I'm Different!

5.10.11

3:46 pm

 

I'm not actually different, the title of this entry is a reference to Portal 2.

One of the turrets, if you rescue it from "redemption", will tell you a lot of interesting little things, but only if you heed its lilting, inherently sad cry of "I'm different!".

AAAAAAAAAAAND speaking of clunky segues...I played a heck lot more of Portal 2 last night, experiencing no frustration whatsoever.

This is how the game was meant to be played...

And they've done a great job of actually getting some story up in this bee hatch, a pretty compelling one too.

Not sure where I am in the grand scheme of things, but I'm enjoying myself, so it doesn't matter.

Found out last night that I will (once PSN gets their shit together) be able to play the Portal 2 co-op with Will, me on my PS3, him on his computer.

The Future is finally here.

Way to be, Valve.

 

I've also had a chance to listen to the new Lonely Island a few times and here's some thoughts...

 

First off, these three guys are hilarious and, in my eyes, the reason people still bother to watch SNL.

I'll gladly go even further to say that they've saved SNL.

Okay?

Credit.

Now, that said, the second Lonely Island album, Turtleneck & Chain, is not nearly as good as the first.

In a nutshell, the first album had more tracks that didn't need to rely on the accompanying video to get the joke across, the song itself was finny enough and was enhanced by the video.

While there are a few songs on Turtleneck & Chain that are just great without seeing the joke (like the opener 'We're Back!', 'I Just Had Sex' and 'Motherlover'), the majority of the others ('Shy Ronnie 2', 'Threw It On The Ground', 'The Creep', 'Japan') that are practically incomplete without a visual component.

There are even a couple of tracks that need video to make them anything more than filler, like 'Rocky' and 'Attracted to Us' (probably the worst use of Beck ever. When you have the guy who created Midnite Vultures at your disposal, wring him dry).

I'd like to make clear that this isn't bad, just not as great as the first. We're not talking dropping from an A- to a D or anything, maybe just a B. There are some moments of pure gold like 'Jack Sparrow', which features Michael Bolton doing what all "serious artists" should do and jumping into the world of Lonely Island, feet first, and, the above-mentioned 'Motherlover', both songs that are excellent to begin with and are just improved upon by their ridiculously funny videos.

On its own, Turtleneck & Chain is a good album and only loses its luster when put next to their first.

Luckily, for those who feel like the wait wasn't worth it, you can go to Lonely Island's official web site and watch all their videos, any time you want.

Heck, I have a funny feeling you might even be able to obtain one or two of these songs and videos you like so much that didn't make it on either album some other, less legal way.

Just call it a feeling.

Anyway, while Turtleneck & Chain is a solid, well-made, funny work, there's really nothing on it that can compare to 'Natalie's Rap' from their first album.

Whatever the case, I recommend you buy both their albums, as their doing God's work and reminding the masses that "real" rap can be just as silly as their brand of fake rap.

Sometimes more so.