Score: Fragments of Hope

Poolside (Poolside.com)

Been a bit since I posted a song here and I'm about to bubble your ears off.  Remixing Nobuo Uematsu's "Fragments of Memories" from Final Fantasy VIII, Poolside - comprised of Josh Whelchel and Melinda Hershey - have put together a piece of pop....that well if you hate pop run for the hills. But if you're a fan, you'll likely enjoy "Shining Down."

But aside from being musical talents, they are also big of heart. The duo is contributing "Shining Down" as well as another Hershey song to the 30-plus indie artist Songs for the Cure '10 project to help raise $10, 000 for the American Cancer Society. The project is halfway there with $5,905 raised at the time this is published. Instructions on how to donate - as well as a sampling of the music you can receive a for contributing at least $10 to the project - can be found at http://cancerdrive.org.

For now, here's Poolside's "Shining Down."

Count To Five: Happy Peepin' Birthday

So, today is my birthday. Kinda had in mind something completely different in mind, but as I've been under the weather and spending a more time resting. Part and parcel when mid-cough, you think you've discovered some internal organ you're either not supposed to be able to feel or isn't supposed to be there.

So we go cheap and easy today and mix Peep This with Score and an epic remix.

1. Because Awards Planning Actually Sucks

It's video game awards season and Tina Sanchez, 1UP Community Manager and co-host of The Oddcast and 1UP's Game Night, puts her own spin on the awards discussion after dealing with the not-so-fun official nomination process. With categories such as "He Gave It To His Mama" and "Seriously, WTF" it's not hard to wonder why Ms. Sanchez may need professional help. (Kidding, I've nothing but love for Tina.)

2. I Want What He's Having

Okay, I'm not making any jokes about Sinan Kubba. Primarily because he's the Editorial and Features Director at The Game Reviews that may hold the fate of any piece of work I may throw their way. He's also an intelligent and interesting person if you read or listen to any of his work. From his You Have Lost blog, he recounts a dream of a video game I'm finding even more intriguing now than the day he first mentioned it.  Of course that could just be the NyQuil cocktail talking.

3. Me Me Me Me Me

Seriously, you thought I'd go by birthday not cheap-plugging myself? C'mon! On the Bitmob front, Dan Hsu posed the issue to the community of game review events and whether they cause an integrity issue for the reviews that attend. I take on that issue asserting it's less of an issue than it seems on the surface, but it's for you to decide for yourself.

4. Are You Hardcore?

Editorial Director of Gamefly Media Garnett Lee in Shacknews's Evening Reading for the day takes on the oft-used, rarely clearly defined term "hardcore" and what it means, if it means, anything at all in the present gaming landscape.

5. Anyone Else Want To Hop On This Track?

It's my birthday. Final Fantasy VII just going to get a mention. Period. If you're going to attack the iconic theme of the game uber-villian Sephiroth for a remix, why not throw in a Final Fantasy party's worth of remixers at the project. Taking on "One-Winged Angel" for the OCRemix Voices of the Lifestream album are bLiNd, Fishy, pixietricks, Sixto Sounds, Steffan Andrews, Suzumebachi, tefnek. This is "Black Wing Metamorphsis."