Battlestar Gallactica

I'm sure that much has been already made of the retelling of the Battlestar Gallatica tale, but hey, I'd really love to add my voice to the chorus.

The new storyline brings a much more robust character development to the sci-fi world born in the 70s. So, let's get a few things out of the way. Yup, Starbuck is now a woman. It's a fun modern way to approach the character, and I'm definitely a fan. The new Starbuck is a stogie-smokin' ball of fun that flys her way to stardom, yet only lacks the sexual vibrato of the previous incarnation. Her character is racked with the guilt of a former lover's death and the drama helps to round out the character interaction.

My favorite addition is the inclusion of cylons who are indistinguishable from their human counterparts. Yup, there are still our old favorite "toaster" models complete with the searching red eye. These new toasters definitely have a much stronger kick with articulated fingers that can slice through opponents with the swipe of a hand. Mmmm, I like toast.

With the addtion of a stronger contemplative religious aspect to both the cylons and humans, it makes for a fun argument between the nature of how we define the difference between what is human and what is machine.

For the joy of Hail Social

A little bundle of joy arrived in my mailbox last week. The new Polyvynil Records release by Hail Social is a very strong first record. Almost every song is a great power pop anthem with driving basslines, catchy choruses, and jangly guitars.

Hail Social has proved their worth by touring with Interpol and the Secret Machines even before the release of their first CD. They'll also be touring this August with Ranier Maria.

The most direct band comparisons that I can come up with come from the early 90s Seattle grunge era, but don't let that fool you, they aren't grunge. The Carnivore LP by Pure Joy got me going in much the same way.

Favorite tracks on the CD include: "Hands are tied," "Track #1," and "no title."

Check out the following sampler song: Get in the car
And don't forget to check out their MySpace page as well as their band site.

Oh, and don't let the totally inappropriate album art fool you. They really aren't a death metal or goth band.