In today’s world of modern music not many bands have their own unique sound, but this is not the case with a new and upcoming band, Radio Moscow. The trio from Ames, Iowa draws from the influence of music legends such as Cream and Jimi Hendrix, Radio Moscow blends the blues and hard rock to create an album that very well could have been released in 1968.
Radio Moscow’s self-titled debut is full of blarring tracks containing high energy blues riffs that hook listeners from the opening intsrumental track through the rest of the album. Songs like ‘Lucky Dutch’ and ‘Mistreating Queen’ showcase the band’s unique style, as well as Parker Griggs’ talent as a lead guitarist and singer. Griggs’ influence is evident when listening to the album, as the wah filled solos sound like something from the late 60’s, but he adds his own style that differs from what many guitarts tend to have today.
'Mistreating Queen' video shoot
Most new bands today all follow similar trends, such as unoriginal song structure and over produced album quality. However, this is not the case with Radio Moscow. With the album being released on an independent label there is something genuine about the music found on the record. Every track sets itself apart from the rest rest of the album and offers something that is not found too easily in music today, originality.
Radio Moscow’s debut album offers an array of great songs that combine hard rock and the blues that give the band their own unique sound. This album is easy to recommend to anyone who is looking for a new band that continues the tradition of other classic trios like Cream. Songs such as ‘Mistreating Queen’ and ‘Lucky Dutch’ are two of the album’s shining songs that bring out the group’s creative energy. It is evident after listening to just a few songs by Radio Moscow that they are playing this music for themselves, no commercial obligations, just the love of the creating something original.
There are many game series that come to mind when one thinks of the history of classic fighting games. These include titles such as Tekken and Street Fighter, but the series that has become a target of praise and controversy is Mortal Kombat. One of the most revered games in the long lasting series is Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, which can be found on the Xbox Live Arcade.
Worthy opponents await
The problem with some classic arcade and console games being digitally distributed through means such as Xbox Live or the Playstation Network, is that the original game can be lost in translation. Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 is not one of these thrown together ports that pepper the downloadable games online. The original game is kept intact and adds new features such as online multiplayer, friend as well as world wide leaderboards, and unlockable achievments. All of these additions add a lasting value to this already classic arcade fighting title.
All of the Mortal Kombat characters that have become synonamous with the series is included. Subzero, Scorpion, and Lui Kang are all available to use for combat in the tournament for survival. The character animations run smoothly as fighters run and fly across the screen performing bloody combos. Each character is equiped with their own move set full of deadly fighting styles. Subzero uses his trademark freeze attacks as Scorpion can perform the famous ‘get over here!’ spear attack.
Reptile gets a better view
The gameplay of the original game remains intact and nothing has been drastically changed. In fact this is one of the game’s strengths as UMK3 did not need much improvement in the first place. New features such as online multiplayer and leaderboards allow players to compete with people around the world and prove their worth. Online multiplayer works quiete well, allowing for ranked and unranked game matches and run as if the person who you were fighting was standing right next to you in an arcade. However the inevitable issue of lag does occur here and there, usually leaving the game in frustrating state, UMK3’s overall multiplayer runs smooth.
There is nothing new that can be said about Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, as it has been out for many years. Athough this may be true, having access to this classic arcade game on your Xbox 360 through the Xbox Live Arcade is a great feature. The game has been faithfully transitioned and the game benefits by the new additions, such as online multiplayer. Fighting games may not be as popular today as they were in the 1990’s but the classic title in the genre is now available for all to play with the ease of purchasing it on a digital platform.
There are many artists that come to mind when you think of the vast history of blues music, as well as the many different styles of playing. Few musicians are able to interperate the true meaning of the blues as well as John Hammond, who has been performing around the world for decades from venues such as festivals to small clubs, with a Grammy award under his belt. I had the oppurtunity to see him perform at The Center For Arts In Natick recently and John Hammond still puts the same amount of soul in his work today as he did all those years ago.
After a long drive from Reading on the way to Natick, with a few brief moments of being lost on our journey, my friend and I finally found our way to The Center For Performing Arts In Natick with a sign advertising the entertainment of the night, “John Hammond Plays The Blues!”. As I made my way through the entrance to the ticket counter I caught a glimpse of the man himself. Just a few feet away from me was John Hammond sitting casually with his wife chatting with some fellow fans. I knew the venue was going to be relativly small, but this was a very intimate gathering of people who wanted to see the blues played by one of the greatest guitarists in the world. After standing in awe for a few seconds I made my way past the main lobby and into the actual stage area. Once seated two rows from the stage the lights began to dim as the show was about to begin.
When the stage lights flickered on, Hammond made his way onto the stage with his two guitars in hand. Once seated Hammond adressed the audience and kicked off his performance. The set list was filled with classics such as ‘Come On In My Kitchen’ by the legandary blues man Robert Johnson to the song made famous by Buddy Guy, ‘My Time After A While’ as well as a few original songs mixed in for good measure. Every song was filled with Hammond’s amazing ability to play blues harmonica and lead guitar unlike any other musician past or present. I was stunned watching this performance of musical force taking place less than five feet away from me from my second row seat.
After the show the entire audience gave John Hammond a standing ovation for his performance which was then followed by an encore. Once the final note was heard from Hammond’s harmonica and steel guitar combination I figured my night could not get any better. Hammond made his way off of the stage and everyone else soon proceeded to head back into the main lobby to exit the center. However as I walked out the arch way I saw Hammond once again seated in the corner of the room. After missing my first chance to meet the man I had been inspired by, I got into the line to talk with him. Finally I was second in line and I purchased a DVD which John Hammond offered to sign.
I will never forget this moment, I was standing face to face with the man himself and got to shake his hand. After a short conversation about the show he signed ‘To Frank, I hope you enjoy this. John Hammond’ on the DVD i had just bought. What amazed me even more than the act of actually shaking his hand was how humble Hammond was towards his fans. Many famous musicians just play their set and head off on their own way, but John Hammond waited for everyone who wanted an autograph to leave before he did so himself. This night of the blues was possibly one of the greatest moments in my life as I had experienced an amazing performance and had the oppurtunity to meet the man that has been keeping the blues alive, no matter where he plays his music.
—
