2009
Noah’s Barks pages covering things relating to the year 2009.
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Eden of the East
‘Eden of the East’ asks game participants how they would spend 10 billion yen. At the very least, you shouldn’t need that much to make a better-written anime than this. (read more)
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999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors
The first entry in the ‘Zero Escape’ series, ‘999’ delivers horrors and thrills behind a puzzle-oriented, visual novel adventure. (read more)
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Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ
This oft-maligned sequel to ‘Zeta Gundam’ is known for its tonal whiplash complete with frequent slapstick comedy. Is ‘Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ’ better than people give it credit for? (Includes ‘Gundam Frag.’) (read more)
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Redline
Wanna have a good time? ‘Redline’ is where your first and last stop should be—or would be, if it didn’t compel you to burn nitroglycerin. (read more)
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Fever Ray – “Fever Ray”
Like my friend edl_mota said, Fever Ray curiously sounds like Donkey Kong Country ambiance. I feel like I’m in that Gloomy Gulch world in Donkey Kong Country 2 when I listen to this, which is a compliment since Forest Interlude is my favorite song on the soundtrack. But I’m getting off track; she’s still no… (read more)
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Fantastic Mr. Fox
Yeah, I don’t have to think twice about it: Fantastic Mr. Fox is one of the best animated family movies ever made. First of all, the stop motion is fantastic and total eye candy, much better than garbage CG. Second, the script is surprisingly down-to-earth and finds that awkwardness in real-life that probably isn’t what… (read more)
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Baroness – “Blue Record”
Basically the same style as Red Album with the war-ready riffing but stronger on the progressive side of things. It’s all on that on which you’ll prefer, but I can’t imagine a fan of one not liking the other. Personally I like the progressive elements, I think they make Blue Record a little less repetitive than its… (read more)
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The Church – “Coffee Hounds”
You guys wanna be mad? Have I got a hot take for you: The Church’s cover of “Hounds of Love” on Coffee Hounds makes Kate Bush’s original look like a joke. Steve Kilbey sells the lyrical metaphor with a sense of earnest, true vulnerability; desperation begging for release despite the anxiety stemming from love’s irresistible… (read more)
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Trans-Siberian Orchestra – “Night Castle” (2009)
Night Castle lost a lot of points just for being two fucking hours long. Every song follows the exact same format. Every lyric is predictable, and trying to cover up the amateurish lyrics with the most melodramatic vocals and instrumentation is transparently, offputtingly pretentious. It’s almost impossible for me to tell most of these songs apart,… (read more)
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Florence + The Machine – “Lungs”
‘Lungs’ is easily one of the best-written, most powerful pop albums of all time. With it, Florence + The Machine unquestionably outdo any of their influences. ‘Lungs’ deserves every bit of the praise it gets, if not more. (read more)