#99-Girl Talk-Feed The Animals-2008

There are no original ideas, only original people. This is a quote from Barbara Grizzuti Harrison but it just as well could be a quote from any of the artists lifted for this 2008 album. Girl Talk is as original as they come, despite the fact that he is stealing from every genre of music over the last fifty years.

Girl Talk, or Greg Michael Gillis, has extrapolated music from Procol Harum to Radiohead to Kanye West and even Twisted Sister. He has taken these original works, juxtaposed them to a beat and added lyrics, and created a cornucopia of music more appropriate for a frantic night at the club. Although I cannot find a single word online about pending copyright lawsuits or a disgruntled member of The Band trying to hunt him down, I believe Girl Talk has developed the next phase of music in a world where original music is falling into the crevices of recycled auto tuning and reprocessed drum beats.

#100-Eddie Vedder-Into the Wild-2007

The cinematic premise of Into the Wild was fated to be a powerful adaptation of Jon Krakauer’s 1996 book. The story of Chris McCandless and his journey from Atlanta to Alaska is heart wrenching, emotionally charged, and in the end a study of the American youth post-Kerouac on the road without a thought of the world around him. When the project was announced, my initial reaction was that Sean Penn would give the tender, affectionate treatment to the film that was needed to bring the story to the screen. It was my surprising when I heard that Eddie Vedder would be recording the soundtrack.

The Into the Wild soundtrack is in essence a solo album by one of the most underrated leaders of music today. It has everything an album would need to tell a story of an epic American adventure. It has the acoustic, haunting power of Dylan with the deep growl of a performer who not only sings the song of Chris McCandless but also of the millions who find themselves on a great journey. Each song is a testament to Sean Penn’s beautiful film as well as Krakauer’s narrative.

Eddie Vedder is the father of modern music. Through his years as Pearl Jam’s front man, he not only contributed to the current musical landscape, but also managed to keep his head above the tumultuous musical waters of the last 20 years. He is our Neil Young, our Dylan, and this album is a fine entry into what can only be described as a powerful discography.

Next #99

Ryan

Ryan's Top 100 Albums of the Decade

It has been a while since I have posted. This is mostly due to school, and work, and a new house we are building, and a baby that is coming in November. However, all of this aside, it is no excuse to ignore all four of my followers and therefore I think I will commit more time with this.

For some news( besides the house and the arrival of a child), I also quit smoking which has seriously impeded my creativity. Truly, the greatest synapse enhancer is nicotine, and with it drained from my body, I have lost a lot of energy to type out anything. Thus my absence.

Now, I am definitely feeling better and am ready to tackle a monumental task. I am going to compile my thoughts on the top 100 albums of the last decade. Now that a new decade is just around the corner, traditionally it is the job of VH1 and MTV and Rolling Stone Magazine to analyze what the greatest songs of the decade have been. If you want an expert opinion, I suggest following them. If you want a list of my top 100 songs, then keep reading. I will be posting my first album shortly and hope I can finish this list by Jan. 1st. We will see.

Also you can email me or post a comment on here if you have your own idea for a great album. I will then listen to the album and find an appropriate place on my list.

Ryan

This Morning and the Crazy Bus Driver

So the wife is off to Rockford for a day and I am home alone. It has been a very busy week, with the final revision to my globalization paper pending. I was hoping I was going to be done last week, but my instructor came back with some revisions. Last night I fixed up my Work Cited and today I am going to finish it all:). When the wife goes away she takes the car, and that means I have to hoof it. I am a die hard Dunkin Donut's fan and since there is not a single Dunkin Donut's around her, it means I have to take the bus. I could just have easily taken a bus to Clark Street, but that is the dirty Dunkin Donut's, so I decided to take the bus down to Ashland and then walk a mile down Lincoln Avenue to the good Dunkin Donut's.

I waited until it was somewhat light out and I made my way to the bus stop. The bus came along rather quickly and the entire bus trip would take only a few minutes. If I was a healthier man I would walk it but who cares. Now comes the Crazy Bus Driver story related to you the reader through our dialogue. Please let me tell you this conversation-three minutes in duration-came out of nowhere and I am really making it more PC then it really was. Gotta love the #77 Belmont at 6 a.m.

Me to the Bus Driver: Good Morning.

Bus Driver: Good Morning, afternoon and evening. I have been on this bus for the last 12 hours.

Me: Wow! Is your shift almost over?

Bus Driver: Oh yeah, and then I am going home to get me some.

Me(giggle): Great

Bus Driver: I've known this woman for 6 years and all she wants is for me to ****. (I am leaving this part out for the PC audience but it involves a sexual act that is not sex).

Me: really, for 6 years?

Bus Driver: 6 years I have been doing this, and now I am going to bang".

Me: well good for you.

Bus Driver: My only problem is the kids. She has four kids and I gotta watch out for them before I get me some.

Me: Sounds tricky.

Bus Driver: It is!! She has jet black hair that goes down her back. Oh yeah I love white woman.

Me: Ok (I stand and tell him I am getting off the bus at Ashland).

Bus Driver: Have a good morning man, hope you get some too.

Me: I just need a coffee.

Bus Driver: Well think of me getting some while you are drinking it.

I get off the bus.

I have no idea why the bus driver felt compelled to tell me this story but it seems it was monumental enoguh to share with a complete stranger. For your information I am drinking my Dunkin Donuts and trying really hard not to think about the bus driver getting some. This city is amazing.

Conversation Overheard

If you ride the Red Line you become privy to some great information. Case in point the three guys who stood over me today. By looking at them I could tell they were Art students, but the conversation alone was amazing. I have named them Dweezil, Johan, and Kevin. Please not I have taken some liberty with the dialogue, but the topics were true.

Dweezil: You know I am excited about graduating.

Johan: So it is your Masters, right.

Dweezil: Yep, but in writing. I am going to write the Great American Novel.

Ken: Then why are you working in the video department.

Dweezil: Digital media is my hobby, writing is my passion. That is why I am not living in Seattle.

Ken: Seattle? I thought you were from Kentucky.

Johan: Seattle, Kentucky..It is all relative.

Dweezil: No I was living outside of Seattle and was taking classes at the community college.

Ken: Tacoma?

Dweezil: Bellevue, and I was in community college and working at Nordstroms

Ken: Nordstroms is for girls.

Dweezil: no way man, I was pulling down some serious cash..enough cash that I almost didn't leave. I was shining shoes and pulling nearly 250 a day.

Ken: 250 a day for shining shoes.

Dweezil: yep, and it was cushy. I would get into work at 9 and work until 5. I would sit in a big leather chair and watch sports center and shine shoes for a living. It was the greatest job in the world.

Johan: Why did you leave?

Dweezil: It was a girl Johan, a girl made me leave my home and then I was living in Chippewa Falls for a while with her and doing the whole domesticated thing, and then when she left I came down to Chicago.

Ken: Sounds like you should have stayed in Seattle.

Dweezil: No Seattle is overrated, but shining shoes is amazingly profitable. I am thinking about taking it up again if I cannot find a publisher.

Johan: Great I have a few penny loafers at home you can start with.

ALL GIGGLE.

So for Dweezil, Johan, and Ken life went on when I left the train, and I have really no idea why I felt compelled to tell this story, but that Nordstroms in Bellevue sounds amazing.

The Red Line

For those who do not live in the city, riding the rails to and from work often brings some colorful situations. Case in point was the blind man who wandered onto my Red Line train today and was asking for change.

I have seen this guy on the train before, and although the CTA claims that solicitations on the train are prohibited, that is really an empty warning. Anything the CTA warns about is really just a suggestion.

The blind guy plays this game very well. He gets on the train at whatever stop ( This time is was Clark and Division) and quietly asks for change. His story is that he is blind (which is true if you see him) and that he is not a threat to anyone but wants to eat. Some people will give him change right away, and for some homeless people that is enough.

The blind guy is different. The blind guy will get his initial change and then will walk up and down the aisle, using his cane to hit people's feet. He will ask everyone for change openly and get louder as the train cruises down the track. By the time the train got to Belmont, the guy was screaming for change. SCREAMING. This annoyance was enough for him to pull down by my count, $5.00 extra dollars. If this guy can pull five dollars each train ride x 15 train rides, he is sitting with some good dough.

Depression Cooking

I saw this feature a few weeks ago and found it quite amazing. Depression cooking, it seems is a hot topic right now. The economy tanking means that people need to look for alternatives for food and shelter at an alarming rate. Maybe it is time to look to our elders for strength.

Some of them, the generation who lived through the Great Depression, may be able to bring some insight to better living in these tough times. Please note: It completely freaked me out how quick Clara was dicing the potato and onion!! Speaking of that, most of these recipes use potato and onions-a staple of depression cooking.