CCP Ep. #223: ‘Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping’ OST by The Lonely Island

It’s day three of our five-day event series with today’s episode marking the last entry in our 2016 review season. We thought we’d end the year nice and light, dabbling into some comedy, some satire, and of course, some obnoxious pop music. Join us as we follow the rise and fall—and rise again—of protagonist Conner4Real in the summer comedy flick, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping. With the film and its original soundtrack both written by members of the The Lonely Island (who also star in the film), we’re keeping to our goal of incorporating more cross-media material… and by gum it doesn’t get more cross-media than that! Join us as we stroll through the film, wade through its myriad of cast members, and address the successes and pitfalls of both film & soundtrack as works of comedy. Enjoy!

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CCP Ep. #209: Soundtrack to ‘Life is Strange’ by DONTNOD Entertainment

This week, Crash Chords undertook a slightly heavier project. We’ve rejoined the wondrous world of soundtracks—our first in over three years. This time, it’s to discuss the sparse yet pointed soundtrack to the video game ‘Life is Strange’ by DONTNOD Entertainment. Chronicling the story of an 18 year-old girl named Max who discovers her ability to control time while attending the Blackwell Academy, ‘Life is Strange’ is a story about friendship, right & wrong, and most of all, about consequences. Today we’ll be strolling through the game, dissecting its myriad of outcomes, and finally attempting to “get a feel for it” from the songs that were chosen to adorn some of the game’s key scenes. So either pick up, rent, or watch the game (via this 5-episode no-commentary Let’s Play of ‘Life is Strange’ by Xenonz Kenway), and help us wrestle with the implications of Max’s time-shattering actions together. We highly suggest it, as, you see…

THIS EPISODE CONTAINS SPOILERS!

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CCP Ep. #55: “Pacific Rim” OST by Ramin Djawadi

This week we’re diving back into movie soundtracks by reviewing the score to the latest summer blockbuster, Pacific Rim, composed by Ramin Djawadi. Then we go on to discuss the applications of soundtracks in certain films, especially those cases when music makes the difference between mediocrity and masterpiece.

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