Grave Gamer News & Views — music

Harmonix Unveils Instrument Free Rock Band

Called Rock Band Blitz, the downloadable title will see release on both Xbox Live Arcade and Playstation Network later this year.  The game riffs off of mechanics introduced in Harmonix’s core series and, aside from the 25 songs already packaged in the download, will allow you use of all imported and downloaded songs from the RBN Store.

Music games that don’t have “Dance” in the their name are sadly on the fringe, but perhaps Harmonix’s doing away with a closet’s worth of plastic instruments will simplify the experience enough for the genre to draw in a crowd once again.  Click the link for our first glimpse at Rock Band Blitz.

Take Heed Math Rock Fans, Giraffes? Giraffes! Makes It Onto Rock Band Network

Now, typically I wouldn’t report the addition of new song DLC.  It’s been a weekly event since the first Rock Band and, for the most part, the artists that come and go usually aren’t musical fare you’d find in any of my playlists willingly.

But this is a bit different for me.  One of my more constant go-to favorite bands of the last few years has been an obscure, two-man sonic assault called Giraffes? Giraffes!  Despite having only four arms between them, band members Ken Topham and Joe Andreoli have the succinct ability to move mountains and topple gods with their complicated, layered progressions underlined by persistent tech use in order to loop pinpoint riffs or groan simple, graceful melodies.  They’re fucking mystifying to watch.

Despite owning most Guitar Hero and Rock Band games under the sun, I’ve let my plastic baby guitar collection gather dust and make new homes in the part of the closet my eyes never wander to.  Yet now of all times, the Rock Band Network – the self-submitted indie alternative to the main download service – has approved distribution of my favorite track from the duo titled (get ready), “I Am S/h(im)e[r] As You Am S/h(im)e[r] As You Are Me and We Am I and I Are All Together: Our Collective Consciousness’ Psychogenic Fugue.”

Giraffes? Giraffes! is a near and dear band and if you have the means and the will to dust off some dormant toy instruments, one of the best examples of why I love their music is being offered for a mere 80 Points on March 8th.  If you find them as cosmically fantastic as I do, give ‘em more of a listen.