I am excited. For those of you that haven't heard the new single from the Shins, steer on over to this "Simple Song" minisite to take a gander. The HTML5 reel-to-reel player is actually a super impressive heap of code. The volume knob works, the meters jump with the music, and the tape reels transfer sides as the song progresses.
This is a good track, not stellar, but a strong showing. It is missing the depth and bliss of say "New Slang", or "Celibate Life". Still, I am excited for the new album because if it is anything like the following gems, we are in for treats.
I think if George Lucas really appreciated me and the bazillion others that gave him all his money, he would have put the original theatrical releases with the Blu-ray discs. I wonder why he pretends that the originals don't even exist? I have pled (and will continue to plead) with the nerd gods that George will one day at least acknowledge that there are those that want quality versions of the originals, that there are those that love what he created but hate he is currently doing. The argument that they are his creations and can therefore do what he pleases with them is the most infuriating of all of those championing his bastardizations. They are his, yes, but then he gave them to me, so they are also mine. So I will ever understand why. And it continues, something I shouldn't let phase me, because honestly he has been tinkering since he went and added "A New Hope" back in 1981, but that is minor compared to his decision to give Darth Vader another line in Return of the Jedi's blu-ray version... [tangent eminent] ... it needs to be said that the silence of Vader's sacrifice was part of the poignancy of his action. Adding an awkward scream for no real reason (see video below) seems absurd ... and that is the problem I have with the tinkering, that there is no real reason for loads of the alterations. If they were somehow justified, or even remotely understandable then perhaps, JUST perhaps they would be more palatable. But I doubt it.
In summation: if there is sandwich that has a little bit of poop on it, and a sandwich with a lot of poop on it, I don't want either of them. A little poop isn't more desirable. I prefer no poop.
This is one of the most simple, yet brilliant projects I have seen in a while. Olly Moss illustrated bits of pop-culture through the filter of an age old technique. So entertaining.
I chose to highlight a few of my favorites. Some are obvious, and some require thought. Be sure to go to his site, because all are worth looking at.
