Superman #2

Written by George Pérez, Pencils and Inks by Jesús Merino

This comic is exactly what I expected from monthly comics when I first considered getting into them. A story-line, mission or adventure that is done in one issue, but plays a part in an overarching narrative. Admittedly, I’ve seen that comics can be much more than this, but its a method of storytelling that works well, and I’m glad that this run of Superman is going with it. This issue deals with Superman fighting a monster that he can’t see,  and how he has to rely on his friends in the media to help him out.

This seems to be keeping the themes of the media from the first issue, playing out how, on the one hand, being a journalist is integral to the character of both Clark Kent and Superman, but also the more meta issue of how Superman himself is a product of the media and would be nothing without it. This issue tends to lean towards the latter in his fight with the invisible creature, a fight which it seems that Superman would fail if it weren’t for the fact that the media pay so much attention to him. Combine these metatextual issues with some nice character drama between Clark, Lois, and Lois’s father Sam, and you’ve got a comic I’m happy to keep picking up.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Aquaman #2

Writing by Geoff Johns, Pencils by Ivan Reis, Inking by Joe Prado

This is the comic I’ve been most eagerly awaiting since DC’s New 52 began. Aquaman #1 blew me away with its more serious, relatable take on Aquaman, and how much of a badass they can make the hero who ‘talks to fish’. This issue follows directly on from the boat attack by the Trench monsters at the end of issue one, showing them attack and devour an entire town, only to be confronted by Aquaman and Mera once the deed is done. While this sounds like a ho-hum monster attack story, where this new Aquaman run shines is in showing the humanity of Arthur Curry, and his attempts to build a life on the land with his Atlantean wife. The scenes between the two of them make them seem like a really loving couple, something that is being seen less and less of in superhero books of late.

When dragged out of their cosy family world, the way they interact with the world outside is really enjoyable too. While it is going to take a while for Aquaman to shake his ‘lame’ image to some of the regular Joes in the DC universe, his reputation as a hero to be relied upon is slowly building. Sure, he’s dealing with a seaborne threat, but who better for the job than Aquaman? Overall, its great to see a loving couple fighting side by side against a legitimately menacing threat, and to have both of them competently holding their own, but still caring about each other during the fray. So, well written, entertaining reveal of Mera’s powers and a great build on an actually threatening villain. The only problem? It felt like it was over way too fast. Its a tribute to the pace being kept up by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis, but 20 pages is not enough!

Strange Tales are being prepared for the big screen

Marvel is slowly rebuilding its expansive, interconnected comic book universe on the silver screen, and it seems that one of their, if you’ll excuse the pun, strangest heroes is on his way to join the likes of Iron Man, Thor and Captain America. Marvel have approved a script for a Doctor Strange motion picture written by Josh Oppenheimer and Thomas Dean Donnelly, of ‘Sahara’ and ‘Conan’ fame, and are currently searching for a director.

Doctor Strange is the epitome of the magical side of of the Marvel universe, just as Thor is exemplary of the mythological stories, and Iron Man the technological. As such, he might just manage to find a niche in the already crowded superhero film genre, just as he did in the comic books on which the movie would be based. While never their most popular hero, he is highly regarded by comic fans and an integral part of Marvel’s fictional universe. With the increasing successes Marvel are having with their current run of interconnected films, it makes sense for them to take a risk on a character they consider so vital to the franchise. His comic was originally paired with Nick Fury’s re-launch, so bringing the two characters together on film would certainly please the fanboys.

Doctor Stephen Vincent Strange was one of the world’s greatest neurosurgeons, but his talents and high wage caused him to become selfish and arrogant. When his hands were irreversibly injured in a car accident, he begins a search to find any way possibly to fix the damage and maintain the life to which he had become accustomed. He eventually takes a gamble on a hermit in the Himalayas (just go with it) known as the Ancient One, but is refused help due to his selfish nature. As you’ve probably already guessed, he then selflessly saves the hermits life, proves his worth and is granted magical powers and a magical new pair of hands. The obsession and  talent that once made him a brilliant surgeon eventually pushes him to study magic and become the Marvel universe’s Sourcerer Supreme.

Popular in the 1960s for its psychedelic visuals and tinge of eastern mysticism, Doctor Strange is one of Marvel’s most visually engaging heroes. It is no wonder then that Pan’s Labyrinth helmer Guillermo Del Toro was at one time working on a Doctor Strange adaptation with author Neil Gaiman, though it is unlikely either of them will be involved in this new film set to go into production after the release of the Avengers in 2012.

With the film officially in the works, its time for the casting rumour mill to go into action. I am going to throw Hugh Laurie’s name into the hat, but feel free to leave your ideas as a comment below.

Source: Empire Online

Satoru Iwata is very, very sorry

Giantbomb has provided the English reading internet with a translation of one of the oddest open letters a large company, let alone a game developer has ever released. Nintendo CEO himself, Satoru Iwata has responded to the fan backlash over the 3DS’s recently announced price-slash with a letter of apology to fans.

This is doubly strange. Not only is apologising for dropping the price of a product a very strange thing to apologise for, especially from a business as large as Nintendo, but Nintendo have already put in place a measure for appeasing fans who bought a 3DS before the price drop. The ‘Nintendo Ambassador’ program is rewarding early adopters with twenty free games for the 3DS, ten of which are NES ports and the rest GBA ports, many of which are not announced for release other than to current 3DS owners. One would think this would make up the higher price for early adopters, but it appears that Nintendo feel that their fans deserve more.

While Nintendo of Europe have also published a note asking fans not to lose faith in the company, the fact that the translated letter reproduced below is direct from the CEO shows that even though they don’t really need to be, Nintendo is really sorry that you paid too much for the 3DS.

To Those Customers Who Bought A Nintendo 3DS Before The Price Change

Greetings, everyone. This is Satoru Iwata from Nintendo.

Thank you very much for purchasing a Nintendo 3DS.

We have just announced a price drop for the Nintendo 3DS system effective on August 11 [August 12 in North America].

In the past, there have been price drops for video game systems some time after their release in order to broaden the user base further. However, never before has Nintendo chosen to issue such a dramatic price drop less than 6 months after a system release.

We are all too keenly aware that those of you who supported us by purchasing the 3DS in the beginning may feel betrayed and criticize this decision.

This unprecedented timing for a price cut is because the situation has changed greatly since we originally launched the 3DS. We decided it was necessary to take this drastic step in order to ensure that large numbers of users will continue to enjoy the 3DS in the future.

If the software creators and those on the retail side are not confident that the Nintendo 3DS is a worthy successor to the DS and will achieve a similarly broad (user) base, it will be impossible for the 3DS to gain popularity, acquire a wide range of software, and eventually create the product cycle necessary for everyone to be satisfied with the system.

Those customers who purchased the 3DS at the very beginning are extremely important to us. We know that there is nothing we can do to completely make up for the feeling that you are being punished for buying the system early. Still, we would like to offer the following as a sign of our appreciation to you.

[3DS Ambassador program details]

We feel a strong responsibility to develop the 3DS as a platform — to ensure that, in the end, everyone is satisfied; we will make every effort to do so.

Additionally, we know everyone is waiting for Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7. They are scheduled for release in November and December, respectively, so we ask for your patience until then.

Thank you again, and we look forward to your continued support.

Source: Giantbomb and Destructoid

Half-Black, Half-Hispanic, all Spidey

Marvel have revealed the successor to Peter Parker’s Spider-Man mantle in their Ultimate comics range, an all new character by the name of Miles Morales. Readers can see the new web slinger don the suit for the first time in Ultimate Fallout #4 before the Ultimate Spider-Man title is re-launched in September with a brand new #1 issue.

So, lets delve into the back story behind how there is a need for a new Spider-Man at all. Its important to remember that this is only a part of Marvel’s ‘Ultimates’ comic continuity, rather than its mainstream universe. Peter Parker is remaining as your friendly neighbourhood Spider-man in all of Marvel’s mainstream comic range, just as he has since his inception in 1962. (Barring that whole time in the 1990s where he may or may not have been a clone, of course.)

All New Ultimate Spider-Man #1

No, new Spidey Morales is a part of the Ultimate universe, launched in the year 2000 to appeal to potential comic readers who may have been put off by over eighty years of continuity within the mainstream of Marvel comics. It retooled Marvel’s more popular heroes with contemporary back-stories and an aim of telling new stories not possible within the mainstream continuity. The whole universe is currently undergoing a relaunch after the universe wide, multi-comic event ‘Ultimatum’, which included the death of Peter Parker in its climax. As the Ultimates range launched with the Ultimate Spider-Man line (along with Ultimate X-Men), it seems fitting that its current incarnation should end with his death, and its rejuvenation begin with the rejuvenation of the Spider-Man character as a whole.

But what of Miles Morales, the new hero behind the webbed suit? Well, he is reported to have a connection to Parker in how he gains his powers (currently unrevealed) but also a slightly different set of powers to the original web-slinger (also currently unrevealed). Much is being played up about the new Spider-Man’s half-Hispanic, half-Black ethnicity, but he seems like a more believable hero to come out of modern day New York slums than his whiter than white predecessor. He also seems to pull closer to Marvel’s original mission statement for the Ultimate universe, to re-imagine characters in a modern way and tell new stories that were impossible before. Marvel’s editor-in-chief Axel Alonso seems to believe the same, saying that “What you have is a Spider-Man for the 21st century who’s reflective of our culture and diversity.”

While popular, many critics were doubtful of the direction that Marvel took with the Ultimate Spider-Man range, internet personality ‘MovieBob’ Chipman calling it out for “segueing almost-immediately from telling “new” stories to basically being a “remixed” version of Spidey-continuity’s Greatest Hits”. By creating a more ethnically representative hero take up the name of one of Marvel’s most popular hero, and having him reportedly be coached in this role by more established characters such as Parker’s aunt May and former girlfriend Gwen Stacy, Marvel may have finally found a way to please old comic readers while reaching out to a new fanbase.

Its a little sad that the race of a superhero is considered so newsworthy even now, but you can form your own opinions of Marvel’s new Ultimate Spider-Men when he appears in Ultimate Fallout #4 this August and then in the re-launched Ultimate Spider-Man #1 in September

Sources: USA Today and MovieBob

"Look serious guys, Springsteen will be here soon"

It is always sad when the biggest selling point of your album is a guest appearance from another artist, but that’s just what Celtic-punks Dropkick Murphys have ended up with on their 2011 release ‘Going Out In Style’. The 7th release from Quicy’s Irish-hardcore masters ultimately ends up not differing much from the previous six, but is that really such a bad thing? Lets take a look.

The big name appearance here is Bruce Springsteen on the band’s cover of 1913 track ‘Peg O’ My Heart’, which sits as the penultimate track of an album that is otherwise just more of the same. Bruce’s smooth tones actually sound a little out of place amongst the shouting that forms the majority of the vocals, but its fun to hear him here and is a nice change of pace. Other than a couple of reworkings of Irish classics, such as the previously mentioned ‘Peg O’ My Heart’ and the final track’s re-imagining of the classic ‘Irish Rover’, the album does not have much at all to separate it from their previous releases. In fact, their  version of ‘Irish Rover’ ends up sounding a lot like fellow Celtic-punks Flogging Molly’s hit ‘Drunken Lullabies’, to a slightly distracting extent.

This is not to say that the album as a whole is not enjoyable, Dropkick Murphys can always be relied on for a good time, but they seem to be getting a little too comfortable as the biggest Celtic-punks around. If you like Dropkick Murphys, you’ll like the album, but don’t expect a revelation, even with the help of Springsteen.

6/10

(Yes, this review is shorter, its a slightly expanded version of a review I did that was originally limited to 150 words)

Well, I for one welcome our new Gaga overlords...

When Lady Gaga released her track Born This Way as a single, a lot of people were underwhelmed. There were cries of it “shamelessly ripping off” Madonna’s ‘Express Yourself’, of it being too blatant with its pro-LGBT message (more on that later) or if it being plainly just not as good as her earlier work. Well, if there is one thing we should have learned from her previous efforts, Lady Gaga’s music is nothing without a promo video to accompany it. This fact has never been so true as with the just unveiled video for Born This Way.

Click the image above to watch the video for yourself if you like, but I would recommend you read this first to prepare yourself. Honestly, you don’t want to go in there alone. Ok, are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin. Much like her video for Paparazzi, the Born This Way promo begins with two and half minutes of introduction before the song itself actually begins. Unlike Paparazzi however, which was presented as a Swedish drama, Born This Way takes its time setting up Lady Gaga’s very own mythology. Gaga takes the nickname given to her by fans, ‘Mother Monster’, and runs with it wholeheartedly. Mirrored images set up idea of birth and the womb, images that border on being downright disturbing, but never quite make it due to the layer of glam and glitter over the whole affair. Gaga sits atop a throne with a third eye on her chin (just go with it) in the role of Mother Monster and recounts the “Manifesto of Mother Monster’. She tells the tale of an alien territory owned by the government, known as G.o.a.t, where a new free race of humanity without prejudice or judgement was born. Evil was also born at the same time, seemingly from the anti-Gaga, an idea shown with the imagery of Gaga pulling rifles out from within her (see what I meant about slightly disturbing?) She then sets up that this is what gave humanity the idea of choice. This leads onto the song  beginning properly, being filled mostly with Gaga dancing in a glittery bikini with a team of half naked backing dancers, interspersed with images from the intro.

Now that you know what the video is like, the next question is whether or not it is any good. Personally, I think it is fantastic. For one thing, it is hilarious! This is the most absurd video Gaga has produced to date, and it is thoroughly enjoyable seeing how many ideas are shoved in to such a small space. Its almost like the video is a direct response to the critics who said that the song itself is bland compared to her other work, giving it the much needed WTF quality we have all come to associate with Gaga. A lot of it seems like a response to critics, playing up the Madonna similarity accusations at one point (you will know it when you see it, think ‘teeth’), and flipping between ignoring the LGBT messages at points, and throwing them in your face with glittery unicorns at others.

Overall, Lady Gaga is still a true artist within herself, but more importantly, an artist at trolling the pop industry. She is constantly pushing what she can get away with, and every time it seems she can still go further. With the song itself, Gaga seems to be testing whether people (read: conservative America) can accept an in your face message supporting LGBT rights, rather than her just existing as a gay icon through veiled ideas. With the video, she is seeing whether we will let her get away with setting up a prog-rock style backstory to her new album, and her most shocking video yet.  Seriously, Rihanna’s S&M got banned for less than a lot of the imagery in Born This Way’s promo. I’m happy for her to keep on pushing, because behind all the facades of eccentricity and insanity, she is still providing us with some of the catchiest, most artistic pop in recent years. I’m happy to let her get away with it, the big question is, will everybody else?

Bottom line, Born This Way is an eclectic and hilarious music video that is also going to fuel her hardcore fans for years to come. No matter your opinion on her, Gaga’s work is always worth keeping up with, either for the artistry or the insanity, and it doesn’t get much more insane or artistic than Born This Way.

"Try And Spot Whoopie Goldberg's Character, Go On!"

The Academy may as well not open the voting for ‘Best Animated Picture’ this year, nothing is going to stop that little gold man from joining Buzz and Woody’s gang after what Pixar have pulled off with Toy Story 3. Never before has there been a trilogy of films where each subsequent picture is as good as, or better than the original. What’s even more amazing is that this feat has been accomplished by not only a series of ‘kids movies’, but also a series that started with an experiment in a new way of making films. Let us never forget that the original Toy Story was the very first full length computer animated film. This is essentially to Pixar what Snow White was to Disney as a whole, or The Jazz Singer to all of Hollywood. It changed the game in terms of what could be achieved. Had those had sequels, maybe they could have managed to be of this consistent level of quality, but somehow I doubt it. In the Toy Story franchise, Pixar have that rarest of things, true movie magic.

Let me slow down before this turns into a love letter to Pixar and the Toy Story franchise as a whole. We are here to talk Toy Story 3, the final piece in the Toy Story puzzle. It’s been 11 years since the last Toy Story film, so where are we now? Well, it’s been 11 years for the toys too, and as is the way with the species we call human, we grow up. Andy, the owner of the titular toys, has done just the same. He’s 17 and getting ready to head off the university. The toys we knew and loved in the first few films have dwindle in number until only a core group remain. This sets up the big question that spurs on the entire narrative of the film, “what happens when an owner outgrows their toys?” What this sparks off is a movie that, surprisingly, plays out like the wittiest, most emotional prison escape movie you have ever seen.

Even though we’ve lost some friends along the way, there are a bunch of new toys to meet that fill out a great ensemble cast. On the one hand, Ned Beatty puts in a powerful turn as ‘Lots-O’-Hugging Bear’, whereas Timothy Dalton’s role as “Mr. Pricklepants” is minor, but is also an example of the spot on casting done for this film. Hell, they’ve got Whoopie Goldberg cast so perfectly as, wait for it, a stretchy purple octopus that you would never know her from the character itself. The new face that stole the film for me was Michael Keaton’s superb Ken. You’ll know why when you see it.

Trust me, you will want to see it. If you are a kid, you will love it. If you are an adult, you will love it. However, I myself am particularly lucky. I am truly the perfect age group for this film. I grew up with the original films, and as Andy is leaving for University in the film, that process is still fresh in my mind from going through it myself. If you are aged 16-20, and enjoyed the original Toy Story movies, I can honestly think of no better film for you right now. Actually, that statement is true for every moviegoer. What Pixar excel at is making movies for everyone’s inner child, and the Toy Story series is the one that has done this the most thoroughly. At some point in your life, you have played with toys. That’s what makes Toy Story. Look at that sentence again. That past tense going on there? That’s exactly what Toy Story 3 is all about. Toys don’t get played with forever.

Movie franchises don’t last forever either, and thank god that this one has gone out with a bang. Toy Story 3 is an emotional rollercoaster. It’s hilarious, but in a way that no-one will have a joke pitched too low, or fly over their heads. It’s terrifying too, in a way that mainstream animated films haven’t been for a long time. What really makes Toy Story 3 is how heartfelt and cathartic it is. Toy Story 3 is the only film I can remember ever to make me cry.

Go see it now, for the sake of all your old toys.

10/10

Standout Scene:

Mr. Potato Head’s new look

"Never Judge an Album by it's Great Artwork"

Failsafe For Tomorrow’s second EP ‘Give Up The Ghost’ reminds me a lot of an undercooked cake. It has the potential to be really tasty, and you can tell the ingredients that went into it were chosen with the best of intentions, but you just can’t enjoy it. Instead, I was left overwhelmed by a feeling of “put it back in, it’s not quite done yet”.

This Scarborough band sit somewhere between Screamo and Metalcore, two genres which, at least for me, seem to struggle with both originality and issues of whiny angst. Sadly, Failsafe For Tomorrow don’t really do much to change my opinions of either genre. Sure, they are a little less whiny than some other bands, but they still don’t have any sort spark that makes me set them apart from other bands. What Failsafe For Tomorrow do have is a pretty decent mix of genres, but just like every other metalcore band, the singing and the screaming sound a little cut and pasted together. Then again, these may just be my personal prejudices against the genres coming through. If you like Metalcore or Screamo, then at its base, Give Up The Ghost is a perfectly serviceable EP, or it would be if it weren’t for everything I’m about to say next.

I really feel sorry for the drummer on this EP. He gets to drum all the way through, and even gets a couple of little solo moments, but is buried so far down in the mix that half of the drum sounds are almost completely lost. The easiest way to describe the drum sounds are to imagine the band is in one room, and the drummer next door. It’s completely muffled throughout the whole EP.

This may  also explain how bad the band seem to be at keeping time at points. I can’t believe that this was not picked up by their producer, or even the band themselves, but at numerous points in the EP, the vocalist and the guitarist are guilty of rushing the beat and each other. For example, the intro to the song ‘So Long, So Long’ is just guitar and vocals, and ends up as almost totally unlistenable. I can’t tell who is rushing who, or whether the rhythms are just clashing, all I know is that it is incredibly jarring to listen to and I am shocked it wasn’t picked up on before release. The guitar rushes ahead yet again later in the song, and there are many other points on the album where the band just is not playing together. Most of ‘Blood To Spill’ is very guity of this, where they are almost playing too fast for themselves.

The band actually sounds a lot better in the limited lighter, floaty sections of some of their songs than in some of the more metal bits. It’s just better musically. I mean, sure, the screaming is very well enunciated (odd praise, I know, but true), but it just sounds like they are trying too hard and sticking in the screaming because the genre they’ve gone for demands it.

Overall, you can probably tell I was not very impressed. You are free to look them up yourself if you are a fan of metalcore or screamo, but you’ve probably got dozens of bands on your music player of choice who can do the job a lot better. I hate to rip apart a new band like this, but they really aren’t ready yet. Just think though, they may have solved all these problems by the time their debut full length release rolls around.

3/10

Standout Track:

What We Are

"I Wouldn't Want To Be Piled Under A Diplodocus"

Hailed as the next big thing by indie darling radio station XFM, Dinosaur Pile-Up seem to be gradually spreading their name around the industry as the next big band to watch. The big question however is, are they any good?

Well, this 3 piece from Yorkshire are certainly trying hard, floating around the peripheries of hitting the big time since 2008. Although, surprisingly for a fresh, up and coming band, they seem to be  making their music difficult to get a hold of. Sure, Myspace has been superseded  by Facebook as the social media site of choice by the general populace, but it has remained at the heart of the independent music scene despite the social scene exodus. This is why it is so odd that only their new single, ‘Birds and Planes’ is readily available on their, seemingly well-updated, Myspace page. This could possibly be because they are trying to keep their debut, full-length album fresh to listeners, but once that September release rolls around, people will not have had much to form opinions on. The only other songs floating around for easy listening are ‘Opposites Attract’, found on a compilation album on Spotify, and ‘Birds and Planes’ B-side ‘Headspinner’, available as a free download on their website. Well, here goes nothing, how can I sum up Dinosaur Pile-Up off the back of three tracks?

If I were just giving an opinion from ‘Birds and Planes’, then I could happily call Dinosaur Pile-Up “Foo Fighters Lite” and leave it at that. Seriously, get Dave Grohl on vocals and this song would fit in without a problem on ‘One By One’ or ‘There Is Nothing Left To Lose’. The riffing is there, the screaming is there, even the harmonies sound like they could have been lifted straight from something by the Foos. While the overdriven bass sounds really sweet, it doesn’t do much to separate Dinosaur Pile-Up’s sound from that of the Foo Fighters. Like the difference between many bands, a lot of it comes down to the vocalist. Though possibly damning with faint praise, Dinosaur Pile-Up’s vocalist Matt Bigland sounds pop-punk-tastic. When everything else sounds so Foo Fighters, it’s a little odd for the vocals to sound so much like they would fit in on a Blink 182 tribute act.

Happily he, and the rest of the band, show a lot more depth and variety on ‘Opposites Attract’. While the Foo Fighters similarities aren’t completely gone, this track shows them a lot more as carrying the torch of grunge as a whole. Soft verse, loud chorus songwriting is in full effect here, backed-up by a filthy tone and threats of discord which happily stay on the right side of the split between moody and just plain bad. The pop-punk is one of the first influences that has obviously been thrown right out of the window, Bigland’s voice barely rising above a whisper for the majority of the track, and possessing a much welcome moan when the track escalates. The harmonies are still there, but subdued to a level where they become a disenchanted chorus rather than a jolly focal point of the song. Also, I have to commend these guys on their use of feedback, it sounds pretty damn kickass and the song would be left lacking without it. This is grunge at it’s grimiest, and they pull it off in a way that Nirvana would be proud of.

B-side ‘Headspinner’ is a track that bridges the gap between the lightness of ‘Birds and Planes’ and the thick grime of ‘Opposites Attract’, and pulls off being a better song than it’s own A-side. What starts as the epitome of simple grunge grows and grows layer upon layer of instruments and vocals until it becomes something that you wouldn’t really expect at first listen. The bittersweet chorus is a particular highlight, sounding almost like Dookie era Green Day, until the chord sequence takes ones of the grungiest chord shifts you will hear in modern music. The Foo Fighters comparisons remain in the song’s bridge, which takes its cues from songs like ‘Pretender’, but luckily, not in the obnoxious way that the band’s lead single does.

It is a real pity that Dinosaur Pile-Up chose ‘Birds and Planes’ as their lead single. From what I heard, it is definitely their weakest work, going far too far into Foo Fighters territory. You don’t mess with a band as consistent as the Foos. Where Dinosaur Pile-Up shine is where they are reopening the doors to grunge. Grunge is a genre that died a sad, slow death in the 90s and maybe, just maybe, Dinosaur Pile-Up could help it live again. They aren’t the new messiah, but they are definitely worth keeping an eye on.

"Meat Loaf Hopes We Get The Point"

Let me get this out in the open before I begin. I have never been a fan of Meat Loaf. For such a legend of rock, I found his music incredibly tame, and bordering on quite sappy and bland. He was just an artist I didn’t get. Popular? Undeniable. To my tastes? Barely, which is why his new release, “Hang Cool Teddy Bear” came as such a surprise to me. It is actually really good.

“Hang Cool Teddy Bear” is apparently the start of a new series of albums, like his previous “Bat Out Of Hell” trilogy. This time it deals with a wounded soldier’s visions of future lives he could have lived. Produced by Rob Cavello, the producer who gave Green Day their first steps into the realm of the concept album with American Idiot, this album sounds great. One problem I had with listening to older Meat Loaf was that for all the intended bombast, it never really came across due to incredibly flat and dull production. This is honestly not the case here. Sweeping orchestras, soaring choirs all back up the core, classic rock line up of guitar, bass, piano, drums and vocals. But that’s the main point, it doesn’t wash the rock into the background. Finally, the guitar track is actually audible on a Meat Loaf release!

I don’t know whether it will apply to rest of the series, but this first release filled with celebrity appearances. Justin Hawkins (most famously of The Darkness) turns up co-writing some of the songs and singing backup, Jon Bon Jovi co-wrote the final track of the album, and Steve Vai and Brian May both play lead guitar on a couple of the tracks. After playing Meat Loaf’s son in the movie “Pick Of Destiny”, Jack Black lends his backing vocals to a track, an American Idol judge sings a duet with Mr. Loaf and, craziest of all, the multitalented Hugh Laurie appears to lend his piano chops to the already star studded “Hang Cool Teddy Bear”.

This is of course forgetting the real star of the show, Meat Loaf himself. He may be getting on in years, but it hasn’t done his voice any harm. If anything, it’s added more of an edge. Meat Loaf’s voice is still flying high like you’d expect, but he’s gained a growl, a gruffer edge, and it really works for him. This isn’t the vocal of an aging rocker, this is the vocal at the peak of maturity. It’s very lucky that he is still so good because he is taking on quite an eclectic mix of styles here. He runs the gauntlet from waltzing power ballads to hip-hop influenced rockabilly, screaming blues-rock to prog-heavy metal. It is actually kind of amazing that so many songwriters writing so many styles could produce such a cohesive album. Each track flows really well to the next, despite only being linked by this overarching concept of a soldier’s visions, which thankfully doesn’t get in the way. This isn’t story album, it’s a collection of interlinked tracks and gladly they do manage to link.

This album has managed to convert me. Ok, you still won’t find “I Would Do Anything For Love” on my iPod, but I have had a great time with “Hang Cool Teddy Bear”. Meat Loaf’s consistently strong vocal is finally backed up by great songwriters, high-class production and star musicians, offering the backing that Meat Loaf has always deserved. Occasionally it’s a little corny, but it’s all part of the fun, and it wouldn’t be Meat Loaf without it. Lets just say I’m definitely keeping my eye out for “Hang Cool Teddy Bear II”

9/10

Standout Tracks:

Living On The Outside

Like A Rose

Song Of Madness

Download the Bonus Track “Prize Fighter Lover” at the  Album’s Site for FREE!