Day 1 - Albums

I have decided that to keep things interesting for the month of Nablovember, I am going to write about something starting with a different letter of the alphabet every day. While there are only 26 letters to cover in a 30-day month, I figure I'll just break for Thanksgiving weekend, and there will be my 4 days of non-alphabet.

Today I am going to tell you about albums I really like. I'm going to try to cover as much time-wise as I possibly can.

"Jagged Little Pill" by Alanis Morissette
This was the first album I bought all by myself with my own money. I was 11 years old and I bought it at a record store in Rhode Island while on vacation. It was on cassette tape. For those of you who are too young to know what that is... (just kidding). Once I discovered CD's, I was saddened that my cassette tape lacked the "Your House" hidden track. (Of course, a couple years later, I discovered Napster... ah, being 14.) I did buy the follow-up to this, "Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie", but I found it to not be as good as JLP and quite frankly her music went downhill from there anyway.

"(What's The Story) Morning Glory" by Oasis
When I was in 7th grade, thanks to my at-the-time best friend I got really into the band Oasis. Who doesn't love the Gallagher brothers - their hijinks, their banter, and - oh yeah - their music. I've listened to several of their albums and while there are many great ones, this one is their most solid and probably most classic Oasis. "Wonderwall" is overplayed on the radio to this day, after ~15 years. Let's not forget other great songs like "Some Might Say", the eccentric "She's Electric", the epic "Champagne Supernova", the Noel-led "Don't Look Back In Anger" (which I will pwn you on in Rock Band any day of the week), and the title track. Some great B-sides came out of this album too, particularly "Talk Tonight". I stopped paying attention to Oasis once they started juggling their lineup constantly... last I checked Liam isn't even in the band anymore? What the crap.

I still haven't finished this post and I started it like 4 hours ago lol. I am at work so, ya know, doing my job and all.

"Radiance" by Athenaeum / "Whatever album 'Everything You Want' was on" by Vertical Horizon
These are the 2 albums that bring me back to High School, going to Radio 104's various shows and festivals. Though I never did get to see VH, which was Goldfinger's fault for encouraging the throwing of mud during a very rainy Earth Day concert. Stupid Hartford, CT cops. Anyway, both of these bands, despite continuing to make music, kinda fell off the planet after these CD's that originally had put them on the map. But they were what shaped my concept of "alternative music" and really defined the style of music I chose to listen to between 1998 and 2001. Also, VH's version of "Gray Sky Morning" (the original - bet ya didn't know that!) is FAR better than the cover done by that one country singer whose name I cannot think of. As far as Athenaeum goes, Mark Kano had a really unique voice and there were a lot of great harmonies and melodies in the songs on that CD. I still listen to both albums when I can.

"Relient K" by... well, Relient K!
This album changed my LIFE, y'all. And honestly, it's pretty much their worst album. But on June 25, 2000 (yes I remember the date shut up), they performed a song about Marilyn Manson eating someone's girlfriend... and I was in ~luv~. Relient K has ever since been my favorite band. Not even my love for Oasis was able to last an entire decade. This album spawned classics such as the aforementioned "My Girlfriend", "Marty McFly", and their amazing rendition of the Charles In Charge theme song (check out Matt Thiessen on solo guitar... he's the bomb!). They went on to reflect their faith on a more serious note in "Softer To Me" and "Wake Up Call." They have clearly matured both musically and lyrically in the last 10 years.

"Turn The Radio Off" by Reel Big Fish / "Keasbey Nights" by Catch 22
It is these two albums' fault that I like Ska. That's all I have to say about that!

"Proof The Youth Are Revolting (Live!)" by Five Iron Frenzy
Consequently, it is the previous two albums' fault that I absolutely love this album. Not only ska, but ska for Jesus! If Five Iron Frenzy had a greatest hits album (at least up to 2001), it would be this. But forget all the amazing songs - my favorite part of this CD is the hidden track of outtakes that can be found at 7:37 of Track 18. People yell at me when they're playing because I am reciting them along with the band members. But seriously... the songs are made of win and awesome.

"Deja Entendu" by Brand New
Brand New tries to reinvent themself with every album they put out. This album is their best incarnation, with "The Devil and God..." following in a close second. I think that despite their order of release, if "Your Favorite Weapon" and "The Devil and God..." had a baby, it would be Deja. I don't really know how to explain how good this album is... it's just really, really good.

"Cities" by Anberlin
It was a long time before I became an Anberlin fan. I'd seen them live and was unimpressed. I downloaded their first two albums and was unimpressed. But for some reason, some time in 2005, I gave their albums another chance and pretty much didn't stop playing them for all of the rest of the year. So you can imagine how excited I was to hear they were releasing a third album in February of 2007. And of course I shelled out the extra bucks for the Deluxe edition with three extra songs. Every track was amazing. I think "Unwinding Cable Car" is the best song they've ever written. (Though my personal favorite song of theirs was the closing track of their previous album.) The other thing that makes this album awesome is that starting with their next album, they were signed to a major record label. We all know what happens when great bands sign to major record labels :(

"Beneath Medicine Tree" - Copeland
I wish I had discovered Copeland sooner, as they broke up this past spring. I believe this was their first album; and unlike many bands, it was also their best. Not to say their other albums aren't great, but this one is the most great! My favorite song would have to be "When Paula Sparks."

Well I hope you liked this list because it took me 4 hours to write =P