Team Headshot has a new BFF in the band Echodrone. And when 2 groups love each other very much they like to express their love in the form of links and networking.

http://www.echodrone.com/

But they’re actually a shoegazer band based in San Francisco that’s really nifty and err…

Echodrone was birthed in summer 2005 from the miasma of Craigslist. Answering a call for like-minded musicians, Brandon and Mark F. joined Eugene and began Echodrone’s exploration of the intersection where Medicine, Ride, Stars of the Lid and Mogwai meet. Original drummer Kahlil Karn felt the call in June 2006 and provided a visual component to initial gigs, but parted ways with the band in June 2007. Another call out to Craigslist ensnared drummer/sonic maestro Mark Tarlton, who began contributing electronic touches to the mix. The final stage of Echodrone was set when Meredith Gibbons (ex-One Becomes One Hundred) replaced departing member Mark F.

The Echodrone recipe: combine Post-Rock textures, Ambient atmospherics, Dreampop harmonies and feedback-drenched classic Shoegaze into a mold shaped from the band’s musical exploration. The result: a cathartic mix of vivid musical colors and patterns that is greater than the sum of its parts. Echodrone is an indie band for those bored with the indie genre.

After first unleashing their barbaric yalp onto receptive audiences in September 2006, Echodrone has since played with such local luminaries as Sciflyer (Clairecords), Murder of Lilies, and Halcyon High. March 2007 saw the release of a debut 4-song EP, recorded at SoundPort Studios by Michael Padilla (Dora Flood) and released on the band’s own label, Isomer Records. This self-titled EP was a top-seller on shoegaze specialty retail site toneVENDOR and has received airplay locally on KALX, KSCU and KZSU, nationally on the respected online station Vertigo Radio, where opener “Here We Are” was voted 2 listener favorite in the first month of release, and internationally on Australia’s 3RRR station.

(thanks copy and paste)

C’mon now. Really? Reserving a game in January that won’t be here until August and that will be in more than abundant supply at launch. Good job being proactive Gamestop. I’ll plunk down $5 right away and then ask a blind man to perform open heart surgery on me using a rusty knife and fork.

Trying to play Modern Warfare 2 and I can’t. Why? Because it’s another god-awful and probably useless update for the PS3. Sony, please cut it out, no one gives 2 shits about improved photo features. Oh and by the way Sam, I hate you so much right now for making me get this version. PS3 updates are working their way into Dead to THS.

I recently picked it up. So far I feel myself already going through the Final Fantasy motions. Y’know the one where I care, don’t care, care some more, hit the bottle hard and then finally get around to finishing it. The dialogue as expected is boring as all hell. Light and dark bullshit has run its course. It’s like it’s the simplest reason to have people in the SqaureEnix universe beat the shit out of each other. I imagine that it’s sort of like flashing Crips and Bloods gang signs in Compton (is Compton still cool these days?). The dialogue is so damn boring. Y’know in any other universe, a collection of heroes and villains would usually attract a clash or personalities that would create excellent conflicts, but for the FF universe, no. They’re all terrible. Villains usually go into 2 groups, the ones that act “cool and smooth” or the ones that are power crazy and always going on about stupid shit about “you rely on your friends and-” aw fuck, it sucks. Maybe it’s just that until now, I’ve realized it’s terrible. Maybe, it’s been this same garbage that I’ve been hearing since VII, but was forgivable given the cutscenes. NOT ANYMORE. And that’s because aside from the awesome opening cinematic, the cutscenes boil down to this back and forthing or one-upping fest that is the dialogue.

…I’m sorry if that went on a little long, but for the love of God, when you start skipping at the second or third cutscene, then something has gone terribly wrong.

Oh and I guess I should mention the gameplay and visuals. They’re pretty good so far. If you love particle effects, then your pants might already be wet. Between the flashy fights and intuitive controls, all those fights you watched as CGIs can finally be played out in real time instead of navigating a series of menus.

A review will be up soon for it.

I bet Kojima gets some sort of sick, sexual thrill out of seeing MGS fans spaz out over a mere countdown timer. In fact, I don’t bet on it, I gurantee it, but it’s with good reason. Kojima Productions always makes high quality games, so sufice it to say, I’m willing to let the orgy of speculation and bullshit just pass by. What do I think? Well, I think it’s a video game. Looks like I might have to give some sort of monetary based object in exchange for whatever good Kojima is offering. Aside from that I really don’t know. The big ‘5′ in the middle is causing some to conclude MGS5 is on the way. It seems a bit premature, but it would certainly not be a stretch. Of course at the time of this post, some sort of announcement is about 3 days away, so I’m sure we’ll find something out. Or maybe not. Either way, it’s interesting to note the sky-high expectations with something that looks like a desktop wallpaper.