Rock Band Download Low-Down: Week 50
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). The Siouxsie and the Banshees Pack costs 440 MS Points ($5.50).
Siouxsie and the Banshees Pack
WHAT ROCKS: With an addictive off-kilter flair present in all three songs, this pack takes a break from the typical Rock Band playlist. Guitarists will have a blast plucking away at each note in both “Killing Jar” and the Indian-influenced “Kiss Them For Me,” though we would have liked to see “Hong Kong Garden” make use of hammer-ons with all that quick strumming. You’ll be sweatin’ by the end of this quirky tribute to Chinese take-out.
WHAT SUCKS: Everything but the guitar. Siouxsie’s bassist was a little on the… how do we say it… not-so-good side. The game, especially during “Hong Kong Garden,” tries to correct the off-beat bass, leaving the chart rather awkward. And while the drum doesn’t suffer from lack of talent, it will hardly thrill most players.
FINAL VERDICT: Two thumbs up for guitarists. Leave the rest of the band at home.
--
“Dammit” by Blink-182
WHAT ROCKS: Avoids the pop-punk sin of repetition all around. This is definitely a rockin’ song for the whole band, including vocals.
WHAT SUCKS: Terribly hard drum chart. While expert drummers will love the challenge, less comfortable folk will struggle to keep up with the fast-paced beat, even on easy.
FINAL VERDICT: The only reason to not download this song is if you hate Blink-182.
--
“Pretty in Pink” by Psychedelic Furs
WHAT ROCKS: Plenty of varied chords to keep the guitar line interesting.
WHAT SUCKS: There’s nothing particularly special about drums or bass. It can edge on repetitive but not enough to bore you.
FINAL VERDICT: No harm, no foul. It’s another fun tune, but the steady rhythm and lack of hammer-ons keep “Pretty in Pink” from topping the charts.
--
“Well Thought Out Twinkles” by Silversun Pickups
WHAT ROCKS: Nice tune that will keep guitarists and bassists on their toes with some sparse off-beat strumming. And while the drum chart sticks to the red-yellow or red-blue pattern, it also lays some notes on off-beat.
WHAT SUCKS: Between these short periods of hammer-ons, both the guitar and bass charts can get a tad bland.
FINAL VERDICT: The song’s worth the buy, but four minutes might be stretching our patience.
--
“Melatonin” by Silversun Pickups
WHAT ROCKS: Nice, pleasant sound.
WHAT SUCKS: There always seems to be one track in the bunch that’ll help guitarists learn to properly strum by offering an unvaried stream of copy-and-pasted eighth-notes (that’s not a good thing). The drums are just as tiresome, and our bassist started missing notes out of sheer boredom.
FINAL VERDICT: Buy the other Silversun Pickups.
Related
More like this:
jedi-jurist
February 19, 2009 at 11:11am
Seriously. The holidays are over, I'm sure Corey is back by now, so what's the excuse today?
ill sue y4
December 11, 2008 at 3:24pm
ouch, well i don't know what to say for you... all i can say is "upgrade your hard drive."
jedi-jurist
December 09, 2008 at 2:40pm
Received this today from OXM staff: "we’re really busy right now with the magazine, and Corey is away on daddy leave, so something had to give. We are a surprisingly small staff – when you only have five editors, one intern, and one art person, and one of the main staff is out for a few weeks, things have to change. Plus the holidays make things tricky. So that’s what’s going on with us guys over here. We are making a magazine, which has always been job one."
jedi-jurist
December 08, 2008 at 4:17pm
Earth to OXM!!! It would be nice if you responded and let us all know what the hell is going on over there!!! I even sent an email to your editor-in-chief and received no response. Who is putting out the mag if none of you are alive over there?
Terr0r Inc
December 08, 2008 at 2:50pm
This whole site is going down the shitter. No one has updated this in almost three issues. Add more people to your payroll if you have to, but keep this site up please!
jedi-jurist
December 04, 2008 at 11:08am
Are you guys on vacation? Where are the Guitar Hero World Tour DLC reviews?
BigL8492
November 29, 2008 at 11:30am
Did you guys stop reviewing the Rock Band DLC? Because i looked at them every week for help on which dlc to get, now i cant.
revchristj
November 13, 2008 at 5:13pm
Ive deleted most of the game data, music, extra stuff i had collected, but i still have almost 15.5 gigs dedicated to rockband. I just don't have any-place to buy a new hard drive thats less than 2 and a half hours of driving away... and thats one way... it sucks living in the middle of nothing. Wal-Mart.com don't even deliver out here
ill sue y4
November 07, 2008 at 2:31pm
@revchristj i recently deleted ninja gaiden black off my 20 gig hard drive to make room for whatever rock band songs come, halo maps, and guilty gears x2 reload.
revchristj
November 06, 2008 at 4:02pm
I love to collect songs for rock band! As a bass player, I'm more of a additional player rather than a leader online. With a large collection of songs, I can play to any-one tastes but this has lead me to a problem. Hard drive space. I would like to see file sizes added to the reviews, I know I can't be the only one with limited space for future dlc.
ill sue y4
November 05, 2008 at 2:20pm
almost as bad as week 6 (the emo crap) and the scene pack. i hate punk, and all these bands, give me metal or give me death!
Terr0r Inc
November 02, 2008 at 6:07pm
I think a wicked Siouxsie Sioux and the Banshees song would be 'Rock N Roll Nigger', that song was awesome, even when Marilyn Manson did it.
BigL8492
November 01, 2008 at 7:50pm
Dammit is probably my favorite song this week but i didn't get it is because it is in Guitar Hero World Tour which I also have
Corey OXM
November 01, 2008 at 6:23pm
I'm with ya, Mr. B---"Alice's House" and "Love My Way" are awesome songs.
Mr. B
November 01, 2008 at 2:15am
"The Lord's Prayer" by S & the B's would be super wicked mega awesome too, but that's never gonna happen. A man can dream, can't he? More Furs, more Furs! Specifically "Alice's House" and "Love My Way". I'd really like to sing the last song especially. Damn, I'm old. :(
Mr. B
November 01, 2008 at 2:00am
Man, I have just gotta pipe in on this one because I'm a HUGE Siouxsie fan!!! I'm super impressed that Rockband would tackle the awesomeness that is Siouxsie, but a little disappointed in the song selection. "Kiss Them for Me" has always been a fan Fave but "Hong Kong Garden"? Really? I would have chosen "Love in a Void" myself. L.I.A.V. is sooooo much more rockin'! I can only hope that its on the way.
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