Albums I Listen To All The Way Through Pt.1

Too often I buy a CD or download one and only end up liking two or three songs. To help everyone else avoid this, I've compiled a rather extensive list of albums that I enjoy throughout their duration.

And while I may skip an interlude here or there or skip ahead to my favorite song on the CD, for the most part, I've listened to the following CDs enough to know the order of the songs by heart.

I don't want to make this too lengthy so here is part one of my list (more to come):



All the cool kids suck the cancer stick



 1) Arctic Monkeys, "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not"



 The Arctic Monkey's first album is by far their best.  Largely regarded as the first band to become popular thanks to the internet, this Sheffield quartet provided the perfect amount of rock to get me through the stress every 15-year-old goes through.

Like getting your driving learners permit or maybe even kissing a girl.

Top Tracks: "A View From The Afternoon", "Mardy Bum", "A Certain Romance".

2) The Cribs "Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever"

The Crib's second album suffered no sophomore slump.  Because of this album alone, they are one of my favorite bands.

This is the trio at their finest, upbeat riffs and contrasting vocals make the listener think that there are more than just three people playing music.

But enough of my opinion, listen to this gem for yourself.

Top Tracks: "Our Bovine Public", "Girls Like Mystery", "Men's Needs"



Eryka Badu Kente Tribe Represent!



3) A Tribe Called Quest "The Anthology"

OK, so I'm kind of cheating on this one since it is a greatest hits album. At the same time, just because your band has a greatest hits record, that doesn't always mean I'll enjoy it.

That means you, Nickelback.

This album was the first to get me into listening to rap. Q-Tip and Phife Dawg continue to blow my mind with flow like nothing I've ever heard before.

Top Tracks: "Check The Rhime", "Can I Kick It?", "Buggin' Out".



After re-watching that video, I volunteer myself to bring back jean shorts. So versatile yet stylish.

That ends part one, part duex on the way soon.



5 Songs I Never Skip On Shuffle

Shuffling through songs on my iPod is pretty hit or miss.  For every song that I love that comes on, there is an interlude from a rap album or a short medley that didn't quite develop into a full song.  There are a good amount of songs that I never skip but I doubt you want to struggle through my top 100 or so songs that I never skip.

Here is my most recent collection of non-skippable songs in no particular order:

1) "Mardy Bum" - The Arctic Monkeys

2) "Breakneck Speed" - Tokyo Police Club

3) "Under Cover Of Darkness" - The Strokes

4) "Shake Me Down" - Cage The Elephant

5) "I Don't Wanna Wait" - Soja

Enjoy!

Hear The Rainbow

Because you can't "taste the rainbow" through your computer screen, I've decided to provide a great list of color-based songs.  Colors are used pretty frequently in song titles so finding a great song with the major colors wasn't very difficult.  Orange on the other hand...

 In ROYGBIV order:

"99 Red Balloons", Goldfinger -

Sorry to all of you Nena fans out there, I like Goldfinger's cover better than the original.

"Color Orange orange song", The Frog Street Press -

If you actually watched that one, I feel bad.  Sorry, but it will be stuck in your head all day.  What's really scary is that The Frog Street Press made a video like, "Color Orange orange song" for each color.  But you're in luck, for I am a merciful blogger (and I think we all know how to spell our colors by now).

"Yellow Sun", The Raconteurs -

One of Jack White's many bands.  I think he could join a mariachi band and sell out arenas instantly.

"Greenshirt", Elvis Costello -

I'm definitely naming my future son Elvis.  But only if he becomes a famous front man.

"Mr Blue Sky", ELO -

ELO's fans have been petitioning to get them into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.  If ABBA is in the Hall of Fame, I certainly think ELO should be.

Sorry to disappoint you, but Indigo and Violet don't have any great songs of their own.  Unless you want to listen to Hole or Coldplay, go for it.

Now for another song for my largest reader demographic, kindergartners:

Coning - All The Cool Kids Are Doing It!

Before I begin, I would like to thank James Neumann for this new look. So sleek. So classy.

I first became aware of coning in mid-July when I, an innocent Chick-Fil-A employee, was coned. I thought it was hilarious despite being the victim.

To start off, here is a classic coning attack:

Here's why coning doesn't bother me:

1) You've already paid for the ice cream, what you do with it is up to you.
2) It doesn't harm the employee in any way.
3) It's funny.

Unfortunately, not everyone shares my opinion:

Someone takes being manager of a McDonalds a little too seriously...

On the other hand, there is a less popular drive-through prank which was featured on tosh.o which is pretty annoying (but still a little funny).

I present to you "Fire In The Hole"

Just make sure you cover your license plate kids because this offense can get you arrested.
It might just be me, but I would rather be arrested for a more important cause... like jaywalking.

White People With Rhythm

There is a reason movies like 8 Mile or Save the Last Dance are successful. They both feature a main character doing something they are not supposed to be good at.

Anything having to do with rhythm or flow is often foreign in a white person's culture. The following performers show that there are a select few that can make you forget their skin color.

From most expected to have rhythm to the least I have compiled an entertaining list of those who make people like me jealous for being able to execute a dance move other than the robot.

Or those who can rap/sing over a funky beat and not sound like a stiff, uncomfortable businessman.

Number one on the countdown goes to the Black Keys' project band Blakroc:

1) Blakroc's "Ain't Nothing Like You (Hoochie Coo)"

For these two white guys to produce a bumping rap beat is impressive to say the least. Now if they rapped the verses too, I would've been blown away. I think they can be forgiven though considering the quality of music the Black Keys produce.

2) Some crazy drummer:



He's got some serious moves considering he's the drummer for a middle aged cover band. Thanks to him I was able to ignore those golden jackets and focus completely on his drum playing which is like nothing I have ever seen.

3) Jamie Lidell's "Little Bit Of Feel Good":



Now if you had to guess where this guy is from what would you say.......?

England? I didn't think so. When I first heard this song I had no idea what he looked like and just figured he was the next Prince. I guess you could call him Prince's prince.

4) Beastie Boys' "So What'cha Want"



OK so three guys from New York get together to form a rap group. No big deal. How about three white guys with their roots in hard rock? Ya, the Beastie Boys are the coolest band ever. And are still going strong. I don't think it would be a stretch for me to say that no other trio of white people will have anywhere near the success the Boys have had.

5) Matisyahu beat boxing off his "Live at Stubb's" album:



I'll let Wikipedia do the talking for the source of Matisyahu's unexpected talent: "Matthew Paul Miller (born June 30, 1979), better known by his Hebrew name and stage name Matisyahu (Hebrew:מתתיהו) is an American Hasidic Jewish reggae musician." That's quite the combination.

Now we just need an Amish person to make it big and my list will be complete.