Here I come to save the day...

I think if you were a superhero, the hardest part would be coming up with a nice catchphrase.  Well, that and the super-tights.  I think we'd need a special kind of superhero just to rescue people from that sight.

Growing up, I was really into comic books.  I wasn't a collector, because I took them out of the plastic slipcovers and read the comics.  But I was definitely a fan.  The idea of having powers or abilities other people didn't have was pretty alluring.  Eventually, I quit buying comics, because the habit got pretty expensive.  But I remained fascinated with the stories, hooked on the characters. 

So, it should come as little surprise that one of my favorite daydreams is to think of what powers I would want, and what I would do with them if I had them.  And that's what I'll do here, in no particular order.

1. Cyberkinesis - This is the manipulation and control of computers and electronics.  It would be handy, if not for any other reason, just because I'm so bad with computers.  It'd be nice to be able to make computers do what I want.  The first thing I'd do is go to the casino and get myself a jackpot on a progressive slot machine.  You gotta have cash flow.  Then it's on to the corporations.  Time for a major fleecing, I think.  You can really see how small a step it is from vigilante to criminal...

2. Teleportation - I sometimes get depressed because it seems as if I'll never get to see the world.  Tickets to just about anywhere are prohibitively expensive.  And then you need to have money to stay in a hotel, see the sights, pay for meals, and go shopping.  And you have to have enough vacation time from work to go in the first place.  But if you could instantly teleport anywhere in the world, you wouldn't have to pay for air fare, you could still sleep at home in your own bed, and you could even bypass the need for entry fees in most places.  And, if you don't care about local cuisine, you could eat at home too.  And who cares if you have vacation time?  Just go on a weekend off.

3. Invisibility - I'd be lying if I pretended I wouldn't use this for perverted ends.  NFL Locker rooms...  I never claimed to be pure.

Playlist 2/28/11

Another playlist:

1. The Ladies - Non-Threatening
2. Brandtson - You Do the Science
3. Pinback - Walters
4. UnSun - Mockers
5. The Whigs - In the Dark
6. Nightwish - Walking In the Air
7. Jimmy Eat World - Call It In the Air
8. Thingy - O.B.1
9. The Sundays - Goodbye
10. Fifteen Minutes Fast - Move Me
11. Realpeople - My Wife, Lost in the Wild
12. Heavy Vegetable - Listen To This Song, Kill Pigs, and Try to Sue Me
13. Screamfeeder - Dart
14. Rob Crow - Burns
15. Delerium - Stopwatch Heart (Featuring Emily Haines)
16. Dance Hall Crashers - Beverly Kills
17. Kamelot - The Pendulous Fall
18. Reggie and the Full Effect - Caving
19. Other Men - Kind of Off to the Side a Bit
20. Goldfrapp - Strict Machine

Wow, that's a heavy Rob Crow presence (The Ladies, Pinback, Thingy, Heavy Vegetable, Other Men, and of course, his solo work).  I guess my PSP likes him as much as I do!

Becoming an Atheist

I thought I'd write a bit here about my path to becoming an atheist.  This topic comes up frequently for me, both at work and at home or in social situations.  These conversations run the gamut from philosophical discussions and reasoned debates to condescension and vilification for my "heathen ways."  In all cases, it's a topic I enjoy exploring, even if I'm not always the most knowledgeable of the various arguments or logical fallacies one sees in these types of debates.

I was raised in a Catholic household.  Church attendance was mandatory.  So was CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine.  It's basically like Catholic bible school for children).  While we weren't so devout a family that our religion defined every moment of our lives, it was certainly a large part of my upbringing.  Something that I've always felt set me apart from most people is that I don't think I ever truly believed in any of it.  I tried to be pious because it was valued by other people.  If you show how much you love God and the bible and Jesus and all that, then people praise you for being such a good child.

I remember when I made my first communion when I was eight years old.  One of the gifts I got was an illustrated children's bible.  (The other big gift was an Atari 2600...which do you think was my favorite?  Video games ended up being a bigger part of my life than God).  I used to carry the bible around with me, and read it like it was a novel (and indeed, I do consider it to be a work of fiction, so it sort of is like a novel).  But did I believe what I was reading?  No.  I just liked all the praise lavished on me for being a good little Catholic.

This dichotomy of believe versus expectation actually caused me quite a bit of stress as a child.  I remember being told how important it was to say my prayers each night.  We needed God for protection, and it was important that I remember to include everyone in my prayers.  And I did all that.  The problem was, I always felt like I was just talking to myself.  And because I never would have thought it possible at that time to disbelieve in God, I just assumed there was something wrong with me.  Maybe I was praying wrong.  Maybe I was flawed in some way.  And these feelings of being flawed or broken both reinforced and were reinforced by my dawning realization that I was gay.

So, take my tumultuous feelings associated with being gay (which I realized when I was nine, though the suspicions about it were there even longer than that), and add a naturally obsessive compulsive personality, and it's a recipe for disaster.  I used to pray fervently for God's protection for myself and my family and friends.  But because I felt like there was noone listening, I began to feel like the people I prayed for were actually in danger.  And so I began praying obsessively, almost like a mantra that I repeated over and over in my head, hoping it would suddenly ring true.  And if I forgot someone I would start over.  And if I thought of someone else to include I'd have to start over too.  It really was a kind of hell, and I was all alone.  I couldn't discuss these thoughts with anyone.

Similarly, when it became clear that I wasn't going to be growing out of this whole gay thing, I began to pray obsessively for God to "make me normal."  There were times when I stayed up all night praying with everything that was in me.  Of course, nothing ever happened.  It never felt like more than thinking.  There was nothing there to hear me.

Those were the conditions that really eroded my ability to convince myself that God was real.  But it took a while for me release the guilt of disbelief.  That's the real damage done by religion in my opinion.  It sets you back on your journey to finding your own beliefs.  Some people never overcome their programming.  Most religious families raise their children in that tradition, and never explain to them that other beliefs are possible.  So, for me, there was a winding road of alternate beliefs before I felt okay with letting go of religion.  I flirted with Wiccan beliefs, but they just seemed silly.  It turns out that I was drawn to it because the mysticism of it felt like a game.  That's hardly a foundation to build a belief system on.

I went through a period around 13 or 14 years ago where I called myself an agnostic, but really I was just picking and choosing the parts of various belief systems that I found appealing.  I figured there had to be a god, because what created the universe?  This was, of course, before I understood the concept of infinite regress.  But the god I was choosing to believe in was pretty far from the Abrahamic God.  It was more of the detached watchmaker variety.  And karma seemed like a nice system, so I incorporated that.

Over the course of those 13 or 14 years, I began stripping away those beliefs to get at the core, which was my rational conclusion that there was no god at all.  I've been identifying myself as an atheist for the past several years now.  And I'm far happier for it.  I've been distilling all the extraordinary beliefs out there and finding the essence, which is a refutation of the supernatural.

Now, when people ask me what I believe in, I usually say that I believe in science.  I try always to find the reasoned, scientific evidence to formulate my stance on the world.  It's a process, and I'm not where I want to be yet, but I think with time, education, and the ability to step away from supernatural beliefs, I can get there.

Wishlist 2/24/11

There are a number of new gadgets and games coming out in the coming months through the end of the year that I'm already beginning to drool over. Some of these I'll obsess over until I finally have them in my hands. Unfortunately, resources being limited, many of them will probably never be mine (unless Bill and I can find a wealthy benefactor to give us money just because we're cool...). Here's two of the things I'm most excited about.

1. Dragon Age 2 - This is the sequel to the console RPG Dragon Age: Origins, developed by BioWare. I downloaded the demo from the PSN last Tuesday, and it was such an improvement on the original. The graphics were updated, and the combat was streamlined and improved. I really enjoyed the original, but it felt sort of detached from the action. You selected a target for your attacks, pressed the action button, and you would auto-attack until the enemy died or you selected a special attack or spell. Dragon Age 2 plays more like an actual action RPG. Every press of the attack button translates into an attack on screen. And the animations of combos and attacks looks much more natural.

Another change I was happy with was the fact that you can now input commands for multiple party members at the same time. While the radial action menu is open, all action is paused. You can select spells or items to use, then close the radial menu and all characters will perform the actions you assigned. This makes combat much more efficient and less frustrating.

BioWare really seems to have taken fan suggestions and complaints to heart when developing this title. When you pick up loot, you see a notification detailing what you picked up. No longer do you get the obscure "Items Received" notice. Leveling up can now be done even in combat, and it's a lot more convenient. If multiple characters level up at the same time, when you finish with one, the next is automatically selected.

Luckily for me, I have this game pre-paid in full, including the collector's edition book. And because I pre-ordered early, I received an automatic upgrade to the signature edition. Dragon Age II comes out on March 8th, 2011. I can barely wait!

2. Sony's PSP2 - Codenamed Next Generation Portable, or NGP, this is the successor to the original Playstation Portable. An official name hasn't actually been announced yet, though many people, judging by the titles of a few upcoming games that have been announced for the system, think it may be called Playstation Next.

Whatever it's called, I want one.

I'm not really the most tech-minded person, though I love gadgets. So, I'm not going to list what CPU or GPU this thing has in it. I don't understand that sort of thing. I know it's a quad-core processor, so it's going to have considerable power. And some features have been announced, but no specifications given, such as the front and rear facing cameras. We know they're there, but we don't know how many megapixels they are. The 5" OLED screen is multitouch capable, and there is a touchpad on the back of the device as well, which evidently can have L2 and R2 controls mapped to it. Add on the full six-axis motion control, and the NGP can duplicate the full functionality of a PS3's DualShock controller. This means that a wider variety of games and genres can and likely will be ported to the system.

The NGP will use a combination of digital and physical media for games. But, unlike the original PSP, it will not use UMD format games. Instead, a proprietary flash based card will be used. There's not a lot of detail about the format as of yet. I've heard also that it has two card slots, presumably for both game cards and for expandable memory. I've not heard anything about internal memory, but I fear that it won't have internal flash memory like the PSPGo! had. Nevertheless, it should still be amazing. There's already a bevy of developers on board for NGP support, so there should be no shortage of awesome games to play.

I can't wait to get more information about the NGP. Most importantly is the price. Sony has yet to announce a price point for the system. I have read there will be two SKUs. One will be the standard version, which has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. The second is 3G compatible. People have wondered if there will be a data plan subscription required for the 3G option. I hope Sony does what Barnes and Noble did with the Nook 3G, whose access is maintained for free via Barnes and Noble. Either way, that's the version I'll be buying.

Of course, there are many more items that can go on my wishlist, but I'll save those for future posts.

Here is a short video showcasing the games in development on the NGP:

Playlist 2/20/11

Every once in a while, I will post a playlist of what I'm listening to at the moment. Usually, this will be generated by putting my PSP on shuffle and writing down what comes out of it. Here's the first one:

1. A.C. Newman - Submarines of Stockholm
2. Shiny Toy Guns - Rainy Monday
3. The Knife - Heartbeats
4. Treble Charger - American Psycho
5. Beirut - A Sunday Smile
6. Kamelot - Abandoned
7. Therion - Seven Secrets of the Sphinx
8. The Wrens - Happy
9. Reggie and the Full Effect - What the Hell Is Stipulation?
10. Santigold - L.E.S. Artistes
11. Lily Allen - The Fear
12. Fire Spoken By the Buffalo - Like Rivers
13. Nightwish - Beauty of the Beast
14. Puffy AmiYumi - Planet Tokyo
15. Dance Hall Crashers - Last Laugh
16. Pinback - Tripoli
17. Bo Pepper - Life Before Me
18. Cinnamon Chasers - Luv Deluxe
19. Remote Action Sequence Project - Sopwith Camel Pillow
20. Brandtson - Mark It a Zero

Well, that's an eclectic mix. We've got metal, indie, pop, electro... Good stuff.

Remember Me?

Well, as I predicted back in my first post, my stick-to-it-ive-ness isn't so adhesive. It's been well over a year since my last post. So, that's about par for the course. I'm trying very hard, however, to regain my interest in this blog. I think the main reason is that I've actually decided to stop writing in my personal journal. It wasn't going anywhere. It wasn't even all that cathartic. I just bitched about the same things in every entry. And I'm so lazy that sometimes I'd start an entry, and then realize how much of a pain in the ass it would be to write everything I was thinking down, and I'd scrap it. I am the picture of motivation...

So, maybe I'll give this blog a try again. It's almost a private journal, considering that hardly anybody reads it...

Here's an update:

I'm still working at St. Lukes in the Heart Institute. It sometimes amazes me that time has passed so quickly here. Ordinarily time drags on when I'm at a job. I'll feel like I've been there for years before the six-month mark. I burn out on jobs easily. So it's surprising that this April will see my third anniversary at the hospital. That's the longest I've held a job since the porn store.
The key to avoiding burnout, for me at least, is to give no more than is absolutely necessary to the job. So many people, in pursuit of money, will work every scrap of overtime they can snatch up. They'll work doubles, have eight hours off, then work another double. Fuck that. I put in my eight hours, and then I go home. I've done the overtime thing. I've done the night shift. They will make me hate a job faster than anything. So, I've been careful to avoid extra time on the job. And, obviously, it's paid off.

My relationship continues to be the one thing I'm good at. I am baffled at people that seem to work against themselves when it comes to relationships. There aren't rules you have to follow. I find it sad when someone won't call a person, because the "rules" state you have to wait a certain period of time. All you're doing is denying yourself the company of someone you like. People are so concerned about what they can get out of a relationship, and don't worry about what they can put into it. If both parties involved (or more, if you're into the open relationship scenario) are looking out for themselves, who exactly is looking out for the relationship? Hmmm. I should write a book.

I don't think I ever mentioned our cat, Luna, so I'll do so now. I'd like to post some pictures of her, and I will eventually. But for now that's not an option. She's beautiful though. And an utter pain in the ass. She was a feral cat that we rescued from under my mom's porch in Warrensburg. Considering her wild beginnings, it's amazing to me that she's become a loving and loveable pet. And if she has her skittishness and her random quirks, well, she's no different from us.

My mom retired last year and moved to Florida. While I'm happy for her, because she's wanted to retire in Florida for quite a while, I also really miss having her so close. I used to spend the weekend in Warrensburg around once a month. I've always been a bit of a mama's boy, so this is quite an adjustment. I'm getting used to it, though. And, there will be worse places to visit in the winter than Florida.

The final bit of update-worthy news is that our computer died a horrible painful death. You don't really appreciate how integral the internet is to your life until you no longer have easy access to it. That's why there will be no pictures in this post or in any other posts I may (or may not) make in the near future. We are saving money when we can, and hope to have a new computer soon. In the interim, my internet access is limited to work access, which I shouldn't abuse (ummmm...yeah), and my PSP, which is a fantastic piece of electronics, but certainly not an effective replacement of an actual computer. But that little guy has been a lifeline for us for the last several months since our computer succumbed to the rigors of time.

Anyway, that's about all the relevant information in my life at the moment. Hopefully I'll have a more entertaining post coming here soon. Or, I might just go another year and a half before writing again... We'll see.

Obsessions (TV)

Everyone has them to some degree. But for me, a combination of OCD, a pathological need for completeness, lack of a social life, and a higher than average geek factor make my obsessions a driving force in my consumption of entertainment products. Whether it's television shows, movies, actors, video games, or books, we single-mindedly focus until there's nothing left to experience, or until we burn out and move on to the next. So, for this blog, I'm going to devote a few entries to some of our past obsessions, and share what's driving us at the moment.

TV

Some of these obsessions are short-lived. For instance, several years ago, Bill and I became consumed with the need to watch the television show "Lost." The writing, the spooky atmosphere, and the deep characters was compelling enough that we rented all of season one, and we watched the whole thing over a weekend. This was all in preparation for the release of season two. By the end of the second season, however, our interest had burnt out to barely a flicker. The show really just fell apart and was no longer interesting to us.
We did the same thing with the first two seasons of Dexter. My sister had recommended the show to me, and so we decided to try it out. I loved how dark, yet funny, it could be. And the writing is top-notch. And I just love how you can feel such an emotional connection to a character that doesn't experience human emotions. I love the irony in that.

We watched all of season three in just a couple days as well. We have digital cable, and we subscribed to Showtime specifically for this show. We watched all of season three using the Showtime OnDemand feature.

Showtime worked out so well for us that we decided to order HBO as well. And that's led to our current TV obsession: True Blood. This show is fantastic. We subscribed just in time to watch season one before season two began. I love the idea of vampires not only existing, but being a part of mainstream society. It's just accepted that the supernatural is a normal part of life. It explores issues of fanaticism and discrimination, but maintains a solid mix of humor, spookiness, action, and drama. My favorite part is the way, similar to Dexter, the show casts unlikely characters into a loveable light. You can feel pathos for even the most fucked up characters and situations.

Other TV Obsessions past and present:

Reno 911 (Comedy Central)

Chuck (NBC)

Heroes (NBC)

Ghost Hunters (Sci-Fi)

South Park (Comedy Central)

Family Guy (FOX)

United States of Tara (Showtime)

Penn and Teller's Bullshit! (Showtime)

Hung (HBO)

Buy This Game: InFamous

I know I said in a previous entry that X-Men Origins: Wolverine was the next game I'd buy, and I still intend to get it very soon. But we decided to get this game instead after playing the demo available from the PSN. It's a PlayStation exclusive, and it is the best sandbox style game I've played.
You play through the game as Cole McGrath, a bike messenger in Empire City who is caught in the center of a devastating explosion at the heart of the city. He awakens from his ordeal with a bevy of electricity related powers. He can shoot bolts of lighting from his hands, knock enemies back with electric shockwaves, and fall from any height without injury. And that's only the beginning. As you play through you unlock many more powers, and can upgrade the powers you have as well.
The story revolves around Cole's mission to restore power to the city, and, more importantly, to discover the cause of the explosion and who was behind it. A recent push in video games has been to add more choice into the mix, and to make those choices have consequences. This game gives you very tangible rewards for the choices you make. You get to decide between the path of a Hero or a Villain. As you gain or lose karma, you unlock different powers related to your moral compass. And shared powers upgrade in different fashions. For instance, the evil path involves more destructive upgrades, whereas the good path involves upgrades that can heal Cole, or restrain enemies.
If I had one complaint about the karma system, it's that it has little bearing on the story. The story missions remain basically the same whether you're a good guy or a bad guy. There are moments where you get to make a karma choice, and that determines some small aspect of how the mission is completed. For example, in an early choice, you need to get past a barricade. You can either charge ahead of the crowd and single-handedly attack the guards, or you can start a riot from within the crowd to distract the guards. The first choice, in this case, is a bit more difficult, but you are rewarded with positive karma. But, after it's done, there really is no difference in the end result. You get through the barricade, and the story continues. It would be nice to have fully branched storylines to really make you feel the repercussions of your choices.
The real draw of the game is your interaction with the city itself. A large element of the game involves urban exploration. The gameplay incorporates free running into the mechanic, and that's where the fun really comes in. Cole is able to jump and climb any surface that has a handhold. And because he can't be hurt by falling (unless it's into water...lighting + water = bad bad things), there is no downside to trying crazy stunts and jumps. I could literally do this for hours. The only frustrating aspect to this is that sometimes it is a little difficult to jump where you intend. The game will actually pull you toward the nearest object that you can grab or stand on. When you are platforming across vast expanses of deadly water, this is definitely a good thing. But there are times when you aren't actually aiming for the nearest ledge or handhold. But whether you intend to or not, the game will pull you to whatever's closer. This can lead to some of the most frustrating moments of the game, especially when you are doing a timed mission or are low on health. But really, this is only a very minor inconvenience in most situations.
Overall, this is one of the best games I've played in a long time. It's as enjoyable to watch as it is to play, so you can imagine that it's taken up quite a bit of our leisure time lately. There are three difficulty settings (Easy, Normal, and Hard) so it's playable by gamers of all skill levels. And, for the gamers obsessed with bragging rights, it is trophy-enabled as well. Voice acting is top-notch, the music is eerie and evocative, and graphically it's very pleasing to the eye. Definitely a keeper. So, go buy this game if you want to enjoy one of the most enjoyable games of the year.

Obsessions

It seems like I'm in a constant state of want. Every time we get caught up in our bills, rather than save any extra money we may have, we instead blow it on games. Of course, that's part of what I'm working for. Sure, I work so that we can have a place to live, food to eat, heat or A/C and all the necessities of life. But I also work so that we can have the little luxuries that make life just a little bit better.
So, here is a list of my current obsessions. I won't rest until we have them.

1. The Nintendo DSi

This little handheld system is my primary obsession. Like the standard DS, this one is a clamshell, with two screens, and touchscreen technology. It's Wi-Fi enabled, has an SD card slot, and has the ability to download games and DLC from the DSi store. It also has two cameras: the one on the inside enables picture chatting, and the one on the outside to take pictures at 3.0 Megapixel resolution. And, while it does not enable retro-compatibility with GameBoy Advance titles, like the standard DS, it does have enhanced features for certain DS games. I want it. Now.


2. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (PS3)

I downloaded the demo from the PSN for this game yesterday, and I was suitably impressed. It was developed by Raven Software, the people behind the X-Men Legends series and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, so they have experience bringing Marvel characters to life. The gameplay was intuitive and ridiculously fun. My favorite move is the lunge attack, which allows you to make flying leaps over long distances to take down enemies. I loved how brutally visceral the game felt. For the first time ever, Wolverine is unleashed, and the result is bloody, gory, and insanely fun. In previous games, either the blood was toned down or altogether absent, or Wolvie is doomed to take on wave after wave of bloodless robots. I can't wait to get this game and maybe give a full review.


3. A 1 Terabyte external HD

I don't have a picture of this one, because I haven't yet decided which one I'll be getting. I still have to do my comparison shopping, reading specs, and researching product reviews. All I know is that I want one. I've had more than a few people suggest that I don't need that much storage. But the way I see it, why not just buy one, and you should never have to buy another one. I'd like to have the room to back up the PS3. I would put all our pictures and videos and digital movies on there. And I...er... have a lot of porn. And, of course, Bill and I listen to a lot of music. I intend to have mixes for different themes and moods that I can swap onto my PSP at will. Will I use up the entire 1 Terabyte? Probably not. But I'd like to try.

Top 5 Greatest Covers

Some people love them. Some people hate them. I've always been pretty solidly in column A. I think a well-chosen cover can be a nice endcap to an album, or a good energy builder at a live show. I like hearing a new take on an old theme. Some covers are very faithful. Some take so many liberties you can barely recognize the original song. And some are hilarious send-ups of the source material. But I'm guaranteed to give a band a shot if I see they've covered a song I love. It shows at the very least that they might have similar taste in music, so that common gruond may lead to appreciation for the band itself.

So, here is my top 5 (of the moment) cover songs.

1. Jimmy Eat World - New Religion (Duran Duran)

This song was on the Duran Duran tribute album, released in 1997. This is one of my favorite tribute albums, consisting mainly of punk, emo, and ska bands doing renditions of the most popular Duran Duran songs. As Duran Duran was my favorite band when I was a kid, and because I've always loved a cover song, I picked this CD up the moment I discovered it. It led me to quite a few bands: Home Grown, Riverfenix (later renamed Fenix TX), and the Wrens. But the best thing it did for me was introduce me to the band that remains a favorite to this day. Jimmy Eat World became an obsession after hearing their dramatic interpretation of one of my favorite Duran Duran songs. This one definitely falls into the category of "taking liberties", as the song is barely recognizable. Some of the lyrics are there, and a few intonations of the melody, but that's about it. JEW's version is an emo masterpiece, back when emo was about raw emotion, rather than mewling schoolchildren cutting themselves for attention. I still get chills at the screaming, emotional crescendo of the song. Brilliant.

This song led me to search everywhere for a full album from the band. I placed special orders, asked my friends, and pestered the record stores for any information until I finally had "Static Prevails" in my hands. I figured, anyone who could grab me with a cover had to have engaging original material as well. And I wasn't disappointed. "Static Prevails" remains one of my favorite albums of all time.

2. sELF - What A Fool Believes (The Doobie Brothers)

This is a remarkably faithful cover, considering it was recorded entirely with toy instruments. From sELF's fourth album, Gizmodgery (2000), this song is a quirky, fun interpretation of a classic Doobie Brothers tune. The song is actually very straightforward, lacking a lot of the wacky interludes for which sELF is known. Matt Mahaffey (the primary creative force behind the band) stays very true to the source material. But he still puts his individual stamp on the song, with his quirky, jangly keyboards, and the arrangement of toy instruments injects the song with childlike fascination and exuberance. sELF is known for wearing their influences on their sleeve, and they proudly declare their influences in the form of covers. They've reinterpreted songs from Liz Phair, Prince, They Might Be Giants, Depeche Mode, and Failure. But this one is absolutely my favorite.

3. Reel Big Fish - Take On Me (a-ha)

For me this was a real dilemma. I knew I wanted Reel Big Fish on this list. But would I choose this song, or their lounge version of Duran Duran's "Hungry Like the Wolf?" In the end I chose this song, because the latter was funny, but lacked substance beyond the novelty of the song. "Take On Me" is another faithful interpretation of the original, but it's injected with the humor that RBF deliver on their original material. Singer Aaron Barrett can deliver a comic twist simply by changing the inflection of his voice, and he does so frequently with this song. The song appeared in the movie BASEketball (1998), and despite how seriously a-ha took the song, it's delivered with a manic energy and humor that fits right in with the movie.


4. The Sundays - Wild Horses (Rolling Stones)

I've always felt that the Rolling Stones wrote some great songs, but I never liked the way they performed them. Weird, I know, and I'm sure purists and fanatics would have something to say about that. But I just prefer their songs when other bands are performing them. I was down to two choices here. I almost went with Jane's Addiction's take on "Sympathy," but in the end, Harriet Wheeler's angelic voice won out. Jangly, sugary guitars and ethereal vocals combine to make this one of the most beautiful renditions of a Stones song, ever. It's from the Sunday's second album, Blind, and it perfectly rounds out an altogether beautiful album.



5. Marilyn Manson - Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) (Eurhythmics)

I know this one would probably draw plenty of sneers and scoffing from the music snobs and industry elite, but Mr. Manson has taken an iconic song of the 80s and turned it into a creepy, evil fantasmagoria. From the "Smells Like Children" ep, the song sounds as if it was lifted directly from his own nightmares, replete with hellish moaning and wailing, discordant guitars, and sinister growls. Yet, through it all the integrity of the original remains intact. Despite all the trappings, it's a pretty faithful interpretation.