The Best in Movies, Books, and Music
Essential Listening
Blackalicious – Blazing Arrow; The Craft – Blackalicious is the best hip-hop group in existence. Believe me, I love Wu-Tang, OutKast, Black Star and Twin Folk, but Blackalicious has made the most timeless songs in hip-hop history to date. DJ Chief Xcel’s beats are so funky, original, and soulful, they perfectly match the spiritual wisdom flowing from MC Gift of Gab. Trust me, these are two albums everyone needs to have.
Phish – Joy
How Phish is not on the radio routinely boggles the mind. Well, it would boggle the mind if radio wasn’t so atrocious. They have been the best jam band on the planet for 2 decades & their latest album Joy, is one of their best.
Phish represent modern jam bands the way The Beatles embody classic rock. In other words, this album is an instant classic.
Morningbell – Sincerely, Severely
The best album of the year, Sincerely, Severely is all blazing guitars, hip-shaking drums, soulful singing & monster choruses that won’t be forgotten. At times reminiscent of The Beatles and The Flaming Lips, it feels like Morningbell has heard the best albums in the world & fashioned a sound all their own.
Toubab Krewe – Live at the Orange PeelLotus – Escaping Sargasso Sea (Live)My two favorite jam bands of the moment, Lotus & Toubab Krewe, have distinct styles, but share a common trait – groove. Both live albums have the ability to lodge themselves in your CD player or on your iPod for weeks at a time & you really won’t mind. On Escaping Sargasso Sea, Lotus showcases their propensity for techno style jams, while Toubab Krewe keeps the African rhythms flowing on Live at the Orange Peel. Either album can send you to Shangri-La.
Required Reading
Lambby Christopher MooreRaunchy, hilarious storytelling about the formative years of the son of God? Lamb is the story of Biff, Jesus Christ’s childhood pal. Straight from the 13th disciple himself, Lamb is simultaneously gut-busting & heart-wrenching. Christopher Moore weaves deeply moving spiritual stories in with gritty tales of the Messiah’s formative years & produces an autobiographical page-turner that doesn’t feel like fiction.
Many Lives, Many Masters by Brian L. WeissBrian Weiss, a psychiatrist and Yale Medical School graduate, was far from a true-believer. When a disturbed young woman walks into his office with recurring nightmares, Weiss turns to unconventional means – hypnosis. The stories and wisdom produced by his patient’s subconscious reinforce ancient ideas about reincarnation and the spiritual realm. This book is a wonderful introduction to the real world we don’t perceive.
The Field by Lynne McTaggartWho ever thought quantum physics would be a page-turner? In The Field, Lynne McTaggart lets you discover the cutting edge of scientific discovery along with the scientists themselves, as she weaves a comprehensive story from the disparate tales of dozens of the world’s leading experimenters. Can your thoughts affect your future? What is the world made of? Is everything really connected? These questions and more are definitively answered in The Field.
The Places in Between by Rory Stewart – Afghanistan is a big country, hundreds of miles wide. Imagine starting at one end of Afghanistan , and walking to the other side. Crazy, right? Walking across a war zone? Who would conceive of such a preposterous notion, let alone attempt to achieve it? Yet in the winter of 2002, this is exactly what Rory Stewart set out to do. His story will open your eyes to a culture beyond foreign to most of us, and leave you with appreciation for the human spirit and how much we really have.
Education of a Kabbalist by Rav Berg
Kabbalistic Astrology by Rav Berg
The words of Rav Berg are timeless wisdom passed down over generations of Kabbalists, and simplified for everyday use. Education of a Kabbalist is the profound story of the Rav and his experiences with his own teacher, Rav Yehuda Brandwein. As the Rav and his teacher encounter people throughout the land of Israel , the proverb “love your neighbor as yourself,” is truly embodied. In Kabbalistic Astrology And the Meaning of Our Lives, Rav Berg explores the idea of tikkun, or correction. The Rav explains how your birthday relates to your previous incarnation, revealing the key to your personal self-realization, and allowing you to truly take control of your life.
Cancer is Not a Disease by Andreas MoritzIf the ideas in this book are true, we are looking at a complete revolution in modern medicine. Andreas Moritz examines the root causes of disease, including cancer, and determines uncovers dozens of methods people can use to heal themselves.Click to watch Andreas MoritzEye Candy/Brain Food
What The Bleep Do We Know A must-watch for everyone, What The Bleep Do We Know explains how our world exists on a quantum level, how people can become addicted to their own emotions, and much, much more. Educational and surprisingly loads of fun!Watch it now!
The Hangover
The God of Cookery
Most everyone by now has seen The Hangover, the most hilarious Vegas-bachelor-party-gone-wrong movie ever. Few have seen The God of Cookery, Stephen Chow’s comedic masterpiece made years before Kung Fu Hustle (another unheralded Stephen Chow masterpiece). God of Cookery is non-stop laughs, arguably funnier than The Hangover.
Coraline – Written by Neil Gaiman, the genius behind the graphic novel The Sandman, Coraline is smart and visual work of art. Think Tim Burton, only less Tim Burton. Definitely not a kid’s movie – Coraline can scare your girlfriend – it’s worth watching twice.
Good Hair – Black women’s hair, explained by Chris Rock. Best movie of 2009.
Capitalism: A Love Story Oh, no, it’s Michael Moore! As many bones as I have to pick with Mr. Moore, Capitalism shares information (facts) from inside America’s corporations that will have the most jingoistic American questioning our politicians. As always, research anything you find in a Michael Moore film, to make sure it’s true! (He’s on the money this time, literally, though I felt he gave Obama a pass). Change is on the way.