Tag / iPad

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Top 200 Albums – #139 – 148

itunes_imageMy latest desktop computer arrived in late 2007, at which point I transitioned all of my music off of my laptop. 2 iPods, 3 iPhones, and an iPad later, that computer is still my main repository of music, with iTunes updating its stats every time I listen to something.

Having already gone through cassette tapes and CDs, and digital music, it’s time to roll everything up with the Top 200 albums whose songs I’ve listened to as of September 2014, according to iTunes. Today we continue climbing up the list, looking at the 8 albums tied for 141st with 29 listens and the 2 albums tied for 139th with 30 listens.

#139: DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince: Greatest Hits
iTunes stats: 30 plays
The greatest hits compilation for the one-time Philly based duo used 6 songs to comprise this total.

#139: Various Artists – On The Edge
iTunes stats: 30 plays
This compilation, featuring 80s alternative hits from the likes of The Smiths, Love & Rockets, and Michael Penn, had 5 different tunes make up its total.

#141: Katy Perry – One Of The Boys
iTunes stats: 29 plays
Katy Perry’s debut single, I Kissed A Girl, makes up this entire total all by itself.

#141: REM – Automatic For The People
iTunes stats: 29 plays
5 songs, led by the first single Drive, make up this total for the Athens, Georgia based group.

#141: Smashing Pumpkins – Siamese Dream
iTunes stats: 29 plays
The smash second album from the Chicago alternative royalty used only 3 songs to make up this total.

#141: The Beatles – Beatles For Sale [2009 Stereo Remaster]
iTunes stats: 29 plays
Only 3 tunes make up this abbreviated total for the remastered version of the Beatles fourth studio album.

#141: Various Artists – Reality Bites
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Top 200 Albums – #149 – 157

itunes_imageMy latest desktop computer arrived in late 2007, at which point I transitioned all of my music off of my laptop. 2 iPods, 3 iPhones, and an iPad later, that computer is still my main repository of music, with iTunes updating its stats every time I listen to something.

Having already gone through cassette tapes and CDs, and digital music, it’s time to roll everything up with the Top 200 albums whose songs I’ve listened to as of September 2014, according to iTunes. Today we continue climbing up the list, looking at the 6 albums tied for 152nd with 27 listens and the 3 albums tied for 149th with 28 listens.

#149: Def Leppard – Vault: Def Leppard’s Greatest Hits
iTunes stats: 28 plays
This collection of the Sheffield band’s greatest hits used 4 tunes to score this high on the list.

#149: Various Artists – Friends-Music From The T.V. Series
iTunes stats: 28 plays
This soundtrack compilation, released following the smash first season of the television show, has 7 songs, from the likes of Joni Mitchell, The Pretenders, and, of course, The Rembrandts, to make up its total.

#149: Various Artists – Monster Ballads, Vol. 2
iTunes stats: 28 plays
5 songs from this collection of ballads, performed by rock bands like Warrant and Cinderella, place it on the chart.

#152: George Carlin – Life Is Worth Losing
iTunes stats: 27 plays
Another comedy album by George Carlin takes its place on this list.

#152: Cracker – Cracker
iTunes stats: 27 plays
Only 2 songs from Cracker’s debut album make up this total.

#152: Various Artists – Rock N’ Roll Era: 1961
iTunes stats: 27 plays
7 tunes, from artists like Del Shannon, Dion & The Belmonts, and Ben E. King, are part of this Time Life compilation.

#152: Various Artists – Mallrats
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Top 200 Albums – #158 – 163

itunes_imageMy latest desktop computer arrived in late 2007, at which point I transitioned all of my music off of my laptop. 2 iPods, 3 iPhones, and an iPad later, that computer is still my main repository of music, with iTunes updating its stats every time I listen to something.

Having already gone through cassette tapes and CDs, and digital music, it’s time to roll everything up with the Top 200 albums whose songs I’ve listened to as of September 2014, according to iTunes. Today we continue climbing up the list and look at the 6 albums tied for 158th with 26 listens.

#158: TLC – Ooooooohhh…On The TLC Tip
iTunes stats: 26 plays
3 songs make up this total for TLC’s debut album, which I remember getting at Musicland along with Toad the Wet Sprocket’s Fear.

#158: The Presidents Of The United States Of America – The Presidents Of The United States Of America
iTunes stats: 26 plays
The debut album from the POTUSA also makes the charts based on 3 songs.

#158: Republica – Republica
iTunes stats: 26 plays
Only 2 songs make up this total for the band from Windsor.

#158: The Beatles – With The Beatles [2009 Stereo Remaster]
iTunes stats: 26 plays
This album, and all of the Beatles albums, would be much higher, but I lost all of the old counts for their albums when I upgraded to the remastered versions in 2009.

#158: Guns ‘N’ Roses – Use Your Illusion II
iTunes stats: 26 plays
5 songs make up the total from this album, one of the 6 CDs I owned when I left for college in August of 1992.

#158: Black Eyed Peas – The E.N.D.
iTunes stats: 26 plays
This total is split evenly between 2 songs, Boom Boom Pow and I Gotta Feeling.

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Top 200 Albums – #164 – 171

itunes_imageMy latest desktop computer arrived in late 2007, at which point I transitioned all of my music off of my laptop. 2 iPods, 3 iPhones, and an iPad later, that computer is still my main repository of music, with iTunes updating its stats every time I listen to something.

Having already gone through cassette tapes and CDs, and digital music, it’s time to roll everything up with the Top 200 albums whose songs I’ve listened to as of September 2014, according to iTunes. Today we continue climbing up the list and look at the 8 albums tied for 164th with 25 listens.

#164: The Mamas And The Papas – California Dreamin’
iTunes stats: 25 plays
This compilation used 3 of the bands biggest hits to achieve this lofty total.

#164: Frente! – Marvin The Album
iTunes stats: 25 plays
The debut album for the Australian alternative group makes this list on the back of 2 hits, including their cover of New Order’s Bizarre Love Triangle.

#164: Various Artists – Grease (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture)
iTunes stats: 25 plays
The soundtrack to the 1978 hit film had 5 tracks, from film stars John Travolta, Olivia Newton John, and Stockard Channing, among others, contribute to this total.

#164: Various Artists – Billboard Top Rock & Roll Hits: 1970
iTunes stats: 25 plays
This compilation of the biggest hits of 1970 by bands that would allow themselves to be on such a compilation, like Ides of March or the Partridge Family, has 7 tunes making up its total.

#164: Fiona Apple – Tidal
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by admin

Top 200 Albums – #172 – 180

itunes_imageMy latest desktop computer arrived in late 2007, at which point I transitioned all of my music off of my laptop. 2 iPods, 3 iPhones, and an iPad later, that computer is still my main repository of music, with iTunes updating its stats every time I listen to something.

Having already gone through cassette tapes and CDs, and digital music, it’s time to roll everything up with the Top 200 albums whose songs I’ve listened to as of September 2014, according to iTunes. Today we keep moving up the list and look at the 9 albums tied for 172nd with 24 listens.

#172: Tori Amos – Under The Pink
iTunes stats: 24 plays
Tori places her second album on this chart with her second solo album, thanks to its 2 hits.

#172: The Muppets – The Muppet Movie
iTunes stats: 24 plays
2 tracks from this soundtrack put in on the list.

#172: Warren G – Regulate…G Funk Era
iTunes stats: 24 plays
Warren G’s debut album places this high thanks to his biggest hit and the 2 follow ups that nobody probably remembers.

#172: Bangles – Bangles: Greatest Hits
iTunes stats: 24 plays
5 of the Bangles biggest hits contribute to this total for their greatest hits album.

#172: Run DMC – Ultimate Run DMC
iTunes stats: 24 plays
This greatest hits collection makes the chart thanks to 3 of Run DMC’s biggest hits.

#172: Mexican Cheerleader – Mexican Mystery Tour
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by admin

Top 200 Albums – #181 – 185

itunes_imageMy latest desktop computer arrived in late 2007, at which point I transitioned all of my music off of my laptop. 2 iPods, 3 iPhones, and an iPad later, that computer is still my main repository of music, with iTunes updating its stats every time I listen to something.

Having already gone through cassette tapes and CDs, and digital music, it’s time to roll everything up with the Top 200 albums whose songs I’ve listened to as of September 2014, according to iTunes. Today we continue towards the bottom of the list and look at the 5 albums tied for 181st with 23 listens.

#181: Stone Temple Pilots – Core
iTunes stats: 23 plays
4 songs, most of which have some sort of problem thanks to a badly scratched disc, come from the debut album from the alternative superstars.

#181: Various Artists – Dazed And Confused
iTunes stats: 23 plays
The soundtrack to the movie about high school in the 70s gets on the charts on the backs of 4 entries.

#181: Violent Femmes – Violent Femmes
iTunes stats: 23 plays
The debut album from the alt rock pioneers suprisingly makes the list, thanks to 4 songs that I normally skip because the volume on them is so low.

#181: Various Artists – Can’t Hardly Wait
iTunes stats: 23 plays
The soundtrack to the movie about the killer party in a 90s high school scores this high thanks to only 2 tracks, from Smash Mouth and Third Eye Blind.

#181: Blur – The Best Of
iTunes stats: 23 plays
Blur’s best of compilation, which I picked up cheap at a Black Friday sale at Best Buy some years back, made the list on the strength of 2 songs.

by admin

Top 200 Albums – #186 – 196

itunes_imageMy latest desktop computer arrived in late 2007, at which point I transitioned all of my music off of my laptop. 2 iPods, 3 iPhones, and an iPad later, that computer is still my main repository of music, with iTunes updating its stats every time I listen to something.

Having already gone through cassette tapes and CDs, and digital music, it’s time to roll everything up with the Top 200 albums whose songs I’ve listened to as of September 2014, according to iTunes. Today we continue with the bottom of the list and look at the 11 albums tied for 186th with 22 listens.

#186: Various Artists – TV Themes Of The 80’s
iTunes stats: 22 plays
5 different theme songs from some of the most popular TV shows of the 1980s contributed to the total for this collection.

#186: Robin Sparkles – Make It Sparkle!
iTunes stats: 22 plays
The 2 faux-Canadian hits from the How I Met Your Mother character make up the total for this “album”.

#186: 2Pac – All Eyez On Me
iTunes stats: 22 plays
2Pac’s collaboration with Dr. Dre is the one song from this album that I have listened to.

#186: Rancid – …And Out Come The Wolves
iTunes stats: 22 plays
The two hits from this album split the total number of listens nearly down the middle.

#186: Belly – Star
iTunes stats: 22 plays
The debut album from the offshoot band of Throwing Muses had 2 songs contibute to this total.

#186: Gnarls Barkley – St. Elsewhere
iTunes stats: 22 plays
The collaboration between mashup DJ Danger Mouse and singer CeeLo Green used 2 songs to make this list.

#186: Warrant – Cherry Pie
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by admin

Top 200 Albums – #197 – 206

itunes_imageMy latest desktop computer arrived in late 2007, at which point I transitioned all of my music off of my laptop. 2 iPods, 3 iPhones, and an iPad later, that computer is still my main repository of music, with iTunes updating its stats every time I listen to something.

Having already gone through cassette tapes and CDs, and digital music, it’s time to roll everything up with the Top 200 albums whose songs I’ve listened to as of September 2014, according to iTunes. Today we start at the bottom of the list and begin our journey with the 10 albums tied for 197th with 21 listens.

#198: Great White – …Twice Shy
iTunes stats: 21 plays
The fourth album from Great White makes this list on the backs of one song, which was the band’s biggest hit.

#197: Weezer – Maladriot
iTunes stats: 21 plays
Weezer’s fourth offering, released in 2002, had 2 songs make up their total.

#197: Various Artists – The Beavis and Butt-head Experience
iTunes stats: 21 plays
Cashing in on the cultural phenomenon that was Beavis and Butt-head, this compilation makes this list thanks to the animated duo’s cover, with Cher, of I Got You Babe.

#197: Various Artists – Billboard Top Hits: 1987
iTunes stats: 21 plays
This compliation album of the top pop hits of 1987 by bands that were willing to be included on a random compilation album places on this list thanks to 4 different tracks, from U2, Belinda Carlisle, Chris de Burgh, and Crowded House.

#197: Various Artists – 8 Mile (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture)
iTunes stats: 21 plays
The soundtrack to Eminem’s first (and, to date, only) movie rode his smash hit Lose Yourself to this spot.

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by admin

2013: The Year In Movies

2013 was again an off year in movie watching for me.  I managed to watch only 61 movies last year, one less than 2012 and my second consecutive year under 100.  Again, many things contributed to this, chiefly the insane amount of TV I’ve been watching and the awful amount of time I spend either at work or getting to and from work.

Here’s a look back at the first 50 movies I did manage to watch last year and what recollection, if any, I have of them. The films are listed in the order I saw them.

The Wedding Planner (2001)
A Jennifer Lopez throwback to start off the year.

Red Riding Hood (2011)
This was not a good movie.

Safe House (2012)
This also was not a good movie. I’m not getting the year started right.

Les Misérables (2012)
A work outing is the only reason I saw this film.

American Reunion (2012)
Sometimes you can go home again. And sometimes you shouldn’t.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows (2011)
Robert Downey Jr. returns as the great British detective.

Young Adult (2011)
Charlize Theron and Patton Oswalt team up for this strong tale.

Compliance (2012)
I streamed this disturbing picture on the iPad.

For A Good Time, Call… (2012)
A surprisingly good comedy.

Apollo 18 (2011)
Not good at all.

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by admin

52 Books in 52 Weeks – 2014 Edition

bookshelfA new year is upon us, and it is time to start year five of the goal to read a book a week for the entire year, totaling 52 books in 52 weeks.  In year one, I only made it to 8 books.  Year two doubled that total.  Year three used graphic novels to improve once again, finishing with 24.  Last year was the first where I dropped from the year before, only finishing 18 books, which was well short of the ultimate goal.

I’m going to give it another go this year.  I’ve got a few new books loaded in the Kindle app on my iPad, so I’ve got a good pile to start with.  As a reminder, the rules I am using are:

  • You can count a book as read as long as you have completed the book in 2014 and at least 50% of that reading takes place in 2014
  • Any book counts as long as you’re not embarrassed to count it.
  • Poetry collections do indeed count.
  • Re-reading a book is okay as long as it isn’t done this year. (Reading Twilight twice in 2010 only counts as 1 read)
  • Audiobooks also count.

My first book of the year will likely be The Big Nowhere, the last of the L.A. Quartet from James Ellroy which I am about 100 pages into.  There is also the rest of the Star Trek trilogy that I started last year and a new Greg Rucka novel coming out in June that I have already pre-ordered.