Hero Inc.

Another year is down and I’m just a little bit older.  With 2009 here and now, we take a quick look back across the board on the year that was 2008.

Music

I picked up several great CDs over the course of the year, but there has to be one that is a cut above the rest.  When I opened up Amarok to see which albums were listed for this year, I quickly and easily knew the answer.

Winner		Feed The Animals by Girl Talk This CD is a mix of everything you have heard and nothing you have ever heard. I’ve tried the other Girl Talk albums, but this one is where Girl Talk really found the right formula. The songs move from one to the next as a seamless transition. The album takes you back across your life as you pick out all of the songs used to make the mix. I’m personally a fan of “Hands In The Air” and “Play Your Part (Pt. 1)”.
Honorable Mention		Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings by Counting Crows Let me start by saying James is going to kill me for giving this Honorable Mention. I guess I better now shy away from Bama jokes. Anyway, Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings is easiest to describe as an infusion of “August and Everything After” and “Recovering The Satellites”. Not really sure why I would review this item again, but “When I Dream of Michelangelo” and “Come Around” still top my list for great songs on this album. The more I have heard “Come Around” on the radio the more it has become a CC mainstay for me.

Movies

2008 was the year of hype and that usually leads to disappointment, but it seems that for once the hype was for real and we were all happy to fork over our 10+ dollars.

Winner		The Dark Knight TDK led the reviews for the year (both critic and consumer). The hype was a fear factor in my eyes but this movie went above and beyond so many other “comic book” movies that it stands as simply a great movie. I’m not sure I can say much more for Batman and the Clown Prince of Gotham.
Honorable Mention		Hellboy II and Iron Man The poster may be of Hellboy II but that is simply because I don’t believe it received as much praise as Iron Man did. Hellboy II was much better than the first despite any rumors you might have heard. Iron Man was great as well even if it included Gwyneth. Hellboy II may be ending its franchise (or it looks that way) but Iron Man is only the beginning (Iron Man 2 and Avengers already in the works). However, like I said before, TDK raised the bar significantly.

Television
Heroes. 30 Rock. ER (The final season). Fringe. The Simpsons.

There were many great episodes but I’m not certain if there were any great seasons. I’ve fallen behind on my Heroes watching but it did seem to pick up as I watched more. I will still state that Heroes is not a great show but a good show. I enjoy its theme (everyday people with powers), but I know it can only have a great episode here and there.

The Simpsons has had an amazing run, but I know that it needs to come to an end.  The family has performed every action and every job known to man.  It is starting to hit the moment where it is trying to tell the same story again in a different way (with bad results).  I have a new idea though that I believe everyone can enjoy.  The Simpsons should end after this season, but become a new generation’s Charlie Brown.  Only produce the Halloween special yearly.  It is the highest rated episode and usually the best one regardless of the season.

Sports
My sports story of the year is another no shocker. Anyone who has seen me over the last few months knows that I live, eat and breath my Atlanta Falcons. The playoffs are here and I’m already pumped. My pro team is playing with passion and as a team. Not only are we a great story but an even better team. When this season is over I’ll have nothing to do until the NFL Draft returns. I mean, no other sport is worth my time after football.

Iconic characters need iconic music.

Top 007 Themes

7. “The World Is Not Enough” performed by Garbage
6. “Thunderball” performed by Tom Jones
5. “Diamonds Are Forever” performed by Shirley Bassey
4. “Nobody Does It Better” performed by Carly Simon
3. “For Your Eyes Only” performed by Sheena Easton
2. “Goldfinger” performed by Shirley Bassey
1. “Live and Let Die” performed by Paul McCartney and Wings

Happy Super Tuesday!

Sitting at work struggling to complete your day? Looking for something to inspire you. I’m not talking about the speech from Braveheart or a motivational poster that lacks motivation. I’m talking about the ultimate playlist. A playlist designed to help you conquer the world. Just listening to each song will create that fire you need to do ANYTHING.

In no particular order, here is the Inspirational playlist I’ve built as it stands today:

• “Your Most Valuable Possession” by Ben Folds Five
• “Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)” by Baz Luhrmann
• “We’re So Far Away” by Mae
• “The Final Countdown” by Europe
• “Holding Out For A Hero” by Bonnie Tyler
• “Don’t Stop Believin'” by Journey
• “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor
• “Hearts On Fire” by John Cafferty
• “Carry on Wayward Son” by Kansas
• “Life” by Our Lady Peace
• “My Hero” by Foo Fighters
• “Everlong” by Foo Fighters
• “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay
• “Family System” by Chevelle
• “Right Now” by Van Halen
• “Hallelujah” by Paramore
• “Theme from Superman” by John Williams
• “O Fortuna” by Carmina Burana
• “Pioneers” by Bloc Party
• “Song 2” by Blur
• “Stronger” by Kanye West
• “Foreplay/Long Time” by Boston
• “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” by Daft Punk
• “Remember To Breathe” by Dashboard Confessional
• “Yellow Brick Road” by Raine Maida
• “One Day More” by Colm Wilkinson (Les Miserables)
• “Handlebars” by Flobots
• “Man in the Mirror” by Michael Jackson
• “We Are The Champions” by Queen
• “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen
• “Let Go” by Frou Frou

Listen. Inspire. Conquer.

Side Note:  Why do the great songs of the 80s offer such great inspiration?  Was the great montages?

While driving in my car tonight, I had a strange little conversation. It was mainly strange because I was the only person in the car and I was not talking through my cell phone. I was actually chatting it up with the guy in the vehicle next to me.

You see, the guy next to me, who we will call Red Car Guy (RCG), and I had passed through about 3 lights together. I in one lane and he in the other. I had my windows down enjoying the cool night air and my stereo cranking out some much needed tuneage (music for those “un-hip” to my choice of terminology). Now, at the time I was not in the mood for Instrumental, Rock, Classic Rock, 80’s, Pop, Punk, Rap, R&B, Polka, Comedy, Christmas, or even Techno. I was in the mood for something good. Since I had just finished watching Four Brothers (good flick), I felt that The Temptations would be a good choice, and of course, I went to my favorite song first, “I Wish It Would Rain.”

Back to RCG, he got my attention to find out who I was listening to because he could not remember who it was. When I told him I received one of my favorite compliments: “Great group man. That’s a great song.” Wow, random conversation, but it was still great. I sometimes have wondered if the “oldies” were still respected as they should be. I guess I have my answer now. I mean, how often do you hear about someone complimenting your music (from another car) when you are blaring The Temptations, The Association, or The Playboys from your stereo? Honestly…

My buddy, Will, has produced his second (or version 1.1) of his musical podcast. It brings to light many bands that most of us will never hear about but still enjoy. Head over to Mustachioed.net and check it out. Hopefully he will keep these going because it’s a great listen during a morning commute.

On March 25, 2008, the Counting Crows released their 5th studio album (they also have multiple live CDs and a greatest hits) entitled Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings.

The CD is split into two halves, hence the title. The first half, Saturday Nights, is a total of 6 songs and follows more of a Recovering the Satellites feel. The second half, Sunday Mornings, is the last 8 songs and it follows more of an August and Everything After feel. I was lucky enough a few months back to be on a Delta plane that was playing a Counting Crows station in order to prepare people for the new album. The station played many of their old great songs as well as five songs off the new CD (Hanging Tree, Insignificant, Cowboys, Washington Square, and When I Dream of Michelangelo). What I heard on those plane rides was a great glimpse into the new album that made me super excited to pick up a new CD by one of my favorite artists. However, it also made me mad because the pilots and flight attendants would continuously interrupt When I Dream of Michelangelo, which has moved into my top five favorite songs by Counting Crows.

I do find myself listening to more of the Sunday Mornings section of the CD which is odd because Recovering The Satellites holds a special place for me (it was the first CD I ever bought). So far, those songs I heard on the plane rides are my continuous playlist, but there are a few dark horse tracks that are quickly growing on me with every listen (Los Angeles, Le Ballet D’or, and Come Around).

Amazon has a set of 3 or 4 videos that let you listen to a few of the new tracks. My next goal will be to check out the bonus tracks that iTunes released. Now I need someone who uses iTunes so I don’t have to lower myself to the iTunes level.

[rating:4.0]

I have my computer set to kick start a playlist to help me wake up in the morning. I change the order of the songs, but the same first song plays every time. It just fits.

“Your Most Valuable Possession” by Ben Folds Five

“Good morning, Mr. Ben.
It’s about 6:30 —
Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Um…just laying here in the bed,
half awake, half asleep,
thinking about you.

I was
wondering if you were looking after your
most valuable
possession:
your mind.

I was thinking about
John Glenn,
his space journey and all.

They said that
when you’re in space you lose
muscle mass
and the body
mass
and I wondered if there was any
end to it.

Or whether,
if you didn’t exercise in space,
how long it would be before you were just
a head, or a mind —
and have no body or arms.
You’d have them but you couldn’t use them.

I was wondering if
if your body mass would drop to a certain level,
and then it would stop right there.
And keep whatever you needed to
use your mind
because it would still be working.”

(30 seconds remaining)

“Anyway, I was just pondering that.
What do you think about…that?

I hope everything is going alright.
I may well wake up here in a little while
and forget what I was thinking about.”