Rock Band Download Low-Down: Week 27

Each week we’ll run out onto our website stage like roadies and review the latest Rock Band Downloadable Content. Check back every week! (And click here for all of our previous music DLC reviews.)

*NOTE: Each of the songs in this week’s selection costs 160 Microsoft Points ($2). They are only available individually.

This week marks the release of Rock Band in Europe (finally!). To help apologize for the delay, Harmonix has included nine additional tracks with the European version of the game — tracks that have been posted in the Rock Band Music Store for the rest of us to download. Because there are so many and they're not available as a "European Track Pack" (why not, Harmonix?), we'll give them each a quick and dirty individual review this week.

"Beetlebum" as made famous by Blur

QUICK VERDICT: Easy doesn't have to mean straightforward and boring, but it does here on all parts. It's not crap, but it's not worth a $2 purchase.

"New Wave" by Pleymo

QUICK VERDICT: Merely okay on both drums and guitar. You won't be attempting the vocals for obvious language barrier reasons.

"Monsoon" by Tokio Hotel

QUICK VERDICT: Great song to listen to (why isn't stuff like this popular here? Oh yeah, because American top-40 radio has been "Clear Channel-ed"), but a bit on the easy side in the context of the game.

"Rock 'N Roll Star" by Oasis

QUICK VERDICT: The initial Oasis pack was surprisingly awesome, and this track follows suit. Guitar and drums are both awesome, while vocals are a blast too. Who doesn't want to sing about being a rock 'n roll star?

"Hysteria" by Muse

QUICK VERDICT: Along with the Oasis tune, this is the clear winner of the European tracks. Bass (shown in the YouTube video in the title link) is among the best and most challenging charts in the game, while guitar has a great groove and makes excellent use of hammer-ons and pull-offs. Drums are both stellar and steady too.

"Manu Chao" by Les Wampas

QUICK VERDICT: Another where you Americans have no hope on vocals, drums and guitar are both pretty straightforward. Not terrible, but certainly won't inspire you or your bandmates.

"Perfekte Welle" by Juli

QUICK VERDICT: How's your high-school German holding up? Ours is not so good. We know the title is "Perfect World" and the band's name is "July." We also know that this is a really catchy song that's also a lot of fun to play on any instrument, even though it is a bit on the easy side. Still, this is our favorite of the foreign-language tunes. It's great with a three-piece band.

"Countdown to Insanity" by H-Blockx

QUICK VERDICT: Another great song that's probably a hit if there were any justice in top-40 radio. Super-fun use of HO-POs on guitar, while drums keep you in the groove the whole way through (though they're a tad on the easy side).

"Hier Kommt Alex" by Die Toten Hosen

QUICK VERDICT: A surprising favorite! Those of you not up on your German are screwed on vocals, of course, but drums and guitar are frantic fun, right to the end.