"These are a few of my favorite things..."

As the semester comes to a close, I can't help but begin to reflect on the past year. Since this is a music blog, I figure it is good to talk about some of my favorite albums of the past year. So, here it is.

Matt's Top Albums List
Rilo Kiley Under the Black Light
Lovedrug Everything Starts Where It Ends
Bruce Springsteen Magic
Blackfield Blackfield II
Coheed and Cambria Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Vol. 2: No World for Tomorrow
Riverside Rapid Eye Movement
Shout Out Louds Our Ill Wills
Porcupine Tree Fear of a Blank Planet
Porcupine Tree Nil Recurring
Sarah Blasko What The Sea Wants, The Sea Will Have
Maylene and the Sons of Disaster II
Umphrey's McGee Live at the Murat
!!! Myth Takes
One Republic Dreaming Out Loud
Falling Up Captiva

So there you have it, those are some of my favorite albums of the past year. I hope you go out and pick up some of these, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

12 Minutes until Deadline

It's that time again. And once again, I have had trouble thinking of what to talk about on here. So, I guess I will talk about something I experienced this week.

This past week I helped host a Guitar Hero III tournament at work. I watched some awesome guys play the game. I was sitting there amazed by people hitting five colored buttons, a fake whammy bar and a switch while watching colored circles scroll down on a screen. Later in the week, I played some guitar hero with one of my friends for a little while and couldn't even do a good job at it on medium difficulty.

This leads me to my point. We can get so amazed by someone playing something like that (though it does take a whole lot of talent), but we forget how much effort that goes into properly learning how to play a real guitar. Even if you don't necessarily like a certain band, you have to give them credit for learning to play their instruments. Now that is not to say that all bands are good either. I am not saying to not be amazed. I am simply saying give credit where credit is due and don't take good musicians for granted.

Guilty by Association (Caution: Maybe a Little Too Nerdy for Some)

I was wondering what to talk about this week. It finally hit me today. (Warning: This may sound a little nerdy, but please stay with me.) Kevin, our managing editor, said something about playing Mario 64 and getting so into the music that he did his own renditions of the songs while playing.

However, isn't that what music is all about? Music hitting you in a certain way that you begin to get a certain association with other things. Whether it makes you feel a certain way or it makes you think of certain things, music is partially about this association.

My Confession:
I have this certain feeling towards some games as well. Final Fantasy VII, Legend of Zelda, and Wild Arms 2 all have music that I still hum every now and then. Every time I think of the music from these games I get certain feelings from them. I dare you to find another character that has as bad @$$ a theme song as Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII or a game that has more memorable music than Zelda (or any Mario game for that matter). I can still remember the music from wandering the fields of Filgaia in Wild Arms II.

However, I find this association the same as when you think of music from the soundtrack of a movie. Everyone can recognize the theme and music from Star Wars or the music from Jurassic Park. I mean who doesn't recognize the James Bond Theme? And you know what's coming when you hear the music from Jaws (people get out of the water! Don't you see the huge fin?! Don't you hear the freakin' loud music?!).

As far as music outside of soundtracks, people often associate songs with certain emotions and instances. I have heard several people talk about how certain songs or albums helped them to cope with rough times, or how when they hear a certain song it reminds them of this party they went to.

People have these certain associations. And for that reason, music is an important part of every one's life. And honestly, who wants a world where Mario doesn't have a theme song (insert Super Mario Brothers theme here)?

A little bored? The Beatles can HELP!

Sometimes you find yourself strapped for cash, but you find something you feel like you just have to get. Today was one of those days for me. I found a movie that I have been looking for for what seems like forever. I found the movie HELP!

For those of you who don't know what movie I am talking about, it is an old Beatles movie. It is cheesy, but it is also very funny. The Beatles are possibly the only band that could have successfully pulled off such a movie. Also, this movie shows just why The Beatles were so dearly loved. They are very witty and fun throughout the whole movie.

Ringo: There's more here than meets the eye!
George: Ho ho.
John: Ho.
George: Ho ho.
John: Ho.
George: Ho ho ho
John: Ho ho!
George: Ho ho.
John: Huh ho.

George: I'm always getting winked at these days. It used to be you didn't it Paul?

Ringo: The Fire Brigade once got my head out of some railings.
John: Did you want them to?
Ringo: No, I used to leave it there when I wasn't using it for school. You can see a lot of the world from railings.

Ringo: Look, John, I've had some great good times with this finger, and how do you know I wouldn't miss it?
-movie quotes found on imdb.com (an awesome site)

It also has some of my favorite music by The Beatles. Two of my absolute favorites are "Help!" and "Ticket to Ride." However, the whole soundtrack of this movie is simply amazing.

I must say the movie helped my mood today.

P.S. I apologize for any grammatical errors, but I was very tired when I wrote this.