Blink-182, Chesire Cat: This was the grass root beginnings of a great band.This was when lyrics and music were unpolished, truthful, and meaningful. This was when their music was about attitude and emotion and not flailing penises and $30.00 concert tickets at a sold out outdoor arenas. Yes, there was a time when Blink-182 had integrity.
Ben Fold's Five, Ben Fold's Five: This is my musical equivalent of an antidepressant. Even the serious songs have an uncanny ability to raise my spirits. If I�m blue or just board I pop this CD into the closest player and Ben Folds Five saves the day every time with witty humorous fun.
Nirvana, Nevermind: I am forever in debt to the brilliant collaboration of Kurt Cobain, David Grohl, Chris Novoselic, and Butch Vig. This album cracked open the door for true artistic expression in pop music.
Weezer, Weezer (also dubbed the Blue Album): Infectious leads, hypnotizing melodies, unforgettable hooks, astonishing song writing, and Rivers Cuomo�No it�s not my Christmas List. It�s Blue and it�s great.
MxPx, Slowly Going the Way of the Buffalo: While everyone is fighting tring to define what punk is...I'll sit in Rufus and jam this album every single day of my rides home. Most Christians scare me. So that should say something about this record's content and these guys abilities to rock. "Buffalo" is positive, fun and catchy what more can you ask for?
For Lack of space I'll stop my list here and use the remainder of this section to post my
Flavor of the Week
Saves The Day, Stay What You Are: These guys are on Vagrant the same label that brings such names as The Get Up Kids and Dashboard Confessional. Chris Conley's high voice backed up by Ted Alexander's and David Soloway's upbeat guitars make for a vibrant sound. Content wise the group gives their shout out against pop culture on Cars and Calories, �Lifeless magazines and faithful TV screens. Selling an empty dream.� The record is filled with songs about relationships like Certain Tragedy. In Jukebox Breakdown Conley whines �got a mouth full of blood and I�ll carry this casket if it�s what I have to do.� If you�re looking for innovation this album doesn�t have it but if your looking for a nice vibe to chill to than check this out... it�s what I�ve been doing with this record all week.
The Tao Of Steve: Clich� love story that used humor, wit, and philosophy to bring about an up lifting fulcrum. The three steps of "a Steve" solves every man�s problem, how to get chicks, by combining age-old advice form the east with good old fashion American psychology. I could easy relate to this movie because of all the allusions to eastern philosophy. In the end could all the philosophical mombo jumbo solve life�s biggest koan of all; love? I don�t know see for yourself.
American Beauty: Take a ride through a deteriorating marriage in the middle of so-called normal suburbia. Make sure you soak up every second without blinking so the stunning ending can hit you as hard as it hit me.
So I Married An Axe Murderer: Mike Myers plays a poet who has found the perfect women. His fear of marriage has ruined many of his past relationships. This time he feels that his girl is �the one.� Shortly after his engagement he finds clues linking his soon to be bride to murders around the globe. Take a ride of laughter through this movie until you reach the startling end cause there is not a moment you won�t enjoy.
The Cable Guy: Let�s see Jim Carrey, Matthew Broderick, and Ben Stiller�need I say more? O.k. I�ll say a little more about this movie where Carrey plays a psycho cable guy that wants to be nothing more than very best friends with Steven (Broderick). Needless to say Steven has other ideas. The medieval jousting scene is classic. I�ve broke VCR's watching this movie over and over.
Clerks: Ahh Kevin Smith�s grassroots day. This film is black and white, low budget and hilarious. It touches base with two men�s approach to work and life and blends it with non-stop wit. Just when you think life can�t get worse; it does. So sit back after a bad day and get ready to laugh your ass off.
American Pie: Within the fist 10 minutes of this movie I wanted to leave my overpriced theater seat. How cheesy can a movie be? A whole bunch of virgin high school dudes make a pact to get some before the school year ends�great. The slow beginning brought forth a wonderful climax filled with pie screwing, a naked foreign babe, and true morals. I�m glad I didn�t leave because I learned a little and laughed a ton.
High Fidelity: Hey it�s Nick D on Ritalin. This movie is about an emotional nerdy dude named Rob (John Cusack) that takes you through his horrible track record in love. Rob over analysis everything and just when you think he�s done, he over analysis it again. He lives life one all-time top-five list at a time. This movie is worth seeing just to learn the philosophy behind making a great mix tape alone.
Lao-tzu, Tao Te Ching: Lao-tzu, Tao Te Ching: It�s easy to move through life and never ponder what�s really going on. It�s easy to fall prey to the seducing illusion that our day in day out routine creates. It�s easy to lust over the less then mundane and absolutely trivial objects and experiences that western culture provides. Is it really worth giving more than 8 hours a day of your life to a cause you feel no conviction for so you can barely afford to wake up and do it again? Many people never ponder this and many people do. For the ones that wonder and think and search for a better way all I can say is stop. It�s right in front of you. I have found solace and comfort in the pages of the Tao Te Ching. Lao-tzu is one hip dude.
Benjamin Hoff, The Tao of Pooh: I jammed through this one in a day. I couldn�t put it down. Reading eastern wisdom is just so therapeutic for me. Everyday my mind gets bombarded with pop culture ideals. Look fit but drink this new soda. Gain intelligence but don�t be a nerd. Dress nice but don�t be conceited. Fall in love but don�t be clingy. This life is a wonderful complex puzzle that has no real answers. This book just aids me in my violent dance between the jittering rules of convention. It gave me a new perspective.
J.D. Salinger, The Catcher In The Rye: Fiction time�I was forced to read many books at gun point while in the claws of the APS school district. Many of which were fiction maybe why this one creeps up as number four on my list. How could a 14-year-old impressionable person not fall in love with Holden Caulfield? He had a bad mouth, he went around doing whatever he wanted and he was crazy. Well doesn�t that strike a similar chord in just about everyone�s adolescent life story? This was the great gem that the smoking gun of high school bestowed upon me.
Alex Haley, Malcolm X: I love strong honest figures. Malcolm X was just that. He was genuine and I feel greatly over looked for the contributions he made for his culture. I�m not here to say whose approach to the Civil Right�s movement was the best but I can say that non-violent way was not the only way that made progress. Where as Martin Luther King Jr. attacked issues X attacked the core. He wanted to start with the morals of the black man himself. Starting from the person within is the first step to any great liberation. This is a must read.
Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People: Being a little wet behind the ears and recently switching vocations I am glad that I have read this book. It�s a modern day philosophy that applies to the �real world.� It gives me insight to why people react and act the way they do. Now a have a bigger clue as to what �paradigms� my boss and other successful business people may have.