It probably comes as no big shocker to anyone with half a brain that the Republican Party in this country has some pretty skewed ways of "contributing" to the betterment of society. It has become painfully obvious to even the most conservative Democrat that "business as usual" is all that matters to these people and at this point it's really getting out of hand. Let's examine a few key points to back up that statement.

I recently watched as Republican Joe Barton (R - Texas) apologized to Tony Hayward (BP CEO) during the congressional hearings. He tried to use his time at the podium to call out the current administration, saying that the $20 billion allotment set aside for companies and people affected by one of the largest natural disasters of our time was nothing more than a government "shakedown". In fact, let me not try and paraphrase what he said. Here's the exact wording Mr. Barton used;

"I'm ashamed of what happened in the White House yesterday. I think it is a tragedy of the first proportion that a private corporation can be subjected to what I would characterize as a shakedown. In this case a $20 billion shakedown. With the Attorney General of the United States who is legitimately conducting a criminal investigation, and has every right to do so to protect the interest of the American people, participating in what amounts to a $20 billion slush fund, that's unprecedented in our nation's history, that's got no legal standing, and which I think sets a terrible precedent for the future. If I called you into my office and I had the sub-committee chairman Mr. Stupak with me who was legitimately conducting an oversight investigation on the company and said "If you put so many millions of dollars in a project in my congressional district", I could go to jail and should go to jail. Now there is no question that British Petroleum owns this lease, that British Petroleum, I'm sorry BP, it's not British Petroleum anymore, that BP made decisions that objective people think compromised safety. There is no question that BP is liable for the damages. But we have a due process system where we go through hearings, in some cases court cases, litigation, and determine what those damages are, and when those damages should be paid. So, I'm only speaking for myself, I'm not speaking for anybody else, but I apologize. I do not want to live in a country where anytime a citizen or a corporation does something that is legitimately wrong is subject to some sort of political pressure that, is again in my words, amounts to a shakedown. So I apologize."

OK, so you have read that and are now thinking to yourself, wait a minute, all he is really saying here is that he wants the due process system to run its course as per normal operating procedure in this country. He wasn't apologizing to BP for anything more than that so what's the big deal? Well, here are a few tidbits to explain why this is such a big deal.

Federal Election Commission records show that during the current 2009-10 campaign cycle, the oil and gas industry has been the second-biggest contributor to Barton, at $100,470, behind only the electric utility industry ($162,800). FEC records show that BP has given Barton an average of $1,350 a year since 1990. Public Campaign, which calls itself a nonpartisan advocate for reducing campaign costs, said its analysis shows that he has received $27,000 in contributions from BP since taking office in 1985.

So, Mr. Barton, Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, who has accepted money time and again from BP was the one who just wants due process to run its course? Right, and I'm Mayor McStupid of Idiot Land. This is plain and simple a failed attempt to make the White House look bad while trying desperately to show BP as some sort of victim in all of this. Thankfully he did fail and was reprimanded by top members of the Republican party to the point that he was forced to apologize for making those statements later that day in the same hearing.

What I think is important for all of us to realize is that what the White House did in this situation was nothing short of heroic. Instead of 10-15 years of court battles, eating away at the dollars people would receive, our President moved all of that aside and made sure that these people would be made whole. How that ends up being administered is yet to be seen but it's a great start in a very ugly situation. This is not a slush fund for some campaign. These are people's lives, homes, welfare, and lets not forget the environment and the poor unsuspecting and helpless wildlife. This is a monumental disaster that, as the facts keep emerging, could have been avoided should BP not have tried to save a buck instead of concentrating on safety. Beyond all of that lets not forget that 11 people lost their lives. Honestly, I think $20 billion, although a lot of money, is barely scratching the surface of what BP should be paying. To call it a shakedown and make a public apology to BP's CEO while chastising our President and the White House staff is abhorrent.

Alright, enough free press for Mr. Barton. Let's talk about the Tea Party.

A few years ago I took a hard look at the candidates and thought Ron Paul had some pretty great ideas. That is until I looked a bit further under the hood. Now I certainly didn't agree with his stance on abortion (he is pro-life) nor his stance on gun control (he doesn't want any) but his thoughts on abolishing the IRS which I do believe to be an evil organization, moving to a flat tax, and stopping illegal and unjustified war efforts were all great things. Admittedly I do not know Ron Paul personally, nor have I ever spoken with him directly. However, the movement that he created, now known as the Tea Party has taken these somewhat interesting ideas to an entirely different and pretty scary level.

I think by now we've all heard of the "Birthers" and the redneck morons who want to hoard assault rifles for their "protection" but it goes even further than that. Sharron Angle, who is running against Harry Reid, and is a member of the Tea Party, has been quoted numerous times saying "if we can't win at the ballot we are going to look at second amendment remedies". She has also said "the first thing we need to do is take Harry Reid out". The first time I saw that reporting I said to myself, come on, all she's saying is we need to remove Harry Reid from office, however, the more I looked into the rest of her wording it became increasingly apparent that she is trying to start a revolution (read: another civil war) in this country and is making statements encouraging these lunatics to pick up their weapons and do whatever they feel is necessary to achieve their goals.

I don't want to make this rant about the Tea Party so let me stay on topic with regards to the Republicans. It is the Republicans who saw this movement forming and since they were in such a minority due to the last elections, they silently (and then not so silently) starting supporting the Tea Party in the hopes that they could garner the votes they needed in this upcoming election. The problem is, they are now seeing who these people really are.

Bad decisions, bad politics, business as usual, no care about the American people, less regulations even in the face of tragedy (both environmental and financial), the list goes on and on. This is the new Republican party. I mean seriously, filibustering every single vote? Voting against the White House's agenda no matter if they contributed or not to the end result? No intelligent person could respect these people. I encourage everyone to take a look at the facts behind every issue and decide for yourselves. You may just find that what you thought you knew wasn't even half the real story.

I used to be an independent and to some extent I still am, however it's becoming impossible to vote for anyone who is not a staunch Democrat when you see what's really going on in Washington. I'm all for a difference of opinion and finding some middle ground, but there's no reason to even attempt that stance if you are just going to be thrown down at every turn. President Obama has tried time and again to work with the Republicans and hear their ideas. He has even gone so far as to water down massive legislation (something I strongly oppose) in order to have both sides working together to move this country forward. There is no pleasing the Republicans and at this point I don't believe there's any sense in trying. Let's just hope that we can retain the Democratic majority this fall. It's unlikely due to how the political spectrum circulates but if we can get smart people out to the ballots it is possible, especially with the "wonderful candidates" the Republicans are putting up.

Blogger Joshua Aaron is the guitarist/vocalist for STEALING HEATHER. Visit them online at http://www.stealingheather.com

Typical Zippity Doo Dah morning here in what we like to think of as our upstate, modern Mayberry --- blue skies, warm breeze, birds singing --- the whole bit.

Then: "I fucking hate you. I'm going to fucking kill you," a woman shouts from across the street. At her four-year-old little girl. Sadly, also typical; these are our neighbors.

And, also typically, I'm conflicted about a response. Say nothing? Keep walking? Or, what I really want to do: call the bitch out.

As a 36-year-old entrepreneur, I'm confident in one thing: I don't want to be that woman, I don't want to create little monsters --- obviously, literally, but speaking figuratively --- think "output;" not only work achieved but energy expelled. I want to create value [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Out ‘n' about in the City of Angels with Blurt's roving shutterbug (6/1 - 6/15).

By Scott Dudelson

(above and below) Dr John  - Live @ Grammy Museum (www.grammymuseum.org) - 6/14

Hot Hot Heat - Live @ The Bootleg Theater (www.bootlegtheater.com)

Alex Lambert (from American Idol Season 9) - Live @ The Mint (www.themintla.com) - 6/5

Suckers - Live @ Amoeba Records (www.amoeba.com) - 6/5



Jonathan Clark (w/Gary Oldman) - Live @ King King (www.kingkinghollywood.com) - 6/6

Jonathan Clark - Live @ King King (www.kingkinghollywood.com) - 6/6

Gary Oldman - Live @ King King (www.kingkinghollywood.com) - 6/6

Wayne "The Train" Hancock - Live @ The Mint (www.themintla.com) - 6/8

Naked Eyes (Pete Byrne) - Live @ Hollywood Park (www.hollywoodpark.com) - 6/9

Wang Chung (Jack Hues & Nick Feldman) - Live @ Valley Cultural Center (www.valleycultural.org) - 6/11

Wang Chung (Nick Feldman) - Live @ Valley Cultural Center (www.valleycultural.org) - 6/11

***

Scott Dudelson is a music journalist and concert photographer based in Los Angeles.  Scott is also the Chief Operating Officer of Prodege, LLC, the company behind www.swagbucks.com.

Out ‘n' about in the City of Angels with Blurt's roving shutterbug (5/15 - 5/31).

By Scott Dudelson

(above and below) Angus & Julia Stone  - Live @ Hollywood Forever (www.hollywoodforever.com) - 5/26

Chris Hillman (of The Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers, Manassas, Desert Rose Band)  - Live @ Grammy Museum (www.grammymuseum.org) - 5/20

Black Diamond Riders (feat: Steve Sato of Agent Orange / The Adolescents & Jonny Wickersham of Social Distortion) - Live @ The Mint (www.themintla.com) - 5/27

The English Beat - Live @ Hollywood Park (www.hollywoodpark.com) - 5/30

Dave Wakeling (of English Beat / General Public) - Live @ Hollywood Park (www.hollywoodpark.com) - 5/30

***

Scott Dudelson is a music journalist and concert photographer based in Los Angeles.  Scott is also the Chief Operating Officer of Prodege, LLC, the company behind www.swagbucks.com.

This is a an appreciation of Mexican food written by San Diego native Greg Laswell, who seems to be able to sniff out an authentic taqueria anywhere in the US. Laswell shares his favorite Mex food finds.


It happens all the time.  Someone says, "How about Mexican food?"  And someone else responds with a lazy and obviously thoughtless "Eh, I just had Mexican food yesterday." It never ceases to astonish me.  In fact, during the time it took me to write this, such a conversation occurred some ten thousand times in this country alone.  And there are no consequences.  People are just walking around and bombastically mouthing off, loudly mind you, that they "just had Mexican food yesterday," and trying to pass it off as a reasonable argument against having Mexican food today.  Interestingly enough, the very same offenders are probably wearing pants..... they aren't standing there naked from the waist down because of an "Eh, I wore pants yesterday" way of thinking.  You see my point.

In an effort to halt this apparent pandemic from spreading any further, I have comprised a list of my favorite Mexican food restaurants from coast to coast.  I am omitting MANY, but for the sake of brevity, here are 10:  

La Posta
3980 3rd Ave
San Diego, CA 92103
(Hillcrest)

There is no inside dining in this establishment, only tables wrapped around both sides of the counter under an awning. This is USUALLY a good tip-off that you are about to have a really good taco, but not a rule to be applied everywhere. Their red sauce is better than your mom and their plain chicken taco is better than your dad. There will be a decent wait after you order so get some chips.

Adalberto's
1868 Rosecrans
San Diego, CA 92106
(Point Loma)

This was an old college favorite of mine.  My instructions are to walk directly to the counter and order a carne asada burrito with only guacamole (or "con guacamole solamente"), three rolled tacos and a bean and cheese burrito (yes, a plain bean and cheese burrito).  You do not have to finish everything... perhaps take a friend with you to help you.  Oh, and I should have mentioned this before, but if you do not like guacamole then please stop reading this.  I have nothing to offer you.

El Toro Taqueria
598 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

If you are on a first date with someone in San Francisco, take them here.  If he or she does not like it, then drop them off at their house and never call them again.  If you have never had a Manchaca burrito, then have your first here; it's scrambled eggs, shredded beef, grilled peppers and onions.  I wanted to buy it flowers and take it to dinner and a movie, instead I just ate it.

Por Que No?
3524 N. Mississippi
Portland, OR 97227

After my last show in Portland I met a guy who lives in Portland and claimed to love Mexican food but had never been to Por Que No.  For a split second I pictured myself performing a mixed martial arts combo move on him.  All of their tacos are amazing... On your first visit, try the carnitas taco and their "Porque Tinga" taco.  Their guacamole is first rate.

El Vaquera Mexican Restaurant
3230 Olentangy River Road
Columbus, OH

I've been to Columbus 3 times now and each time asked someone from either one of the radio stations or the venue I was playing where the best Mexican food place is in town.... I got the same answer 3 times:  El Vaquera.  This is a full-blown, sit-down restaurant, not a stand.... I know this makes some of you seasoned connoisseurs a little nervous and I understand your initial hesitation, but don't be scared away so quickly. They put their homemade salsa in milk glasses on every table so that you can refill your own salsa bowl. Their homemade chips are my first choice anywhere.

Carmela's Taqueria
1206 West Lawrence Avenue
Chicago, IL 60640

I found this completely by chance.  It was across the street from a venue I was at.  I didn't expect much from a Chicago-based Mexican place, I have to be honest.  It is as authentic as anything I have ever had.  I went back twice over the course of 4 hours. My favorite was the carne asada tacos with onions, cilantro and red sauce.  

Cactus Tacos
950 Vine St
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(Hollywood)

Everyone who lives in LA has their favorite go-to taco stand.  This is mine...

Mole
205 Allen St
New York, NY 10014

New York has just about everything you could possibly want in every cuisine.... but 98% of their Mexican food is rubbish.  I once ordered a taco from a place that will go nameless because I am a born-again Christian (no I'm not), and what I got was something similar to hamburger helper wrapped up in a store-bought, rubbery tortilla. That being said, a place on the lower east side makes my list and it is Mole.Table-side prepared guacamole and excellent chicken burritos make up for the crimes the rest of this great city does to Mexican food.  Oh and if you want a jalapeno in your margarita, go ahead and ask for it....

Phoenix Ranch Market
1602 E. Roosevelt St.
Phoenix, AZ 85006

This is basically a super market dedicated to Mexican food.  Put another way, it is Disneyland.  They have an entire aisle dedicated to salsas, okay?  Along the back it feels like an indoor farmers market with stations for fish, seasoned meats, vegetables and Mexican spices.  And yes, if you just want a burrito or a taco, you are STILL in the right place. Head towards the back and look for the huge menu signs.  

Taco More
9400 Parkfield Dr.
Austin, TX 78758
They have goat tacos here.  So there's that.  And the chibo tacos will make you question your faith.  You will simply quit believing in EVERYTHING except these little things in front of you. 


So there it is - a short list of some of my favorite Mexican restaurants across the country. I realize that a lot of them are on the West Coast.  What can I say?  Oh and I didn't include tex-mex which I do not enjoy as much. 

Laswell is currently on the road for his new release Take A Bow. Recorded in a remote cabin in Arizona with his dog for company, Laswell wrote, performed (he plays all the instruments) and engineered the songs, making his "band" the studio and the studio his laboratory. The results are lush without being slick, textured while still maintaining an organic feel. His songwriting draws comparisons to writers such as Martin Sexton and Jeff Buckley and his sonorous, distinct vocal style (not unlike Stephen Merritt of Magnetic Fields) is haunting and has made him a top choice of film and TV licensers.

The video for the first single, "Take Everything" is filmed backwards. Says Filter Magazine, who is premiering the video: "In the video for "Take Everything", California singer/songwriter Greg Laswell, is taking a cue from the film <Memento and running through his bouncy ball, pillow fight, guitar fire and party filled afternoon in style. Check out the video, by award-winning director Otto Arsenault (Matt and Kim), here:

By Carl Hanni

Digging (in) France

So, I found myself scouting records in Nantes, France. Nantes is a beautiful, old-new city that also happens to be home to a band (French Cowboy), a DJ (French Tourist) and a label (Havalina Records) that have numerous connections to my home, Tucson, AZ. The genesis of that connection is a pretty interesting story, but not really relevant to today's topic of record digging in France...

France is not a cheap place to record shop in, new or used, but nonetheless I managed to come away with a short stack of treasures, 7 and 12 inch both. Here are some of the highlights, all of them French, all on vinyl.

Serge Gainsbourg, Aux Armes et Caetera. When urged to buy national hero Serge Gainsbourg's reggae album my first reaction was skepticism, but Aux Armes et Caetera is absurdly good. Recorded in Jamaica (thank god) in 1979 with Sly & Robbie, the I-Threes and other roots reggae aces, Aux Armes... is smooth, sexy and completely believable, which is more than I can say for most any other white-guy-in-Jamaica record I can think of. The French' unceasing attachment to Serge Gainsbourg makes me strangely happy.

Serge Gainsbourg,  Anna soundtrack. Starring Anna Karina and Jean-Claude Brialy; Gainsbourg wrote the music and is also one of the stars, along with Marianne Faithful. This is a fabulous collection of cinematic French pop, circa swinging 1967. Buy it if you can find it.

Ben & The Platano Group, Paris Soul. Bought on the insistence of French Tourist, Paris Soul turns out to be a DJ's dream find. First released in 1972, Ben & The Plantano Group mix up French funk, Latin Jazz and more, sometimes sounding like French version of vintage, Hammond organ driven El Chicano. Understandably highly sought after by collectors and DJs, I found a fine re-release from the original label,  Barclay Records.

Starshooter: the first release (1978) from this French punk rock band tears it up and down. Working out of Lyon, they managed a huge European hit in 1978 with "Get Baque" before running into some legal trouble with it. Previously unknown to me, now I'm all over it.

Francoise Hardy: the fifth record, from 1965, by the popular French chanteuse with the dreamy voice and sexy bangs. Includes a cover of "When I Get Through with You"  ("Quel Mal Y A-T-Il A Ca") first recorded by Patsy Cline in 1962 and the hit "L'Amitie."

Manset: Another one courtesy of French Tourist, who gifted it my way. I'm still getting a grip on this one from 1972. Intense singer/songwriter/rock/pop. He swears it's a masterpiece. I'm feeling the language barrier on this one. 

Francois Rabbath,  The Sound of a Bass. The most unexpected and off the wall of all my finds. Wildly inventive double-bass and drums jazz excursions from a Syrian-born, Paris-bassed (sorry!) player, originally released in 1963. With just his own bass and drummer Armand Molinetti, Rabbath concocts a head-altering series of compositions/themes, with descriptions that include "Ironical jazz in the vein of present day life" ("Creasy Course"), "Magic transposition of the ambiguity of every day life" ("Kobolds") and my favorite, "Malicious dissonances over five octaves" ("Basses en Fugue"). The latter has to be heard to be believed; that's a bass making all those eerie, other-worldy sounds, apparently. 

Whizz Vol. 2, Psychodrama Francias 1966-70. Note: that's Psychodrama, not Psychedelic. Not knowing what they are singing about, I'm left to infer/make up what these fifteen tracks of demented, whacked French psychodrama might be all about.  Rock, psych, pop, cinematic bits and the pleasingly unclassifiable all stand and deliver...something. The music is fabulous; the prevailing feeling is one of giddy hysteria. Gifted by Benjamin in Paris. 

I also scored choice ones by Bohannon, Santa Esmeralda and David Murray and a fabulous compilation of psychedelic funk from around the world called Psych Funk 101. On seven inch, I picked up some choice jazz singles by Art Blakey ("Moanin' pts. 1 and 2'') and Jimmy Smith ("When the Saints Go Marching in" b/w "Prayer Meetin'"), hip hop by Phase II, Technotronic, Tidee-T ("Sequential Groove") and Joe Bataan ("Rap-O Clap-O"), Timmy Thomas' classic "Why Can't We Live Together" (w/the great "Funky Me" on the flip) + the 80s dance classic "Bustin' Out" by Material w/Nona Hendryx and two vintage Manu Dibango singles, "Soul Makossa" and "Super Kumba." A real find was a three song single by the recently deceased Lizzy Mercer Descloux, including "Fog Horn Blues" w/Chet Baker on horn. Score!

Thanks for scouting help to Laurent Marescal, Julia Butault, French Tourist, Anthony at Melomane Records and that guy in the market in Nantes who cut me a deal on all the vinyl and singles. Also thanks for all the CDs that came my way, especially the Serge Gainsbourg 3-fer from Laurent.

***

You can leave comments below or e-mail them to me directly at modmedia@theriver.com .

Carl Hanni is a music writer, music publicist, disc jockey, book hound and vinyl archivist living in Tucson, AZ. He hosts an occasional concert and film series at The Screening Room in downtown Tucson, "The B-Side" program on KXCI (Tuesday nights midnight - 2 a.m.) and spins records wherever and whenever he can. He currently writes for Blurt, Tucson Weekly, and (occasionally) Goldmine and Signal To Noise.

Column #5: Skate 3, Lost Planet 2, Alan Wake

By Aaron Burgess

Game of the Minute: Skate 3

Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3

Developer: Black Box / Publisher: Electronic Arts

ESRB Rating: T

Skate and destroy. Having long ago trounced Tony Hawk's franchise, EA/Black Box's Skate now occupies a proud, if lonely, spot at the top of the skateboarding-videogame heap. And while the upcoming Shaun White Skateboarding looks as though it may be a formidable challenger, Skate remains untouchable-and well worth getting your hands on-in its third installment.

As we saw with Skate 2, Skate 3 doesn't so much redefine its predecessor as it masterfully dials up the game's core elements-although this time out, the changes carry more weight. (Skate 2, for all its high points, felt more like an expansion pack.) Gameplay and game physics offer unparalleled fluidity and realism; the new fictional setting of Port Carverton offers thousands of new spots and hidden areas to rule; and the online element offers a brain-bending number of challenges, contests and spot battles to pursue with friends. Even the process of getting your head around the game has received more attention this time-whether in the addition of actor Jason Lee (himself an old pro skater) as the comical new character "Coach Frank," or in the new difficulty settings, which help to ease the learning curve for new players as much as they let veterans exploit Skate's penchant for realism.

Instead of tossing your skater into a typical career mode, Skate 3 puts you in charge of an entire skateboard company-which, in keeping with the game's focus on customization, you can tweak to be as realistic or off-the-wall as you like. (Having always taken more of a fantasy-football nerd approach to Skate, I based my team on the 1988-1989 Powell Peralta rosters. Don't ask...) Along the way, you'll have the chance to boost your company's brand-and board sales-by winning contests, nailing challenges and recruiting the best shredders (AI and otherwise) to rip alongside you. You can even poach skaters from your own Skate friends list and sign them to your team-provided your friend already has a skater customized, of course.

In addition to customizing your player and teammates, you can also build, save and share your own skateparks throughout Skate 3. The sheer number of tools and objects available in the new park creator can be intimidating, especially to those of us with fleeting attention spans, but as with real-life skateboarding, sometimes you only find the perfect line after you've remade your surroundings to match your imagination. What's more, you can share your park with the Skate online community and rack up royalties based on how many other players download your content. (The same applies to the videos and images you capture during the game, too.)

While it's true that skateboarding is a solitary activity, Skate 3 approaches co-op play with enough anarchistic spirit to keep it from falling into "team sport" territory. Nearly every single-player challenge in the game is available to tackle with teams, but if you've ever skated with friends in real life, you may soon find yourself bypassing the game's stock challenges to create your own. Move objects to help each other find the perfect line. Share trick tips in real time as your buddy aims to conquer that killer gap or ledge. Or, simply follow your friends around Skate 3's seemingly endless environment. With no security to stop you (another welcome change from previous games), Skate 3 is yours to conquer.

Rating: 9

Lost Planet 2

Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC

Developer / Publisher: Capcom

ESRB Rating: T

We can't fight alone against the monster. There's a story somewhere within the alternately fiery and icy worlds of Lost Planet 2, but it's likely the first thing you'll disregard once you dive into the game. The sequel to 2007's well-received Lost Planet: Extreme Condition, Lost Planet 2 turns elements like storytelling and characters (here a nameless, faceless crew of mech-suited monster hunters) into mere vehicles for its pulse-quickening action and breathtaking visuals. All of which is to say, it doesn't fix what the first game already got praised for breaking over its knee.

Set 10 years in the future from its predecessor, Lost Planet 2 finds you on the same "lost planet" of E.D.N. III where the original game unleashed hell-only this time, much of the snowy environment has melted away to reveal jungles, underwater bases and a host of other locales (including, yes, some snowy climes). Oh, and let's not forget the Akrid: In Lost Planet 2, the monstrous insect species that terrorized the first game has grown to positively epic proportions in the new, warmer climate-and that's not even taking into account the boss levels.

While it's possible to move through Lost Planet 2 in solo mode, the borderline brain-dead AI that comprises your team provides a sound argument for recruiting real teammates to help you fight. With up to three real friends by your side, you can better coordinate attacks against the Akrid-although, thanks to a somewhat counter-intuitive control system, you may all have a learning curve to overcome before you can start clobbering objectives. Some battles will find you and teammates needing to operate multiple weapons or pieces of gear in sequence to take down a monster; in others, you'll need the intuitive diversions only a sentient player can provide if you're going to buy enough time to rejuvenate yourself after an attack. No matter what, you're not going to get the support you need from a bot.

In addition to bringing back the man-hunting Fugitive Mode from the first Lost Planet, the competitive multiplayer modes in Lost Planet 2 do a solid job of covering the bases: You get a pair of elimination modes, as well as some monster-ridden variations on conquest and capture the flag, the majority of which incorporate a robust variety of maps and host-customization capabilities. And, thanks to some fun reward features, including a rich ranking system in which your weapons grow in direct proportion to your monster-hunting mojo, the multiplayer challenges offer plenty of bragging rights. Just be sure you've got some pals to play with-because no matter how you decide to enter it, Lost Planet 2 is only as rewarding as the number of friends you have to get, er, lost with.

Rating: 7

Alan Wake

Platform: Xbox 360

Developer: Remedy Entertainment / Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios

ESRB Rating: T

Welcome to my nightmare. Alan Wake, the titular hero of Alan Wake, isn't a hero at all-unless you're the type of player who sees Stephen King on par with Master Chief. A popular crime novelist by trade, Wake is an unwitting protagonist who, jarred from his vacation by a series of unfortunate events, finds himself at the center of a story that's equal parts Twin Peaks and Max Payne. (Incidentally, Max Payne series developer Remedy Entertainment is the creepy, creative brain behind Alan Wake.)

Plagued by writer's block, Alan Wake journeys with his wife, Alice, to the Twin Peaks-reminiscent Pacific Northwest town of Bright Falls, where Wake hopes he'll be able to recapture some of his creative energy. After one night in the town, however, Wake's world turns on its ear, with his wife, his cabin and his entire sense of reality becoming captives of the town's shadowy atmosphere.

Gameplay and story are intertwined in Alan Wake, and even though the game's control scheme incorporates elements (onscreen prompts that correspond to specific character actions) that fans of Heavy Rain will find familiar, this is anything but a me-too version of that nail-biter. Classic gaming tropes-from object collection to boss battles-pop up throughout Alan Wake, providing just enough of a respite from the weirdness to keep you grounded. Meanwhile, though the game technically plays like a third-person shooter (at least in its more action-oriented sequences), much of the focus is on the "fourth person" of Wake's flashlight beam, which simultaneously provides you with a lifeline while intensifying the game's terror and ambiguity. What you can't see, after all, is always scarier than what's right there in front of you.

Without giving too much away, let's just say that light-whether your flashlight or the random sources of illumination available in your environment-is key to surviving the darkness that is Alan Wake. And while it sometimes relies a bit too much on gaming conventions, the story goes far enough off the rails that by the time you complete it, you'll find yourself not just wondering how things ended up this way, but also how long it'll be until the Alan Wake sequel arrives.

Rating: 8

You guessed it, another edition of LETTERS FROM THE ROAD, our guest post series where we invite musicians we are FREAKING nuts about to take over and write whatever they like. 2 rules: it has to be in the form of a letter, it has to have something to do with music. Introducing my new sonic crush, Leo Blais, Buy everything he's ever made... seriously. FYI, we featured him on THE DAILY DOSE not too long ago :-)

Dear vocal cords,

I wanted to write you and say how disappointed I am with you and how you let me down during my performance of ‘O Holy Night’ during the Christmas Mass when I was 12. I practiced my ass off the whole month leading up to it and you failed me! Not to mention, you teased me with your beautiful sounds of song and then, unlike most kids on Christmas, you took back your gift and left me with no vocal cords at all.

I was alone. I was confused. Shaken. We tried everything to coax you back. I even made your favorite, but even tea and lemon juice couldn’t stop this train wreck of a rendition. My little brother had the 1st verse and nailed it like a champ. You, on the other hand, hit the high register like Don Flamenco taunting Little Mac in Mike Tyson’s punch out. Lets just say, you were not up to snuff [...]

A Triple-A radio programming veteran, Kate has served as Music Director of the Loft at XM, Midday Host at WYEP, Evening Host at both WNCS and WUIN, as well as Content Supervisor for Pump Audio. Currently, she's the CEO of Outlandos Music, a new-music discovery service for grown-ups. Kate has been nationally recognized for her ardent presentation of music and her ability to champion talented, compelling artists.

Fear of Flying

By James McMurtry

Yesterday, I flew on Southwest Airlines flight 420 from Tampa Florida to Austin Texas. I sat in a window seat on the left side of the plane. I watched the blue waters of the gulf go by thirty five thousand feet below. I saw ships kicking up a white froth at their sterns. I saw a few oil platforms.

An hour or so into the flight, the platforms increased in numbers and so did the ships. Then the water turned, in a knife's edge, from blue to brown and boats and ships were visible everywhere. In normal times I would have thought the water was brown from silt pouring out from the Mississippi into the Gulf, but this brown stain went on further than I could see. Now the ships and boats left strange dark wakes with no white froth at their sterns. Even a Mississippi River tow boat kicks up a white wake. Some of these boats' wakes showed them to have been turning circles and triangles in the brown stuff. The brown went on for minutes, hundreds of miles, and, a ways to the west, I began to see black streaks in the brown stuff.

The captain didn't point out whatever it was, and none of my fellow passengers seemed to notice, most consumed with whatever was on their laptops and telling their life stories to all of us. Ho Hum.

Singer-songwriter James McMurtry lives in Austin, Texas. When he's not touring, you can see him at the Continental Club every Wednesday, ‘round about midnight. Full details at his official website. His latest album, Live In Europe, was released last year on Lightning Rod Records - read the Blurt review here.

Junk Shot or Money Shot? BP Fiddles While Rome Burns

By James McMurtry

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - BP conceded Thursday that more oil than it estimated is gushing into the Gulf of Mexico as heavy crude washed into Louisiana's wetlands for the first time, feeding worries and uncertainty about the massive monthlong spill.

Let's get something clear. BP knew, from the beginning, exactly how much oil that blowout was capable of spilling. BP is a modern oil company. Modern oil companies conduct extensive seismographic tests before committing the resources to actually drill. They can't afford a dry hole under a mile of water. They knew what was down there before they drilled the well. They had already successfully drilled several wells in that field and they know what each well produces.

Equally troubling, is that all of BP's efforts since the accident have been geared not towards plugging the leak, but rather towards recovering as much oil as possible. They talk of maybe trying a "junk shot", filling the non-functional blowout preventer with golf balls or old tires, but they haven't tried it. Perhaps they're afraid the junk shot could make matters worse, a valid fear. But it is interesting that the only procedures BP has actually tried have involved tankers. The recovery boxes froze up and failed before the oil reached the tanker. Now they've managed to insert a skinny pipe into the fat pipe that's leaking and siphon off a fraction of the oil. I guess they figure that's better than nothing. Meanwhile, the livelihoods of people who've worked the Gulf for generations are being ruined as BP officials stall and evade in a vain quest to save face and profit.

Republicans are trying to lay blame on Obama. The "drill baby drill" crowd says Obama should have imposed tighter regulations on offshore drilling. Imagine the shit storm they'd have kicked up if he had tried such a thing before the spill.

Singer-songwriter James McMurtry lives in Austin, Texas. When he's not touring, you can see him at the Continental Club every Wednesday, ‘round about midnight. Full details at his official website. His latest album, Live In Europe, was released last year on Lightning Rod Records - read the Blurt review here.