'Blue'

It's simple. It's good. It's quiet.

It's headache music. It's a record you plomp down when you're dealing with a headache and the only direction you can go is listening to a record because reading a book or watching a movie is unbearable.

Side B is simply one of the better group of songs in rock history.

'Born to Run'

We can all pretty much pinpoint the greatest American movie. Even the greatest American novel.

Just toss in some Coppola, Scorcese, Wells, Hemingway, Fitzgerald and Faulkner and stir (isn't it odd how "un-American" those last names look? It's like a log book from Ellis Island).

But I'm here to tell you the greatest American album is Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." There is no more of a critical and seminal record in American history. Sorry to Robert Johnson, Leadbelly, Nirvana, Styx, Foreigner, 13th Floor Elevators, Mudhoney, Frankie Avalon, The Everly Brothers, REM, My Morning Jacket and Tool, but The Boss has the crown.

It's just so fucking sincere, so fucking desperate. It's impossible to ignore. Yet, it doesn't lose the ability to shake a hip and sing along.

'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'

Again, another example of a piece of literature or art that I can't imagine being created any time before 1910 or something.

Given that up until the 1950s American Congressmen were persecuting "communists" in a public witch hunt, I can only imagine what times were like in the 1800s, a time, that I imagine, including people using "healing powders" and bloodletting to relieve headaches.

Then Lewis freakin' Carroll comes out with that mindscrew and we're all supposed to be OK? It's 2008, and I just read this flippin' book and I'm not OK. Imagine being some kid in 18-whatever picking this up for a nice read. Next thing you know you're in the corner of your room, shaking.

It's really a nothing book and I realize there's supposed to be philosophical undertones, but it's so dumb and inane at times that I can't imagine it being anything other than a kid's book. Or an acid trip.

'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas'

This is a really cool book to read. It has such a style, a voice that is unique and true. It cuts the bullshit and shines through as a quality piece of literature in the vein of "On the Road." Maybe it'll never win the Pulitzer or National Book Award. Maybe it'll be championed by mild drug addicts and hipsters. But it doesn't make it bad.

More so, Thompson's character is so silly and lovable. For one, he is quick to make a series of poor decisions, but he's just as quick to not necessarily weigh the circumstances and potential repercussions and possibly, you know, rethink his decisions, but he'll dream up what he'll say to the cops when he's pulled over or accosted. This is what goes through a blatant criminal's mind.

Secondly, I think it's Page 191 when Thompson's character finally comes to the stark realization that the decision -- some harebrained scheme -- he's about to make might not be the wisest. So self aware and, yet, oblivious.

'American Beauty'

The Grateful Dead, unfortunately, has always been painted with a broad brush.

For one, I hate the jam-band label. Also, hate that people follow them around. I would've been very uncomfortable with that. Then there's the hippie culture.

There's never been a bigger band to wring so much out of hype and labels than the Dead.

With all that said, they'll essentially a country band.

'Liquid Swords'

Hip-hop is like real estate: I don't know enough about it nor do I know where to find the good stuff in order to invest money into it.

Through a college experience, I realized I did like the Wu Tang Clan. So I was excited about GZA's "Liquid Swords."

I was not dissapointed. It's everything I like about the genre (simple beats, no choruses, clean rhymes) and barely anything I don't like (layers of production, choruses).

Besides, it's tough disliking anything by a bunch of dudes who love old kung fu movies.

'Fox and His Friends'

The only problem with gay German cinema is that Netflix begins recommending a bunch more gay German cinema to add to my queue.

That and the penises.