Watching... ROACHES CLIMB THE WALL!!!!

Top 5 Albums:

5. Death Cab For Cutie - Plans

With their breakout album Death Cab has set the bar high. Their previous records are solid as well, but this one put them in the limelight. So great things are going to be expected next time around.
For this album there's not much to dislike. It's got solid lyrics and a variety of sounds coming from different songs, so it's hard to get bored. It's almost enough to make me want to pick up my guitar and learn to play the thing. Not quite though, I am extraordinarily lazy.



4. Steve Earle & The Dukes - Shut Up And Die Like An Aviator

This is the record that really got me into Steve Earle. I picked it up on a whim, and gave it a listen. And even though it's a live album, it's fucking solid through and through.
Granted, I've become partial to Earle's older stuff because of this record, but I'm really starting to appreciate his other songs as well.
Once you hear his cover of the Stones' "Dead Flowers", or his live performance of "The Devil's Right Hand", you just might want to pick up some of his other stuff too. At least that's the way it went for me - now he's in my Top 5 favourite bands ever.


3. Billy Talent - Billy Talent II

After all the hype of the first record, I didn't expect such greatness from the boys this time around. But they came back with a record that surpassed the old one with conviction.
This is the kind of record that wakes you up and gets ya moving.
"Red Flag" is a standout, but "Pins & Needles" is also great. It's good to hear less screamo stuff and more indepth lyrics on this record compared to the first.
Political undertones also add to the overall power of the songs, which is something I like to see.



2. Matthew Good - In A Coma

Granted this is a best-of compilation, but how can it be left off the list? Afterall, it is Matt Good. And anyone who knows me would tell you he's number one in my books.
The big hits potion is completed with a few new songs which happen to be pretty dynamite in their own right. He also included the Lo-fi B-sides and Loser anthems, which can be hard recordings to find these days.
And the acoustic portion is perfect for just relaxing and appreciating the lyrics. The nearly unrecognizable version of "Hello Time Bomb" is amazing, and the DVD is just an added bonus for the true fans out there. Especially the Hunting Rabbits video that's hidden in there.
All told, this is pretty much the definition of "mint".


1. William Shatner - Has Been

Dear Bill Shatner, you are a fucking genius.

I first heard his cover of "Common People" on Edge 102, laughed my ass off, and said to myself "I gotta check this out". So I downloaded a few songs and loved em.
After getting the full album, I really came to appreciate it. He doesn't sing, but his passion and spoken word additions to the songs are phenomenal.
In one song he details the suicide of his wife; in another he explains that he's only a mortal; and in another he ridicules the people who think of him as a has-been, hence the title of the record.
If you haven't heard his stuff, check it out. This record turned a washed up bum into a legend for me.


Top 5 Songs:

5. Coping - Futuristic
This track is on an album that took me years to find. I heard this song on Going Coastal or something like that on TV, and I knew the general tune of it, but no words. The band is small time, so I was only able to pick up the album when I went out to Halifax last year. Noticeably mint track.

4. The Foundations - Build Me Up Buttercup
On my Motown binge I got hooked on this track. It's not uncommon to hear me belting this one out around the house.

3. Steve Earle feat. Lucinda Williams - You're Still Standin' There
The first version of this song that I heard was a cover by Lucy Kaplanksy, but it doesn't hold a candle to Earle and Williams. I'm mystified that anyone could write such amazing lyrics that actually rhyme. It's almost like he didn't even try. And that's why it's so good.

2. Kelly Clarkson - Since U Been Gone
291 loves Kelly Clarkson. This is our house song, and we yell it at the top of our lungs whenever we drink.
Plus Kelly is hot. So please, no criticism.

1. William Shatner - Common People
Rarely do you see an old man (who cannot sing to save his life) release such a dynamite song. I'd never heard the original, so to me this one is the original. This turned Shatner into a personal hero of mine. Give it a listen and you'll instantly understand why.


Top 5 Movies:


5. The Beach

Back in first year a friend of mine told me to watch this movie, but I wasn't a huge fan of Leo and didn't pay it much mind. But after watching Catch Me If You Can, I gained a new respect for him. So I checked this movie out and I guess I watched it while I was in the right frame of mind (after all it's kinda fucked up) and now I suppose it represents something I aspire to do someday - leave the "normal" world and fly solo to see what else is out there.




4. Wedding Crashers

It's no Old School, but it comes pretty close. Vince Vaughn is amazing, as usual, and Owen Wilson does a good job to support that.
Two smokeshow sisters make this a movie that any guy would appreciate (not to mention all of the other hot chicks the guys get).
One disappointment - Will Ferrell. His scene with the meatloaf was too much, and he had to try way too hard to make it funny.
But I laughed my ass off, and that's why this one's on the list.



3. The 40 Year Old Virgin

I like the fact that none of the actors were well known before this movie. Carell is perfect for the roll, and he makes you feel his pain and awkwardness all through the story.
I didn't have high expectations, so maybe that's why I liked it so much.
Thankfully the cheesy ending didn't ruin the hilarity of this one.






2. The Life Aquatic

Now this is one strange film - it's full of awkward silences, and it uses an unusual form of humour that you don't find in many other places. After you get used to the narration and quirky music, the crew sets out on their voyage to find their mystery shark. Murray shines in this one, especially in the hostage and fight scenes. Add Owen Wilson, Willem Dafoe, and a bull-dyke... and that equals entertainment!
Mind you, this isn't a film for everyone. It takes a special mind to truly appreciate it.



1. I, Robot

I saw this movie at my cousin's place back in the winter, and I liked it instantly. I didn't give two shits about it when it was in theatres, but like most of my "favourites" in life, I seem to find them long after their prime. This movie has all sorts of cool shit - action, realistic robots who can do ridiculous things, high tech cars and gadgets, and a hot chick to boot.
Wicked entertainment that makes you appreciate how easily we can lose our freedoms if we're not careful.