Video Game Rock

Nevada City, California's The Advantage aren't the first band to perform instrumental covers of video games (see also, for instance, Minibosses and NESkimos). But they do seem to be the most popular. They might also be the best. Earlier this year the four-piece released its second full-length: Elf-Titled. Noted Pitchfork in its review: Substantially upgrading the fidelity, and stepping away from the more obvious titles they've already covered-- your Marios, Zeldas, and Bubble Bobbles-- Elf-Titled is more stylistically explorative than their reflective, scrapbooky debut. Game composers designed music that was meant to loop infinitely without growing tiresome too quickly, resulting in brilliantly complex, maze-like melodies that the Advantage are all too happy to make their own. With guitars executing tightly choreographed, noodly maneuvers through songs like Bomberman 2's "Wiggy" or the music from the "Metal Man" stage of Mega Man 2, the band amps up the originals to reveal the songs as more than just background jingles. Metroid, Kraid's Hideout Contra, Aliens' Lair+Boss Ninja Gaiden, Mine Shaft