#20. Defenders of The Faith - Judas Priest (1984)
Most people will pick Painkiller, Screaming For Vengeance or British Steel over this one, but whilst all of those are great albums, this one is the most consistent for me. It's the heaviest album that Priest had done at this time and it was the last good album of the 1980s for them as well. I also like the extra mean-ness and gothicism.
Best songs: The Sentinel, Love Bites, and Night Comes Down.
#19. Queen II - Queen (1974)
This was one of the first complete Queen albums I ever heard, probably back when I was 8 or 9. It doesn't really have any hits on it, but then again my favorite Queen songs tend to be album cuts. Why is this better than most other Queen albums? It has a flow to it, which is one of Queen's biggest problems. The songs usually just don't fit together well. On this, the songs flow together so well that it's like there's only 2 songs on the whole album!
Best songs: Father To Son, White Queen (As It Began), and The March of The Black Queen.
#18. Led Zeppelin III - Led Zeppelin (1970)
Yes, Led Zeppelin finally makes the list. I'm one of the few that loves the different sound of III as opposed to other Zeppelin albums. It's more jam based and acoustic. Not that the other albums aren't great, but for once there seems to be actual feeling in a Zeppelin album here.
Best songs: Immigrant Song, Tangerine, and Bron-Y-Aur Stomp.
#17. The Yes Album - Yes (1971)
This is the album where Yes really got their sound. Perhaps it's due to Steve Howe joining. Some folks point to the follow up album, Fragile, as the quintessential Yes album. That has some filler in my opinion, whereas this whole album is well thought out. Still missing Rick Wakeman though...
Best songs: Starship Trooper, I've Seen All Good People, and Perpetual Change.
#16. Jailbreak - Thin Lizzy (1976)
Another recent addition to my ears, I first heard this album about four years ago for the first time. Since then, I probably listen to this in it's entirety at least once a month. It's very short, but it's got nothing I'd want to skip. It also includes their biggest hit, The Boys Are Back In Town.
Best songs: Romeo and The Lonely Girl, Cowboy Song, and Emerald.
#15. Hemispheres - Rush (1978)
This is the album that got me into Rush. Before this one, I didn't really like them. Oddly enough, this is the hardest album to get into for most people. It's their most progressive album, and even the band themselves think they may have gone to far in that direction. I mean, it only has 4 songs on it, one of them being about 20 minutes, and that one happens to be my favorite song on the album! Go figure!
Best songs: As there are only 4... all of them.
#14. Boston - Boston (1976)
You all knew that this would be on here. It's regularly considered one of the best rock albums of all time. It's short, it's catchy, and very very accessible. It's also one of the best produced albums of all time. I mean the guitar solos are multitracked to heaven, complete with a holy gloss. First heard it when I was about 9, and still one of my favorites.
Best songs: More Than A Feeling, Peace of Mind, Smokin'.
#13. Misplaced Childhood - Marillion (1985)
I had not even heard of Marillion until 2007. I came across a music video for one of the songs on this album, and I quickly got it. The album sounds like if Pink Floyd had gotten Peter Gabriel for their lead singer. It's odd, but it works. It's a very bipolar album though, going from sad to happy sometimes 2 or 3 times per song. It's also the reason we have so many girls born in '85-'86 named Kaleigh.
Best songs: Lavender, Heart of Lothian, and Blind Curve.
#12. Abbey Road - The Beatles (1969)
Yeah, I had to go with another obvious choice. Everyone loves Abbey Road. I mean it's sort of the last Beatles album, especially if you consider the fact that the Let It Be album was actually recorded first, even if it was released afterwards. My favorite George Harrison song, Here Comes The Sun is on here, and I do have a soft spot for Carry That Weight. It was also my first Beatles album I owned.
Best songs: I Want You (She's So Heavy), Here Comes The Sun, and Something.
#11. Revolver - The Beatles (1966)
Another gimmie. This was the cut-off point for the Beatles being interesting for me back when I started collecting when I was fourteen. Back then I liked from Revolver up to their end of career stuff. I gotta say, I'm still not a fan of Yellow Submarine though. The only negative to a great album. George Harrison's contributions, (Taxman, Love You To, and I Want To Tell You), are especially good.
Best songs: I'm Only Sleeping, I Want To Tell You, and Tomorrow Never Knows.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Weekly Media Report: August 2- 9
Books read...
Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief - After watching the movie, I decided that I should read the book to see what all the hate towards the movie was about. Yes, the book is better, but it doesn't matter as the journey in the movie is very different from the book. The goal is the same, but the challenges are fewer and different than in the book... and Percy is older in the movie as well. I still like the movie okay as just entertainment, even if it is pretty dumb, but the book is just okay too. It's a Harry Potter clone right down to the bone, but at an even lower reading level. I will continue to read the series, just so I can say I have. Besides, maybe the books will get better as they go along.
Movies watched...
Millions (2004) - I'm still not sure what I think of this one. It was my first time watching it, I knew what to expect, and it still felt odd. It include the Danny Boyle patented 3rd act left turn, and that was my favorite part I think. It's a feel good Christmas movie at heart, but it's also a heist film, a tearjerker, a family movie, and a religious film. It was entertaining, but I couldn't tell if I really enjoyed it or not. Like most Boyle films, I'll have to give it a few more tries.
Zombieland (2009) - This is my most watched blu-ray. This time I showed the movie to my sister. Unsurprisingly, she apparently liked it, as her and I have essentially the same taste in movies. I tend to rate Zombieland higher than Shaun of the Dead in terms of entertainment, though it's definitely not as smart or as poignant. Still, it stays funny and it's a really fun ride.
Queen Rock Montreal/Live Aid (1981/1985) - This was probably the last real Queen concert. After the 1981 tour, they added so many synths to the shows, it wasn't really Queen anymore. The show they put on here is phenomenal, with a fantastic light show. I was always more of a 70s Queen fan than an 80s one anyway, so the setlist on this is near optimal... (even though I'm growing to despise Crazy Little Thing Called Love) The Live Aid performance is pretty good too. Only a few songs long, but it includes my favorite Queen song, Hammer To Fall, even though the song was never great live. Live Aid has no light show, but the audience makes up for it. It's still considered one of the best live performances ever for a reason.
Meet Bill (2007) - I am convinced that Aaron Eckhart is one of the best actors out there. He makes some questionable decisions (The Core), but even in those, he still entertains me. This movie is, I believe, an independent film. It also stars Jessica Alba, Elizabeth Banks, and Logan Lerman, who now plays Percy Jackson. The movie is about Aaron Eckhart's character confronting his mid-life crisis and realizing he's accomplished nothing on his own, his wife has her own issues, and on top of that, he's really wanting a donut franchise. Enter youthful Logan Lerman, who helps him loosen up and get on with life. Pretty simple independent film premise, but it works for me. At least it isn't pseudo-intellectual drivel.
Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief - After watching the movie, I decided that I should read the book to see what all the hate towards the movie was about. Yes, the book is better, but it doesn't matter as the journey in the movie is very different from the book. The goal is the same, but the challenges are fewer and different than in the book... and Percy is older in the movie as well. I still like the movie okay as just entertainment, even if it is pretty dumb, but the book is just okay too. It's a Harry Potter clone right down to the bone, but at an even lower reading level. I will continue to read the series, just so I can say I have. Besides, maybe the books will get better as they go along.
Movies watched...
Millions (2004) - I'm still not sure what I think of this one. It was my first time watching it, I knew what to expect, and it still felt odd. It include the Danny Boyle patented 3rd act left turn, and that was my favorite part I think. It's a feel good Christmas movie at heart, but it's also a heist film, a tearjerker, a family movie, and a religious film. It was entertaining, but I couldn't tell if I really enjoyed it or not. Like most Boyle films, I'll have to give it a few more tries.
Zombieland (2009) - This is my most watched blu-ray. This time I showed the movie to my sister. Unsurprisingly, she apparently liked it, as her and I have essentially the same taste in movies. I tend to rate Zombieland higher than Shaun of the Dead in terms of entertainment, though it's definitely not as smart or as poignant. Still, it stays funny and it's a really fun ride.
Queen Rock Montreal/Live Aid (1981/1985) - This was probably the last real Queen concert. After the 1981 tour, they added so many synths to the shows, it wasn't really Queen anymore. The show they put on here is phenomenal, with a fantastic light show. I was always more of a 70s Queen fan than an 80s one anyway, so the setlist on this is near optimal... (even though I'm growing to despise Crazy Little Thing Called Love) The Live Aid performance is pretty good too. Only a few songs long, but it includes my favorite Queen song, Hammer To Fall, even though the song was never great live. Live Aid has no light show, but the audience makes up for it. It's still considered one of the best live performances ever for a reason.
Meet Bill (2007) - I am convinced that Aaron Eckhart is one of the best actors out there. He makes some questionable decisions (The Core), but even in those, he still entertains me. This movie is, I believe, an independent film. It also stars Jessica Alba, Elizabeth Banks, and Logan Lerman, who now plays Percy Jackson. The movie is about Aaron Eckhart's character confronting his mid-life crisis and realizing he's accomplished nothing on his own, his wife has her own issues, and on top of that, he's really wanting a donut franchise. Enter youthful Logan Lerman, who helps him loosen up and get on with life. Pretty simple independent film premise, but it works for me. At least it isn't pseudo-intellectual drivel.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Weekly Media Report : July 25- August 1
So I originally started this blog to review every single movie I watch, book I read, etc, and I feel that now's the time to start it. This is for the week of July 25-August 1.
Movies Watched
...In Theaters...
Inception (2nd viewing) - I still think this is better than The Dark Knight. Maybe because it's not an adaptation of some sort. The visuals of course I fantastic, but I very much liked the plot. It's not totally original or new, but it's done in such a grand and intriguing way that I didn't really care. Oddly enough, viewing it this second time, I noticed a few similarities to the other DiCaprio movie of 2010, Shutter Island.
...From My Collection...
Dead Like Me: Season 2 (2004) - This is a great series, but some of the episodes towards the end of season 1 weren't as good. Season 2 made up for that. There really weren't any uninteresting ones, and it expanded on the mythology only a little bit. I feel a bit let down that I'm done with the series, but in actuality there's not much more they could have done with it. At least there's the TV movie still left, but I've heard mixed things about it.
Rear Window (1954) - It's been one of my favorite, if not my absolute favorite Hitchcock film for years, and I finally watched my remastered copy. One of the best suspense movies of all time and pretty funny to boot. Staged almost as a play would be, as I think it was one at one point, and that works to it's advantage. Jimmy Stewart, Grace Kelly, and Raymond Burr. Fantastic stuff.
Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage (2010) - Yes, I'm a Rush fan. This documentary spans their whole career, which is good, as they've changed a lot musically over the years. It does skimp on the post-70s stuff though, which is sad. I've seen this 3 times over the past 3 weeks or so, and it stays interesting and funny. All the members of the band are hilarious. It was sad to find out that my 3 favorite albums (Hemispheres, Power Windows, and Hold Your Fire) are the ones where they thought they'd gone too far in one direction and reversed course on the next ones though. Pity.
Styx: Caught In The Act (1983) - This is a live concert from the year that Styx ended up breaking up for the first time. And it was this tour that caused it. It's based on the Kilroy Was Here album, which had this concept of some Moral Majority type group banning rock music and a resistance fighting back. Yeah, it's not that great. The lead songwriter/singer, Dennis DeYoung made this a theatrical type thing with everyone in the band in their respective roles. The tour failed and the rest of the band hated it. The songs are performed well, but it's heavy-handed and the stage play portions fail miserably.
Army of Darkness (1993) - This is my least favorite Evil Dead film, but I still love it. It was my first time seeing the American cut in years, as I had only owned the Director's Cut DVD until now. I gotta say, this version is better. The ending for the director's cut did fit thematically for the series, but this ending (the one in S-Mart) fits the movie better. I was amazed at how quotable this movie was as well. I'd forgotten that and how short the movie is... It's like an hour and fifteen minutes!
Once Upon A Time In The West (1968) - Sergio Leone's operatic western. Some call it slow and boring, I call it a feast for the senses. It's beautiful in every way shape and form. Sure, it's light on action, but the story makes up for it. There's a feeling of melancholy throughout, even with the humorous bits. I don't think a western can ever eclipse this. It really was the last great American western. (And this one was even filmed there!)
Jaws (1975) - I watch this one every summer, and it never gets old. I always notice a line that I missed or some detail in the background. The Kintner death still really affects me every time, mainly because you can't really tell what's happening from that angle. It's like documentary footage, as it's Brody's POV. The shark may look sort of fake today, but it scares me more than any CGI creature I've seen. It may be mechanical, but it could still kill ya. I also have to give props to Dreyfuss and Shaw. The banter between those two really makes the movie. One of Spielberg's best.
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) - I saw this in theaters, and while it's still not my favorite Gilliam film, I liked it better this viewing. They really made Heath Ledger's death a non-issue with the reshoots with Depp, Law, and Farrell. The movie is definitely not for everyone, but that's true of most Gilliam films. I'm still confused by the last fifteen minutes of the film.
Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010) - Yet another I saw originally in theaters. I am one of the few that likes this better than Columbus's two Harry Potter films. This one strays from the book widely. The main characters are about 5 years older than they are in the book, and the plot is trimmed down so much that we have no idea why it's a big deal that the Lightning Bolt is stolen. Sounds like a bad adaptation, but in the movie it doesn't matter. It's not following the book to a T. It's good for a younger audience, but it's only good for light entertainment, and nothing more.
Jaws 2 (1978) - This is often unfairly lumped in with the rest of the Jaws sequels as being a horrible movie. It's not. It's still got good acting, Scheider is back as well as most of the town, and it's still suspenseful. It's not as expertly crafted, but it's a good monster movie. I'd say it's like a well acted slasher film with the shark as the killer. It's actually a pretty worthy sequel.
Tomorrow I will post a review of the book I just finished reading, John Irving's Last Night In Twister River.
Movies Watched
...In Theaters...
Inception (2nd viewing) - I still think this is better than The Dark Knight. Maybe because it's not an adaptation of some sort. The visuals of course I fantastic, but I very much liked the plot. It's not totally original or new, but it's done in such a grand and intriguing way that I didn't really care. Oddly enough, viewing it this second time, I noticed a few similarities to the other DiCaprio movie of 2010, Shutter Island.
...From My Collection...
Dead Like Me: Season 2 (2004) - This is a great series, but some of the episodes towards the end of season 1 weren't as good. Season 2 made up for that. There really weren't any uninteresting ones, and it expanded on the mythology only a little bit. I feel a bit let down that I'm done with the series, but in actuality there's not much more they could have done with it. At least there's the TV movie still left, but I've heard mixed things about it.
Rear Window (1954) - It's been one of my favorite, if not my absolute favorite Hitchcock film for years, and I finally watched my remastered copy. One of the best suspense movies of all time and pretty funny to boot. Staged almost as a play would be, as I think it was one at one point, and that works to it's advantage. Jimmy Stewart, Grace Kelly, and Raymond Burr. Fantastic stuff.
Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage (2010) - Yes, I'm a Rush fan. This documentary spans their whole career, which is good, as they've changed a lot musically over the years. It does skimp on the post-70s stuff though, which is sad. I've seen this 3 times over the past 3 weeks or so, and it stays interesting and funny. All the members of the band are hilarious. It was sad to find out that my 3 favorite albums (Hemispheres, Power Windows, and Hold Your Fire) are the ones where they thought they'd gone too far in one direction and reversed course on the next ones though. Pity.
Styx: Caught In The Act (1983) - This is a live concert from the year that Styx ended up breaking up for the first time. And it was this tour that caused it. It's based on the Kilroy Was Here album, which had this concept of some Moral Majority type group banning rock music and a resistance fighting back. Yeah, it's not that great. The lead songwriter/singer, Dennis DeYoung made this a theatrical type thing with everyone in the band in their respective roles. The tour failed and the rest of the band hated it. The songs are performed well, but it's heavy-handed and the stage play portions fail miserably.
Army of Darkness (1993) - This is my least favorite Evil Dead film, but I still love it. It was my first time seeing the American cut in years, as I had only owned the Director's Cut DVD until now. I gotta say, this version is better. The ending for the director's cut did fit thematically for the series, but this ending (the one in S-Mart) fits the movie better. I was amazed at how quotable this movie was as well. I'd forgotten that and how short the movie is... It's like an hour and fifteen minutes!
Once Upon A Time In The West (1968) - Sergio Leone's operatic western. Some call it slow and boring, I call it a feast for the senses. It's beautiful in every way shape and form. Sure, it's light on action, but the story makes up for it. There's a feeling of melancholy throughout, even with the humorous bits. I don't think a western can ever eclipse this. It really was the last great American western. (And this one was even filmed there!)
Jaws (1975) - I watch this one every summer, and it never gets old. I always notice a line that I missed or some detail in the background. The Kintner death still really affects me every time, mainly because you can't really tell what's happening from that angle. It's like documentary footage, as it's Brody's POV. The shark may look sort of fake today, but it scares me more than any CGI creature I've seen. It may be mechanical, but it could still kill ya. I also have to give props to Dreyfuss and Shaw. The banter between those two really makes the movie. One of Spielberg's best.
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) - I saw this in theaters, and while it's still not my favorite Gilliam film, I liked it better this viewing. They really made Heath Ledger's death a non-issue with the reshoots with Depp, Law, and Farrell. The movie is definitely not for everyone, but that's true of most Gilliam films. I'm still confused by the last fifteen minutes of the film.
Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010) - Yet another I saw originally in theaters. I am one of the few that likes this better than Columbus's two Harry Potter films. This one strays from the book widely. The main characters are about 5 years older than they are in the book, and the plot is trimmed down so much that we have no idea why it's a big deal that the Lightning Bolt is stolen. Sounds like a bad adaptation, but in the movie it doesn't matter. It's not following the book to a T. It's good for a younger audience, but it's only good for light entertainment, and nothing more.
Jaws 2 (1978) - This is often unfairly lumped in with the rest of the Jaws sequels as being a horrible movie. It's not. It's still got good acting, Scheider is back as well as most of the town, and it's still suspenseful. It's not as expertly crafted, but it's a good monster movie. I'd say it's like a well acted slasher film with the shark as the killer. It's actually a pretty worthy sequel.
Tomorrow I will post a review of the book I just finished reading, John Irving's Last Night In Twister River.
The Lost Soul's 50 favorite albums #25-21
#25. Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good - Megadeth (1985)
Megadeth's first album is probably their heaviest, and it has a meanness and bite to it that none of the albums after it have. The songs seemingly flow into each other. The production used to be horrible, but it was remastered about 5 years ago, and sounds great now. The only bad thing is that the cover of "These Boots" was bleeped out almost the whole way through.
Best songs: Last Rites/Loved To Death, Rattlehead, and Mechanix.
#24. American Idiot - Green Day (2004)
Yes, I know it's unfashionable to like this album. I don't care. It's a great concept album, and the songs are catchy... even the 8 minute ones. Sure, it may anger some older Green Day fans, but I never was one. It encapsulates the mid-2000s mindset very well. Alas, they tried to catch fire twice with 21st Century Breakdown, which was just OK. This, however, is great.
Best songs: Jesus of Suburbia, Holiday, and Homecoming.
#23. Aqualung - Jethro Tull (1971)
Probably Jethro Tull's most accessible and well-known album. It's sort of two concept albums on one disc. The first 6 songs are about a homeless guy called Aqualung, and the rest of the songs are about how Religion is ungodly. I tend towards the second half of the album, but both are amazing.
Best songs: Aqualung, Hymn 43, and Wind Up.
#22. The Blizzard of Ozz - Ozzy Osbourne (1981)
I didn't actually hear this album until a few years ago, and even then, it took a few listens to grow on me. I usually despise Ozzy, personally. I'll credit the album to the others in the band, as Ozzy wrote nothing on it. The guitar playing is out of this world, and the songs a mix of beautiful, fun, and eerie.
Best songs: Goodbye To Romance, Mr. Crowley, and Revelation (Mother Earth).
#21. Animals - Pink Floyd (1977)
Probably the least accessible of their classic albums, but I love the droning pomposity of it all. The song only has 3 real songs on it, with 2 small bookends, and every second of it counts. Roger Waters may be a prick, but he can write some beautiful, eerie stuff. Pigs is a perfect example.
Best songs: The whole thing... only has 3 real songs...
Megadeth's first album is probably their heaviest, and it has a meanness and bite to it that none of the albums after it have. The songs seemingly flow into each other. The production used to be horrible, but it was remastered about 5 years ago, and sounds great now. The only bad thing is that the cover of "These Boots" was bleeped out almost the whole way through.
Best songs: Last Rites/Loved To Death, Rattlehead, and Mechanix.
#24. American Idiot - Green Day (2004)
Yes, I know it's unfashionable to like this album. I don't care. It's a great concept album, and the songs are catchy... even the 8 minute ones. Sure, it may anger some older Green Day fans, but I never was one. It encapsulates the mid-2000s mindset very well. Alas, they tried to catch fire twice with 21st Century Breakdown, which was just OK. This, however, is great.
Best songs: Jesus of Suburbia, Holiday, and Homecoming.
#23. Aqualung - Jethro Tull (1971)
Probably Jethro Tull's most accessible and well-known album. It's sort of two concept albums on one disc. The first 6 songs are about a homeless guy called Aqualung, and the rest of the songs are about how Religion is ungodly. I tend towards the second half of the album, but both are amazing.
Best songs: Aqualung, Hymn 43, and Wind Up.
#22. The Blizzard of Ozz - Ozzy Osbourne (1981)
I didn't actually hear this album until a few years ago, and even then, it took a few listens to grow on me. I usually despise Ozzy, personally. I'll credit the album to the others in the band, as Ozzy wrote nothing on it. The guitar playing is out of this world, and the songs a mix of beautiful, fun, and eerie.
Best songs: Goodbye To Romance, Mr. Crowley, and Revelation (Mother Earth).
#21. Animals - Pink Floyd (1977)
Probably the least accessible of their classic albums, but I love the droning pomposity of it all. The song only has 3 real songs on it, with 2 small bookends, and every second of it counts. Roger Waters may be a prick, but he can write some beautiful, eerie stuff. Pigs is a perfect example.
Best songs: The whole thing... only has 3 real songs...
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