2004 on Modest Walrus

Reaction Numb/Encore by Linkin Park & JAY-Z

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Why I Reacted To This Song

Two acts that had no business sounding this good together somehow made it work, and the live performance takes it even further.

Original by Artist

About This Song

“Numb/Encore” arrived in 2004 as a genuinely unexpected pairing, a joint effort between JAY-Z and Linkin Park that blends JAY-Z’s sharp rap verses with Linkin Park’s atmospheric rock sound. The track came out of the Collision Course EP, a project built specifically to close the gap between two genres that rarely shared the same stage, mashing “Numb” and “Encore” into a single song rather than just trading verses over one beat.

Gaming: Halo 2

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Game/Publisher/Developer

Halo 2, Microsoft Game Studios, Bungie

The Trailer

My Reaction

Everything’s designed with a master’s eye for first-person intensity, extensively crafted and technically superb. The genuine care that has been taken in making this game is awe inspiring.

Overview

Halo 2 is a first-person shooter developed by Bungie and published by Microsoft Game Studios, released in 2004 for the Xbox. The direct sequel to Halo: Combat Evolved, it continues the Master Chief’s fight against the Covenant while introducing a dual storyline that also follows the Arbiter, a disgraced Covenant warrior. The game introduced dual-wielding weapons, new vehicles like the Brute Chopper, and became a defining title for Xbox Live, helping push console online multiplayer into the mainstream.

Reaction Wake Me Up When September Ends by Green Day

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Why I Reacted To This Song

I was in middle school when I heard Green Day for the first time. Evolving to recent days, Green Day was my jam. Father’s Day just passed and I’m missing my father, so this one hit differently this time around.

Original by Artist

About This Song

“Wake Me Up When September Ends” was written by Billie Joe Armstrong and released in 2004 on Green Day’s album American Idiot. Armstrong wrote it about losing his own father to cancer when he was just 10 years old and that grief runs through every line. It became one of the band’s biggest singles and despite later being associated with other tragedies because of its timing, remains at its core a deeply personal song about loss.