The Scope

Episode 83: Please Alan, Don’t Hurt ‘Em.

comments@thescopeshow.com — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:00:16 +0000

After being smacked around by the year 2009 and cranky furnace, The Scope returns to entertain the masses. And what a glorious return it is.

The first regular episode of 2010 covers the grand choke-fest that was the NFC Championship game, the vocal styles of of Sir Arnold Schwarzenegger, and other hot/timely topics like Avatar and Jay Leno. We are so on top of things.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a proper Scope show if there wasn’t a classic segment…and this time your Scope superstars fire up the Randomometer 2533 and take on the year 1990. It was quite a sight to see Jared float into his chair using his M.C. Hammer pants as a makeshift parachute.

The Scope Episode 83 is fine with using wacky soundboard applications six years too late.

Year In Review: 1990

Jared
Music: Fear of a Black Planet – Public Enemy
Film: Pump Up the Volume

Adam
Music: Bossanova – The Pixies
Film: Kindergarten Cop

Shane
Music: Violator – Depeche Mode
Film: Edward Scissorhands

Music
Scope Sounds: “Freedom Of Speech” – Above The Law

Feedback
Email: comments@thescopeshow.com
Phone: 646-495-9201 x 70055

We’re Back To It

comments@thescopeshow.com — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:40:02 +0000

The furnace is replaced, and the stars have aligned… The Scope will record this Sunday! Look for a new episode on Monday, February 1.

Failed Furnace Forces Fretful… Uh… Delay

comments@thescopeshow.com — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 22:32:18 +0000

Just as we were set to resume our recording schedule, another roadblock has appeared to thwart us. This time, it was Jared’s furnace taking a dirt nap. Avid listeners of The Scope know that the furnace doesn’t play an active role on the show, but since we record in Jared’s basement, the lack of forced-air comfort would result in a fresh batch of scopesicles.

Hopefully this delay is only for a week while the situation gets sorted out. We’ll let you know when we’re back on track.

Al’s Top 40 of 2009: #10-#1

comments@thescopeshow.com — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 20:14:30 +0000

Just in case you did not follow via Facebook updates. Here are Al’s Top 10 of 2009:

#10) “(If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To” by Weezer

#9) “Screen Test” by Envy Corps

#8) “Cornerstone” by Arctic Monkeys

#7) “Velvet” by The Big Pink

#6) “James” by Camera Obscura

#5) “Help I’m Alive” by Metric

#4) “So Human” by Lady Sovereign

#3) “1901″ by Phoenix

#2) “The Fixer” by Pearl Jam

#1) “Zero” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

The Scope 4th Annual New Year’s Eve Special

comments@thescopeshow.com — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 23:55:22 +0000

Here it is, the moment you’ve all been waiting for. We partied like it was 2009, and you get to experience how that gradually altered our podcasting skill. Even Adam managed to appear in person to complete the mighty Scopetron, defender of the universe.

Join us as we recap why we were on an extended break, discuss our favorites from 2009, talk to special guests, and anoint our Party All-star. Did I mention Adam was there? Ah, yes, I did.

Al’s Top 40 of 2009: #20-#11

comments@thescopeshow.com — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 15:38:26 +0000

I hope we’ve all been taking notes. There will be a quiz. If you’ve been absent, you can fill in your worksheet with these answers:

20) “Black Magic” by Magic Wands

19) “A Whole Lot Better” by Brendan Benson

18) “The Reeling” by Passion Pit

17) “Heartbeat Radio” by Sondre Lerche

16) “How You Like Me Now” by The Heavy

15) “Think I Need It Too” by Echo & The Bunnymen

14) “Blood Bank” by Bon Iver

13) “One Wing” by Wilco

12) “Trouble Weights A Ton” by Dan Auerbach

11) “Beginner’s Luck” by The Eels

Holiday Greetings from your pals at The Scope

comments@thescopeshow.com — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 15:34:05 +0000

Your Scope hosts want to take a quick moment from the buckets of eggnog and mountains of candy canes to wish everyone out there the best this holiday season. No matter what you celebrate, we hope it is full of fun, festivities, and time spent with family and friends.

Yes, even Adam is in on this one.

Stay safe, have a great time, and prepare yourself for The Scope New Year’s Eve Special. We’re not quite sure when we’re recording it…but we’ll let you know when we come up with a date and time.

Peace out!

J, A, and S

The Scope on Zero Hour… Again

comments@thescopeshow.com — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:49:54 +0000

Can’t wait for our return on New Year’s Eve? Then check out our appearance on Hour 20 of Zero Hour with John Norton. Yes, even Adam makes an appearance. This episode covers the NFL, Tiger Woods, Shane’s Ordeal, Jersey Shore, Steven Seagal: Lawman, Headlines, Top 5 Films, TV Shows, and World of Warcraft Moments of the Past Decade.

The Scope To Make Triumphant Return

comments@thescopeshow.com — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 16:07:37 +0000

That’s right, we’re coming back! The Scope is scheduled to return to regular production in 2010. Our return will be marked by our fourth annual New Year’s Eve special. Have you listened to our past New Year’s Eve specials? They’re usually a mess but quite entertaining. Expect more of the same.

We’re still nailing down the details for what we’ll cover in this episode, but we know for sure that we want to include our valued listeners in the show. You can call into the voicemail line at 646-495-9201 x70055 and leave a special message for the new year. We’ll play the best of your messages on the show, so put forth your best effort.

That’s the deal. We’re looking forward to entertaining you in 2010.

Al’s Top 40 of 2009: #30-#21

comments@thescopeshow.com — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 05:34:41 +0000

We are at the halfway mark of counting down Al’s favorite tunes of 2009 on The Scope Facebook page. Here is a recap of the second quarter of songs:

30) “Loaded” by The Idle Hands

29) “I Wonder Who We Are” by The Clientele

28) “Drown In The Now” by Crystal Method featuring Matisyahu

27) “Last One to Die” by Rancid

26) “Don’t Haunt This Place” by The Rural Alberta Advantage

25) “Twilight Omens” by Franz Ferdinand

24) “I Know What I Am” by Band of Skulls

23) “Never Forget You” by Noisettes

22) “No Wedding Cake” by Fol Chen

21) “So Far Around the Bend” by The National

Al’s Top 40 of 2009: #40-#31

comments@thescopeshow.com — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:19:10 +0000

If you have not been following Al’s Top 40 of 2009 on Facebook, here is what you have missed:

40) “Teen Beast” by Los Straitjackets

39) “Show Me How This Thing Works” by Cracker

38) “Fitz and the Dizzyspells” by Andrew Bird

37) “The Great Defector” by Bell X1

36) “Smoke Bros” by Amazing Baby

35) “Complicated Shadows” by Elvis Costello

34) “Sugarfoot” by Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears

33) “The Calculation” by Regina Spektor

32) “The Box” by 1990s

31) “Roman History” by Pet Lions

Al’s Top 40 of 2009 Coming Soon to The Scope Show

comments@thescopeshow.com — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 15:10:59 +0000

No, Al has not hi-jacked The Scope Show from Jared, Adam, and Shane. He is simply here to take part in everyone’s favorite December past time- making lists. We will discuss and debate some of the tunes we heard during 2009. You can tell Al that all his music sucks and remind him that we are not in the 1990’s anymore when some nostalgic bands make his list of 40 over the uber-cool trendy bands that you like (don’t worry Candlebox and Ugly Kid Joe didn’t crack the list this year).

The Scope Taking a Brief Break

comments@thescopeshow.com — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:44:28 +0000

Sometimes life throws you lemons, so while we make lemonade — in order to mix it with some Jack Daniels, of course — we’ll be going on a brief hiatus. This break will delay our next episode, originally scheduled to record this weekend. We don’t have a firm date for our return, but it shouldn’t be too long.

Thank you for your patience, and thanks for listening.

Episode 82: Thorbjoern Jagland wants to kick drum your heart

comments@thescopeshow.com — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 11:00:26 +0000

Episode 82 of The Scope comes at you with a distinct lack of Adam but makes up for it with a brand-new (ripped off from Entertainment Weekly) bit. And to show we really do care, our lone music review comes directly from fan request. But we worry because he probably expected a typical Scope score of three stars. Will our petulant behavior erode our fan base by 29.47%? Hopefully, our focus on sports and G.I.Joe comic history will dull the blow.

Episode 82 can fully support The Beatles. (That’s what happens when Adam doesn’t show up.)

Reviews
Music
2 ¼ Stars – I and Love and You – The Avett Brothers

Music
Scope Sounds: “1901″ – Phoenix

Feedback
Email: comments@thescopeshow.com
Phone: 646-495-9201 x 70055

Episode 81: We Have No Catch Phrases or Funny Lines

comments@thescopeshow.com — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:00:56 +0000

In homage to the new ABC show, FlashForward, we blackout for one hour and thirty-seven minutes. That means we have no idea what happened during episode 81 of The Scope. But it’s a good possibility the show covers the second part of the North Shore Trivia Contest of ’09, the aforementioned FlashForward, and maybe some healthcare talk. Why? We’re socially-conscious, even while passed out.

Finally, because you were wondering, we did see our futures in the blackout. And you know what? In six months, we’ll all be watching season seven of the now-classic sitcom, Girlfriends, on DVD. Very sad. Very true.

Reviews
Television
3 Stars – FlashForward – ABC Thursday 8/7c

Music
Scope Sounds: “The Way You Talk” – Schaffer The Darklord

Feedback
Email: comments@thescopeshow.com
Phone: 646-495-9201 x 70055

Episode 80: The 4th Annual Fall TV Preview

comments@thescopeshow.com — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:32:19 +0000

The latest episode of The Scope brings equal doses of pleasure and pain. Adam is back in studio, while Molly had to bow out of her appearance due to “scheduling conflicts.” We’ll let you decide which event corresponds with the good and bad.

To make up for this unforeseen dichotomy, we bring you The 4th Annual Fall TV Preview with gusto and grit. Yes, our expert Molly wasn’t able to sit in on this important event. But we overcame it with many references to Matthew McConaughey (Patchouli and Texas?!?) as well as Jared’s love mild dislike loathing of TV’s Amy Poehler.

Finally, just to make it seem like a full show, we do timely reviews of a TV show on DVD that has been out for some time and a video game featuring a musical band that some (Adam) call “overrated.” No, it’s not Ace of Base. Although Ace of Base: Rock Band seems like a solid concept for a game, right?

Good times. Good times. (Repeated for comedic impact.)

Reviews
Television
3 ¼ Stars – Flight of the Conchords: The Complete Second Season
Video Games
3 ½ Stars – The Beatles: Rock Band – Xbox 360
3 ½ Stars – Batman: Arkham Asylum – Xbox 360

Music
Scope Sounds: “Rock Is FTW!” – Possible Oscar – Download for free at The FuMP

Feedback
Email: comments@thescopeshow.com
Phone: 646-495-9201 x 70055

Episode 79: The Mysterious Case of Matrices, Dirty Sanchezies, and the Missing Square Root of 64

comments@thescopeshow.com — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 11:00:28 +0000

After months of harassment from N.O.W., we finally let another woman co-host the show who isn’t named Molly. Kerri (with a K) stops by to fill in for an A.W.O.L. Adam and prove that superfans can actually make it on the show. Only in America.

We also bring back “North Shore Trivia,” a classic (because we say it is) Scope show bit. It’s made even better by listening to Kerri squirm as we force her to answer the questions. Keep in mind, she’s practically a genius. Or that’s what she tells us.

We also hammer out three solid reviews including one for Quentin’s latest film. You gotta love the giant pipe, yes? Or is that, “Ja?”

The Scope Episode 79 isn’t intimidated by anything named, “Sloshdat.”

Reviews
Music
3 ¼ Stars – Old Familiar Friend – Brendan Benson
Television
3 Stars – Leverage – TNT Wednesday 9/8c
Film
3 ¾ Stars – Inglourious Basterds

Music
Scope Sounds: “Heads Up, Hearts Down” – I Fight Dragons

Feedback
Email: comments@thescopeshow.com
Phone: 646-495-9201 x 70055

Episode 78: Adam And His Amazing Bladder

comments@thescopeshow.com — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:00:32 +0000

Much to the disappointment of nearly everyone in the podcasting community, this episode marks the return of The Scope after our one month summer hiatus. We may sound a little rusty this time around…but who are we kidding? We usually sound a little rusty.

Speaking of Rusty, we give tribute to 80s movie maker John Hughes (Rusty was the name of the son in Hughes’ National Lampoon’s Vacation; look it up, slackers) and Adam is too lazy to come into the studio but more than willing to monopolize the first part of the show talking about his latest travel disaster. Yes, it was even in the news.

Speaking of disasters (see how we’re doing it?) we review the G.I.Joe movie as well as spend a little time with new Scope show-regular Mike talking about the history and trivia of the Joe Universe.

Speaking of the Joe Universe, we also give a nearly-instant review of District 9 (Hmm. That transition didn’t work nearly so well.)

That’s a lot of content for one Scope show. Show your appreciation by listening with glee, sending comments and voicemails, and reviewing us in iTunes. Oh, hell, become a fan of us in Facebook while you are at it.

Reviews
Film
1 ½ Stars – G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
3 ½ Stars – District 9

Music
Scope Sounds: “This Ballad of G.I. Joe” – Funny or Die

Feedback
Email: comments@thescopeshow.com
Phone: 646-495-9201 x 70055

Final G.I. Joe Commentary from Spielbay

comments@thescopeshow.com — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 18:55:00 +0000

The final G.I. Joe PSA video is now available.

Will you see the movie anyway? Yeah, we probably will too.

More G.I. Joe Commentary From Spielbay

comments@thescopeshow.com — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:27:43 +0000

Spielbay is doing important work. This video explains how to handle the side effects of watching G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra