Top Tan List: Weird Things That Happened This Week

Either the planets have aligned, the world is coming to an end, or God just picked this week to toy with us. Whatever the cause, this was a very strange, though very enjoyable, week. In fact, instead of the usual This Week in É format, I've put together a post of the ten weirdest moments of the past few days.

10) Confirming a few of the rumors, the Boston Red Sox traded one of their stars, Manny Ramirez, to the Dodgers. The weird thing is all the former Red Sox stars are becoming Dodgers - Manny joins Nomar and Derek Lowe! Four years ago, that was OUR lineup!

9) As you should know, I'll be leaving this site when I move in to Emerson. Subsequently, Glen dared me to reach 1, 000 posts before I depart - and I did, by tagging older, previously untagged updates. Hooray for tags!

8) On this blog, you hear a lot about a famous linguistics professor/author/political aficionado named Noam Chomsky. This week, Professor Chomsky became aware of our little site AND had a little talk with our own Glen Maganzini. Good work, Glen.

7) Chris Mogni...yes, THAT Chris Mogni...made a splash, as he tends to do, with his first work as an Étudiant - two posts about his summer homework. Don't worry, incoming juniors - the required reading doesn't get worse than Walden. You'll like some of your required reading. You really will.[/foreshadowing]

6) Chris DeCarlo makes this list not for any post he made this week, but for any post he didn't. After a couple Daily Recommendations, he disappeared from the blog to focus on his homework. Congratulations to Chris for getting a life!

5) Glen's been posting videos for a while now, but the content of those clips has gone in a direction far from the daily newscast format. This week saw the darkest, most personal, most introspective video yet, besides, of course, Rex Lam's return to Wakefield. Joking aside, check out Glen's look back on the last three years, in a video that just might destroy any chance he might have had of getting a girlfriend THIS year.

4) New Étudiants aren't too unusual. This week, we welcomed a few new additions, Mike Brisbon, Brian Hickey, Rob Reinold, Petar Todorov and...Chris Mogni. Yes, THAT Chris Mogni.

3) The other co-founder, Chris Morrill, is a bit of an insomniac. It's not weird for him to be out somewhere in another town long past midnight - but for me? Anyway, I had plenty of fun hanging with Chris and Brian Hickey on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning - and the strangest moment had to be when we were approached by the most insane stranger we've ever encountered.
She spent about ten minutes talking to us - each sentence having nothing to do with the last. It sounded something like this...
"Excuse me, but would you happen to know a restroom I could use? I like your haircut. You don't put sea kelp in your hair, do you? Because I do, and it costs 83 cents!"
I could go on, but any more would drive YOU insane.

2) Liz, Glenna Regan, and I danced the samba. This story began when Liz posted about a dance class at MIT and invited her fellow Étudiants to it. Unfortunately, only two of them went, because only two of them aren't pussies.

1) I went to a George Michael concert. I've always thought he was talented, and liked a few songs, but I never thought I'd actually go to see him at the TD Banknorth Garden. But when my cousin invited me to go, I asked, "Why not?" And you know what? It was a good show.

Top Tan List: Ten Artists

10) Dave Matthews Band
Mr. Matthews has written many a great song, from the uplifting "Everyday" to the symphonic ballad "Crash Into Me". His band's mellow sound paved the way for fine artists like John Mayer and Jack Johnson. Must-hear albums: Crash, Busted Stuff

9) Twiztid
And because I'm insane, I'm following the quintessential mellow band with two hardcore rappers. Don't dismiss these guys as I.C.P. knockoffs - their lyrics, rapping, and beats set them apart as a more mature and adventurous act. Must-hear albums: Freek Show, The Green Book

8) Count Basie
Band leaders can't get any better than this guy. Whether he was showcasing Joe Williams, great horn players, or himself and the rest of his rhythm section, he always produced a tight, clean product. Must-hear albums: The Greatest! Count Basie Plays, Joe Williams Sings Standards, Basie at Birdland

7) Bill Evans
This virtuoso was a key player in the landmark album Kind of Blue. Besides backing Miles Davis, he could write songs and solo with the best of 'em. Must-hear albums: Kind of Blue, The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album

6) Duke Ellington
Duke's compositions helped create jazz while transcending classification. He proved that improvised works could be just as textured as classically composed ones, opening the door for all the American musicians who came after him. Must-hear album: The Essence of Duke Ellington
Click here for the top five!

Top Tan List: Songs

Like on my list of favorite albums, each song's importance and impact helped to attain its mention here. Of course, unfair, opinionated bias personal preference helped, too. I've included some great moments of each song...parts that make it worth your listen. Enjoy!
10) "A Change Is Gonna Come"
I'm no left-wing radical, but I do believe that, every now and then, change is necessary. So did Sam Cooke, who predicted the revolution of the 60s in this soulful symphony. Great moments: Sam's grand entrance 15 seconds in. What a voice. The second verse is a tragically ironic lyric, considering Cooke's death before the song was released: "It's been too hard living, but I'm afraid to die...'Cause I don't know what's up there beyond the sky". It's also the line that sums up the song, a plea for an end to injustice.
9) "My Generation"
Dig the Who before they got psychedelic, progressive, or pretentious. They remain the best band to listen to when you're pissed off. Great moments: The balls-out rocking intro, especially in this fast live version. I always loved when Roger Daltrey stutters, "Why don't you all f...", and you expect him to say something a little spicier than "fade away". Ah yes, the song that paved the say for punk. Speaking of which...
8) "Anarchy in the U.K."
This song remains the quintessential punk song. Sometimes, all you need to create a great song are three chords and an intense hatred of authority. Great moments: I love that intro, with its blasting guitars and Keith Moon drums. It gets even better when Johnny Rotten starts screaming the verse.
7) "A Day in the Life"
The culmination of the explosion of creativity that was Sgt. Pepper. What started as two incomplete songs became a symphony of the psychedelic. Great moments: 40 seconds in, Ringo does a brief fill that marks the beginning of the build-up. At 2:09, the tempo perks up as Paul takes over for the bridge. Believe me: not many songs can pull off such a change.
6) "When the Levee Breaks"
Sometimes, a song just hits you. Led Zeppelin could do many things well: blues, folk, quasi-Eastern music among them. But when you think of this great band, you think of their balls-out hard rockers. For many, the definitive work of this band is "Stairway to Heaven", or maybe "Rock and Roll", maybe even "Black Dog". Perhaps I've just heard those tracks a few too many times...but I'll never forget the first time I heard this song. Hard rock's just gotten harder ever since, what with metal, punk, and genres that end with "core", but Bonham's opening drums still pack a punch. Pay your dues, modern rockers. Great moments: Besides the drums, Plant's grand entrance at 1:25, wailing over the band's twisted take on the blues. Speaking of the blues...
5) "I've Got My Mojo Working"
This is far from the first blues song, but it's the one that defines the genre. Simple structure, plenty of room for improvisation, lively lyrics. Great moments: Speaking of this particular performance by the great Muddy Waters...his vocals, of course, which take over the song 36 seconds into this video. At 1:22, Muddy infuses the tune with another trademark of his...the call and response.
4) "Tomorrow Never Knows"
When you think of the Beatles, whether you picture the early mop-top days, the psychedelic phase, or the late classic rock period, do you think of this song? Of course not. That's the beauty of it - it sticks out from the rest of their catalog, no mater what years you look at. A truly unique piece and fitting finale to Revolver that paved the way for another, more experimental classic. Great moments: Some more spectacular vocals come in at at 0:14, this time from the great John Lennon. Things get a little strange at 0:34, when you hear that bird-like sound effect that is actually, believe it or not, Paul's laughing played backwards and sped up.
3) "God Only Knows"
Behold the highlight of Pet Sounds, and that's saying something. It has everything that made that album great...a creative melody, passionate lyrics, great singing and instrumental work, and masterful production tying it all together. Great moments: This is a love song, so when Carl Wilson begins to sing "I may not always love you" 18 seconds in...well, there's something you don't hear everyday! Even Brian himself was skeptical about this line, penned by Tony Asher, but he gave in after hearing the rest. Just a few seconds later, at 0:22, the bass guitar starts to hit some unusually high notes. Well, unusual in most music, but Brian's not afraid to break the rules!
2) Pathétique - "Adagio"
This is a song with a deceivingly simple structure - it's much harder to play than it seems. When I perform it, I try to turn every bar into the telling of a story, and to communicate the emotions involved. That's exactly how Beethoven intended it. He's another guy who, unlike his contemporaries, wasn't afraid to break the rules, and changed the face of music. Great moments: 12 seconds into this performance, "Phrequency" plays the movement's first instance of power with a climb up the keyboard accompanied by a subtle increase in volume. He more noticeably, but effectively, slows down at 2:16 before repeating the famous theme.

Yet again, the Beatles didn't make the top spot. This time, I'm giving it to another of the great British quartets...and it's not the one that often tops lists like this one.


1) "Bohemian Rhapsody"
Like how "God Only Knows" is the quintessential Pet Sounds track, "I've Got My Mojo Working" the definitive blues song, "Bohemian Rhapsody" has everything great about rock music and then some. It's a work of beauty that stands out wherever you put it...like a true Bohemian. Is this song a little cheesy? Of course. A bit pretentious? Yeah. But, when you think about it, isn't that what great rock and roll is supposed to be? Great moments: Right at the start, Freddie Mercury dubs himself enough times to create a one-man choir. The drums kick in at 1:55, and it's time to get out the lighter. Wave it all throughout Brian May's solo starting at 2:36, but abruptly end at 3:03, when the opera kicks in. The old genre meets the new at 3:13, when the band punctuates "Thunderbolts of lightning, very very frightening..." This mad genius continues to 4:08, when the guitar kicks in with a riff that has the mysterious ability to make your head rock back and forth rapidly.

Top Tan List: Albums

There's lots of albums I love. It pains me not to include classics like Dave Brubeck's Time Out, Sam Cooke's Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963, or the Who's Who's Next. However, I think it best to focus on five albums that are just plain important - discs that remain milestones in music, and paved the way for all that other great music. I've also named my favorite tracks, though, in these five cases, every song is worth a listen. Agree, disagree, or, even better, listen!

5) Revolver
One of the Beatles' best, and that's saying something. This album covers the entire pop music spectrum, from groovy sixties rock - "Taxman" - to techno - "Tomorrow Never Knows". The disc displays just how many things these guys were good at. Highlights: "Eleanor Rigby", "Tomorrow Never Knows"

4) Kind of Blue
Like how punk would kill disco years later, cool jazz destroyed be bop, a permutation of jazz that still hasn't recovered. Blame Miles, a man who did so much with so little, especially on this album. He turned the taboo into the norm, crafting songs not out of chords, but out of scales. Only musicians as skilled as the master trumpeter and his band mates could have pulled it off. Highlights: "So What", "Flamenco Sketches"

3) Tommy
Behold the rock opera that paved the way for the work of colorful bands like Pink Floyd to Green Day. Only an album like this one could have been turned into both a movie AND stage musical. The story's right there, and the best way to hear it is on the disc, as Pete and company originally intended. Highlights: "Christmas", "We're Not Gonna Take It"
2) Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
This album marks so many events...the beginning of flower power, the first concept album, not to mention a huge turning point for the Beatles. If Please Please Me is your brain, Sgt. Pepper is your brain on drugs. Luckily, all those hallucinogens failed to hamper the Fab Four's ability to create great stuff, with a little help from their friend George Martin and his orchestra. Highlights: "She's Leaving Home", "A Day in the Life"

Shocker: my favorite album isn't by the Beatles?!?


1) Pet Sounds
In his masterpiece, Brian Wilson argues that music is the ultimate form of expression. He's often labeled a genius, but I think even that is an understatement. He's the modern day Beethoven, a master of writing, performing, arranging, and producing symphonies that use our emotions as their motifs. He's the J.D. Salinger of music, a man whose work brings out the feelings of its audience. Plenty of artists try to do that, but I have yet to hear an album that's impacted me like Pet Sounds still does. Highlights: "Don't Talk", "God Only Knows"

Top Tan List: Artists

Welcome to the Top Tan List, a biased, opinionated ranking of musicians by someone who only pretends to be a music authority. Might as well be blunt, right? Here's the top five...sorry if the name misled you.

5) Tony Bennett
Called "the best singer in the business" by no less a legend than Frank Sinatra, I can't argue with Old Blue Eyes, who wasn't bad himself. Kidding aside, the guy's still going strong at 81, still singing great American songs with his still fantastic voice. Must hear albums: The Tony Bennett Bill Evans Album, Playin' With My Friends

4) Herbie Hancock
Truly great artists aren't afraid to venture away from a formula that's proved successful...I'm looking at you, Mike Love. Like one of his most famous songs, Herbie's a true chameleon, trying something new with each release. Must hear albums: Maiden Voyage, Head Hunters
3) James Taylor
We go from two jazz greats to the king of mellow soft rock? Yes, I am insane. But no one can write an ode or sing a tune quite like this guy, who's worth seeing live any day. Must hear album: (LIVE)

2) The Who
Let's turn up the volume for Daltrey's scream, Entwistle's booming bass, Moon's manic percussion, and Townshend's masterful strumming. Everybody wishes they could rock like these guys. Must hear albums: Tommy, Who's Next

1) The Beatles
Are you surprised? How many other artists accomplished so much in a decade, and went on to produce classic solo work? Must hear albums: They're all worth a listen, but my personal favorites are Revolver and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

The Top Ten Things YOU Can Do To Promote This Website!

10) Have a webpage? Link to us!
9) Post us as a MySpace bulletin or as a Facebook link.
8) Vandalize edit relevant Wikipedia pages to include a link to us.
7) Mention us on your blog.
6) Butt into someone's conversation and mention the website, explaining what it is and then rip out some pieces of paper from your notebook and write the URL on it. For example.


Joe: So, how about those Patriots?


You: I know, right? Say, speaking of great websites, do you read the Wakefield Étudiant? 'Cause I do, and I think it's the best website ever. Check it out! You'd dig it! *writes the URL on a scrap of paper and gives it to Joe*


Joe: Uh, thanks?

5) Ask your teacher if you can write the URL on the board. Tell them it's relevant to your work in class.
4) Write the URL on your plain white T-shirt. Write anything else you want, like "I <3 Glen" or "Think This!"
3) Use our URL in place of punctuation. For example...
Joe: So, how was your weekend?


You: It was alright wakefieldnews.blogspot.com


Joe: ...
2) Read one of Glen's posts, disagree with his opinions, then start a heated argument about it.
1) Just in general, tell people about us! There's no publicity like good word of mouth. To all who DO come to this site regularly, I thank you. And I know that you all come for different reasons. Some come to download the recommended songs of the week, others because I told them to, others because they're waiting for Glen to post something they can start an argument over.


Oh, and we're also a news site! Come here to get your news! We have all the news you need to know, be it from Wakefield High School or from anywhere around the world. You come to this site? You like this site? Tell everyone about it!