W♥M

Xbox One S

Read More Xbox One As a weekend gamer, I’ve been following the Xbox One X (formerly known as Xbox Scorpio) for a while. Over the E3 gaming expo weekend, Microsoft … Playstation 4 Last week my PlayStation Network account got hacked/compromised. The person removed my email and added his or her email and took $50 from my bank account (that is tied to my account …

Originally, I wanted to get the Xbox One X (originally called Scorpio), but after hearing the disappointing pricing of $500, I decided it was in my best interest to get an Xbox One S instead. I was waiting to see if prices would drop when the Xbox One X is released, or at the least, wait until Black Friday to see if I could get a deal on the S console, but I ended up purchasing a refurbished gaming system for about $229. With a little buyer’s remorse, maybe I should’ve just paid more and get a bundle with a game or a different color/special edition. Still, the Xbox One S is currently my go-to media playback device.

Since I also own the original PlayStation 4, I will let you know the key differences between the two systems.

Games: Both Xbox and PS4 offer the same basic games, but PS4 seems to have more exclusive titles. However, you have to take into consideration that MicroSoft has backward compatibility, which means that most of your Xbox 360 games will run on your new system. If you take that into account, suddenly the Xbox’s library is a little more appealing (especially, if you’re like me and own a ton of Xbox 360 games already).

4K: The main reason why I wanted an Xbox One is for its 4K drive. It’s no secret that I’ve been buying 4K discs (usually for a discount or special steelbook editions), so I really did need a player to make the most of my film collection. If you’re in the same market, I really recommend getting the Xbox One, as the PS4 Slim can only handle 1080p output. Sony does offer their 4k model called the PS4 Pro, but no disc playback and costs $200 more.

Audio: Xbox wins over PS4 by supporting Spatial Audio, if your speakers has Premium Dolby Atmos or DTS:X audio. Like the PS4, Xbox One does not have an analog audio output.

HMDI input: The coolest thing about the Xbox One is the HDMI input! This was originally included in the system for live television, either via an old fashion digital antenna/convert box or your cable television digital box. However, you can plug in any HDMI device, such as the Roku or MiBox. This is so great, as it frees up one of your television’s HDMI inputs. Unfortunately, you will require to power up the Xbox One if you want the Roku content… but that seemed like a small price to pay, in my opinion. The PS4 does not offer such HDMI passthrough.

Controllers: With a pair of standard AA batteries the Xbox One Controller will last about 30 hours of gameplay. That’s much longer than my PS4 controller, which lasts about 6 hours. This is because whoever that designed the PS4 controller build in light tracking system (that cannot be turned off!) Disposable batteries aren’t really that expensive (recently purchased a 12 pack for $4), but you can choose to pay another $25 for an official rechargeable battery pack.

Video Playback: Both Sony and Microsoft’s standard media playback applications sucks. Neither official app will display subtitles or the ability to select alternative audio tracks. However, only Xbox offers the VLC Player, which could play different audio tracks and display subtitles. VLC will play back almost any media format (including MKV) and the free app is clearly the superior app compared to the default video player. VLC is not available on PS4.

Speaking from someone who owns all the major gaming systems (PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PS Vita, Apple iOS, Android, Roku, and Gaming PC), I am really enjoying my Xbox One S. If you’re looking for a system, you need to pick one for your needs. If you are into video entertainment (particularly 4k), the Xbox One is the right choice for you. If you are only interested in gaming as many titles are out there, then you need a good Gaming PC. If you’re interested in Virtual Reality, the PS4 is attractive. If you are rarely home and need gaming on the road, then take a look at the Nintendo Switch.

It could all change, but at this very moment, the Xbox One S is currently the one device that I have running on my 4k television. If I get bored of playing my local videos using VLC Player, I can switch over to my MiBox using the HMDI passthrough and watch Haystack or Pluto TV.

PS, I've officially retired my old PS3. I'm not really sure what to do with it, it's just gathering dusts under my TV stand.

Compare	Xbox One S	PS4 Slim
Price:	$245.99	$299.99
CPU:	1.75GHz AMD Jaguar 8-core	1.6 GHz 8-core X86 AMD Jaguar
GPU:	1.4 T-FLOPS, 12 compute units @ 914MHz with 8GB DDR3 RAM + 32MB eSRAM @ 219GB/s	1.84 T-FLOPS, AMD Radeon Graphics Core Next Engine with 8GB GDDR5 RAM
Optical Drive:	4K/HDR Blu-ray drive	Blu-ray drive
Resolution:	4k	1080p
Exclusive Titles:	226	715
Backward Compatible:	YES	NO
USB:	3 USB 3	2 USB 3

vu (vu@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ facebook.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Xbox One X

Read More Playstation 4 Last week my PlayStation Network account got hacked/compromised. The person removed my email and added his or her email and took $50 from my bank account (that is tied to my account … Nintendo Switch I’ve wanted the Nintendo Switch since I first heard about it last October 2016. The system launched in March 2017, but it immediately sold out everywhere. …

As a weekend gamer, I’ve been following the Xbox One X (formerly known as Xbox Scorpio) for a while. Over the E3 gaming expo weekend, Microsoft finally unveil details and pricing of their upcoming console. I’ve been holding out on buying any Xbox until we hear more about Scorpio.

The biggest disappointment for me is the pricing. It’s $499, which is more than I want to pay. Suddenly the $249 price of the regular Xbox One Slim (comes with a 4k Optical Drive and backward compatible games) is more attractive to me.

If you don’t care for 4k gaming, I think either the regular PS4 or XBS could be the right choice for you.

When it’ll be release, the XBX will be the most powerful console. This is necessary when you consider that it will have true native 4k gaming support. From what I’ve read of the PS4 Pro, not all games are 4k compatible. This may be the same case for XBX, unless the Xbox’s software automatically upscale to 4k.

Despite the Ars Technica article saying that 1.5% users use the backward compatible feature (Xbox has already responded that this is incorrect), I truly believe this is the main selling point for me. I still own some old Xbox 360 games and would just like the option to play them. Sony won’t support PS3 compatibility because, I believe, they want to sell you their gaming streaming service PlayStation Now.

Come November, will the XBX put Microsoft over the top? Probably no. Even though I knew the price would probably land around $500, to finally see it ... I think the price is too much. Its other uphill battle is that Sony will apply pressure by lowering the price of their PS4 this November. Think about it, if the PS4 Pro lists at $350 vs XBX’s $500, there’s no contest.

The other flaw in the Xbox family is that it doesn’t have a lot of gaming exclusives. Currently, Xbox’s main exclusive game is the Halo series... but PS4 has some great exclusives: The Last of Us, Nathan Drake, Final Fantasy, God of War, etc.

Also, let’s not count out Nintendo. Sure, the Nintendo Switch doesn’t even compare to power and graphics (it will upgrade to 900p when docked, not even 1080p!), but what it does offer is the ability to take games with you on the go. Plus, only Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Pokemon, etc., are playable on their consoles.

Compare	Xbox One X	PS4 Pro	Nintendo Switch
Price:	$499	$399	$299
Date:	07 Nov 2017	10 Nov 2016	03 Mar 2017
CPU:	2.3GHz 8-core AMD custom “Jaguar” CPU	2.1GHz 8-core AMD custom “Jaguar” CPU	1020MHz Nvidia custom Tegra SOC
Drive:	4K/HDR Blu-ray drive	Blu-ray drive	None
Resolution:	4k (Bluray/Gaming)	4k (Gaming only)	720p
Storage:	1TB	1TB	32GB
Size:	11.8x9.5x2.4 inches	12.8x11.6x2.1 inches	4x9.4x.54 inches
Backward Compatible:	YES	NO	NO

vu (vu@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Weekend Gamer: Omikron and Steam

Read More David Bowie I woke up to the sad news that legendary singer, songwriter, actor, space travelling alien from another planet, David Bowie, has died. …

OMIKRON: THE NOMAD SOUL
square-enix.com

With the unexpected passing of David Bowie, video game publisher Square Enix is giving way copies of Omikron: The Nomad Soul for free until January 22nd. The game featured David Bowie in the role of Boz and also as a role of a nameless lead singer of a fictional musical group called "The Dreamers". The game featured some tracks from his Hours... album.

Head over to square-enix.com and check out Omikron using the promo code "omikron" at checkout to get your free copy.

After you completed the transaction, Square Enix will issue you a Steam Key... so you'll have to also have Steam in order to activate the game.

As it is free, it is totally worth just adding it to your library (even if you have no intention of running the game).

Synopsis:

"I have many things to tell you and very little time I come from a universe parallel to yours. My world is desperately in need of your help. Only YOU can save us."

Responding to the desperate pleas of a mysterious character from another dimension, your soul must enter the dark and futuristic city of Omikron. This heralds the beginning of an epic adventure through an increasingly strange and dazzling parallel world, trying to solve the many puzzles that prevent you escaping alive. Think, fight and interact with the immense gaming environment to defeat the menacing demons that have tried to trap you.

Read More The Witcher I also picked up The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, at Walmart, which came with a lot of bonus items like a DVD and Soundtrack (all at the normal cost of a game product). They are on the right track, I definitely …

STEAM CONTROLLER
steampowered.com

Speaking of Steam, it took some convincing, but I've decided to go all-in on the gaming distribution platform developed by Valve Corporation. Sure, I'm still a fan of GOG (and still buy their games), but since GOG can't match Steam's library, I really have to go where the games are.

My idea is to eventually get a semi-decent Steam Machine and/or a gaming laptop to play games on a big screen television set... but that's for another time.

Currently, my Steam setup is on my PC with a regular-sized wired Xbox 360 controller or a wired PS3 controller. These game controllers are just great, they feel great in the hand.

With the idea of getting the Steam Machine, I decided to get the new Steam Controller at my local Game Stop. At first, I didn't quite "get" the Steam Controller. After all, it pretty much sucked at being a controller... at least compared to either the Xbox or PS controller. It only has one thumbstick, so using the Steam Controller as a first person shooter is just terrible.

I hated the haptic feedback. I hated the XABY buttons to be so close to the center (it's awkward to hit using your thumb). I hate that you must have Steam running to use the controller. Plus, it's just not a very comfortable controller. It's like whoever designed this thing had never used a regular gaming controller before.

It's a definitely a different controller. It's basically a controller for games that does not have controller support. The unfortunate thing is that you absolutely have to use Steam, and for its setting, Steam's Big Picture Mode.

Every game has a different controller setting (usually set by players). You can fine-tuned it, but it just takes so much time to configure it exactly to your liking.

Right now, the Steam Controller is my go-to for Mass Effect 3 since that game did not have controller support and using the Steam Controller felt pretty good. For all other shooters, just use the standard Xbox controller and you should be fine.

vu (vu@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Site Update: October 2014

Team Viewer (on the iPad) Read More Site Update I have been meaning to upgrade the graphics card in my computer for a long time now. The integrated Intel video card, for the most part, worked fine, but it won't exactly run graphically intensive games (shooters, big diablo-style …

Hey guys, this is Vu with your W♥M October Update. As you can see from the daily previews for Rocktober - this month will be just insane... Anyway, here is what I've been up to lately:

iPad: So this is how I've been writing articles - as usual, I've been writing some articles on my iPad via a bluetooth keyboard and mouse (you will need a jailbroken iPad to run the bluetooth mouse pointer). The iPad thing is nice because it's mobile and I can take it anywhere and sit down and type away... At this moment, I'm sitting on my couch, watching YouTube on my TV via the PS3.

I'm writing on the standard iOS Notepad, which is synced with my email account - so basically I can pull up the text later on my desktop (which is located in my room) for finalized formatting and editing.

Team Viewer: I'm not always on my desktop, as I previously mentioned. If I need to access and control my desktop - there is an app called Team Viewer. I believe Microsoft has built-in remote on their "Professional" version of Windows, but when I bought my computer, it only came with Windows 8 Home Edition. Since I didn't want to spend another $100 to 'upgrade' just for one or two functions, installing the free Team Viewer software was a better option.

This was pretty easy to setup, you need to install the Team Viewer application on your desktop to generate a random user number/password. Then you use the Team Viewer app on your iPad to login, and that's it. If you have a firewall, you'll need to add Team Viewer to the exception list.

Overall, Team Viewer works as advertised, you can access your desktop remotely. For private usage, it's free, so I can't complain too much for this, considering that other similar services (like Logmein) costs money for essentially the same thing.

DisplayOut: I thought I would be happy with just the standard built in Apple Display Out, but after being unhappy with the 4:3 external display - I got the jailbroken DisplayOut and set it to stretch to my television screen.

This works really well for any app that does not support Airplay (fullscreen), for example the Apple Trailer app, Crackle, or Vudu app (none of which supports Airplay).

Realtree® Camo Mini Pro EX Controller for Xbox 360 PowerA

Xbox 360 Controller: Speaking of the desktop - there are a couple of things that I've added to my work computer. Mostly thanks to the new video card, so I can run modern games. It's kind of fun to finally able to install and run games that I bought two years ago!

I could not get Windows 8 to recognize my PS3 (and PS4) controllers, so I caved in and bought a standard Xbox 360 Controller. The Xbox controller automatically worked with many (new) games. As much as I love the mouse/keyboard gaming, sometime games are just designed for the controller - for example Dungeon Siege III, Witcher 2, Fable Anniversary, and Dark Souls II. These games just works better with a controller. The controller I bought was on clearance at Walmart, it's normally $30 at the manufacturer's website.

Anyway, that's what I've been up to. Hopefully, if there is enough breathing room in Rocktober, I will write about some of the games I've been playing.

vu (vu@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

PS4 vs Xbox One

Read More New Xbox 360 S vs PS3 Fat Ask anyone that's ever own an Xbox 360, and they'll tell you they've experienced the dreaded Red Ring of Death. In fact, they've probably had it several times in their console's life cycle.…

My friends know that I am interested in the gaming consoles, so with the new PS4 and Xbox One coming out this holiday, I'm looking to buy one or the other. I've made up my mind already, but if you're not so hip to the latest news, I've broken down some a comparison chart for you.

Some key things to note: Xbox One requires an internet connection. It checks with Microsoft's servers every 24 hours to verify that you own and can play the game your purchased. Here are some scenarios why this always online thought is bad. Some of these things prevent you from connecting online:

1. Your ISP goes down for a few days (this has happened to me before during a bad thunderstorm).
2. Your TV is located in an area that does not receive WiFi reliably (this is a thing that I've experienced)
3. You do not have internet (when I moved houses, I was without internet for a month)
4. Microsoft's servers is taken offline (I've seen this happen to other gaming companies)
5. You are in the military and personal internet is not an option

So think about this: if these things happened to you, you cannot run a game you own. Imagine if you bought an iPod that will only work if it's online or a camera that needs to be connected online to take a photo. It's just bad, especially for a product that you own.

The other thing that the Xbox One did is that they've eliminated the used game market. Looking for cheap games? Don't bother with Xbox One. Sure, I sometime buy new games, but the majority of games I've purchased are on the secondary market.

The only advantage Xbox One has over the PS4 is that it has voice commands and motion control out of the box (via the Kinect). The PS4 you will have to buy additional add-ons… but that's OK considering that personally, I probably won't buy the Sony Camera.

See also Xbox 360 vs PS3.

Compare	PS4	XBOX ONE	WINNER
Looks	Personally preference, both look similar but I like at least PS4 is trying to look interesting.	The first time I saw the Xbox One, I thought it was just ugly. It's just a black box basically.	PS4
Price	$399	$499	PS4
Harddrive	500GB (upgradeable)	500GB (noreplaceable)	PS4
Online	Online optional	Online requirement mandatory. Xbox checks every 24 hours to verify your account.	PS4
Online Gaming	Requires Playstation Plus ($49.99 a year and includes free monthly games, all other online ability like watching YouTube is free)	Requires Xbox Gold ($59.99 a year, this is a requirement for watching YouTube).	PS4
Used Games	Yes, you can sell and buy used PS4 games.	Not really. This is a little more complicated to answer, but the short answer is no, you cannot buy or sell used games.	PS4
Independent Games	YES	NO (not at this time).	PS4
Mandatory Game Installs	NO (Save space)	YES	PS4
Independent Games	YES	NO (not at this time).	PS4
Region Lock	NO	YES	PS4
Motion Controller	NO (need to purchase Sony Eye)	YES (Kinect)	XBOX ONE
Voice Activation	NO	YES (Kinect)	XBOX ONE
Analog Output	YES	NO	PS4
HDMI	YES (supports 4k)	YES (supports 4k, supports input HDMI)	XBOX ONE

When it comes down to it, you should go with what you think is right for you. If you have reliable internet and don't mind paying an extra $100 for the Xbox, by all means go with the Xbox. Personally, I will be getting the PS4, even though I just bought a PS3 to replace my broken PS3-Fat!

vu () ♥ weheartmusic.com

This is the One

Read More Saturday Looks Good To Me The lyrics "Hands in the Snow" also appears on their song, "Make a Plan" (the song is available for download on myspace.com). If you listen to it, you'll realize that these guys are pretty good. .…

SATURDAY LOOKS GOOD TO ME
slgtm.com

Okay, I'll just get it out of the way, I like Saturday Looks Good To Me. Anyone that likes Belle & Sebastian and Saves the Day will probably like them by association.

Saturday Looks Good To Me is back. Their new album, One Kiss Ends It All, just came out last Tuesday on Polyvinyl Records. You can stream the entire thing over at Paste Magazine, although I believe this may be for a limited time (so hurry!).



Expect more tour dates to be announced, these are the ones I know of:

05/24/13 Toledo, OH Mainstreet Bar & Grill
05/25/13 Ferndale, MI The Loving Touch
09/25/13 Midwest Fest 2013 - Mount Pleasant, MI
09/26/13 Pygmalion Music Festival
09/27/13 Pygmalion Music Festival
09/28/13 Pygmalion Music Festival

Read More Tying Tiffany The song is by a Suicide Girl called Tying Tiffany, from Italy. I was doing "research" on the suicide girls website and I noticed that she posted on her blog on March 21, 2007. .…

TYING TIFFANY
tyingtiffany.com

Italy's Tying Tiffany latest release is the One EP, which includes songs like:

1. One Second
2. One Girl
3. One Place
4. One End

I admire her for her themed EP, so obviously I had to include her here.

USA Today recently premiered the song on Pop Candy, but you can listen below:



Trivia: You may remember that we mentioned Tying Tiffany's other project T.T.L. here, that they had music featured in the Hunger Games trailer? They're doing it again with the upcoming Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

Read More Xbox Just to be clear on my thoughts on this: Xbox Gold is a scam. Imagine this: you buy a computer and when you want to send an email*, or play an online game like World of Warcraft, or Netflix, or Twitter, or Facebook. .…

XBOX ONE
xbox.com

Microsoft has a big problem, in my opinion. As soon as they announced the terribly-named "Xbox One", people were calling it "Xbone". It got so bad, they had to issue a press release asking people to not call it "Xbone". They deserve it, I mean what a terrible name. This is the third Xbox, calling it Xbox One is just plain confusing.

The other problem is that it's still tied to Xbox Gold, which is a $80 a year requirement if you want to use your Xbox online (we're talking watching YouTube or browse the internet).

Their biggest problem right now is the online requirement. I know the console is not even out yet, but there are all these unanswered or conflicting answers. From my understanding: your Xbox needs to be online. The hardware checks online once a day to verify your account. Playing games requires registration of the game (which is tied to your Xbox account). So what that means is you can't really sell your game after you purchase it (unless you de-authorize the game in your account). If none of that is true, then let me know, because I can't understand what Microsoft is trying to tell me.

At the moment, Xbone is nowhere on my wishlist.

vu () ♥ weheartmusic.com

The Next Generation of Gaming Consoles

Sony announced the PlayStation 4 yesterday (February 20th), without actually show it off. Instead, you're only given vague information about the upcoming system, some game announcements, and showing off the controller (this was probably a given since there were leaks online prior to the announcement). I am interested in Diablo III, but will it require its terrible "always online" requirement? I hope not. That was the one reason why I refuse to give Blizzard any more of my money.

Why should you be interested in these systems? Outside of gaming, these machines make amazing media boxes for your television. Most people (like me) use them to watch all my media or listen to all my music via a Network Attached Storage (NAS).

Based on PS3's already established "Apps" model, I wouldn't be surprised to see more video or music-related apps. Right now, you can get "Music Unlimited", which is a subscription-based model. As I wrote in my review, I think $10 is too much to ask to pay, but the $4 model won't get you very far.

Below is a comparison chart between the 'next' generation consoles. Since the Xbox has not been announced, all the information I listed below are pretty much rumors - based on a development kit via Kotaku.

Product:	PlayStation 4 (PS4)	Xbox 720 (rumor)	Wii U
CPU:	AMD's "Jaguar" 8-core 64-bit x86 CPU	Unknown 8-core, 64-bit 1.6ghz CPU	CPU Tri-Core IBM PowerPC "Espresso"
Graphics:	Custom AMD Radeon GPU	800mhz DirectX 11.x graphics processor units	550 MHz AMD Radeon GPU "Latte"
Memory:	8 GB GDDR5	8GB of DDR3	2 GB DDR3-1600 DRAM
Media:	Blu-ray, DVD, CD	Blu-ray, DVD, CD	12 cm 25 GB Wii U Optical Disc (does not support DVD, Blu-Ray or CD)
Storage:	Hard drive, size(s) unannounced	500GB hard drive, speeds of up to 50 MB/sec.	8 GB or 32 GB Flash Memory
Camera:	PlayStation 4 Eye	Kinect (requirement)	Wii U GamePad

Again, I should stress that much of the Xbox information are rumors.

I was afraid that the PS4 will require an always online connection - but Sony's game studios chief, Shuhei Yoshida said it doesn't have to be online. Xbox, on the other hand, is said to require online to play all their games. They have not squash the rumor, and I actually believe that Xbox will require online - after all, most PC games require online activation in order to run it. Remember: this is the same company that requires you to pay $80 a year to have the ability to watch YouTube.

Other interesting note is that both consoles can quietly install games in the background while you play your game. The PS4 has a duo chip, with one of the chip dedicated to such tasks - while the Xbox will also have a dedicated "block".

vu () ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ podcast.weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Going for Gold XVI: Britt Nicole, Gold Fields, Sufjan Stevens, Xbox, Willy Mason

Read More Britt Nicole Ask anyone that's ever own an Xbox 360, and they'll tell you they've experienced the dreaded Red Ring of Death. In fact, they've probably had it several times in their console's life cycle....

Read more Going for Gold.

BRITT NICOLE
brittnicole.com

I briefly mentioned Britt Nicole a few years ago. She just premiered her title track for her album, Gold, today (November 29th) on Vevo. The Nashville-based Britt Nicole will be re-releasing Gold on February 26th via Capitol Records. The album is repackaged from her Sparrow Records release (originally in March and debuted at #41 on the Top 100 Billboard Charts.)

Apparently there is an anti-bullying message and belief in yourself on Gold, as Nicole explained, "The message of Gold is to remind those kids that are struggling that no matter what they have been told they are worth so much more than the words of another. Once you know that, no one can ever steal your shine."

Nicole will be doing two special "first-ever" Capitol Records debut performances in Los Angeles and New York City:

01/09/13 - The Roxy in L.A. at 7pm
01/16/13 - Canal Room in N.Y.C. at 7 p.m.

Look for new mixes of "Gold" (including a club mix) on the upcoming Gold EP (to be released digitally on December 18th).

Read More Gold Fields As for Gold Fields, it's only been two weeks since we last saw the Australian boys. They were in sunny Los Angeles last night, so it was a cold shock when they landed in Minneapolis. I hate to break this to them, but that wasn't cold what ....

GOLD FIELDS
goldfieldsmusic.com

You guys must be tired of hearing us talk about Gold Fields, since we talk about them so often.

I have some updates on the Australian band, their debut album will be called Black Sun and it's set for release February 26th, 2013. Currently you can only get Dark Again single, and possibly Treehouse, so it's slim picking if you want more music from Gold Fields.

We like these guys, having seen them twice this year, so check them out if they're playing near you:

11/30 Chicago, IL Twas The Night Before
12/04 New York, NY Webster Hall**
12/06 Philadelphia, PA The Barbary*
12/07 Cambridge, MA The Middle East*
12/08 Brooklyn, NY Music Hall of Williamsburg*
12/10 Montreal QC Divan*
12/11 Toronto, ON The Drake*
12/13 Washington, D.C. U Street Music Hall*

*As special guests of St. Lucia
**As special guests of Diamond Rings

Read More Sufjan Stevens This really came out of nowhere for me. My bf will load up my library list and when I go pick up my junk I usually get little suprises like this. It's really a wonderful album and Sufjan Stevens has a haunting and lovely voice.....

SUFJAN STEVENS
sufjan.com

Singer/songwriter Sufjan Stevens just released his 50+ Christmas five-disc album, Silver & Gold, collecting Songs for Christmas, Vol 6-10.

Stevens is currently on tour, I am assuming he'll be doing at least one or two xmas songs?

11/30/12 Dallas, TX Granada Theater
12/01/12 Austin, TX Emo's
12/03/12 Tucson, AZ Rialto Theatre
12/04/12 Los Angeles, CA The Fonda
12/05/12 San Francisco, CA Great American Music
12/06/12 Portland, OR Aladdin Theater
12/08/12 Seattle, WA The Neptune
12/09/12 Missoula, MT Wilma Theatre
12/12/12 Minneapolis, MN Mill City Nights
12/13/12 Milwaukee, WI Turner Hall Ballroom
12/14/12 Indianapolis, IN Deluxe
12/15/12 Chicago, IL Metro / Smart Bar
12/16/12 Cleveland, OH Beachland Ballroom
12/18/12 Buffalo, NY Asbury Hall @ Babeville
12/19/12 Providence, RI Fete
12/20/12 Boston, MA Royale Nightclub Boston
12/21/12 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
12/22/12 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom

Read More Xbox Ask anyone that's ever own an Xbox 360, and they'll tell you they've experienced the dreaded Red Ring of Death. In fact, they've probably had it several times in their console's life cycle....

XBOX GOLD
xbox.com

My number one complaint about the Xbox is Xbox Gold. I seriously don't understand why there are so many Xbox fanboys out there? They love paying for Xbox Gold, they don't think there's anything wrong with the service.

Just to be clear on my thoughts on this: Xbox Gold is a scam. Imagine this: you buy a computer and when you want to send an email*, or play an online game like World of Warcraft, or Netflix, or Twitter, or Facebook, and your computer prompt up a message that you need to buy a year of "Gold". That's exactly what Xbox Gold is to me.

Prices for Xbox Gold is $15 a month**. So do the math: if you want to stream Netflix, it's $8 for Netflix, plus $15 for Xbox Gold. On any other platform, PS3, computer, Roku, "Smart" Blu-Ray players, etc., there isn't a $15 extra fee.

Here's another scenario for you: You got a redemption code for a free Vudu movie. You launch Xbox and boo-hoo, you have to pay $15 to Xbox Gold just to watch a $3.99 movie. That's the kind of restriction I'm talking about.

What's heartbreaking is a free service like YouTube requires you to pay the $15 fee, which is unbelievable considering that YouTube is free everywhere else. Do you know of any other platform that asks you to pay for YouTube (we're talking about the free content here, not the paid movies YouTube sells.)

Sadly, my original first generation PlayStation 3 died. It was temporarily fixed, but as I figured, it eventually broke again. So I'm taking in my Xbox and selling it to get a new PS3. Goodbye Xbox and good riddance.

PS: Xbox Music, not worth it. You pay a subscription of $100 a year, plus $60 for Xbox Gold to access it on the Xbox, making it the world's most expensive music subscription model.

* This is a real complaint: "You need to have an Xbox LIVE Gold membership to send messages on Xbox.com."
** To be fair, most fanboys buys Xbox Gold as a discounted annual fee of $60 or whatever special offers they get.

WILLY MASON
willymason.net

Willy Mason is a singer-songwriter, who came into fame via mister Bright Eyes, Conor Oberst, signing him on his record label.

His upcoming release is Don't Stop Now EP, set for release on January 14th, 2013, via Communion Records (available digitally and limited 10"). The EP is a sampling of what's to come for his third studio album, also due out later in 2013.

You can enjoy his new single and video for "I Got Gold" on YouTube.

Mason will also begin his North American tour around the release of the EP, starting in Montreal on January 13th. Currently, Mason is enjoying a lot of sold out dates in the UK.

12/01 Glasgow - King Tuts 12/02 Manchester - Ruby Lounge 12/03 Birmingham - Glee Club 12/04 Bristol - Thekla 12/05 London - Rough Trade East 12/05 London - Scala 12/06 Boston - Converse Hall 01/13 Montreal, Divan Orange 01/15 Toronto, Rivoli 01/17 Chicago, Old Town 01/19 Minneapolis, Turf Club 01/22 Denver, Larimer Lounge 01/25 Vancouver, Media Club 01/26 Seattle, Columbia City Theater 01/27 Portland, Doug Fir 01/29 San Francisco, The Chapel

01/30 Los Angeles, Hotel Café 02/04 Nashville, High Watt 02/07 New York, Rockwood Theatre 02/08 Philadelphia, World Café 02/10 Washington DC, DC9 02/11 Boston, Café 939 03/03 Portsmouth - Wedgwood Rooms 03/04 Exeter - Phoenix 03/05 Cardiff - Glee Club 03/07 London - Koko 03/08 Leeds - The Wardrobe 03/09 Newcastle - Gateshead Old Town Hall 03/10 Glasgow - Oran Mor 03/12 Liverpool - The Kazimier 03/13 Nottingham - Rescue Rooms 03/14 Dublin, Ire - Whelans 03/15 Belfast - Limelight

BRIEFLY:

GOLDEN GRRRLS facebook.com Golden Grrrls are releasing a self-titled debut album on our favorite indie label, Slumberland Records on February 26th, 2013. Hear their song, "We've Got…", on Soundcloud: Already in love and want to know more about them? They're from Glasgow, Scotland, if you haven't figured out from their lovely accents. They are, I believe, two grrls and one boy: Eilidh Rodgers, Ruari MacLean and Rachel Aggs.

TERRAPLANE SUN terraplanesun.com Terraplane Sun is a five-piece "blues rock" band from California. The band semi-recently unveiled their video for "Get Me Golden" (from their EP Friends) featuring unfriendly violent puppets. Not interested in watching the video, you can hear the audio on Soundcloud: If you're in Cali, you can see them on tour this December: Dec 01 Hotel Utah San Francisco, CA Dec 03 Velvet Jones Santa Barbara, CA Dec 04 Constellation Room Santa Ana, CA

vu () ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ podcast.weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic ♥ +W♥M

Playing the Game

Read More Games If you are wondering where I've been, the answer might be a little game called Skyrim that just came out last Friday. ....

HALO 4 OST
halo.xbox.com

Did you all line up to get Halo 4 last week? Well, the good news is that the Halo 4 Official Soundtrack: Special Limited Edition set the record for the highest-charting video game soundtrack ever (debut at #3 on the Soundtrack Billboard charts.) This is special thanks to Halo's massive fanbase, Microsoft, 343 Industries, 7Hz Productions, and the Massive Attack star power of composer Neil Davidge.

"It was an honor to compose and produce the 'Halo 4' score," said Davidge. "I am so proud of the way the OST has turned out and to have had the opportunity to evolve the great legacy of 'Halo' music. To be able to then collaborate with these talented DJ's and musicians on various remixes was a real bonus as it is always fun and interesting to see how others interpret and reimagine what you have created."

The DJs that Davidge mentioned above is in reference to the second disc of the Halo 4 Limited Edition set.

Halo 4 Official Soundtrack: Special Limited Edition details listed below:

Halo 4 Original Soundtrack

"Halo 4" 14-track remix album

Exclusive "Making of 'Halo 4' Music" DVD titled 'Composing A Universe' and containing over 70 minutes of unique behind the scenes footage, interviews and recording sessions from Abbey Road

Exclusive hardcover book on the "Making of 'Halo 4' Music" featuring production and composition notes from Neil Davidge plus exclusive behind-the-scenes photos and exclusive artwork images

Exclusive 12" Neil Davidge signed art print

Exclusive 180g heavy weight 12" Vinyl Full color Picture Disk of Master Chief and Cortana in a uniquely designed Sleeve bag

Avatar T-Shirt download (Male & Female)

The first 5000 orders will all be individually numbered in a limited series

COTTON JONES
cottonjones.com

Cotton Jones (formerly The Cotton Jones Basket Ride) is touring in support of Dr. Dog. Really exited to see this 4-piece rock group from Maryland. Michael Nau and Whitney McGraw are quite the team on vocals. This band used to be called the Cotton Jones Basket Ride and was formerly signed too suicide squeeze records. Now the band is touring in support of their 7" About the Game released on Porchlight Records. Only 500 copies folks!!! Pick one up.

They're similar to bands like She and Him, Peter Kerry, and the other classic folk duos, but Cotton Jones portrays a very distinct old-fashioned sound.

For fans of good music check out Dr. Dog and Cotton Jones!

Final Cotton Jones tour dates in support of Dr. Dog:

11/13 New Orleans, LA - Tipitina's

11/14 Houston, TX - Warehouse Live

11/15 Little Rock, AR - Revolution Music Room

11/16 Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade

11/17 Nashville, TN - Marathon Music Works

GAME
comptongame.com

I previously mentioned Game a while back, saying that he used to be part of G-Unit.

Anyway, this week, November 19th, VH1 will be premiering "Marrying the Game." This is the love story of double platinum rapper Game (or "The Game") and a fifth grade school teacher Tiffney Cambridge.

Fans can tune in to see their struggles of career, family, friends, and the big exchanging the vows moment.

Episode one of "Marrying the Game" will air November 19th on VH1, and with this show synopsis:

‘Know Your Man’
Game's lack of involvement from day one comes to a head when he flakes on the day of the wedding walkthrough due to an all-night session in the studio.

Game's Jesus Piece is coming out December 11, 2012, according to Amazon.

brody + vu () ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ podcast.weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic ♥ +W♥M

Black Box Revelation on Xbox's Bing Lounge (or Black Xbox Revelation)

Tour Dates 05/30/12 Chicago, IL - Double Door 05/31/12 Detroit, MI - Shelter 06/01/12 Grand Rapids, MI - Intersection 06/03/12 Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry 06/10/12 Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo 06/11/12 New York, NY - Double 7 Club 06/12/12 Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bowl 07/04/12 Milwaukee, WI - Summerfest 07/28/12 Minneapolis, MN - Soundtown Fest Read More Black Box Revelation As for the opening band, Black Box Revelation, I ran into a mutual friend who was rather impressed with BBR. I'm not surprise, seeing as this duo is described …

I'm not a fan of the Xbox, because, if you didn't know, you have to pay this $80 a year "Xbox tax" so you can get online content. I personally do not understand why Xbox fanboys would happily pay that amount (that's the same amount that you can pay Amazon Prime for free movies). Plus, the machine isn't capable of playing Bluray discs, so the Xbox sits in the corner gathering dust.

Once in a while, I like to turn the old Xbox on to see what I'm missing. Not much.

They got rid of their original Major Nelson Xbox videos, which is kind of sad. There are some nice additions though: Amazon Prime finally made its way to the Xbox. Unfortunately, you still need to pay Xbox $80 a year, plus another $80 to Amazon, so the total of $160 a year is not such a good deal.

Anyway, hidden under the "Free TV" for the Zune, I noticed that Xbox is now letting people download music videos under the "Bing Lounge" and the first video I saw was Black Box Revelation's "My Perception" (which was recorded live in 2011). I downloaded the HD video (303mb) and went online to find out more about this Bing Lounge.

"Bing Lounge" is a partnership between Microsoft and KINK FM, most of their recordings are available on bing.com. The actual venue is located in Portland, Oregon and is billed as "the most intimate venue for live shows".

Anyway, since I'm seeing BBR this Sunday (June 3rd), I was glad to see that they are featured on Xbox. A quick note that their album, My Perception, will be out June 12th, via Merovee Records. Expect to see the duo at Bonnaroo (June 10th), followed by David Letterman (June 11th).

vu () ♥ blackboxrevelation.com