When I was ten or eleven years old, I started listening to the albums my older brother liked. Nine years later, I haven't been able to step away from music he unknowingly got me into. I was lucky enough to be totally immersed in this genre when some of the greatest albums burst into the scene. Several of my favorite albums have been a staple in my music library growing up and have yet to lose their luster. Others, however, had such an impact after their releases only a few years ago that they couldn’t be ignored when making this list. After lots of thinking, re-ranking, and rewriting, here is my list of my favorite albums of all time.
10. Modest Mouse- We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank (2007): It’s not easy to make a fun album to chill out to rather than dance along with. Big thanks to Modest Mouse for not only accomplishing this feat, but for the album being really freakin’ good on top of it all. Quirky yet relatable, Modest Mouse couldn’t be kept out of my top ten.
9. Atmosphere- God Loves Ugly (2002): It didn’t take long for my list to get weird, huh? But in all honesty, Atmosphere is simply incredible and you have to appreciate the music whether it’s your scene or not. The beats are unique and even when other rappers try to recreate the sound, they just can’t pull it off as well. Plus, this shows the impact my friends from back home in North Jersey have had on my taste in music. These kids appreciate straight-up good music without remaining within the boundaries of any genre. Gotta respect that.
8. Senses Fail- Let it Enfold You (2004): This album just doesn’t get old. It actually freaks me out that it's almost 10 years old because it forces me to realize just how quickly time passes. It has some of my favorite Senses Fail songs and I still listen to the album in full several times a month. It’s just one of those staple albums that I can’t seem to shake through all these years. I’ll also always have a place for NJ bands in my heart and Senses Fail holds thar top spot.
7. Fall Out Boy- Take This To Your Grave (2003): It’s the album that started it all. At one point, Fall Out Boy was the emo band that made all the girls love guys wearing skinny jeans and straightened hair. Although the band has since grown up, broken up, come back together, and dropped their punk sound for a pop influence, you have to pay homage to the album that jumpstarted FOB’s career. Out of their entire discography, this album has the strongest collective set of songs and hasn’t lost its charm with age.
6. Balance and Composure- Separation (2011): Balance and Composure just gets it. This album is their first LP and from lyrics to instrumentals to overall vibe, they got it so right. Give it some time and this album will probably move up a couple spots on this list. It might even be replaced by their sophomore LP The Things We Think We’re Missing, which was released earlier this year. I can’t wait to see where these guys go and what they have in store. As far as I’m concerned, they are THE band to watch as they are only beginning to tap into their artistic abilities, with both full lengths being the one of the best releases of the year.
5. Taking Back Sunday- Louder Now (2006): Talk about a classic. The loud drums and heavy guitars make this the ultimate album for the angsty middle schooler (aka me circa 2006). Just like so many albums on the list, it has withheld the test of time and the songs continue to make you bang your head and sing along. It’s widespread popularity makes it an old favorite for many, which I learned after I put it on at a party and had a whole bunch of girls screaming the lyrics along with me. This album may not hit a deep emotional chord like other albums on this list but man, does it make you want to dance.
4. The Dangerous Summer- Reach for the Sun (2009): The Dangerous Summer has never disappointed me. From the release of this album to their most current release Golden Record, the band proved their consistency over the years, continuing to reinvent themselves without losing the sound that I feel in love with as a freshman in high school. Needless to say, Reach for the Sun started it all.
3. Listener- Wooden Heart (2010): I really wish more people knew about this album. Although I am already a big proponent of spoken word, Dan Smith’s “talk music,” as he calls it, bring it do a new level. Forget some of the more well-known, overproduced stuff in the genre that gets more media attention. Smith makes no effort to hide his rough southern accent, immediately setting Listener apart from the typical band in this genre. Brutally honest and raw, Dan Smith’s lyrics come straight from the heart and makes the title-track of this album my absolute favorite song of all-time. Woah.
2. Brand New- The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me (2006): Dude, it’s Brand New. That should be all I have to say. This album and my top album are nearly equally my favorites because they are both the perfect band making the perfect album. There is not one negative thing you can say about this album and if you do have something negative to say, you’re probably wrong. I went there.
1. Circa Survive- Blue Sky Noise (2010): In my eyes, Anthony Green is the greatest artist of our generation. Blue Sky Noise is the embodiment of Circa Survive, my favorite band, making the perfect album. It’s not just that nothing is wrong with the album; it’s the fact that everything is so good. From the emotional hushed moments that make you think to the booming sounds that give you goose bumps, Circa Survive hit the emotional core of what makes an album be more than music. Besides it being Green’s best writing, the entire vibe and sound of the album is a cohesive effort between each band member to create an album that is just so right. Listen to it yourself and you’ll understand.
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