So I’m sure many of you have noticed a distinct lack of content here of late. Or, you have noticed that you haven’t noticed us being as active as we had been? Or maybe you hadn’t noticed us at all, in which case I’m talking to myself again…

Well many interesting things have happened of late and I’m sorry to say that I’ve made up my mind to take an extended hiatus (as wimpy emo bands would call it) from the blog. Yup, without trying to sound self important, because it ain’t a big deal in fairness, I just don’t have the same amount of time to do this project justice as I once had. We’ve had a great run, some amazing writers (who I’d like to thank loads for all of their contributions and patience) and a steady flow of amazing people that I’ve met over the last year or so whether it be online or at events around and about.

As far as the 2XM show goes, Anthony is running that for the moment and we’re deciding what the best course to take with it is.

I will be back with a new project in some shape or form when my brain lets me, but for the moment you can catch me here, here or here (and if Darren lets me, here).

Thanks for reading

*Some housekeeping issues to begin today’s weekly rant with – due to an increasing workload for me at the moment, and for the next few weeks, next week’s (the 30^th April) ‘Life’s Full of Thatsh’ instalment will, unfortunately, be the last until about the 12^th of June; Sorry about that, but I promise I’ll be back and you can continue to catch me either on Twitter on my own blog during that time*

Hi Ho, Hi Ho...it's off to Cork we go...

Yesterday I had the questionable ‘privilege’ of going by train to Cork for the day, in order to distribute some farcically lengthy questionnaires, the design of which I’d thankfully had nothing to do with and was able to disclaim liability from, as part of my ‘group thesis’. Things pretty much got off to a bad start and the whole day was more or less a reminder in how much I frequently find travelling by public transport and ‘seat etiquette’ a grossly frustrating experience. Quite aside from the fact that Irish Rail’s machines were eager to insist that I hadn’t actually reserved any ticket whatsoever using my card (even when I put in my reservation number, and not my card) and that I’ve now safely ascertained that UCC students do not like questionnaires or indeed giving polite refusals (‘Sorry, can you fill…’ to be frequently cut off by ‘no…<awkward silence’), I also ended up with some lazy lump of a girl sitting in front of me. Right from the off, she began doing the ‘land grab’ and placed her bag down under the table and pretty much on top of my feet, spread all her worldly belongings across the table and then utilised the surface of her bag (which was pretty much, as I say, on my feet) to rest her legs on such that I’d have had more leg room if I was being battery farmed.

I don’t know exactly how I manage it, but I seem to have particular skill in the area of ending up sitting beside some freak. A couple of years ago I was on a flight from Hong Kong to Paris, and we’d just been woken up (me and my row-mate, who reminded me of how Colombian drug dealers always appear on TV) for a spot of breakfast – the stale croissant, weak coffee, so on. And evidently the breakfast was so bad, that I managed to develop a hearty nose bleed. So I tried to treat the issue locally for a few minutes before it was looking likely that Air France may have to replace the carpet in Paris due to it looking like somebody had been murdered on it. So I politely asked if the drug-dealer could move and let me out and I was told ‘No, just finishing breakfast’, and with that information conveyed, he returned to the meal at hand. I could hardly believe it, but short of actually getting up and trying to awkwardly climb over him, there was not much else to do except hang tight. And try and slowly siphon his tissues off his tray.

My ideal train - empty!

I mean, I don’t just seem to get kids kicking the back of my seat – I actually seem to be the one who winds up with the adults being absolutely crazy. The only relief yesterday came about on the return journey when this family, who had been trying to hop Cork Station’s queue for the train the whole time, managed to literally sprint onto the train and usurp some poor guy’s table that he had reserved (and which clearly bore his name beside the seats). When he asked what the chances were of getting it back, from what I gathered, they initially offered him the doubtless benefit of sitting in the one spare seat at the table that they weren’t using. Wow, what an offer (but at least somebody else was taking the hit for a change) – and why is it that people for some reason, aren’t able to eye-spy someone else’s name right beside a seat on a train? Or is it just that my name lends itself to camouflage against the interior of the carriage?

Does anyone else ever have these problems? Any weird stories regarding seat mates on trains/planes/automobiles? I’d love to hear them, as always…

RARE

Tartare.

[News]

65 release imminent

You can now stream the latest album by 65daysofstatic in its entirety on their MySpace page. It’s dividing opinions left, right and centre. Personally, I love it.

Broken Social Scene pre-order goodies

The pre-order for the latest Broken Social Scene CD/2LP/7×10″ (!) is currently up and running, and if you’re a fan you should jump on it as you’ll get a bonus EP thrown into the deal. Check it out.

Mineral and Gloria Record LPs to be repressed

Lots of things are being repressed at the moment, but these are particularly relevant to my interests. Both Mineral albums and The Gloria Record’s Start Here LP are getting reissued on vinyl. A chance to pick up three of the most defining albums of the last 20 years without paying eBay prices. Pre-orders start soon.

[Recent Arrivals]

Acid Tiger – Acid Tiger

I don’t know what the definition of ’southern rock’ is. One would assume it involves being southern, but Brooklyn, NY based collective Acid Tiger well… aren’t. ‘Southern rock’, however, was a phrase I had seen thrown in their direction prior to listening and, after listening, I can see why. Featuring members of Converge, United Nations and Thursday, Acid Tigers deftly ply the laid-back bar room swagger that that seems more fitting to dust and heat than grime and concrete.

There have been a couple of albums recently — I’m thinking specifically of Cycles by Soul Control and Heavier Than Heaven… by Blacklisted — which successfully eschew the high fret antics usually associated with hardcore records in favour of old school grunge-style grooves. Acid Tiger take this a step father back by channelling the cock-rock stylings of Led Zep et al. Tracks like Big Beat can’t help but make you think of The Doors, drum solo and all.

My first impression of this record, back when it was announced, was that Acid Tiger could be the new These Arms Are Snakes. Sure enough it’s a gap that needs filling, and though I can’t confirm that opinion until I see them live, I think they’re up to the job. Genre-hopping and undeniable attitude abound throughout the disc. Label, Deathwish Inc, hesitantly call this record ‘fun’. I think they should embrace that comment. You don’t need a background in heavy music to get into this album. It really is a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

If, like me, you had a misspent youth filled with classic rock records, this is the perfect album to ease you into the 21st century.

Available on vinyl and CD now.

Horse Feathers – Thistled Spring

I first discovered the work of Horse Feathers by digging through the Peter Broderick back-catalogue. Those familiar with the Portland multi-instrumentalist will be aware that this is a time-consuming but rewarding process and, certainly, Horse Feathers are one of my most cherished discoveries. Their third album, released this week on Kill Rock Stars, sees them step way from the three-piece they once were (formerly featuring Peter’s equally talented sister, Heather Woods Broderick) and toward the four piece setup that they have been recently touring with. It’s comforting to note that what has been gained is simply a sense of solidity. A real band experience rather than the previous ‘friends in an Oregon living room’ sound. There’s no grandiose string fills or shiny production. The intimacy is still very much present and the whole record shimmers like the airplane-less sunshine we’d been experiencing up until recently.

The west coast of lil’ old America has been producing no shortage of great folk recently; Fleet Foxes and Joanna Newsom being notable examples. If those names appeal to you then there is every chance you’ll fall for this record. Vocalist Justin Ringle’s voice exudes that breathy ‘whisper in your ear’ quality that makes you at once sit up and listen, then fall back and relax.

The title track opener tells you everything you need to know. Piano, cello, violin and voice lead you through the captivating piece and leaves you thoroughly enchanted. ‘Cascades’, which was released as a 7″ late last year backed with a rather wonderful Gillian Welch cover, acts as transition between earlier records and this one. Bowed saw and harmonium round out the hazy rustic charm. Horse Feathers are the kind of band that, once heard, will stick with you for ever more.

Thistled Spring is available now on CD and vinyl.

[From the Archives]

A blast from the past. The records you might have missed and that I almost forgot about.

John Vanderslice – Mass Suicide Occult Figurines (2000)

John Vanderslice is a very hard man to dislike. Ever approachable, he is a musicians’ musician, operating one of the last all-analogue recording studios in the United States, Tiny Telephone. Every release is a labour of love and his albums are some of the best-produced records I’ve heard. His debut solo album, Mass Suicide Occult Figurines, has always struck me as being desperately overlooked. Why this is I’ve never been sure, as it contains great track after great track. The fact that it’s named after a Neutral Milk Hotel lyric should, in itself, be enough to send indie kids flocking, but oh well.

Punchy and abrasive by JV standards, the album opens with songs about being lost at sea, class-A drug manufacturing and killing the owner of Microsoft. It’s a dark record compared to his most recent LP, Romanian Names, but it is littered with Vanderslice’s trademark wit and insight. He has proved his worth as a songwriter time and time again (to me, at least), handling politics and the human condition with an intelligence and expertise that is so often lacking in modern songwriting. At times humorous and moving, these are songs which will hit you on different levels during each listen. Catchy enough to sing along to and profound enough to indulge in, there is a real lasting appeal. Match that to wonderful production and this is an all-round great album.

You can download it for free from John’s website. I would however encourage shelling out for the CD to get the most out of the high fidelity experience.

But I’m old fashioned like that.

Released: 21^st April

Cert: 15A

Having seen the trailer for ‘Date Night’ and being something of a fan of most things Steve Carell (40 year old virgin), I had very little worries about the movie. The idea is funny; it has an established cast and was being directed by Shawn Levy (Just Married). So with this safe entry into a screening of ‘Date Night’, did I leave with my optimism intact??

‘Date Night’ tells the story of Claire and Phil Foster (Tina Fey / Carell). The Fosters are your stereotypical suburban American family. They have two children, live in a nice house in New Jersey and both maintain solid careers. However, with this comfort has grown familiarity and over time their marriage has become devoid of passion. So when an incident at a party prompts the Fosters into reigniting their passion, they decide to head into the city and try to get a table at the hottest restaurant in town. When no table is to be found the Fosters resort to stealing the reservation of a no show couple. Unfortunately, this minor incident leads to a serious case of mistaken identity and the couple find themselves in a situation they really didn’t expect.

From the start, ‘Date Night’ tries to establish the intricacies of our characters and the situation they live in. It outfits them with subtle nuances to their personality and shows the effects of mundane suburban life.

The film sports a decent amount of action and introduces new characters and locations but amidst all these over the top proceedings the undeniable star moments of the film come when Carell and Fey are given time to interact and really reflect on the situation. They are very likeable and both bring some great comedy to the table at certain points.

The story moves at great pace and at no stage does it feel stretched or dragged out.

The plot takes some unusual turns but is for the most part standard fare. Support roles from the likes of James Franco, Mila Kunis, Mark Ruffalo, Ray Liotta and William Fichtner are brief but welcome additions while Mark Wahlberg’s appearance although initially funny gets old fast.

While ‘Date Night’ isn’t perfect, it succeeds quite well as an entertaining movie. Carell and Fey have great chemistry and although Carell resorts way too often too his trademark nonsensical expletives (see the waxing scene of 40 year old virgin), there are some genuinely laugh out loud moments. Some of the more clichéd plot elements feel very contrived and the film never really capitalizes on the potential of its cast.  Fans of Carell and Fey will feel right at home here but even if the duo don’t exactly peak your interest, there is plenty to enjoy about ‘Date Night’.

6.5 Solid Comedy

I decided early this week to continue with my hardcore slating of various programs and formats on TV and needless to say, I didn’t have to think too long or too hard before the next ‘rant’ came upon me. I was recently told about RTE doing surveys to find out what licence-payers think about the programs being shown on our state broadcaster so I raced along (only to find out that they’ve 3 or so different surveys, varying by how much time and effort you wish to expend on the whole thing) and did the ‘intermediate’ survey, as I’d consider it. And what I told them, is pretty much what I’m going to tell you. It goes a little something like this – what, in the name of God, is going on with their Saturday night programming and more importantly, why does everything they show at that time of the evening over the entire weekend have to be preferably a chat show? Is there not enough of them to pick from? I’m actually beginning to wonder when they’ll realise that they could just book the same guest for the Late Late on a Friday, and then have them come back again on Saturday in case anyone missed it the first time.

NO! Where's the remote...

I happen to think Tubridy’s quite a good fit on the Late Late Show – certainly better than the previous joker – but can they not honestly think of anything other than another chat show to replace his former Saturday night run with? It appears not and instead, while Gerry Ryan’s seemingly crying over the pay cuts he’s been having to endure at RTE, they’ve somehow been finding the money to design, build and then dismantle new sets every 8 weeks or so. Because first, we got Brendan O’Connor, the well-known journalist from the Sunday Independent. As it turns out, the good readers of Venntertainment only very narrowly missed out on a rant about that in the first place – since I couldn’t believe they just shoved him onto a chat show (note, I strongly dislike the guy in the first place anyway) where he seemed to come across as extremely stressed and uncomfortable. Indeed, I tuned in for the last week of the show (how upset was I?) when there was an interview with Westlife; and far from enjoy a bit of casual banter, I actually held the edge of the cushion right up to my mouth in terror at the sheer and unbelievable awkwardness of the interview, which reached a peak when Louis Walsh proudly declared that the boys had generously come on to give the show ‘ratings, something which
hadn’t had in a long time’. Ah! How do you come back from that?
Simple – you don’t. It was a Brendan O’Connor flying into volcanic ash moment. The End.

And just like that, the awkwardness was gone...for 8 weeks...

Not content with leaving him out to the dogs, that was the show done literally after just 8 weeks – just enough time to start getting comfortable. But hang on, we have a perfectly good chat show on Friday nights and there’s a plethora of other TV channels running chat shows all the rest of the time. So what do we do? The next week, we try again with a new freshly-renamed (but basically the same) incarnation of the Saturday Night Show. The only difference was the presenter and the set – and it’s nice to know, as I say, that they’re able to find the money for continually renewing the set and the opening graphics, etc when they’re supposed to be tightening their belt so much and cutting people’s pay, so on. I’m not too sure what the logic behind having the new presenter playing the drums is supposed to be – it just reinforces my view that RTE are trying hard to copy the US chat shows with bands, skits and all that stuff. For which, we can just watch the American shows in the first place. The new presenter, Craig Doyle, was undoubtedly a bit smoother in his presenting, if a bit slow-paced (I think I may have nodded off at one point) but then – I read yesterday, that show too is only to run for 8 weeks? What is going on? Are we ever going to get a show that just ‘sticks’ on Saturday night?

Should the team from Venntertainment be the new Saturday Night Show? Answers on a postcard…or below…

RARE

Medium-well.

[News]

Godspeed You! Black Emperor reform to curate ATP’s Nightmare Before Christmas

The most highly revered (don’t call it) post-rock band, Canada’s GY!BE have announced that they will be reforming for three performances at the Butlins-based festival in December, followed by a handful of international tour dates. After a 10 year hiatus, the hype has already hit “critical”.

Record Store Day, April 17th

I hope you’re all going to be supporting your local independent record stores this Saturday. Lots of exclusives to be had if you’re quick, some of them at sensible prices (though not many). Details here.

Steve Reid dead at 66

More sad news to report this week, as legendary jazz drummer Steve Reid passed away. Most famous for playing on the smash hit Dancing in the Street, Reid was forever innovating, releasing several albums with Four Tet’s Kieran Hebden.

[Recent Arrivals]

Love of Everything – Best in Tensions

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of the Joan of Arc collective. Past and present, everyone who has crossed paths with the Tim Kinsella-led group has gone on to produce something worth listening to. If you need proof of that, I encourage you to check out the recently released Don’t Mind Control compilation featuring a wealth of JoA alumni (you can read my review of that here). The latest product off the Chicago-based production line is the latest by bassist Bobby Burg’s solo project, Love of Everything.

Released on the aptly titled Record Label record label, and distributed both digitally and on limited purple vinyl on Polyvinyl Records (CDs are so last year), Best in Tensions sees Burg and drummer Elisse La Roche step into a proper studio set up for the first time. The result is an all too brief collection of joyous indie pop, complete with hand claps and tennis balls. If you’re a fan of early Shins/Flake Music releases or the superb recent LP by Say Hi, you’ll find much to like in this record. If those bands are a bit recent for you, then I’ll wager you could slip track 4, Marriage, on a Syd Barrett album and no one would notice. Consider that high praise indeed.

Best in Tensions loses some of the noisy ramblings present in 2006’s Superior Mold and Die in favour of short and sweet sub 3 minute numbers. Personally, I’d rather they were kept, but considering I’ve more than once gotten the response “and this is music, is it?” when playing records for people makes me think I’m in the minority. This is a fun record start to finish, and it would take the most curmudgeonly of souls to not crack a smile at songs like Birds, Ice Cream and Whales. You’re not curmudgeonly, are you?

Best in Tensions is available now from Polyvinyl.

Parallel Lines – 38:22

It’s long been my own personal musical mantra that anything played over a drone sounds great. A project to try at home: Play some random guitar notes. Now hold a keyboard note and play it again. Better?

Now, that’s not to say it’ll be good. Just better. Good drones take actual talent, and talent is something that’s abundant on this live record by Parallel Lines. This collaborative venture between three Canadians whose real names you probably won’t recognize, but whose stage names you might – destroyalldreamers, thisquietarmy, Below the Sea, to name a few – is a perfect combination of ambient texture psych-folk rhythm.

The set opens some dramatic cymbal swells and tense sustain before opening out into 40 minutes of hypnotic grooves. The performance is broken down into five parts, but you don’t really notice the transitions as the subtle progress of the pieces draws you along. The brief shot of applause at the end never fails to come as a shock as it snaps you back to reality and makes you wonder what you’ve been doing for the last half hour. Music of the “turn on, tune in, drop out” variety. It’s the perfect remedy the mundanity of being a productive individual.

Available now in a hand-numbered edition of 200 copies from Dead Pilot.

[From the Archives]

A blast from the past. The records you might have missed and that I almost forgot about.

Austin Lucas – Somebody Loves You (2009)

In the days before MySpace jumped the shark I was exposed to dozens of people’s attempts to sum up their musical taste in the space of a small box. The classic response took the form of “I like everything except for classical and country” – with varying degrees of grammatical accuracy. This has always been a great source of consternation to me. Firstly, people writing off entire genres is a pet peeve of mine. From techno to bubble gum pop to death metal, there is something worth hearing buried somewhere in there. Secondly, the people writing that sentence had typically only heard classical music on television commercials and I’m not convinced they’d heard country at all.

Austin Lucas’ third album, 2009’s Somebody Loves You, isn’t country. It’s bluegrass. But to most people, and certainly to MySpace, they’re the same. Folk with a twang. Austin started his musical career playing in hardcore punk bands, grating his voice and inking his arms in the process. However, growing up in a family of musicians, including first rate banjo player, Bob Lucas (his father), it was perhaps only a matter of time before roots music won out. Austin left the angry stuff behind and put together his most expertly formed collection of heartfelt folk songs. Covering found love and lost love, Somebody Loves You, is a captivating record. Bluegrass music is renowned for its beer-soaked introversion and —- you attitude, and both are present here. The sad songs are injected with cynicism and wit which keep them closer to the older punk aesthetic than country crooners.

This album sounds more finished than his previous works. That is perhaps my only criticism. Roots music benefits – in my opinion – by being a little rough around the edges. Buying the vinyl and not cleaning it very well solves this problem, however. If you want expert musicianship and quality songwriting, this is worth picking up. Then you can work on classical.

Available now from Suburban Home, Hometown Caravan and major retailers.

First of all, I’m really happy to be reviewing an Irish documentary that is about to receive a cinematic showing, and kick off the brilliant Stranger Than Fiction Festival. Maya Derrington’s film tells the story of a group of teenage girls from working class Dublin who spend most of their time out and about in, well, their pyjamas. A common site these days around the capital, the pyjamas debate has caused controversy on various radio shows and in countless broadsheets. Is it a comfort issue? Is it a statement on their parts about the lack of opportunities presented to them in Irish society? Is it simply borne of laziness? Is it something else?
I was hoping for some real insights with Pyjama Girls, what I got felt more like being stuck on a bus for an hour with some less than savoury characters.

While it is refreshing to see a typically Irish story being examined at such close quarters, and the level of access and participation achieved by Derrington is commendable, I still couldn’t help but feel that what I was watching was simply a group of nasty girls, rather than an examination of a prominent social issue. Perhaps instead of being given scenes where we gain insight into their motivations or lack there of, the director instead leaves us watching them in their natural surroundings where social teenage norms naturally take over. The first time that we meet our central characters, they are laughing and joking about another girl who has been ‘left in blood’. In another scene, while travelling into the city centre aboard a bus, the two girls openly shout abuse and plan an attack on another girl that they spot on the bus next to them. While this might all be considered standard fare for a lot of teenagers growing up in working class Dublin, throughout the film the lead characters rarely if ever display redeeming qualities that might allow the audience to empathise with them. One of the girls’ mothers, who is a drug addict, has left her in the care of her grandmother. This is referred back to a number of times as perhaps a reason for her anger and bad behaviour, but various abusive outbursts between her and her grandmother create awkward and uncomfortable scenes where it is hard to feel any sympathy.

And what of the pyjamas? The reason for wearing them day-in, day-out? Apparently, ‘the flats’ are like a huge house where everyone knows each other and going outside isn’t like leaving the front door, but wandering around your own home from room to room. A strange explanation given the fact that we watch scene after scene of groups of pyjama-attired girls exploring every part of the city. Some house. Many films that deal with Dublin’s disadvantaged have successfully displayed both the plusses and negatives of characters growing up in the inner city, I couldn’t help but feel that Pyjama Girls only depicted the latter.

Enough of the characters though, what of the film? Frequent and lingering shots of grey brick walls and ugly flats, accompanied by a minimalist electro soundtrack, which can become quite irritating after time, may add to the feelings of loneliness and frustration that the films characters may feel, but don’t make for entertaining viewing. Pyjama Girls also distinctly misses any truly entertaining scenes that are so prominent in many memorable documentaries.

What started as an examination of pyjama girls becomes another showcase of tragic problems within Irish society. Wearing pyjamas is of course no crime, and these girls have so far avoided the much-travelled route of drug-abuse and crime that are rampant within their communities. While Pyjama Girls doesn’t provide any real answers or reveal anything new to it’s viewers, as an observational documentary, it allows us into areas that have rarely been dealt with on Irish screens, and that in itself is a good thing. If only it were more endearing.

We had a great chat about documentaries on The Venntertainment Show a few weeks back (Check out the podcast). Our main focus was the Stranger Than Fiction Festival being held by the IFI from today, 15th April till the 18th April in the IFI cinemas, Temple Bar.

We wanted to recommend a few films from the festival that we think would be worth checking out:

Videocracy – Friday 16th April, 14.15

The examination of a commercial TV experiment influenced by Silvio Berlusconi which has created a perfect system for entertainment and politics and which the Italian public have been subjected to for over 30 years.

Winnebego Man – Saturday 17th April, 16.30

An exploration of the subject of one of the first viral videos to hit the net and the search for the angriest man in the world, the video’s creator – The Winnebego Man.

The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls – Sunday 18th April, 20.30

The Topp Twins tells the story of two of New Zealand’s most loved and celebrated performers. A national institution in their homeland, and quite possibly the world’s only yodelling, lesbian, country-and western- singing comedians.

We’ve also been lucky enough to have been given a sneak peak of three of the festivals best films – Pyjama Girls, The Last Train Home and Secrets of the Tribe – which we’ll be reviewing for you right here over the next few days.

TV opening credits exist in a strange limbo, when it comes to their being an integral part of the show. I suppose the best way to describe it would be that they’re similar to a recurring background character; their presence is purely to serve a purpose, but if they’re played out in the right way they can be charming, and become as much a part of a programme’s identity as the location or the cast.

So what makes for a good opening?

Brevity

This is an obvious one for our generation of short atten…

sorry, what was I saying? Anyway, keeping credits brief doesn’t remove your audience from the programme, particularly if there’s a cold open (right into the action) in use. No better example of this than LOST, which is better described as a title flashcard than opening credits. Although, if the idea of short attention spans ever crossed JJ Abrams’ mind, he might just have packed the whole thing in back when people still gave a damn. The West Wing and Arrested Development are two other programmes which keep things brisk, and let us get into the show we came to watch.

Music

Oh so crucial. No music, no love. No love, I switch you off. The music behind the theme songs becomes so familiar to us over the course of a series that, if we don’t like it, we’ll find it very hard to truly warm to the programme. I worked out recently (admittedly, it was a ‘napkin calculation’) that most TV viewers between the ages of 25 and 40 will have spent around a day of their lives watching the opening credits of The Simpsons.

And trust me, when we’re old, it’s that bright and addictive music that will bring us right back to our prime. That’s the tune that will prompt us to tell our grandchildren that animation used to be a lot better in our day — as they watch Seth McFarlane’s 407th attempt at humour, centered around a displaced yuppie couple living in a Brazilian slum with a talking stoat for a child.

The aforementioned West Wing boasts a stirring, beautiful composition that sets the tone perfectly for the programme it opens. The Wire, meanwhile, doesn’t offer much in the line of credits (one of its only flaws), but gets the music right each time via various artists’ takes on Tom Waits’ Way Down In The Hole.

On the other end of the scale, McFarlane can just do no right when it comes to credits. It started off badly with Family Guy, but deteriorated (along with the quality of the programmes themselves, it must be said) as American Dad and The Cleveland Show hit horrendous new depths.

Detail

Back to The Simpsons. Put simply, you can still watch that and pick up something new every time. The Sopranos lacks brevity and the tune, while good, isn’t enough to prompt repeated viewings. However every time Tony takes that drive to New Jersey, there’s something else to be seen. It’s visually fantastic, and definitely worth watching through once or twice a season at least.

Dynamism

Back we go, once again, to Springfield. Chalkboard gag, couch gag. Or possibly to the year 3,000 with the advertising hoarding and sponsors’ messages in Futurama. Groening is the anti-McFarlane when it comes to opening sequences, it seems.

Show, don’t tell

Thanks, Lois, for pointing out in your nasal tones that the show is about a “family guy”. And it’s always helpful, when watching The Cleveland Show, to hear the words “this is the Cleveland Show!” It’s not a million miles away from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, or Home And Away, which give lengthy descriptions of their protagonists’ lives rather than letting us see them for ourselves.

It would, however, be interesting to hear a similar tactic deployed on Coronation St. Let’s see them try to fit 50 years’ worth of material into that tune. Perhaps they could fit one back story into each edition…

“Gail has wed several times before,
But we wonder if they’ll allow her any more?
‘Cos they all end up dead…
Enough said?”

“Tony, such an evil fiend,
For a while, you had us all deceived.
But you took your best mate’s life,
Now you’re in love with his wife…”

And so on…

‘Hidden’ clues

Alright, ‘hidden’ is a bit of a push. But there’s a certain excitement to seeing someone’s name and face added to the opening sequence of The West Wing, knowing they’re now one of the ‘family’. All the other random faces who appear in the show are treated with suspicion, and generally assumed to be working in secret for the Republicans — until they appear in the opening montage.

So is there anything else that makes for a good set of credits? Are they really a core part of a show’s personality, or just a load of names on the screen? And seriously, who’s up for that Coronation Street idea?

Cheer Up! You did great

It’s sad to say but creativity does not always produce success in the games industry. Playing it safe has become almost standard practice for development studios.

So in an industry of playing it safe and original games rarely achieving beyond mediocre sales it is wonderful news to see ‘Heavy Rain’ (a marvelously original title) shift one million units worldwide after just 5 weeks since its release.

“It’s a stunning achievement – not least because Heavy Rain is not a traditional blockbuster game,” says Mark Hardy, European Product Marketing Director at SCEE

I completely agree!! Sony took a chance in making ‘Heavy Rain’. There is no online play, it’s not a First Person Shooter and its strongly story focused experience may not cater to the gamers who are accustomed to run and gun play.

But what does this mean for gamers?? Will developers catch on and realize that well produced and thought out material can really draw large numbers of players? Titles such as ‘Heavy Rain’, ‘Mass Effect 2′ and ‘Assassins Creed 2′ have all highlighted the fact that the industry is always on the lookout for innovation. Will we see better games because of success stories like this??

I hope so.

We at Venntertainment loved ‘Heavy Rain’ and can catch our review here

Congratulations to Sony and Quantic Dream.

‘Heavy Rain’ is in stores now exclusively for PS3.