It's been a while since I've posted here, so I figured I'd share a couple of the distractions that have been keeping me from my oh-so-important work on this fine Fall day. I was going to write about some other stuff too, but I don't want to bury too many ideas in one post. Anyways, here goes.

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As pointed out by the kind folks at Videogum, Clues has released a new video starring Tim of Tim & Eric Awesome Show Great Job fame.

The video is pretty sweet, but the song is even sweeter. Clues played a show at the Marquee Room earlier this year and it was woefully underattended, but that didn't stop them from blowing the roof off. Especially on this song (which features ex-Aracade Firer Brendan Reed on vocals) and Ledmonton, the live set was a great translation of the record. Hopefully they'll come back some time soon.

Speaking of erstwhile Unicorns, I'm supposed to be writing a review of the new Islands record for next week's FFWD and I'm having a hard time. So far, I don't think it's very good. It's certainly no Clues, that's for sure, but I wouldn't be surprsied if it received a much better reception. And this is coming from someone who was a fairly big fan of Arm's Way.

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Elsewhere on the internet today, some rabid Penguins blogger has put together a nice round-up that details the history of hockey video games. Naturally, seminal classics like Blades of Steel and modern breakthroughs like NHL '08/'09 are given full credit, but the most effusive gushing is reserved for the Best Sports Game of All Time: NHL '94.

Some things that make this game great that didn't make the list:

• One timers. One timers. One timers. Breakaway goals are flashy and they get the job done. Wraparounds are cheap as hell and should only be used in emergency situations (e.g. sending a game to over time, any game against the Canucks, etc.) One timers, on the otherhand, are the pinnacle of simulated hockey grace and prowess. And in '94, the implementation is nothing short of perfection.
• Attention to tiny details. Did you know that (on the SNES cartridge at least) when the San Jose Sharks are playing at home and they go on PP or PK, the theme from JAWS comes on the PA? And if you look very carefully, you can even see the tiny, pixelated fans in the crowd doing the Shark Chomp? AMAZING!
  
  Note: Sorry, this picture is from somebody's flickr and it's not a great showcase of the "CHOMP." Google Image Search is such a disappointment sometimes...
• You can break the glass behind the net. Could it possibly get cooler than this? Every time I see this happen, it's like a hundred Christmases packed into a few brief seconds of ecstacy ecstasy [<3 u Carles.] You can also break the crowd meter, but that's not nearly as cool and I have absolutely no idea how it happens. Anyways, check out the glory here:
  
  Note: It's way better when it happens during the game. Also, the dudes who made the video are totally rad for turning down the sound and blasting Pavement. I have done the exact same thing before and I can confirm that it is as sweet as you think.
• You can score with the goalie. This may be the only thing better than breaking the glass--the elusive goalie goal. Sometimes it goes straight in, sometimes it's the outcome of a rookie mistake by Larry Murphy, but it always makes you feel tingly:
  
  Note: Yes, that video is home-made. By me. And yes, that's the Flaming Lips' Zaireeka in the background, but it's just a stereo mix. Still, I think it trumps the Pavement dudes for excellence.

Man, now all I want to do is go home and play.