The end of the year is a time when a lot of people like to reflect, with some making "Best of" lists of the best this or that for the year. Unfortunately, for an old curmudgeon like myself, I didn't like enough stuff to even begin a list, let alone to come up with the "Top Ten Best" of anything for the year.
Yeah, yeah, I'm sure there were plenty of great things that came and went in 2011. And maybe even one or two that will be worth remembering after 2011 has come and gone. For my part I probably couldn't, for the life of me, tell you what any of them were. I can't remember what I did yesterday, let alone tell you what music and/or movies and/or whatever came out in 2011 that I remember and enjoyed. (Although I'm sure there were at least one or two of them. I also seem to live in a bit of a time warp, and so I tend to listen to and watch a lot of things that aren't necessarily all that current.) I can, however, remember what I got for Christmas. I'm not that senile. (At least not yet!) So I can tell you about a few of those things. Because, as I was looking at the gifts I'd received this year (thanks, family!) I noticed that mine was a multimedia Christmas. So, here are a few of my favorite things, all received as gifts, in no particular order...
That's the Way That the World Goes 'RoundJohn Prine - Bruised Orange (CD)
The recent John Prine concert (December 3, 2011 at the Touhill Performing Arts Center) reminded me that this was a record that I did not have. Well, I used have it on cassette. But I don't know where it is, and besides, it was overdue for an upgrade to compact disc. This classic 1978 record, Prine's fifth, was produced by his friend, the late Steve Goodman. After his brilliant debut record, some critics called his subsequent albums uneven, despite the many great songs on each. But by the release of "Bruised Orange," John Prine had found his own voice and begun to shake off the label of the "new Dylan." With songs like "That's the Way That the World Goes 'Round" and "Fish and Whistle," this is a classic album by a great songwriter.
Hello, Cleveland!Rush - Live in Cleveland (DVD)
What's better than a Rush concert? Not much that I know of. But still, a concert that you're actually at is preferable to one on DVD. Nevertheless, if it's a concert video you want, this is a good one. Recorded during the band's "Time Machine" tour, this concert (in Cleveland, obviously) includes the classic Rush album, "Moving Pictures" performed in its entirety. Yeah, yeah, we've all heard "Tom Sawyer" a million times, but when they opened that second set and you knew the rest of the record would follow, well, it was a real treat. Highlights: "The Camera Eye." And, of course, there's always that epic Neil Peart drum solo.
What's that Lassie? Zelda's in trouble? Again?!Nintendo - The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)
According the analysts, the Wii's 15 minutes of fame are almost over and the next generation Nintendo game system is already waiting in the wings. But don't count Wii out yet, especially with an end of the year release of a new Legend of Zelda game. "Skyward Sword," the latest installment in the beloved franchise, once again finds our hero, Link, on a quest to rescue the princess. Princess Zelda, as princesses go, is second only to Peach in her frequency of needing to be rescued. This time around, Link sets off from his home, Skyloft, an island in the sky where residents travel via large birds called "Loftwings." It doesn't take much game play to realize why Zelda games are so great: because Nintendo gets it right. It's the attention to detail, like a visit to Six Flags versus Walt Disney World. Sure, Six Flags is fun, but it just doesn't have the depth of the Magic Kingdom. And that's what sets Zelda apart from rest of the role playing game (RPG) pack. Well-developed characters and a depth of story that you just don't get in other RPGs. The player is invested in the characters and the story and that's what makes for a great gaming experience. Get ready to say farewell to your free time.
I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts!X - The Unheard Music (DVD)
This DVD re-releases the 1987 documentary of the band X, featuring live footage, interviews with the band, and a look at the late 70s early 80s L.A. music scene from which the band emerged. This was not technically a Christmas gift, but my cousin, who lives in Los Angeles, sent it to me. The band has been touring recently, opening for Pearl Jam, and was going to do a screening and Q & A session at place on Sunset Strip. One could pre-order a (signed!) copy of the DVD and get a ticket to the screening. Obviously, I couldn't attend the screening, but I do now own a copy of the signed DVD. Unfortunately, it is not signed by guitarist Billy Zoom, but it is signed by John Doe, Exene Cervenka and drummer D.J. Bonebrake. So, overall, pretty cool.
It's a Hard Ticket to HawaiiGirls, Guns, and G-Strings: The Films of Andy Sidaris
What? You don't know who Andy Sidaris is? Then you must not have been watching Cinemax late at night in the early 1990s. This 3-disc set collects 12 of Sidaris's films including the classics "Hard Ticket to Hawaii," "Savage Beach," and "Return to Savage Beach." And really, that title "Girls, Guns, and G-Strings" says more about these films than I ever could. But these films have everything. Action? Check. Explosions? Check? Cheesy, pseudo-rock ballads? Check. Naked girls? Check. Several of the films star late 80s Playmates Dona Spier and Hope Marie Carlton, and a few of the earliest films feature B-movie icon and former Penthouse Pet Julie Strain. With all that cheesy action, music, and T & A, these films are like an episode of "Baywatch" gone awry. Or perhaps that's an episode of "Baywatch" finally done right.
And last, but certainly not least, I got a "Forever Lazy®." My wife claims she got it at a low price on a Black Friday special, and I certainly hope so. If you haven't seen the commercial, it's like a Snuggie jumpsuit. Sort of like footie pajamas for grown-ups. It's got a zippered front and a zippered butt flap for your convenience. It's perfect for those cold, winter nights; in fact, it's almost a little too warm. But it's the perfect companion for all that multimedia. Now all I need is
time.
