Friday Music

Another week —

Another track discovered via a commercial (specifically a new AT&T cellphone ad) — after it aired, and I immediately looked at eachother and said: “Got to find that song!” Turns out that it’s a bit of nifty retro-tinged electronica/neosoul/hip-hop: Lupe Fiasco – “Daydreamin’ (feat. Jill Scott).”

Scottish singer Isobel Campbell, formerly of Belle & Sebastian, has teamed up with Mark Lanegan, formerly of Screaming Trees and Queens of The Stone Age, on a new album, Ballad of the Broken Seas. Here they do a great cover of a classic Hank Williams tune: Isobel Campbel & Mark Lanegan – “Ramblin’ Man.”

Last week, I posted a track from M83, which I described as sounding like a 21st Century version of something from a John Hughes film. I picked up the album, Saturdays = Youth, and I’ve been listening to it all week long. It’s so good, in fact, that I’m going to post two tracks. Check them out, and then go buy this album.M83 – “Graveyard Girl.” and the equally brilliant M83 – “Skin of the Night.”

Here’s a hilarious B-side (with NSFW lyrics) by Kate Nash, from the single for “Mouthwash.” (Hmm – is it still a “B-side” when it’s a CD-single? You don’t flip them over…) For the record, the fast, jumbled refrain is: “Well I’m lucky I don’t have all the power in the world so I can’t fuck everything else up.” Kate Nash – “Stitching Leggings.”

A 90s one-hit wonder that I haven’t heard in a while, and stumbled upon earlier this week: Tracy Bonham – “Mother, Mother.”

And lastly, a track which simultaenously manages to be my favorite track from Method Man…AND my favorite track by the Prodigy. This is the “safe” version, with the naughty words backmasked, but it still kicks several distict varieties of ass: Method Man – “Release Yo Delf (Prodigy Mix)”

There you go. Enjoy!

Fourth Edition

Wizards of the Coast made their official revised 4th Edition D&D Game System License announcement today.

The $5K buy-in for advanced publishing is now gone, and the Phase One (August 1st) and Phase Two (January 2009) go-live dates have now been eliminated, in favor of a single new date: October 1st.

The license and the System Reference Document will be available when the 4th Edition D&D rules are officially released in early June.

As it says in the announcement:

A small group of publishers received advanced notice and will receive these documents prior to June 6, at no cost, in order to prepare for publication of compatible materials by the effective start date.

I will confirm here that Adamant Entertainment is one of those publishers who have received advanced notice.

I will not be making any announcements regarding our plans for 4th Edition until such time as I have actually seen the Game System License, and can thereby determine if the terms of the license are acceptable, and the sort of products we wish to produce are allowed.

Class and Style

Obama answers the ridiculousness of last night:

The sound you’re hearing is that of a nation waking up. At one point in the debate last night, the audience started booing the moderators. Today, Obama’s most direct criticisms of the debate are being met with standing ovations.

(Thanks to patricks for the link)