The Acoustic EP is a stripped down compilation from a promising young artist named Gracie Mitchell. By young, I mean, she's only 13 years old! It's hard to wrap your head around it though when you listen to her voice. She exudes this beautiful deep vocals that you would think belongs to Regina Spektor or even Adele.

With a soulful voice, she sings songs about life, from best friends to mean girls. Armed with a guitar and some authentic songwriting, you'll find yourself drawn to this young singer's music in no time.

Gracie is currently based in Cottage Grove, Oregon. She's still living like a teenager but at the same balancing a steadily blooming career. The Acoustic EP is her debut compilation.

Opening with Just My Type, the song is a gorgeous, laid-back cut echoing Gracie's strong vocals. It's a great opening single, setting the mood and tone for the upcoming tracks. Mean Girls, meanwhile, features a sort of open letter to mean girls everywhere. The song adds a nice upbeat touch and expressive lyrics. The young artist has a knack for stringing together words; creating raw lyrics that are worth listening to. Other songs worth checking out in the album include, Not Worth It; the fun and quirky single, Unconditional as well as Blue & Green.

If you love acoustic indie pop with a touch of alternative and country twang, then there's a big chance you'll fall in love with this one. Gracie Mitchell commands attention with her voice and songwriting skills; making you want to listen as she sings. It's a great album to grab. Best part is that this one is absolutely free.

Related Links:
Gracie Mitchell on BandCamp
Gracie Mitchell on Facebook

Tired of the same old shows? Jack and the Dustbowl will not disappoint those who are looking for a good movie fix.

Written and directed by Brandon McCormick, it tells the story of Jack Spriggs, a poor farmer from Alabama who intends to keep his family’s land. Even during the time of the great depression and record heat waves, Jack refuses to leave and instead tries to dig for hope.

Though it covers some familiar territory, the film makers handled it with a lighter sensibility instead of a heavy sermonizing approach. It’s fresh and inspiring, the kind that you’d want to share with your friends.

The acting was also phenomenal. It was brilliantly performed with just the right dose of humor, heart and gravity.

Being the brainchild of Whitestone Motion Pictures artisans, you can always expect top-notch production. It has a sunny mid western vibe that was perfectly executed throughout. The film also showcases stunning cinematography that can be at par with its mainstream counterparts.

All in all, Jack and the Dustbowl is a refreshing take on period films that we seldom get these days. It’s an enlightening piece that tells us to not give up despite the adversities. The creators did an amazing job on the narrative and visuals. I will not be surprised to see it scoring awards in the near future. Well done!

Related Links:
Whitestone Motion Pictures' Official Website
Whitestone Motion Pictures on Vimeo
Jack and the Dustbowl Soundtrack on iTunes

Folk songs always make me smile. There's something about that slight honky tonk banjo sound that makes me think of life as a piece of cake.

This self-titled debut from Corinna Rose is no exception. It comes with that feel-good sound that you can play over and over again without getting tired. This is the first compilation for the singer, although she's released several singles before this one.

This time around, she's armed with an acoustic guitar, a banjo along with her beautiful voice; ready to showcase a short EP that is both enjoyable and worthy of a listen.

Corinna Rose is actually the moniker of Corey Gulkin; a Montreal based singer that admits to being influenced by artists as diverse as Weezer and Regina Spektor. It's this love for folk, pop and rock that has helped shape the tracks in this record. The album brilliantly captures a warmth and a certain joy sometimes the lyrics are also quite thought provoking.

Opening with Belle Guitare, Rose sings about getting her guitar as well as the many things about life. From wishing to have "a less simple life" to talking about losing grip on their partners. It's an upbeat song that sticks for a good long while after a few listens. It's followed by a melodic track titled, Hymn for the Hearbreaker, where the artist shows off her banjo playing skills. Moreover, Amanda is also another quiet track which showcases Corinna's skillful banjoy playing and knack for creating dreamy folk cuts.

The EP is capped off with Born On a Mountain, which ends the record in an upbeat tempo. It also makes you think of lush countrysides where you can run around and simply feel good about everyday life.

Overall, you get an exciting compilation that's perfect for folk lovers everywhere. It's a bit too short and ends rather abruptly just when you're starting to fall in love with the songs but nevertheless, it serves as a great introduction to the artist and what we can expect in the future. Take a listen.

Related Links:
Corinna Rose on BandCamp
Corinna Rose on Tumblr
Corinna Rose on Facebook
Corinna Rose on Twitter
Corinna Rose on Myspace

Many people have a habit of playing around with pictures and adding various effects for fun. Well than, if you are one of them Old Photo PRO is the perfect solution for your iOS device. With Old Photo PRO, you will have the option to give a complete golden-era touch to the pictures.

The app was developed by Deion Mobile and is a very casual application for some light-hearted fun.

The basic idea of the app is to show the user how pictures would look if taken a decade ago. The effects, sketching, look and feel of the photographs look very genuine and has a dash of authenticity to the final product. The application allows the user to edit the picture manually by changing the saturation level, paper-type, film color, color hues, or you can simply leave all the creative decisions to the app itself.

Old Photo PRO allows you to save the result and gives the option to directly share the edited picture using the direct send option. The app offers really nice interface with very fun features thrown-in for more fun. In addition, the users have the option to view photo in High Resolution by making an in-app purchase of $2.99, though the free version picture results are more than satisfactory.

Related Links:
Developer Website

Have a sweet spot for folk electronica music? Happy Song is a Happy Song by Nick Rivera is a compilation you should check out.

The man behind this musical project is Michele Sarti, an Italian singer/songwriter who has a gift for transforming various instruments and sounds into a whole menagerie of quiet beauty. His sound captures elusive and fleeting moments so perfectly that it's hard not to fall for it.

After years spent playing drums for a number of rock bands, Michele eventually sought more experimental and free form sounds. This led to rediscovering instruments like the French horn and exploring a more meditative, free-folk form of sound.

From a mix of acoustic sounds, the French Horn and spacey, synth sounds here and there; opening single Renee Luise starts the mini EP in the best possible way. It immediately immerses the listener in the weird but surprisingly relaxing sound of  Nick Rivera. Despite the mish-mash of instruments, you still get a melodic and hypnotic set that's heightened by the artists' moody vocal work.

It's followed by title track, Happy Song is a Happy Song, which features the more folkish acoustic side of the singer. Again, the musician's capacity to create a concrete image and capture the essence of the tracks makes his sound even more worthy of a listen. Meanwhile, Butter in My Head is a bit more melodramatic with a touch of quirkiness. The vocals lends itself well to the song, adding another layer of interest to the already lush landscape of instruments.

The album is finished off with Horn Y Orgy, an instrumental piece that highlights the artists' love for the French Horn. It's a lovely track that caps the record in a fresh way.

With just four cuts, the EP is quite short. And chances are after you listen to it, you'll want to listen to more from Nick Rivera. Expect the sound to be quite different. There's a lot going on in each song but there's also a coherence and unity to the sound. Overall, this is a great EP to have especially for those looking for a new acoustic, free folk artist to love.

Related Links:
Nick Rivera on La Bel Netlabel
Nick Rivera on Myspace
Nick Rivera on Internet Archive

Questo opera è distribuito con licenza Creative Commons Attribuzione - Non commerciale - Non opere derivate 2.5 Italia.

So here we finally have something for all Windows Mobile users. Penguin is a very casual game set ready for you to enjoy in the spare time. Its certainly not a serious game but more of a fun offering or a children oriented play.

Created by Mike Newman, an individual developer, the game tries to embody a minimalist approach without any glitter and glamour. It can be viewed as a true time-killer at the same time giving birth to a new genre in the mobile gaming world.

In the game, players need to gain maximum momentum and make the penguin fly or dive through various cartoonish landscapes with varied colors for points. Moreover, the controls are very straightforward, no hunky-dory stuff. Just aim, flick and Voila! watch the penguin soar through the skies, land and landscapes.

Penguin features 14 different levels, and like any other game, the difficulty keeps on increasing. So its not as simple as it looks on paper. Also, the developer claims that every level is different. So, if you play level 5 once, the second time, things might change. Well, much does not change, but it surely incorporates a few tweaks.

The competition hungry folks out there would love the incorporation of Global Leader-boards and the additional ability to compete with players worldwide. The leader-board incorporates daily, weekly, and overall top scores for better comparison. Previous users will need to download the latest version 2.1 for Global Leader-board support in-game. The game features some neat music and sound effect, enhancing the gameplay.

Overall, a great time killing game with very minimal usage of the screen and hand. Recommended to anyone who needs a better way to kill-time during commute from point A to point B.

Related Links:
Developer on AppHab
Penguin on Windows Marketplace

If you're looking to get your progressive rock fix, The Stalactites' Dark Matters could help you in this department. Made up of Johnny B. (guitar),  Rudy Hellio (piano, guitar, programming), and Sophie Hebbelynck (violin), The Stalactites is actually a virtual band; making use of the internet and sending each other recorded files from miles away.

Dark Matters is the second compilation for the group. It was released back in August 2011. Don't expect crazy progressive riffs in here though, the album dwells more on the atmospheric/ambient side, combining hazy guitars with moody violin work and great programming. 

As mentioned, the guys are essentially a virtual band; recording their own parts from different places and combining these into one cohesive track for the album. So far, the formula is proving a success. Dark Matters exudes this otherwordly vibe that's both soothing and relaxing.

From the opening track, Kryptonited, you can sort of guess that you're in for one moody, spacey trip. The song is a bit somber but it does set the mood perfectly for the rest of the compilation. Occasionally, heavier guitar riffs do come into play such as in SOL and Paranoid Bones, but there are also melodic piano work in tracks like Nova. In the end, you get this ethereal rockish sound from the record which is easily likable, even if you're not a complete prog rocker.

Dark Matters is perfect for anybody who has a taste for experimental music. Prog isnt' exactly everybody's cup of tea but for those who love it, this one should be an easy winner. Take a listen.

Related Links:
The Stalactites on BandCamp
The Stalactites on Facebook
The Stalactites on YouTube
The Stalactites on Symbiotic Reviews

The Android ecosystem is filled with some really interesting apps that increase the productivity by leaps and bounds and UC Browser 8 is a perfect example. This particular browser not only delivers a desktop-like experience, but also increases the browsing speed considerably.

Developed by UC Web, the quality of the app is something to be rest assured off. The developers claim that UC Browser 8 delivers a true web-browsing experience on a smartphone.

The biggest advantage enjoyed by UC Browser 8 over competitors is the fact that it works on the U3 Kernel. A kernel is basically an update that enhances the entire software productivity and boots right after the BIOS. Under this app, the U3 Kernel merges and syncs with the smartphones' hardware more efficiently and effectively for the optimum performance.

The browser itself is very intelligent and works with a mind of his own, with great improved performance under-the-hood. Performance enhancements are the name-of-the-game with increased browser speed, intelligence, safety, as well as energy-saving treats. Furthermore, the browser includes various smart tools such as smart reading, smart forum, and smart screen adapting for proper utilization of colors and perfect webpage rendering.

Another great addition is the inclusion of favorite web-pages loading with much faster speeds. I really like the feature which comes in the form of "My Shortcuts", saving the most visited site directly on the home-screen for better and faster accessibility.

Compared to 2G, 3G and Wi-Fi connections, the UC Browser 8 renders the web-pages much faster compared to older and more traditional mobile web-browsers. Overall, this browser uses the most advanced web technology and helps in giving a full-fledged desktop experience; all this while consuming the least amount of power. A thumbs-up to UC Browser 8.

Related Links:
Developer Website
UC Browser 8 for Symbian
UC Browser 8 for Blackberry
UC Browser 8 for JAVA phones
UC Browser 8 for Windows Phone
UC Mobile on Facebook

The Great Society Media Group is a company that serves as a "promotional vehicle for local record labels in NC." CEO & Founder, Tap (Terry Perry) makes his mark by showcasing his unique blend of sound by releasing this latest effort.

Combining a variety of genres, Im Different is an interesting mix of sounds and beats. On one part it's classified as typical hip hop and r&b while on the other, you'll find electronic, acoustic and even jazz influences surrounding the record.

Tap is no newbie on the block. He's a prolific producer and rapper who has contributed to tracks/albums from artists like Asher Roth, Juelz Santanas Ripstar, Chulo and Ya Favorite Lady to name a few.

Im Different is the latest offering from the artist following a series of compilation records and singles released since 2010. Featuring a general laid-back feel; the album is contemplative and moody in places but also includes lovely upbeat sounds every now and then. When you listen, you'll get tracks like Keep Rising ft. Koury Thompson,  which is a beautiful mellow R&B single that combines gorgeous lyrics with soulful singing. Meanwhile, several standout tracks include Hair Down, Sublime ft. Deniro, Transition and the bonus cut, Tizzy Bossa Nova.

If you're looking for some chill music that's appropriate for winding down after a hectic day, this is a nice compilation to check out. Tap can easily create smooth tracks that's perfect for relaxing. From electronica, a touch of rock, and R & B; the artist covers the bases and ensures that listeners have a good time while on the ride. Grab the download.

Related Links:
Tap on BandCamp
The Great Society Media Group Blog
Tap on Facebook
Tap's Music Blog

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

FxCamera is a straight shooter; it does what it says and does it to its maximum potential. If you need any proof, just check out the download numbers, which should speak for themselves.

Created by ymst, the developer might got close to a fail when it comes to his previous creation, but has scored gold with FxCamera, a brilliant job to say the least. Personally, this is one of those few apps that gel into the whole Android ecosystem without breaking a sweat.

The app provides some very stunning camera effects that completely eliminate the need of any extra editing. The effects look crisp, nice, and subtle, making this a perfect package of fun and productivity. The FxCamera effects include ToyCam, Polandroid, Fisheye, SymmetriCam, Warhol, Normal.

Compared to the original camera resolution, FxCamera shots lessens the resolution, but maintains a good quality for social-network sharing, which is a good thing after all. Overall, this app really makes the cut for every Android user who is heavily into editing pics and adding that panache touch to them. A great idea and work by the developer.

Related Links:
Developer Website