Top Five Albums I could listen to all the way through

Just a list of five fantastic albums that I realized I can listen all the way through without skipping a song. I had to really think about it a few times because even some of my favorite albums have songs that I don't care to listen to so I had to cut a lot of albums. Sometimes I'll want to listen to certain songs from an album but taken as a whole I find that I never skip a song but just let the album play. So here are five that I know I can always just start from the beginning and just let them play through. This is by no means a list of my favorite albums of all time nor does it mean only these albums are ones I listen through.

Nevermind by Nirvana- Some people call this the obvious choice, the "mainstream" choice of Nirvana albums but I'll tell you right now it's popular for a reason. Every song has hooks that dig deep and drag you into it's sound, an album that helped define part of my generation. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" still has one of the most iconic beginning riffs in music history, "Lounge Act" remains one of my favorite Nirvana songs, and "Polly" was the song that taught me power chords on guitar. Every song just seems to fit, to push Nirvana's sound, and give you a piece of the anger, despair, hopelessness, and genuine humanity of Kurt himself.

The Bitter End by Right Away, Great Captain- It's not just that this album is a story told sequentially through each of it's song. It's the feeling of the album itself that carries me through to the end. As much as I love Manchester Orchestra there is something to Andy Hull's side project that really connects with me. The low-fi sound of a sailor pouring his heart out, of wrestling with his feelings over his wife cheating on him with his own brother, of the war brewing in his mind on wether to kill himself or them. You get the sense that the album was written as a whole, that Andy carefully considered how each song was going to be in the context of the others and what results is akin to a musical journey. I let this album run simply because it seems so natural to do so and every song fits together like a puzzle, yet still remains listenable on it's own as well.

Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume I: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness by Coheed and Cambria- Not only did this album produce one of my favorite solos and just general rock songs in the excellent "Welcome Home" but to me is their best album pound for pound. Here Claudio takes the story to ever crazier depths by pulling back and introducing the concept of The Writer to his story. Fantastic rock hooks, an excellent flow from song to song, and the best of the song cycles The Willing Well make me just listen to the album start to finish rocking out the whole time. "Ten Speed of God's Blood and Burial" alone gets my heart pumping then he brings it down with "The Willing Well Part IV: The Final Cut" which directly pays homage to the influence of Pink Floyd and also brings genuine emotion as I realize what the song is really about. This will always define Coheed and Cambria for me and be first among their albums in my opinion.

The Wall by Pink Floyd- To me this is the quintessential concept album and my favorite Pink Floyd album as well. I can listen to parts one and two over and over again, getting something new out of it each time. It's such a personal album and you can feel that with each and every song. There is so much depth and meaning in every lyric and it's backed up by excellent musicianship. Again another album that people will say is the "mainstream" choice and I will argue that there is nothing wrong with liking the best a band ever produced. I can always come back to this album and dive into the story contained within.

A Flair for the Dramatic by Pierce the Veil- I remember when I first discovered this band at Warped Tour. I was just walking by the stage where they were playing a set and their music just stopped me in my tracks. The energy, the passion, and the combination of screamo, dance, and electronica influence was something I didn't even know I was looking for. I ended buying this album after hearing one song and fell in love with it. From the lyrics that seem to be speaking to me at times to the frenetic, manic, energy in the music I could not stop listening to it. It hooked me pretty well and I still like to just put that album on and let it just wash over me. A band that is just as good live as they are on their album they impressed me with just one song and this album remains one of my favorites.

Stasticity is what you bring..

Oddly haven't really been in one of my moods for specific genres of music. Kinda been all over the place as far as what i've been listening to lately. Mostly Modest Mouse's album "We Were Dead Before the Ship even Sank" which is fantastic. It's one of those rare cases where i actually prefer their new stuff as opposed to their old albums. It's got some great pop hooks but still holds to the kookiness of that they display throughout all their albums. When Modest Mouse get's weird they get really weird but i like that about them. They definitely remain unique in a world where music is getting more and more rote. Even the lead singers lisp adds something to their music, enhancing their identity and making them stand out. I highly recommend their music.

Other then that it's been more Manchester Orchestra, Right Away Great Captain, Kevin Devine, Nirvana, and Nine Inch Nails. Really just a lot of putting my iTunes on random and letting it just run. I think i'm going to try and see what i want to do to put more content on here and perhaps continue to evolve this blog. For now I'll just keep this post short and work on ideas for next week.

Underoath and Thursday, yay!

Well today is more about the concert i went to on Friday which was freaking amazing! I had bought the tickets two months before because i had the money and Underoath always puts on a good show. So finally the day arrived and i headed down to the Knitting Factory to attend. The place had a pretty good turnout actually, even if most of the kids were too young to drink. Sadly it brings out all the little emo kids but oh well, you deal with it to see good bands.

First up was A Skylit Drive who I had never really listened to till this concert. A post-hardcore band with a sing/scream dynamic like Underoath but not quite as polished or charismatic. I enjoyed any song they stated as being "Their new stuff" but honestly didn't have much interest in them. They just sounded a little generic to me and nothing really hooked me, i couldn't even tell you what songs they played. The crowd wasn't too thrilled either and they even got heckled a bit which was really sad. I mean i hate when Boise is represented like that because even a band your not interested in deserves some respect. Somebody even threw something at them after their song and they called the kid out. It was bad and not a very good set for sure.

Next was a wildcard not even on the ticket, the bands name was Animals as Leaders. They are an instrumental rock band that focuses mostly on freaking sweet guitar work. Both guitarists were amazing and even the drummer was doing things i didn't even think were possible. It was hilarious to see the people around me because most of the crowd were stunned and confused. It definitely didn't fit with the other bands but honestly they were so amazing i didn't care. It's the kind of technical guitar work that inspires me to play guitar myself and i was mesmerized. I don't think i would get their album but i would love to watch them live again.

Then it was time for Thursday, the first of the headlines and man did they get the crowd pumped. It's the tenth anniversary of their album "Full Collapse" and they played it in it's entirety. I have to say hearing that album live was actually better then the recording, they really put their all into the songs. I've always liked Thursday but they have been on the backburner but this concert really upped my opinion of their talent. They had a stage presence, they played their songs better then they were on the album, and really go the crowd pumped. An excellent excellent set!

Finally Underoath was on and it was worth the wait. It was the first time i had since them since Aaron Gillespie had left the band and they were mostly intact. I felt something missing on their older songs since Aaron was a big part of their sound but anything new they played showed that the band had found a new groove with it's members. it reminded me of Haste the Day in that way, rising from the ashes of the old into something new and still good. They were definitely on top of most of the songs though, the best set of the night for sure and played most of the songs you would want to hear. I still love watching Underoath play as they have an amazing stage presence and really work to get the crowd involved.

All in all it was a fantastic show and a great cap to a good week that i have. Now i've got Thursday and Underoath in my rotation for music alongside a renewed interest in Kevin Devine and A Perfect Circle. Definitely missed going to concerts and can't wait till summer when more shows start coming.

Oh what a joy it is to be free.

So it's been a lot of singer/songwriters lately for me thanks to Kevin Devine's album Brother's Blood. That turned out to be an excellent purchase and i really want to dive into more of his catalogue. He does a lot with finger picked chords and subtle shift and hammers in his music while also giving deep and though provoking lyrics. Especially the song "All of Everything, Erased", which I immediately set to learning and can play the basic shape of it if not all the little flourishes he adds as he plays. He has a very Death Cab feel to him and it definitely resonates with me.

Like I said i dived into a lot of singer/songerwriters due to that purchase and i forgot how good John Mayer is. His first album is actually pretty smartly written with catchy riffs and some very simple but heartful lyrics. He is a better guitar player then people give him credit for and his voice is strong. I haven't really listened to his other albums but i still gotta give him props as that first album is good stuff and i am willing to admit that.

Of course more Right Away, Great Captain and Manchester Orchestra as I love music from the brain of Andy Hull. He has become one of my favorite musicians with his gift of simple yet powerful songs and very insightful lyrics. His range is amazing and his guitar work is another benchmark i aspire to in my own playing and could see him influencing me from here on out. If you like bands like Brand New, Death Cab for Cutie, and Dashboard Confessional you should give either Right Away, Great Captain or Manchester Orchestra a listen to as it seems like the evolution of such bands.

Luke Pickett also makes his way back into my rotation, someone my brother got me into. He has an amazing voice and when paired with his guitar style brings a lot of emotion to the table. Strong strong hooks in his songs and some of the most poignant lyrics i've heard in a long time. If you didn't know better you would almost think you were listening to a girl but it's just his huge range and no one backing him up. I keep looking around for more of his music and encourage anyone else to do the same.

Also Iron & Wine is a unique and awesome singer/songwriter as well. With a very distinct voice and simple melody style he easily gets into your head. A breathy almost whispery voice gives his words some emotion and have definitely been a compliment to my pensive or contemplative moves. He can also hit you with some very catchy riffs as well and it's a treat when he incorporates the banjo into his more upbeat songs. Another artist to watch as he continually puts out great music.

Those are the ones I think stand out as far as the smattering i've been listening to. Damien Rice, Bob Dylan, Bad Books, and a few others have also been in the rotation. Also picked up the Mass Effect 2 And Enslaved soundtracks as well. I highly recommend both as not only are they fantastic games but are also scored well. I like that video game soundtracks have the same production values as movie soundtracks and evoke the same feelings. A piece of music can easily bring to mind a particular scene, character, or set piece in a game just as it would in a movie. Enslaved in particular is great as it marries Eastern Orchestral work with Wester digital beats in a very interesting way. And that about sums up my music listening for now, we shall see where they wander to next time.