Embracing my inner Rob Gordon

Thanks to my friend Doug for providing the idea for the blog tonight. On my Facebook page, he asked me to "give me the top 5 Pearl Jam albums, in order. Explanations would be nice, but not necessary." I think that is simple enough. Channeling the protagonist of High Fidelity, here goes, from 5 to 1. Keep in mind that the answer may change following the release of Backspacer in September, if the album is as good as everyone seems to think it is.

5. Pearl Jam (2006)—This album is also known as "Avocado" among fans, so named for the piece of fruit on the front. It was an album of new beginnings in many ways: a first album after their contract with Epic Records had expired, a return to making videos and the top of the album charts. This album makes the list because it’s just a good record. There really isn’t a bad song on the album, and it marks the first album where everyone contributed lyrics to the song. Oh, and Matt Cameron sings backup for the most of the record. It’s the group at their most artistically sound and mature.

4. Live at Benaroya Hall (2003)—Before you go any further, I didn’t break any kind of rule. Doug asked for the best five albums. This is the product of a show played for Seattle area charity YouthCare at the home of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. It’s a 2 and ½ hour show done acoustically that spans the bands career. It provides some funny moments (guitarist Mike McCready thought the Kiss song said “I wanna rock and roll all night and part of every day”), but also an amazing version of the song “Black.” To be honest with you, the rest of the album could suck completely, but based on that version of the song alone, I would still have this on the list.

3. Vs. (1993)—The second album, the one set sales records that stood for years. If you thought this would end up at #2, you were wrong. It’s a great album, showcasing a band coming to terms with blowing up overnight, and just beginning to realize their full potential. It’s also the first one recorded out of the shadow of Mother Love Bone. Don’t get me wrong, if you were looking for a continuation of Ten, you won’t be disappointed. The song "W.M.A." also marks the start of the band making political commentary through their music. A consistent effort.

2. Ten (1991; remastered 2009)—Please contain your shock. I know that everyone thinks this is the no-brainer #1. Well, you are all wrong. I’m not saying I don’t think it’s a classic album, because I do. I would argue it’s one of the seminal albums of my generation. It’s just not the best. It’s a band in their infancy, trying to find their way together, as a band, after the death of Andrew Wood. In fact, the whole album sits in his shadow. Eddie is trying to prove he’s no Andy, and the band is trying to prove they can make it without him. Yes, the songs are classics, but it’s just a first album. If you want to listen to a better version of this, check out the 2009 remastered version. It’s producer Brendan O’Brien’s take on things at the band’s request, done with reverence and really not providing too drastic of an overhaul.

1. Vitalogy (1994)—I know what all of you are thinking. How did this album make it to #1 on the list. Easy, it was recorded when everyone was getting pissed off at one another. Over the course of the recording of this album, drummer Dave Abbruzese began the path followed by many successful musicians: getting to big for the band, and ultimately getting the boot. Also, Stone has said in more than one interview, that the tension between the other members of the group almost lead to it being their final album. What comes out the sessions for this album as a result is some good music. Also, it marks an artistic left turn for the group, as they began to experiment a little more with their songs, a trend that would continue on later albums. The fact that the band would have the courage to potentially throw it all away for the risk of evolving puts this album at the top of the list.

Well, I hope this answers the questions and as a bonus, provides a little insight.

Go see The Hangover!

Do not pass go, do not collect the $200, just go see The Hangover.

Todd Phillips has outdone himself. In making this movie, he has outdone anything he put out there doing Old School.

The movie was hilarious. I actually came around on Zach Galafanakis as a result of this movie. I will admit that I really didn't like him till I saw this movie. He steals the movie from Ed Helms and Bradley Cooper. Not that either of those gentleman don't put forth a good performance in the film, Zach just steals it from them.

That said, Mike Tyson and his cameo are well worth the price of admission as well.

I would love to be able to say more about this movie, but quite frankly all I can remember about it is how muh I laughed. I think that itself should be an endorsement for this movie.

What a drag it is getting old.

Hello loyal readers, I have returned. Sorry, but I was not able to do the blogging thing Friday night, as I was seeing a band play in Newark, and then I went home to see my mom and dad for a dual fold visit. Fold One: Seeing Dad on Father's Day. Fold Two: Yesterday was my 33rd birthday.

I apologize for not blogging at any great length lately. That's not to say that I haven't had anything to say or share, because I have. I just really haven't felt that what I had to share should be accompanied by a page long post. I hope you all don't mind.

Just a heads up: I am trying to finalize plans to see The Hangover by the end of the week with some friends. If I do see it, I should have a review up by the weekend.

Ein, Zwei, DIE!

So, like I was saying. Oversexed teenagers, snowmobiling, and gold found in a ski cabin in Norway used by the Nazis during World War II.

What could possibly go wrong?

If you like horror movies, you won't mind having to read subtitles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-KQh87_V2Q

My appointment television

Even though the ratings for a lot of TV shows have gone down for whatever reason (be it the use of a TiVo or other DVR, or just a decline in the quality of television overall) over the past several years, a lot of people still have what they call "appointment television." In other words, shows they will not miss, and if they do have to miss, they set up the DVR, or if you're old school like me, the VCR.

I have four of these shows, even though I have to catch up on the back episodes of the most recent addition.

• CSI: Crime Scene Investigation--this is the longest running of the "appointment" shows, holding down a spot since its Thursday night debut in 2001. I subsequently was able to catch up on the part of the season that aired in the hell known as Friday night. I'm not going to lie, I like this show a lot. I think it is a smartly written, well acted show. If I had to pick a favorite episode, it would be the two hour finale to Season 5, where Nick gets buried alive and the team must find him. Directed by Quentin Tarantino (also a personal favorite), the episode had everything you could want in good drama, including pulling the rug out from under you just when you think everything is safe (fire ants in the coffin anyone?).
  
  I will admit to even geeking out a bit on this show, as I created an episode guide, with summaries of each episode, and footnotes that cover major events in the series history. Please stop laughing and continue reading.
  
  Other likes: Warrick, after they got rid of his gambling problem, Nick's sarcastic wit, Catherine because she's attractive, Grissom and the Grissom-Sara romance. For the record, sad to see Warrick get killed off, Sara leave, but happy that her and Grissom ended up together, and also the Miniature Killer of Season 8.
  
  Dislikes: Louise Lombard's horrid attempt at an American accent for Sofia Curtis, the attempt to compete with Grey's Anatomy during the season where it got its butt kicked by that show by adding way too much plot.
  
  Also, I like the addition of Laurence Fishburne as a main character, but still miss Grissom. I think when he left the show earlier this year, a show already experiencing a slight decline in quality over the past year has seen that escalate a bit. The decline in quality coincides with this falling out of my "Favorite Show" spot.
  
  
• Lost: It occupies the "Bow to the Majesty which is JJ Abrams" spot. I will admit that I discovered this show in the process of watching another appointment show, Alias. For a while at the beginning of its run, Lost served as the lead-in to Alias. In an effort not to miss any of Alias, because to be honest, you really couldn't, I would turn on ABC a few minutes early. I was always impressed by the last five minutes of Lost during its first year, and so in the midst of the second, I caught up on it by buying it on DVD. I will admit that the show at times has frustrated me (I find my self screaming at the TV at least once an episode trying to figure things out), and I have thought about giving up on watching it for that reason. JJ has left the show in very capable hands (going on to do movies and finish up Alias) turning it over to Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, who are leading the show towards its end in 2010. If nothing else at this point, I have given enough time to the show that I have to know how it ends. At this point, it holds the mantle of "Favorite TV Show" as well.
  
  Likes: After a few years of not, Sawyer. I disliked him very much during the first season or so because quite frankly, he was a huge prick. Charlie (why, o why, did they kill you off?), who I will admit to bawling over when he was killed off. I think the fact that he was flawed appealed to me for some reason. My favorite couple, Sun and Jin. Locke and Ben, sometimes. The mystery that is Richard Alpert and his eyelashes. Also, just having to figure out the giant puzzle that is the plot.
  
  Dislikes: Jack and Kate. I find them both increasingly whiny, and for that reason I think they belong together. Locke and Ben, sometimes.
  
  All my disagreements and yelling aside, I will miss this one when it's gone.

• Bones: I picked this one up during the Writers Strike last year, because quite frankly, I was getting tired of reruns and poor quality fill-ins. To be honest, I had wanted to check it out for at least a year, but just never got around to it, and also didn't want to deal with the shuffling around the show endures as a byproduct of American Idol.
  
  Likes: The relationship between Bones and Booth. Please don't let them actually sleep together. That is what makes the show appealing. They aren't a couple, but you root for them to get together. The fact that the show is highly technical in its dialogue. Watch when they explain how someone was killed sometime if you don't believe me. The fact that TNT now shows reruns every weeknight, so that I can get caught up on things. David Boreanaz and his local connections. For those of you who are not aware, his dad is Channel 6 weatherman, Dave Roberts. The fact that I think the show is a steady Thursday night resident for next season.
  
  Dislikes: Those same reruns, for one reason. One of the major characters colluded with a cannibalistic serial killer. When they show these episodes, it's hard to watch him examine the evidence knowing what he has done. The aforementioned American Idol related movement.

• True Blood: The most recent addition, this one occurred purely by accident. I was visiting friends on Memorial Day, and since there was nothing else on, including the race that was supposed to be broadcast in the evening from Charlotte, we ended up watching a recap of the first season of the show on HBO. I am trying to find something to replace Lost when it ends next May, and have been for a while, not finding anything that appealed to me. Needless to say, what I saw in the recap did. I am currently watching the first season of the show online, but am contemplating just breaking down and going to Blockbuster so I can catch up faster, especially since the second season started last night.
  
  Likes: The large amounts of sex. Seriously. I'm not going to lie. It makes the show a bit more watchable for me, and also serves as the means of (no pun intended) sucking you in. When it does suck you in, you find a well-written, tightly focused show.
  
  Dislikes: The fact that two of the main characters look a bit alike, both having dirty blond hair, which they similarly style. Honestly, right now that is pretty much it.

So, there you have it, these are the shows I actually try and be home to watch, or in the case of True Blood, try and catch up on, at least for the time being.

Link time...

I had a couple links to some things I wanted to put out there for all of you.

1. This is a link to an article about some asshole suing the Oakland Athletics because HE didn't get the Mother's Day giveaway last year. And lawyers wonder why people hate them when they do something like this. The link goes to writer Rick Reilly's "Life of Reilly" column for this week. In the words of my high school Physics teacher, Mr. Brylewski, "some call it nerve, some call it audacity, but I call it balls." http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=reilly_rick&id=4247723&sportCat=mlb
   
2. A documentary opens on August 14 in NY and LA called It Might Get Loud. If you like music, or at the very least artists (in this case, Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White) talking about their craft, you may want to give this a shot when it comes to your area. For more information, check out the official site for the movie at http://www.sonyclassics.com/itmightgetloud/.

Hello, faithful readers

I hope that you haven't been experiencing blog withdrawal since I haven't posted anything in the past two days. To be quite honest, I've ended up asleep before I've gotten to post something, so I just didn't. Please don't take it personally.

Also, I've talked a few of you, my loyal readers, lately. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for reading this in the first place, but also for your praise and/or constructive criticism. It is all appreciated.

To be quite honest, another reason I haven't written lately is that I really haven't had anything I wanted to discuss. I do have one CD recommendation for all of you however.

It's the self titled debut of a band by the name of Chickenfoot. It features people from a few bands you may have heard of--Van Halen, in it's "Van Hagar" phase (Sammy Hagar and guitarist Michael Anthony), the Red Hot Chili Peppers (their drummer Chad Smith) and guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani.

My review: It's just a great record all around. Great sound, great playing, great everything. Pick it up on either iTunes or like I do, go out and buy the damn thing at a store. Actually you should do that. The packaging is printed with a heat sensitive ink that changes appearance when above or below 84 degrees. If nothing else, it's cheap fun to put your fingers all over the case.