Joe Talks About....His Top 10 Favorite Songs of So Far In His Life.

Music. It speaks to us, embraces us, gets us pumped for the day and gets us ready for sleep. Every once in a while, that one song you hear on the radio, or that brand new album, speaks to you. It gets in your head, and you just...vibe. Not to get cheesy, but you really just kinda feel it. Out of thousands of songs I've heard in my life time, it really is hard to pick out just 10, but, from my deep music library, I was able to pick out 10 of my favorite songs I've heard so far in my life.

Disclaimer: Note how nowhere in this have I mentioned the word "best." This is not a "best of all time" list. Music is subjective and everyone hears it different, so keep that in mind while you read.

10.) "Take A Look Around" - Limp Bizkit 

 From the Album "Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water"

Listen Here

"Take A Look Around", you may know it as the Mission: Impossible II theme, is one of those songs that just gets me pumped up. I know, it's Limp Bizkit, and even Fred Durst considers the song somewhat of a joke (playing it at some music festivals as a "prank"), but this song seriously just makes you wanna run into a brick wall. The lyrics actually make sense (Unlike Limp's metal version of the Hokey Pokey, "Rollin'". Seriously. Listen to the words), but when it gets to the heavy Mission: Impossible guitar riff later in the song, it's just straight badass.

9.) "Lateralus" - Tool

From the Album "Lateralus"

 Listen Here

  

A 9 minute, epic, musical masterpiece, "Lateralus" utilizes the Fibonacci sequence at times in its lyrics, demonstrating the pure music genius of lead singer Maynard James Keenan. Keenan demonstrates his pure, unadulterated, and eclectic voice throughout the song, from moments of almost whispering and gentle singing to grainy, almost screaming and growling, the song builds up to it's epic ending for all 9 minutes. Let's not forget that Danny Carey is an absolutely PHENOMENAL drummer. He's a human metronome, and his skills with abrupt time signature changes and style changes throughout the song are put on display for all to see. Phenomenal song.

8.) "Citizen Erased" - Muse

From the Album "Origin of Symmetry"

 Listen Here

Before most of the watered-down garbage you hear from Muse these days, there was Origin of Symmetry. This album smacked you in the face with crazy screechy guitar riffs, Matthew Bellamy's mix of his angelic/demonic/angelic again voice, and different feels for different songs, Citizen Erased demonstrates a fantastic shift of style and tempo throughout. A truly badass riff, mixed with some confusing and easily understood and easy to relate lyrics, make this a really fantastic song. If you haven't heard any Muse stuff before "The Resistance", then get ready, because this is much heavier, and if you ask me, the true Muse.

7.) "So Far Away" - Staind

From the Album "14 Shades of Grey"

Listen Here

Another one of those simplistic, straightforward songs. For a while, this was my life anthem. The lyrics just kind of strike a nerve, as the song builds up strong, hits its peak, and softly lets you down on the ending. Awesome song.

6.) "It's Nice To Know You Work Alone" - Silversun Pickups

From the Album "Swoon"

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I haven't known about the Silversun Pickups for that long. I first heard this song off the MLB 2010 Soundtrack, and fell immediately in love with the simplicity of their music. What most people don't seem to realize, is sometimes simplicity is better. After listening to the likes of Tool, Dream Theater, and The Fall of Troy almost every day for 2 years, this song (and band) was a fantastic change of pace. From fast, furious, metal, screaming, wild, crazy guitar rock, to something a lot more simple, a little slower paced, with the lead singer's voice a little more - dare I say - feminine, this song continues to quietly build until it reaches it's full crescendo near the end of the song. The ending verse just gives me chills, and makes the whole song almost ethereal.

 

5.) "Walk of Fame" - The Fall of Troy

From the Album "In The Unlikely Event"

 Listen Here (It Says "Webs" but it's "Walk of Fame")

If there was ever a song, ever made, that had an absolutely clear message to anybody out there, it's this song. Aside from that, lead singer and guitarist Thomas Erak is some kind of God. The guy is absolutely amazing on the guitar, and the complex rhythms and patterns of the song are absolutely mind boggling, but at the same time, you know exactly what's going on. It's not like noise. You hear every subtlety of the song, from the drummer's bass kick to the crazy patterns of the riffs on guitar. Not to mention, the lyrics are straightforward and tell a story of how Hollywood and L.A. are tearing apart society. Song is straight cash.

4.) "Yellow Ledbetter" - Pearl Jam

From the Album "Ten"

 Listen Here

Wow. Where do I even start with this song? Also known as "The Subway Anthem" (for the select few who get this inside joke), it is an absolute masterpiece. Even though no one knows exactly what Eddie Vedder is trying to sing (no, really. No one knows the true lyrics of the song, not even Eddie himself. Many different versions of the lyrics have been sung live by them, so who the hell knows), the guitar riff and just overall feel of the song is otherworldly. From the beginning to the end, it's a non-stop chill ride. Most versions of the lyrics deal with a man whose brother went to war and isn't coming home. Pure emotion, and pure awesome, this song is a staple in the bridge between music then and music now.

 

3.) "Without You" - Breaking Benjamin

From the Album "Dear Agony"

 Listen Here

When I first heard Dear Agony, I decided it was the album of my life. Every single song speaks to me in some way, shape, or form, but the last song off the album spoke to me the most. Every lyric related to me in some way, and the lack of pure anger and hatred (which to me is Breaking Benjamin's true signature) in the song made it a refreshing change of style for this album. I have yet to hear a better song, on any album ever made, to finish off the CD than Without You. The ending strings give me chills just thinking about it.

2.) "Black" - Pearl Jam

From the Album "Ten"

 Listen Here

Two Pearl Jam songs in the top 5?! I think so! Black was written by Eddie Vedder, which helped him describe heartbreak and sadness. I know, it's depressing, but the true beauty of the song lies in it's straightforward lyrics and epic ending. Eddie Vedder shows to us that he actually CAN enunciate when he speaks, which is fantastic, because this is probably one of the best rock songs ever made, and for it to be tainted by weird, Vedder-signature, marble mouthed mumbling, would be detrimental. But this song is truly beautiful. And not to mention, one of the most epic endings I've ever had the pleasure of hearing. If you listen closely during the end, you can still hear Vedder wailing at times. It's pure, unbridled emotion channeled into music. We need more of that now. And not stuff like, "I whip my hair back and forth!" But, I digress.

 

1.) "Blurry" - Puddle of Mudd

From the Album "Come Clean"

 Listen Here

Wow. 10 years later and this song still holds a special place with me. Absolutely phenomenal song. Every one who has turned on the radio in the past decade has definitely heard this song, or see it on TV, or heard it somewhere. Another one of those songs which channeled pure emotion into a song, describing the distance from a loved one, or the loss of a loved one. Yeah, Puddle of Mudd isn't the best band in the world, and nothing will ever top this song (ok, so we don't know what the future holds, but come on). This is the greatest songs I've ever heard, and arguably, ever made. From the guitars, to the emotion in the lead singer's voice, to climactic ending, my favorite song of all time. Absolutely perfect.

Well, there you have it. Again, favorite songs of all time. Not best. Best is subjective. Thanks.

Joe Talks About...The NBA.

Ah, the NBA. The glitz and glamor of flashy dunks, buzzer-beating shots, and fancy ball-handling has held a special place in my heart since I was a young'n. A league that isn't overrun by steroids (MLB), or rapists, (Ben Roethlisberger), or indifference (NHL. Sorry, this isn't Canada). A league that has had stars of the sport for years and years, from Wilt, to Kareem, to Larry Legend and Magic, to Jordan, to Kobe to, dare I say, LeBron James. Oh, LeBron...

Before the Summer of 2010, the amount of love for LeBron was only surpassed by the amount of love a fat kid has for a Carvel ice cream cake. It was far and wide, from the corners of Amurrica to the corners of the globe. He dazzled us with huge dunks, his ability to put a team on his back and win a game (or playoff series), the revitalization of an NBA franchise, and most of all, he answered our questions as to whether or not there was ever going to be another Michael. Within his first year, the debates in my middle school gym class rose:

"He's going to be as good as Michael."

"There will never be another Jordan."

"He's already better than Jordan!"

Etc., etc., etc. Everyone had their own opinion on LeBron and what he was going to become. As the years passed, and the Knicks were getting MUCH better in the "Irrelevance" Department, LeBron and Kobe were the only two players in the NBA that held my interest. Kobe, cold-blooded, calculating, the precision of a surgeon, and he always knew when to flip that switch and become the best closer in the NBA, and LeBron, dominating, unstoppable force, throwing down fierce dunks and always making his "Larger than Life" presence known (as demonstrated by his pregame powder toss). These two NBA Superstars took the Association by its throat and squeezed every ounce of awesome out of it. LeBron quickly became one of my favorite athletes beside Derek Jeter, Curtis Martin (No matter how long he's been retired), Tiger Woods (Before the whole 87 mistresses thing), and Rafa Nadal.

In many people's eyes, LeBron was a savior. He's a man that brought not only the Cleveland Cavaliers, but the city of Cleveland from the depths of sports irrelevance and unimportance, to a force to be reckoned with in the NBA. He was a man that gave us the talk of being the "Chosen One" to replace Jordan, and become the posterboy of basketball as we know it. We were all "Witnesses". But this was before the Summer of 2010.

Summer of '10 for the NBA gave us the biggest Free Agent class in NBA history. There were more big-name players on the move than Mexicans across the border at 2 in the morning. Among these players included Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amar'e Stoudemire, Carlos Boozer, and the biggest and most sought after of them all, LeBron James.

For a few years, LeBron was cheating on Cleveland with New York. Whenever he visited the Garden, there was an electricity in the air that hadn't been there since Patrick Ewing donned the Orange and Blue in the early 90's. Every time he was there, there was something else going on; either free hot dogs for the Garden crowd, or T-Shirts, or even advertising his "Big Apple Red" Sneakers. If this isn't cheating, I'm sure my ex-girlfriends are feeling a lot better about their karma right now. Alas, I digress.

Initially, all signs pointed towards LeBron heading for New York. But then, the rumors started to surface. LeBron was going to Chicago, then he was going to New York, then he was going to New Jersey, then he was going to stay in Cleveland, then Delonte' West started banging his mom (allegedly), then he was going back to New York, then, Miami. I think the collective NBA audience groaned when hearing about Miami Thrice (3 big name Free Agents in Bosh, Wade, and James). Then, in a shocking (or not so shocking) act of egotism, LeBron gave himself an hour special on ESPN named "The Decision." You can guess what took place there.

The NBA Fan-Base held their collective breath from 8:00 PM to 8:23 PM on Thursday, July 8th, waiting for LeBron to make his decision, when finally, those fateful words drooled out of his mouth:

"In this Fall, this is very tough, in this fall I'm gonna take my talents to South Beach and join the Miami Heat."

When I heard this, I fell out of my chair. The next words that came out were, "LeBron, you're a God damn sell out."

Jordan didn't leave the Bulls to play with any other superstar. He made the players around him better, built his team around him, and made Pippen a great player. I can go on and on, but I think I made my point there.

The rest is history. Every NBA fan (Who isn't a Heat fan) enjoyed watching the early difficulties of the Heat in the 2010-11 NBA season. But, unfortunately, they found their rhythm and now they're kind of destroying every team in their way. But, fortunately, the Heat aren't the only headline in the NBA today.

I think David Stern breathed a sigh of relief when Blake Griffin emerged as a dominating force in the NBA this year. Sitting out his first year in the NBA with knee problems and subsequent knee surgery, Griffin came out this year all guns blazing. I've never seen anyone get higher, other than Dave Chappelle in Half-Baked. He owns the rim and everyone around it, and hopefully we'll see a rebirth of the NBA Dunk Contest when he brings his talents to...well, keeps his talents in the Staples Center in LA during the 2011 NBA All-Star Weekend.

I'm sure David Stern is also smiling a little bit when he sees the renaissance of New York basketball, when Amar'e joined the Knicks this past off-season. With a single phrase, "The New York Knicks are back", Amar'e (along with Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler, and rookie Landry Fields) is leading the way for future Knicks prominence in the Eastern Conference.

Thank goodness for Blake Griffin, and the Knicks deciding they wanted to be good again this year. If not, my head would have probably exploded from all this LeBron crap. Oh well, no use in wishing harm or bad luck on LeBron, anyway. I hope he enjoys South Beach. We want winners in New York, not cowards and punks.

I'd rather have 'Melo, anyway.

Thanks.

Hellooooooooo!

Looking for deep, intellectual conversation? For a place where someone captures your ideas and emotions through use of deep, meaningful words? Looking for the epitome of intelligent conversation and pensive thought?

Well, click the red X in the corner, 'cause you ain't gonna find it here.

My name's Joe (if you couldn't guess already, by the title of the damn thing), and I'm here to entertain you.

All 10 of you. You're probably all related/friends with me, too. That's depressing.

The point of this blog is, to talk about things. Anything that comes to mind. Will I do entertainment reviews? Definitely. Will I channel my inner Rex Ryan and talk up my favorite sports teams (I promise not to be overly obnoxious)? Yes. Will I talk about video games, comics, and nerdy things? Without a doubt. Will I engage in deep political, ethical, current events, etc. conversation? It's a stretch, but I give the people what they want. And of course, a little self-promotion and egotism won't hurt...

You're probably asking myself, "Why should I care? Why should I read this rather than watch Jersey Shore?"

Well, the answer is quite simple. I have no idea.

If you haven't already left the page, or for the 5 of you that are still awake/reading, I just want to say thanks in advance for choosing to read this. It's something I've been wanting to do for a while, and whether or not I get positive feed back will determine if this experiment will continue or go up in violent flames, much like Cuba Gooding Jr.'s career after making "Daddy Day Camp."

Just sit back, relax, and let the hilarity (or lack thereof) ensue.

Thanks.