Let me make a really simple point here: If you are designing a product with an organic shape, please, do not place a big, huge, inorganic shapped logo. It just dosen’t work that way.

]]> http://mediaresearchlabs.org/rant-who-designed-this-new-saturn-logo/feed/ http://mediaresearchlabs.org/dive-into-haunted-houses-at-horror-labs/ http://mediaresearchlabs.org/dive-into-haunted-houses-at-horror-labs/#comments Fri, 22 Aug 2008 21:01:46 +0000 barnes http://mediaresearchlabs.org/?p=15 ]]> Ryan over at Horror Labs finds some awesome resources for finding awesome haunted houses. Check it out!

Track Listings

1. “The World The People Together (Come On)”
2. “Mission Control”
3. “Welcome to the Third World”
4. “Wasp In the Lotus”
5. “And Then I Dreamt of Yes”
6. “Talk Radio”
7. “Love Song”
8. “Now You Love Me”
9. “Mis Amigos”
10. “The Legend of the Last of the Outlaw Truckers AKA the Ballad Of Sherriff Shorty”
11. “Beast of All Saints”
12. “Valerie Yum”
13. “Musee D’Nougat”

Opening on “The World The People Together”, the albums single, we hear what we expect from The Dandy Warhols.

Mission Control follows up with more of the same. This track a bit of a downer however, the dull vocals sound like that of German metal sensation Rammenstein. Still, the keys, the drums, subtle stings makes the track pull through.

Welcome To The Third World opens with a happy, funky guitar riff that is refreshing after Mission Control. Drop in funky bass, and even more funky vocals, and you have a solid funk track that is nothing but fun.

Wasp In The Lotus is a really awesome electronic heavy, distorted track. The blare of a synth rattles the whole song, while keys play a melody. Soft, distorted lyrics lay ontop for a well put together, fun track.

And Then I Dreamnt Of Yes brings the CDs up-beat-ness, down a notch for a melodic little balad.

Talk Radio continues the attitude of And Then I Dreamnt of You. A nice, soft track that was still deep. The best part was the cresendo at the end.

Love Song brings a folk feel, something unseen from The Dandy Warhols. Mark Knopfler, of Dire Straits and Mike Campbell of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers guest star in this track, and obviously bring in their own style, to create an awesome, highlight track on the album.

Mis Amigos brings in some more fun. Lots of noise, trumpets, sythns, lots of vocals, guitars, all building up the entire song into an orchestra of fun.

Outlaw Truckers is an awesome track. Lyrically brilliant, and musically great. Telling the story of a trucker overtop of classic little guitar riff with the Warhol spin. Complete with gun shot sound effects, and a lead into the next track. Another stand out track on the album.

Beast of All Saints again takes it down a notch with a mellow, heart felt track.

Valerie Yum brings the CD to a more rock state of mind. Pulling away from the abience of the rest of the CD, and bringing it back to classic rock and roll.

Over all the album is great. Enough variation in the tracks keeps you engulfed, song after song. Nothing short of what we have come to expect from The Dandy Warhols, and hopefully not the last we will see.

Final Score: 9/10 — Buy it!

Today, animation celebrates its 100 birthday. The first animation, Fantasmagoria, created by Emile Cohl, was first released to the public in 1908, and was made over a period of 4 months. The medium of animation has now evolved into computer animation that is creating some of the most incredible cinematic experinces in the world. If animation has come this far in only 100 years, its scary to think about where it will be in another 100!

• Cloverfield’s use of viral marketing was genius. A disturbing, and confusing video made everyone ask for more, and even begin to dismantle the short trailer to see what it was all about. Its confusing and scary nature made everyone talk about it.

The Subservient Chicken

• Burger King’s ‘Subservient Chicken’ may be one of the most epic uses of word of mouth and viral marketing. Its almost disturbing website made it become the talk of the town, and drew in millions upon millions of viewers. People found the site amusing, and played with it for hours trying to trick the system, as they were convinced there was no way there could really be a man in a chicken suit dancing around to every single command issued. The more the played, the more they were entertained, and the more friends they decided to tell.

Nine Inch Nails USB dump

• When Nine Inch Nails decided to begin releasing their music for free, they decided to distribute their music in susupicious, cheap USB flash drives that they left off at their venues as they toured. The USB drives got picked up, and passed around to everyone, and anyone.

The Blair Witch Project

• Perhaps the inovators in creating disturbing video that, may, or may not be real footage, The Blair Witch Project deserves a lot of credit for their use of viral marketing, regardless of how the movie turned out.