Easily the top of my list, another gem from the Canadian twin sisters. After getting it, I could barely listen to anything else. Seems like a fusion of "The Con" and "So Jealous". Grabs your attention immediately with a distorted keyboard rhythm on "Arrow" and keeps it until the chant back reflective "Someday". After a couple listens I also noticed that I like Sara's songs more and with a quick check at wikipedia I saw that I like her songs more on every album. How did I miss that? But Tegan is no slouch, just not in my same headspace musically. Most played: "Arrow", "Someday", and "Sentimental Tune"
2. "Cassadaga" by Bright Eyes
Feeling a bit more mellow, so I reached for a work staggering genius (lyrically). Conor earned those comparisons to Dylan here (and on his self-titled). Depression-era folk, Guthrie style abounds with that dash of classical Americana. He's grown up here, not angry or near tears like previous Bright Eyes, but still oozing emotion. Most played: "If The Brakeman Turns My Way", "Four Winds", "Classic Cars, and "I Must Belong Somewhere"
3. "Take This To Your Grave" by Fall Out Boy
Bet you didn't expect to see pop-punk here did you? It's how I earned my music loving stripes and still carries good memories, in this case a show in Des Moines in November 2003 with 30 people. A pretty good album at that, lacking production and the instrumental skill that recent years have brought, but making up for it with heart. "Saturday" shows the bands hardcore/metal roots and displays Patrick's amazing voice and feels at home following a near acoustic song. I forgot how timeless this sounds too, if you remember high school that is. Maybe that explains their rise, 3000 at a concert in Sept. 2004 and stadiums by spring of 2005. Most played: "Saturday", "The Patron Saints of Liars and Fakes", and "Chicago is So Two Years Ago" (my first experience with them).
4. "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix" by Phoenix
Damn this is a catchy disc. I also realized that Phoenix is basically France's version of Bloc Party, and decided more countries should have bands like Bloc Party. A couple songs sound a bit too similar, but I write that off to have their style down so well. Though "Lasso" is kind of an extension of "1901"...I'd have placed them next to each other. Also I kind of forget they are French, they could easily have been pulled from the Brooklyn scene. Most Played: "1901", "Listzomania", and "Armistice"
5. "Cycles" by Cartel
A reminder of why I loved them in the first place, their 2004 EP has returned sonically.They moved out of the Dr. Pepper bubble/publicity stunt. That album was so over-produced it nearly drowned. The first song "Let's Go" reminds me a lot of "Honestly". Just some really great pop-punk, left raw like it should be. Kind of reminds me of certain Blink 182 stuff. Plus a "we did it live" O'Reilly shot in the lyrics of "Faster Lyrics". Most Played: "The Perfect Mistake", "Let's Go", and "27 Steps"
6. "Red of Tooth And Claw" by Murder By Death
If Johnny Cash made western horror story concept albums it would sound like this. Actually it would sound less good because they have a cellist. Lead singer Adam Turla famous described it as a "Homer's Odyssey of revenge, only without the honorable character at the center." My favorite/most played was used in the trailer for "Inglorious Basterds" as well. Oh and they are amazing live, with black and white westerns projected on the stage behind them. They play New Years Eve shows in Iowa City most years lasting until after 3am Most played: "Coming Home", "'52 Ford", and "Rum Brave"
7. "In Defense of The Genre" by Say Anything
Last week I mentioned his critique of a genre on "Admit It!", well here he does an about face. This was written after 3 mental breakdowns and eventually recovery. To my ear this is among the greatest double discs ever made, in part because its a concept album. It takes a certain skill to put almost 90 minutes of music on 27 songs. More to make it have indie, rock, emo, rap, spoken word, electronic, dance, and industrial songs. There are screams and whispers and even a couple jokes "Sorry Dudes, My Bad" and "Died a Jew" come to mind. The former talks about his breakdowns, the later about race relations:
you say you hate the shade of my faceThe amazing thing that as different as the two discs are, they aren't that great alone. Most played: "No Soul", "Died A Jew", "Have At Thee!", "We Killed It" and "The Church Channel"
for my father's sharecrops
my people were slaves, before yours invented hip hop
apologize, but i'm in on the joke
another brother to scoff at the dancing patterns of white folk
8. "Sleep Is For the Week" by Frank Turner
What have I not said about this album already? Most played: "A Decent Cup Of Tea", "Romantic Fatigue", and "Once We Were Anarchists"
9. "The Twilight Saga: New Moon Soundtrack" by Various Artists
Everything about me tells me not to like Twilight, but the author is a music junkie like myself. A really great soundtrack, and I might just see this movie to see where these songs end up going. All songs were written specifically for this, except the Muse song (which is a special remix, so it's a toss up). A collection of indie all-stars and a feat that in an album with Bon Iver, Muse, Grizzly Bear, and Death Cab For Cutie my favorite song is my someone I've never heard before (Anya Marina). Most played: "Satellite Heart" (by Anya Marina), "Roslyn" (by Bon Iver and St. Vincent), "Meet Me On The Equinox" (by Death Cab), and "A White Demon Love Song" (by The Killers).
10. "Sing The Sorrow" by AFI
There is something pure about this album. Maybe it is just what I feel about that point in my life. Here AFi shook off most of their hardcore punk roots and traded it in for a more alt-rock feel. The first time I ever heard synthesizers and rock music and dammit if I wasn't hooked. One of the deepest albums I've ever heard, just listen to it with headphones in a quiet, maybe dark place. Still 6 years out I hear new things, especially on the last epic-poem style track. Most played: "Bleed Black", "The Great Disappointment", and "...But Home Is Nowhere" (that epic last track, all 15 minutes of it)
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