoothly and I’m not being offended or anything. I just got more money; it’s just like, I wake up every day and I get $15. It’s amazing!”

The current tour is in large part a promotion of Canning’s new release Something for All of Us. I asked him how he felt about how the album turned out. After some initial turmoil about it, Canning is relatively pleased: “I think just, the nature of making a record; you start thinking it all sounds like shit…you have a hard time seeing the light at the end of the tunnel…right up to the very last minute making changes, [but] in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t really matter. At this point, I’m a-okay with it, I think all the tunes are pretty decent.”

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“Da Baddest” with Trey Songz is a reliable hip-hop collaboration formula of a rough around the edges MC teamed up with a suave crooner rhapsodizing about their appreciation for the female form. “Soul of A Man” is a slightly different sound from the rest of the album, a song which could almost qualify as a ballad, with R&B artist Ricco singing the hook, and sounding incredibly similar to K-Ci from beloved 1990s R&B quartet Jodeci. The title of “Love You The Right Way” offers the promise of a hip-hop love song, which is always a good place for an artist to shine, but the basic lyrical content does not showcase Big Kuntry’s poetic skills, which are critical for songs even hinting at containing any sort of romantic overtures.

For the Full Review Visit Static Multimedia “Big Kuntry King – My Turn To Eat” Music Reviews Item

The main part of the game is in Story Mode where you can play out five different storylines.  There’s one each for Wu, Wei, and Shu that follows the Chinese warriors, then one for the Samurais and finally one where you can play as Orochi and follow a story that’s supposed to be like a prequel to the first Warriors Orochi game.  Within each storyline you’ll start out with a few characters and then unlock more along the way as other warriors join your quest.  In all there are something like 90 unlockable characters.

Gameplay in story mode is mostly a button mashing melee.  There’s a little more depth to it, but button mashing will get you a long way.  You’ll begin on a fairly large battlefield and be given objectives to complete.  Typically these involve defeating the enemy generals while also protecting friendly officers and bases.  The battlefield is interconnected and even has some 3D features on some levels, so it at least isn’t as mind numbing as some other games that are side-scrollers in 3D disguise.  Several skirmishes are generally going on at once and you’ll receive constant updates from around the battlefield.  Usually these updates involve your worthless officers crying for help as they get beat on.

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Although Paper Trail appears on the surface to be the standard hip-hop release from a reliable industry hit-maker, the album goes above and beyond the typical rap CD, with lyrics that are reflective, thoughtful, and refreshingly candid.  As most T.I. fans are aware, the rapper is scheduled to enter prison in March 2009 to begin serving a sentence he received after pleading guilty to federal weapons charges.  The charges stem from the October 2007 incident in which T.I. was arrested hours before he was to perform at the BET Hip-Hop Awards.  T.I. does not shy away from the incident on his CD, instead choosing to tell his side of the story the best way he knows how, laying his feelings bare through his rhymes.

On “Ready for Whatever”, T.I. provides a descriptive monologue, taking the listener back to October 2007, and his mindset at the time of his arrest.  He touches on the death of his close friend and personal assistant Philant Johnson who was shot and killed in 2006, and how Johnson’s death contributed to T.I.’s feelings of unease about his safety.  T.I. is sincere in accepting responsibility for his actions, but also vehemently raps about wanting to protect his family, the unfairness of the public judging his actions without knowing what it’s like to walk in his shoes, and feeling like a target because of his celebrity status.

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