My Favorite Music of 2013 (video)

#music #bestof2013 #favorites #rockfile

Each year, compiling the list of my favorite albums is one of the hardest blogs to create. This year, I started with the largest list of possibles ever and wound up with 49. Since I did not really want to rank them, I used the amount of times I listened to each artist/album this year to determine the order for the top 20, the rest are in no particular order. Albums released later in the year and the ones with fewer tracks (especially EPs) have a harder time ranking high this way but in my opinion all of these are worth adding to your music collection.

While I may feel some albums are "better" than others, the truest telling is what I actually listened to the most. I have used Last.fm to track my personal spins since 2006. The vast majority of my listening is either lossless files on iPhone/iPod through audiophile headphones or lossless files through my PC with iTunes and Klipsch THX certified monitors. 

Enjoy

(I apologize if the page loads slow, there are 20 videos.)

Gemini Syndrome - "Lux"

Haken - "The Mountain"

Karnivool - "Asymmetry"

Steven Wilson - "The Raven That Refused To Sing (And Other Stories)"

 

 Heaven's Basement - "Filthy Empire"

 

Dead Letter Circus - "The Catalyst Fire"

Bruce Soord With Jonas Renkse - "Wisdom Of Crowds"

Caligula's Horse - "The Tide, The Thief & River's End"

The Mars Chronicles - "The Mars Chronicles EP"

 

Letlive. - "The Blackest Beautiful"

 

Katatonia - "Dethroned & Uncrowned"
 

Sound Of Contact - "Dimensionaut"

Riverside - "Shrine Of New Generation Slaves"

 

Queensryche - "Queensryche"

Nothing More - "Nothing More"

Leprous - "Coal"

TesseracT - "Altered State"

Jolly - "The Audio Guide To Happiness (Part 2)"

 

Thought Chamber - "Psykerion"

 

Fates Warning - "Darkness In A Different Light"

Byzantine - "Byzantine"
Intronaut - "Habitual Levitations (Instilling Words With Tones)"
Aeon Zen - "Enigma"
Daybreak Embrace - "Mercury EP"
Boil - "aXiom"
Monster Truck - "Furiosity"
Big Wreck - "Albatross"
Protest The Hero - "Clarity"
Anubis Gate - "Sheep EP"
Dream Theater - "Dream Theater"
Spock's Beard - "Brief Nocturnes and Dreamless Sleep"
The Winery Dogs - "The Winery Dogs"
Serenity - "War Of Ages"
Sevendust - "Black Out The Sun"
Pearl Jam - "Lightning Bolt"
Nine Inch Nails - "Hesitation Marks"
AEtherfallen - "Revelation's Eternal"
Ra - "Critical Mass"
Korn - "The Pardigm Shift"
ASG - "Blood Drive"
The Flower Kings - "Desolation Rose"
Red Line Chemistry - "Tug Of War"
A Pale Horse Named Death - "Lay My Soul To Waste"
Long Distance Calling - "The Flood Inside"
Alter Bridge - "Fortress"
Avenged Sevenfold - "Hail To The King"
Black Sabbath - "13"
Alice In Chains - "The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here"

Aeon Zen - "Self Portrait EP"



Live Albums

Muse - "Live At Rome Olympic Stadium" & Blu-Ray
Anathema - "Universal" & Blu-ray
Rush - "Clockwork Angels Tour" & Blu-Ray

Metallica - "Through The Never Soundtrack"
Flying Colors - "Live In Europe" & Blu-Ray
Devin Townsend Project - "The Retinal Circus" & Blu-Ray
Iced Earth - "Live In Ancient Kourion" & Blu-ray


Special Mention

Rush - "Vapor Trails (Remixed)" - This album needed remixing badly and this new version is the best we are going to get. Much improved over the original mix.



Blu-ray/DVD Audio Audio

Universal just released a whole new line of Blu-Ray Audio titles but I have not had a chance to hear them. 

Steven Wilson - The Raven That Refused To Sing - The deluxe edition of his stellar third solo album set a new bar for sonic clarity in hidef audio on DVD and Blu-Ray.

Yes - Close To The Edge - Steven Wilson's remix makes the work sound fresh. One of my all-time favorites. DVD and Blu-Ray

Steven Wilson - Drive Home - A video EP about an hour long is better than most full releases from other artists. Blu-Ray

 

Van Morrison - Moondance DVD Audio

Jethro Tull - Benefit DVD Audio

Dream Theater - Dream Theater DVD Audio

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My Favorite Movies of 2013 (video)

 

#movies #bluray #bestof2013 #favorites #rockfile

The last few years I have been thinking about merging this list.  I am seeing fewer and fewer in the theater and more at home. Blu-ray technology coupled with a high end plasma display means few theatrical presentations beat our home system. Add the ability to pause for bathroom breaks and now we mostly head to the cinema to see "event" films and save everything else for home viewing.  Therefore, my list of favorite movies of the year tends to lean towards the fantastic.  

(Notice I did not say best movies of the year, favorites are movies I will re-visit. Most "serious" award winning "best of the year" films would make up a different list and most of those I only need to see once.)


 

Gravity 

For pure popcorn entertainment, Pacific Rim was the forerunner to becoming my favorite film of the year. Then I saw Gravity. 90 minutes of truly gripping, dramatic entertainment and a new benchmark for realism in special effects. The science may not be 100% but no other movie affected me as much as Gravity.

 

Pacific Rim 

One of my favorite directors made a tribute to the giant monster (kaiju) movies I loved as a kid...and kept it fun throughout. A perfectly executed confection that goes down easy and stands up to multiple viewings.

Star Trek Into Darkness 

J.J. Abrams upped the ante with his second reboot movie and I was totally entertained. After watching it a couple of times, I have enjoyed it even more and I am looking forward to their continuing mission.

Evil Dead

 Most remakes/reboots suck, this one doesn't. As brutal and gory as the original was in it's day, this is Evil Dead for a new generation. One of the most visceral horror films of the year and not for the squeamish.

 

The World's End 

A great way to end a trilogy of funny tribute-ish films, first zombies and slacker friends then buddy cops and now, old friends and alien invasion. If you enjoyed Shaun Of The Dead and Hot Fuzz, this is a no brainer.

This Is The End 

While I am really tired of most of the raunchy comedies of the last few years, this one is really funny. Lots of inside jokes and over-the-top humor, most everyone can find something to laugh at in this one.


Warm Bodies 

Dark, funny and kind of sweet take on the zombie genre.


Sound City

 Dave Grohl's directing debut and one of the best rockumentaries ever. I am called Rockfile and I learned things in this movie and was thoroughly entertained the whole time.


The Wolverine 

Almost exactly the Wolverine film the fans have been asking for. Check out the unrated, extended version for an even better flick, bub.


Iron Man 3

 After the weak second film and the stellar Avengers, I knew there would be a little disappointment going into this movie. The surprise? Very little disappointment! Shane Black crafted an Iron Man movie that almost tops the original.


Oblivion

Even with it's flaws, this is one of the best sci-fi movies of the year. Beautifully filmed, it's not the new classic it hopes to be but it is still worth a watch.


Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters 

On a lot of year end worst lists, I had a blast watching this movie. In a world where hobbits, young wizards and superhero movies rule the theaters, this tongue-in-cheek film was called silly and unrealistic. Duh, people, that is the fun of it. A worldwide hit, the sequel is in the works.


The Croods

 My biggest surprise of the year. Winning free tickets for a pre-screening a month before release, I entered the theater ready to be bored for the next 90 minutes. Boy, was I wrong! Sweet and sassy with dynamite animation and 3D, this was my favorite animated film of the year.


Thor: The Dark World 

I was a minor Thor fan growing up, mostly because I loved The Avengers, but I enjoyed the first movie more than I expected. Like Thor, the sequel continued to create a more fantasy oriented superhero film than Iron Man, Hulk or Captain America. Loki steals the show again and I am looking forward to what happens next.


Man Of Steel 

Christopher Reeve will always be Superman, much like Sean Connery will always be 007. I like the other guys who have played the roles but the first one you see, usually sets the tone. (I think Daniel Craig has been terrific as 007!) That being said, I loved the darker, more serious tone of the new Superman. It wasn't perfect but it was the most fun I have had with the character since the first movie.


World War Z 

While I love the book, this movie has nothing to do with it. That out of the way, we heard so much negative about this movie while it was being filmed, and re-filmed, no one thought it would be as good as it turned out to be. Before Gravity, this was my pick for most intense theatrical experience.


I still need to see: The Hunt, Elysium, Upstream Color, Mud, Don Jon, Rush, American Hustle, Captain Phillips, A Hijacking, Mama, Turbo, Riddick, Spring Breakers, Holy Motors, The Lone Ranger, Pain and Gain, Before Midnight, Only God Forgives and several other movies and shows from 2013.

My Favorite Blu-rays of 2013

Pacific Rim 

Perfect picture and sound. Your new reference disc.

Star Trek Into Darkness 

Like the 2009 Star Trek Blu-Ray, this is another movie to show off your home theater.

Muse: Live at Rome Olympic Stadium 

A lot of beautifully filmed concerts were released this year but this show was shot at 4K (4 times the resolution of 1080p and the format most movie theaters show movies in.) and looks amazing. The band gives one of it's finest performances and the crowd knows ever word. I get those "live performance chills" you get at a real concert when I watch this.


Iron Man 3 

Fun flick, great picture and sound!


The Devil's Backbone (Criterion Collection) 

Great movie gets the Criterion treatment.


Argo 

One of the best movies of 2012 got two versions on Blu-Ray in 2013, get the collector's edition for all the extras.


Skyfall 

A beautifully filmed 2012 movie got a near perfect transfer.


Samsara

 A documentary filmed in 4K, pure natural eye candy.


Schindler's List 

Unlike a lot of Universal classics this one got a near perfect transfer.


Dredd

 Some really amazing 3D shots were among many things that made this much better than it should have been. Closer to the comic than the easily-forgotten-after-this Stallone version, this deserves a sequel.


Django Unchained

 Pure Tarantino and a great transfer.


Sinister 

One of the best scary flicks of 2012 got a superior transfer in 2013.


Halloween: 35th Anniversary Edition 

Still not perfect, this new transfer does look better than the movie originally did in theaters.


Prince Of Darkness 

A John Carpenter guilty pleasure got a nice transfer and extras.


Lifeforce

 The longer cut doesn't add much but I was thrilled to have this Toby Hooper thriller on Blu-Ray.


In The Mouth Of Madness 

Another John Carpenter classic and a decent transfer.

Other 2013 Blu-Rays worth a spin in your home theater:

Cloud Atlas
 
Seven Psychopaths
 
Rebel Without A Cause
 
The Hobbit 3D
 
Life Of Pi 3D
 
Wreck It Ralph 3D
 
The Right Stuff

My Favorite TV on Blu-Ray of 2013

 

Breaking Bad Complete Series
 

Game Of Thrones Second Season
 

Hannibal Season One

Dexter The Complete Series 

 

Arrow The Complete First Season
 

Archer Season Three
 

Fringe The Complete Series
 

Star Trek The Next Generation Seasons Three Four and Five
 

Doctor Who Series 1-7
 

Mad Men Season Six

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My Favorite Video Games of 2013 (video)

#videogames #bestof2013 #favorites #rockfile

I have always been a gamer, since the earliest computers and consoles.  I currently game on PS4, PS3, PC, Xbox 360, PSP, Gamecube, Dreamcast and iPhone 5s. This year, I bought fewer games but played longer. These are the games that kept my attention the longest and impressed me the most.

 

The Last Of Us - The PS3 exclusive sets a new level for dramatic storytelling and addictive game play. One of several games that made you "feel" as you played. 

Bioshock Infinite - Another game whose plot was as interesting as it's game play. I played the PC version and am looking forward to playing again when the game is added to the Playstation Plus list of free games soon!

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag - I have sunk more hours into this game on PS4 than almost any other this year and I am 84% done with everything at the time of this posting. The freedom of it's open world and the incredible locations keep me coming back to find every secret and accomplish every mission.

Grand Theft Auto V - A stellar achievement and the best GTA game yet. But, in the end, playing a pirate topped playing a thug for me this year.  I still have a lot to finish and at some point, I will. Loved how the iFruit app worked with the game!

Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch - This PS3 exclusive was the best role playing game of the year, beautiful and addictive. Easily my second most played game of the year. We need some JRPGs on PS4, please!

XCOM: Enemy Within - An add-on that makes a great strategy game nearly perfect.

Tomb Raider - The best Lara Croft game since the first, I am looking forward to playing it again when the Definitive Versions come out for PS4 and XBOX One next month!

Metro: Last Light - One of the best shooters of the year, it surpasses it's predecessor in all areas.

Killzone: Shadow Fall - The first truly next gen shooter would probably be ranked higher if my playing it had not been sidetracked by AC4!

Battlefield 4 - As modern shooters go, it's not bad. The campaign is too short and I haven't tried the multi-player. But it looks and plays great on PS4!

Civilzation V: Brave New World - Like XCOM, Civ 5 got an add-on that changes the whole game for the better.

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Happy Birthday MAURICE WHITE (video)

#mauricewhite #earthwindandfire #ewaf #rockfile 

 Maurice White (born December 19, 1941) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, arranger and bandleader. He is the founder of the band Earth, Wind & Fire and the older brother of current and former Earth, Wind & Fire members Verdine White and Fred White respectively. Maurice served as the band's main songwriter and record producer, and he was co-lead singer (along with Phillip Bailey). White has won seven Grammys, and he has been nominated for Grammys 21 times in total.

White was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame as a member of Earth, Wind & Fire, and he was individually inducted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Also known by his nickname Reese, he has worked with several famous recording artists such as Deniece Williams, The Emotions, Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond.

White was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in the late 1980s, which led him to stop touring with Earth, Wind & Fire in 1994. However, White retains executive control of the band, and he remains active in the music business.

source: wikipedia

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ASSASSIN'S CREED IV BLACK FLAG Freedom Cry DLC Trailer (video)

#ac4bf #ac4 #ps4 #xboxone #ps3 #x360 #rockfile

Already one of my most played games of 2013 and I've only had it a month, Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag is getting new content tomorrow! Addicted to it, I am not finished with the game yet but this looks worthy of a purchase!

 Source: Ubisoft

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