OK, on this spectacularly miserable

OK, on this spectacularly miserable day I offer my blatant rip-off of someone else’s blog idea and, for your reading pleasure present my baker’s dozen of fave albums I actually own:

1. Flogging Molly – Swagger
The first album and still the best. Loud, raucous, irish punk with a little more irish than punk.

2. Dropkick Murphys – Do or Die
Their first and their best. Sorry, although I love the pipes and the additional instruments on the last couple albums I just can’t ever get used to Al Barr. There’s nothing like Mike McColgan growling out “Caught in a Jar” to really start off a good drunk.

3. House of Pain – House of Pain
Two words: “Jump Around.” Plus the video at the St. Pat’s Parade in NYC. Can you tell I’m a bit Irish?

4. Black 47 – Fire of Freedom
“Funky Ceili” on MTV blew my mind and the rest of the album followed suit. Unfortunately the disc hasn’t aged well and they haven’t done anything interesting since. I still go see them when I get the chance and this disc can still wind me up but, man, what a wasted career.

5. World/Inferno Friendship Society – East Coast Super Sound Punk of Today
Saw these cats at a Flogging Molly show and was entranced. German cabaret style, singing about how Hitler ruined the good times of Weimar with a generous amount of vaudeville showmanship and meta-physical philosophy. Pretty freaking cool, plus the lead singer can blow fireballs with rum onstage.

6. Eminem – The Slim Shady LP
I loved “My Name Is.” and downloaded a bunch of tunes which, in turn caused me to buy the album (eat my shorts Hillary Rosen!). Didn’t listen to it for the longest time but when I finally took the time, damn! What pure genius. For pure, unfiltered, anti-social, misanthropy this guy is the all-time great. Not a half bad actor either.

7. Mighty Mighty Bosstones – More Noise and Other Disturbances
Tough to pick a best album but I dig “Where Did You Go?” So this one makes the cut. One of the all-time greats.

8. Cypress Hill – Cypress Hill
Everyone knows “Insane in the Brain” but I still dig the first album best. Saw them open for The Offspring once and while everyone else sat down when the pulled out the old skool stuff I was on my feet, yelling what lyrics I remembered. Good old mid-90s anger with a large dose of silliness helped along by B-Real’s Minnie Mouse voice.

9. Flogging Molly – Drunken Lullabies
The second album, never as good as the first but with some righteous tunes and one written by the bassist who always stops to say hello to me on the way out of the shows. Funny, these folks are probably one of the best bands going and I bought Swagger unheard because I saw shamrocks and thought some of the song titles sounded cool. Odd how life works sometimes.

10 . The Bloodhound Gang – One Fierce Beer Coaster
Come on, everybody loves this album . . . whether they admit it or not. We’ve all had moments like the ones described herein. Funky beats, and I can bug out to it.

11. Beastie Boys – Paul’s Boutique
I’m pissed at these wanna-be hippie morons but regardless of my current argument with them and their anti-war, Tibetan freedom loving ways Paul’s Boutique is the best disc they ever released. Right as they were changing from being totally rebellious hooligans but before they went back to their hardcore roots they put out this wildly experimental album. Cool stuff, but I don’t think anyone listens to it.

12. Creedence Clearwater Revival – Chronicle Vol. 1
The best tunes of their career and come on, I mean, it’s Creedence for chrissakes! Fortunate Son still makes me get into a doorgunner’s stance every time I hear it and start pretend machine-gunning godless heathen commie VC. “Anyone who runs is a VC! Anyone who stands still is a well-disciplined VC!”

13. The Star Wars Trilogy – Soundtrack
Always go out on a big note. From the chords of the Fox theme to the beginning of John William’s score this stuff defined my childhood. I can still whistle anything off this disc and imagine myself in an X-Wing wasting godless heathen Imperial troops. Yikes and awaaaaay!