© the other press ¢ Culture Fanboy’s Corner Saiyuki Volume 2 Released by: ADV Running Time: 125 Minutes Nick Hogg OP Game Guy V2.0 The adventure continues westward as four idiots in a jeep travel the countryside wreaking havoc. Well that is what happens, but the story technically is about Sanzo and his three demon companions who are trying to stop the resurrection of the sleeping demon lord Gyumaoh. As their travels continue, we see the story start to develop itself as one with a great deal of depth and huge amounts of character development, while still keeping the whole come- dy thing fresh. Considering that there are 52 episodes, this is certainly shaping up to be a top- notch series. Since this was done using a combination of com- puters and classic-cell animation, Saiyuki looks extremely crisp and clear, and the stylized static effects used throughout the series look superb. The English audio is presented in a 5.1-channel mix that makes great use of direction for the voices in certain situations, greatly enhancing the experi- ence. The English-voice dub for this is rather well done, because of all the localized slang and imma- ture humour that is littered through the series, but Pll warn those without a sense of humour to stay clear. The menus are simple and blood stained as per last volume, although there is still no inclusion of a scene selection, only an episode select. But skipping chapters isn’t too difficult if you know how to operate a DVD player. The extras on this disc include the standard clean open-and-close ani- mations and production-sketch gallery. Another feature that looks like it’s going to be an ongoing one is the cultural notes, where they explain a lot of the history of the action Saiyuki novel, or Journey to the West, as it’s also called. This is an excellent feature for those who are not familiar with the base story of Saiyuki. This volume starts off with what will set the norm for this series, a two parter, that blends oddly together making the viewer think the second part is over seven minutes into the episode. The odd splits aside, the first episodes play out nicely by combining a series of long flashbacks explaining Sanzo’s past, while integrating seamlessly with the events that are taking place in the present. The sec- ond set of episodes, not only introduces us to the extremely well done cast of rivals for the Sanzo party, but also sets a much larger story arc in motion, that should play out on the next volume. And just so we don’t get too tired with all the seri- ousness, they throw in a stand-alone episode that’s the funniest thing I’ve seen so far in this series. This one is full of crude language, witty remarks, and a set of Sanzo party imposters that are too funny for words. This series seems to have it all, an excellent unique style, a rich back-story, and immature crude humour that everyone loves deep down. This series has great potential very early on and this is a good sign. Hopefully this level of quality is kept consistent throughout its 52-episode run. Page 14 e¢ http://www-otherpress.ca October 1, 2003 Justin Ray Culture Critic Did you miss me? My usual, slanted CD releases are back for 2003/04, and there is sure to be a lot of garbage on the way. Dig in and maybe you will find something interesting! The Dave Rave Group Everyday Magic Is that David Hasselhoff on the set of Top Gun? Oops—my mistake. That's David DesRoches, a.k.a. Dave Rave from the group of the same name. Decked out in a bomber jacket and dark sunglasses, the ex- Teenage Head singer appears to be stuck in an era long gone, when Huey Lewis and the News ruled the charts and it was hip to be square. Are you surprised that Dave's last album of all-new material was released in 1989? The only clue that Everyday Magic is a 2003 release is the pixelized cover, obviously a low-grade digital photo. Can you judge a record by its cover? Apparently you can. The mixing is poor by today’s standards, and some of the vocals are cheesy to the point of caricature. “Help Me Please” is particularly embarrassing, like a wedding singer doing a dread- ful Elvis impression. This is really too bad, because there is some good songwriting here, comparable to Phil Collins or Elvis Costello. The Dave Rave Group sounds like a group of ex-rock stars turned lounge singers. Sadly, that is somewhat accurate. Sloan Action Pact What is it about Sloan? Every couple of years they put out a solid, catchy rock album, yet they fail to break through a musically apathetic and simple-minded market. While there are many die-hard Sloan fans that will attend every show possible, Sloan has never been able to head- line a stadium concert. Meanwhile, an upstart band like Jimmy Talent releases one single and gets a huge fan base. Even worse, a lousy band like Nickelback can sell out GM Place. (By the way, Chad Kroeger’s 604 Records is looking for unsigned bands. Maybe Chad can produce you too!) I don’t mean to go off on a rant here. Sloan’s seventh album deserves every minute of your attention. With Tom Rothrock (Badly Drawn Boy, Beck) on board as producer, this is Sloan’s slickest album yet. Action Pact is a huge technical step for Sloan, with songs as tight as J. Lo’s pants. The bittersweet “False Alarm” sounds reminiscent of The Cure, with the new garage beat of The Strokes. Patrick Pentland’s guitar solos are bet- ter than ever, and anthems such as “Backstabbin” and “Who Loves Life More?” could earn Sloan permanent residence in the annals of Rock and Roll alongside Pentland’s heroes KISS and AC/DC. Sloan may be one of Canada’s hardest working bands. Chris Murphy’s showmanship puts Chad Kroeger to shame (Sorry, Chad: I’m bitter. And youre not reading this). Go buy this record already. Sloan will be at The Vogue on October 17. The Paperbacks An Episode of Sparrows Ah, the autumn sunrise. The long, cold night vanishing slowly as soft orange light trickles across the sky, setting fluffy clouds aflame. The sun has returned. A couple of sparrows fly by, late for migration. Everyday barns, roofs steaming, dress the otherwise naked horizon. Who could have painted it prettier? You lean on a kitchen windowsill, single-pane glass slightly frosted, looking out at the landscape. You see the frost melting, dripping from the trees, and hug a hot cup of coffee with both hands, warming the chill in your knuckles. Think of your high school pals, the ones who moved away to become something big, and how they must miss this life. You've more stars in your eyes. The outdoors sneak in on these days. Under doors, through the walls, slip through cracks. Just like mistakes... constructive regrets that you consider on a cold, autumn, prairie morning. The Paperbacks recently added themselves to . Surf on over and listen for yourself. It’s worth the trip. a ae EVERYDAY MAGIC