My Top 5 Albums of 2009

Following Vanilla Bear's lead I am posting my personal favorite albums of 2009. Pretty self explanatory, so here I go:

5- Phoenix- Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Simply put, this album is crazy good. It is well crafted and full of catchy pop-songs. It reminds me of the summer. This is the fourth album from this band and it is hands down their best.
Favorite Tracks: 1901, Listzomania, Lasso and Girlfriend

4- Sufjan Stevens- The BQE
I am aware that this music isn't officially "new," but it was officially released in 2009, thus qualifying it for this list. This definitely wasn't what I was expecting for a follow-up from Illinois, but it is uniquely Sufjan sounding. It is a collection of wonderful instrumentals and more importantly, it is a departure from Enjoy Your Rabbit, which had a heavy synth-techno sound. This is clearly more orchestral and it's amazing. I never thought an album about an old expressway could make me so happy.
Favorite Tracks: Movement II: Sleeping Invader, Interlude I: Dream Sequence In Subi Circumnavigation and Interlude II: Subi Power Waltz

3- Chris Garneau- El Radio
Chris Garneau is clearly a very sensitive guy because this album is a masterpiece of sensitivity portrayed. It is just a beautiful album with haunting lyrics backed by simple piano arrangements.
Favorite Tracks: Dirty Night Clowns, Fireflies, No More Pirates and Les Lucioles en Re Mineur

2- M. Ward- Hold Time
This album is wonderful for many reasons. On my first listen it seemed as if it was over before it began. I listened again and realized that was because of how magically his songs flow and connect. Every song is a nice introduction into the next phase of the album leaving this as a gigantic masterpiece. It's great because it's pretty retro sounding, and yet you can tell how innovative his guitar work is. I also just love M's graveled voice.
Favorite Tracks: Epistemology, Stars of Leo, Jailbird and Rave On

1- Monsters of Folk- Monsters of Folk
I don't even know how to start to describe how much I love this band and this album. For those who are unaware, it is composed of M. Ward (in my top 5 singer/songwriters), Conor Oberst (the genius behind Bright Eyes and my all-time favorite singer/songwriter), Mike Mogis (produces albums for some of my favorite bands and also an integral part of Bright Eyes) and Jim James (the brains behind My Morning Jacket). This album had a lot of expectations and it lived up to them all. This album is great because it is so diverse that it is very easy to pick out which songs were mostly conceptualized by which musician and yet thanks to the brilliance of Mogis as acting producer, it flows. This album has an intricacy to it that only four minds this great could really make it work. 'Monsters of Folk' is an apt title for this band and this album because it personifies Folk perfection.
Favorite Tracks: Temazcal, Map of the World, Baby Boomer and Ahead of the Curve

Honorable Mention: Death Cab for Cutie- The Open Door EP
This gets an honorable mention because it's not actually a full-length album, but it is amazing for what it is. The lyrics on it are memorably poetic, but that's what exactly what I would expect from a Death Cab album. This album is a great stepping stone between Plans and Narrow Stairs. These songs were not left off of Narrow Stairs because they weren't good, they just simply did not fit into the album as a whole. I think released seperately, however, they work really well together. I also had to include this because it's the only ever EP to inspire me to write an entire blog post about its brilliance.

My Inglorious Return

I am back! I have missed my blog, but I have decided to revamp my relationship with it and show it the love and care that it really deserves. You are probably asking yourself, what could be so important that would make me return after 4 months of inaction and my answer to you is two words: Inglorious Basterds!

I decided to have a movie night last night and I went specifically to rent that movie and yet could not find it anywhere. I was purchasing The Hangover (another amazingly awesome film by the way) and decided to purchase Inglorious Basterds as well.

For those who are unaware- It is a Quentin Tarantino movie which means it is super twisted, uber bloody, extremely violent and out of control amazing. I'm not good at analyzing movies, but this is definitely going to be one of my favorites. It's about two and a half hours long and yet I found myself wanting it to go on.

Anyways, there is also another point to this post, and that is an excuse for me to post the following video:

A message to Esteban Granero

Hai there Esteban Granero. I am perving over you hardcore lately. You aren't my normal cowffy type so knock it off.
Anyways, I love you all. It's true. I will do a blog post though when I feel more so inclined. It shall be good though. I am going to try and complete it on Friday though so that I can do posts on Serie A, La Liga and FF and not have just a flood of footie posts. Don't hold me to this, but I will try.

Until then, I spy a lot of tents and I'm going camping!

127

So, Cannavaro is legend (not that he wasn't before!) He officially broke Paolo Maldini's record of 126 appearances to become the most ever capped Italian player of all time. He just just keeps giving me reasons to love him!

Things That Will Always Crack Me Up!

There are lots of things I find funny, but there are very few things that are always guaranteed to actually make me actually laugh out loud, no matter how many times I've seen/heard/read/listened to it. I decided to make a list of 5 of the things I find most hilarious. They are in no particular order, but I absolutely love them all

1- This picture- I can look at it and not laugh, but then my head starts reading the script in a singing style and that's when I lose it and just crack up.
2-Texts From Last Night- Seriously, one of the best websites ever. I can't ever stop reading it because it's just too funny.

"(443): I'm a gentlemen, chivalry is what i do, i'll open the door, pull out your chair, buy your drinks, i'll even go down first, but when it comes to mario kart, i draw the line. I'm sorry but i just can't let you beat me at mario kart"

"(563): The sex was great until she started shouting, "Succeed!, Succeed!" Then it was like I was fucking a motivational speaker. Awkward."

"(781): i'm surrounded by gay midgets. not sure if i'm bragging or asking you to come rescue me. wait for follow up. "

"(503): the young, male pastor of my church has a jesus fish tramp-stamp. I made him show me."

"(914): I have a very awkward question for you. Could you possibly take my black dildo. My mom wants to clean my room."

3- Choccobear's Twitter account- She has some of the greatest tweets ever and even her short ones crack me up like none other.

4- Nosferatu Vogueing-

I just don't even know

5-Balloon Fail-
Again, I just don't even know

6- LOLcats- Probably because I have cats and they really are hilarious in real life. This site just is sweet and hilarious. I don't know anyone who doesn't love LOLcats
7- The Gay Referee- I don't know if this is real or fake, but it's completely hilarious.

8- Zoran Tosic's Voice Over Guy-
There is nothing more I can say that has not already been said in the comments. This is just so good always. You begin to watch it and it seems like your everyday average player interview, until the voice starts- then it's just pure hilarity.

9- Quiero Que Me Queiras- Oh Gael, I do want you like you want me too! That's not at all the issue. He's hands down my favorite actor and I LOVE this video. He's a horrible singer and a horrible dancer, but he still is awesome and I laugh everytime I watch it.


I know I left a lot of things out and I'll wake up tomorrow and wonder about things I didn't add, but it's late and I can't be bothered to think anymore.