Recommendation for the Week, 11/7-11/13

With all the junk that we've had to endure from horror movies in recent years (the last 4 movies in the Saw series, Slither, and countless other thoughtless reboots of classics), it seems the worst is yet to come. Zombies are all the rage now, as many sci-fi fans are trying to break free from the vampire theme (Twilight has basically ruined vampires forever; and not the "Edward loves Bella forever kind, either. I mean the "man, this class drags on forever," kind of forever). This is a cause for concern, because zombies are really the only pure horror figures we have left, and at some point, someone's going to ruin that too.

But that's not the point. Over the years, I've noticed the theme of zombies coming back to life in music in a big way, with bands who were "dead" coming out with albums that saved their careers. However, sometimes the band can never outgrow that disappointing album, and become the zombie versions of their former selves. That brings us to this week's theme: a split-themed week, with bands whose entire careers were killed in one album, and the bands who were able to overcome a bad album to come back from the dead and reurrect their careers. We'll start it off with those who lost their way first:

50 Cent- Curtis: We all know the story behind this one by now: Kanye West and 50 were both set to release new albums on the same day, 50 said he'd retire if Kanye beat him in first-week sales, and you guessed it, Kanye's Graduation smacked Curtis, selling over 200k more copies. And while the two albums set a record for the highest week of record sales in nearly a decade, many 50 fans were disappointed with a lackluster effort that saw the supposed gangster rapper collaborating with many pop artists, ruining his reputation. 50 faded into obscurity shortly thereafter, and although he has released a new album since then (the also underwhelming Before I Self Destruct), many fans have written 50 off as a passing trend by now, while Kanye still tops the charts.

The Used- Lies for the Liars: After nearly five years atop the emo underground, The Used saw success from In Love and Death as a springboard for them to branch out and get experimental, and those branches snapped almost as quickly as they grew. Lies for the Liars carried little of the raw emotion that has become the signature Used sound, and the band's album Artwork, which was released last year, did little to recover from the disappointing Lies. While The Used's fanbase continues to be one of the largest around, many fans only stick around their sets to hear "The Taste of Ink" and "All That I've Got," hoping the band plays the two songs early in their sets so they can skip out early and beat traffic.

Atreyu- Lead Sails Paper Anchor: In the Long Beach, California hardcore scene, Atreyu were praised for staying true to their sound while Avenged Sevenfold dropped their screaming significantly and received mainstream radio attention. To thank those who still supported them, the band decided to do the exact same thing, releasing the inexplicable Lead Sails Paper Anchor. In it, Alex Varkatzas drops his signature deep scream altogether for rougher clean vocals. Atreyu's noteworthy musicianship is still there, but on Lead Sails and the band's next album Congregation of the Damned lacked any kind of lyrical substance as seen on The Curse or A Death-Grip on Yesterday, as Atreyu continue to blindly chase more fans, sacrificing their originality and credibility in the process.

Mayday Parade- Anywhere But Here: Mayday Parade made waves with their EP Tales Told by Dead Friends, and backed that up with their stellar full-length debut A Lesson in Romantics. But when vocalist Jason Lancaster left the band shortly after Romantics was released, the band lost its key songwriter in addition to the dual-vocalists that set them apart in the pop-punk scene. Whatever Romantics did to set MP apart was nullified with Anywhere But Here, which serves as a reminder of how important Lancaster was to the band, and how poorly they will continue to fare without him.

Taking Back Sunday-New Again: After John Nolan was replaced by Fred Mascherano, TBS fans thought that the band could weather the storm and make another album like their emo classic Tell All Your Friends. But when Mascherano revealed he was leaving the band to pursue his side project The Color Fred full-time, Adam Lazarra took over all vocal responsibilities, and the band unfortunately released New Again. The album is loved by some, hated by many, and regarded by almost all as the band's worst album. Hell, even Lazarra himself has gone on the record in interviews saying the album wasn't good. In another admission of defeat, the band has now re-formed with the lineup that released Tell All Your Friends in order to salvage whatever they can from the wreckage of Ew Again. No, that wasn't a typo.

Now that we've explored the albums that "killed" bands, let's look on the brighter side of things, to the albums that saved bands:

Cartel- Cycles: "Let me reintroduce myself as a man with a cause." Has the first line of an album ever been as telling of what's to come as Will Pugh's first line of "Let's Go"? Cycles drove Cartel from the pop-punk wasteland back into the good graces of fans after the debacle in the bubble, and the band's nonstop touring ever since has proven they are still a hot commodity in the pop-punk scene thanks to the beautiful sonic experience of Cycles.

New Found Glory- Not Without a Fight: When Coming Home was viewed as a disappointment to fans, many thought NFG's best days were far behind them. But in 2009, the band proved that they wouldn't just fade away, and Not Without a  Fight is a 30-minute plus testimony to how good the band is. While there isn't a monster single like "My Friends Over You" or "All Downhill From Here," it can be argued that this is the best NFG album from start to finish, which proves that though all their members are over the age of thirty, they're still the kids everyone fell in love with ten years ago.

The Audition- Great Danger: While it was nice enough for Glamour Kills to let The Audition record Self-Titled Album in their new studio, I think it's safe to say they should just stick to clothes. The unfocused, watered-down effort wasn't exactly a good career for the band, but Great Danger has successfully pulled them from the grave they dug themselves, with Danny Stevens' best vocal effort of the band's career. The heart-on-sleeve lyrics that felt a little distant on Self-Titled are the prevalent theme throughout Great Danger, and the band have found their footing in the pop-punk scene, where they're likely to stay for years to come.

Jimmy Eat World- Bleed American: When Capitol Records dropped them after the commercially disappointing Clarity, Jimmy Eat World considered calling it quits. Now, almost ten years later, millions of Jimmy Eat World fans (yes, I said millions) see how horrible it would have been without them. Not only is this a member of my "best comebacks" list, it may just be the best of all-time, as JEW have released three stellar albums since Bleed American (this year's Invented is now available), showing how the album that almost never was extended Jimmy Eat World's career, and solidified them as one of the best bands of the new millennium.

Eminem- Recovery: After a drug relapse, the album Relapse, and a couple of beautiful daughters who needed a father, many though Eminem was done. But one of the most loved rappers of the last decade proves that no matter how down we are, there's always a chance for Recovery. Monster singles "Not Afraid" and "Love the Way You Lie" cemented Em's legacy, while "We Won't Back Down" and "No Love" prove that the album is a major success as a whole, including the two quality singles released. While Relapse almost did enough to shelf Em's career, Recovery just may cement his place as a legend of American music.

There are so many more albums that could have been on either list, so let's hear them. Which would have made your lists? Did I get any of these wrong? Leave it in the comments, and Happy Veterans' Day!