Descendents - Everything Sucks

I've gone through all of my teenage years listening to this album, and honestly, I would have to say it's the reason I got into listening to any sort of punk. When I was about thirteen, this album ended up on my ipod due to an older friend borrowing it for a couple days. I was just lucky that I actually gave it a shot and listened to it. It's a lot different from their pre-Milo-going-to-college-to-become-a-biochemist material. Everything Sucks is nothing like their 80's hardcore music they put out before the almost-10 year hiatus. I'd hate to call it pop-punk because I don't want to imply any of the sounds that modern "pop-punk" can encompass. It's just melodic punk with catchy lyrics you can relate to, it's like Milo's in my head, saying the things I can't put into words. They're extremely personal and deal with a lot of things a high school kid goes through, such as relationships, getting hurt, having no one understand you, and just general angst, as well as happier songs that you can relate to. It's just an incredible record, and it's definitely in my top 10 albums.

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American Football - American Football

I didn't discover 90's Emo or Math Rock until a couple years ago, and I was never really into those genres until my friend Shane geeked out over a Cap'n Jazz reunion show. Under the influence of Shane, I acquired Analphabetapolothology, a massive Cap'n Jazz compilation. I was extremely impressed, mostly due to singer and guitarist Mike Kinsella, who I later found out was part of a ton of other bands... including American Football. So, I downloaded American Football's self-titled album and I was instantly obsessed with it. It was on repeat for weeks and it got me through some really lonely times. Any time I'm lost in my thoughts, I put this on and just think. Kinsella has made perfect music for all us introverts out there. I really love all of Kinsella's other projects, too, but American Football is killer. Recommended for anyone who's been let down, in one way or another.

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Some Songs for Summer.

We are well into July, so I figured I'd share a few albums that are essential to my Summers. Here we go:

1. Belle and Sebastian - The Life Pursuit



My favorite part of Summer is the first day I notice the sunshine again, and how it can somehow instantly make me happy. I mean, Winter has always been my favorite season, but there's something about those initial days of Summer where you just feel really free and lighthearted. On those days, I prefer to listen to this album before anything else. The Life Pursuit practically oozes of indie pop positivity. All songs flow with melodic ease to the next, letting each song fit together like a puzzle. There's not one track that feels out of place or irrelevant, giving it a little more polish and cohesiveness than Belle and Sebastian's previous work. If you're looking for music to de-stress or something that will just put a smile on your face, check it out.


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2. Heathers - Here, Not There



Heathers is a folk-acoustic duo consisting of twin sisters from Dublin, Louise and Ellie Macnamara. I discovered Heathers at Crucial Fest '08 in Lexington, Kentucky, only weeks after the release of Here, Not There. I was instantly blown away by the incredible guitar skills of Louise, not to mention the immediacy of both Louise and Ellie's vocals. Their voices compliment and harmonize so well together, you almost can't help but sing along with them. I hear them compared to Tegan and Sara, but I honestly think they have nothing on Heathers. Heathers lyrics are full of wit and relatability, while their voices play off each other perfectly. This album is a great sing-a-long record.

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3. of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping



Before listening to Skeletal Lamping, it's probably best that you know a little bit about Kevin Barnes, the songwriter and vocalist for of Montreal. The band is essentially his brainchild and creative outlet, and he is definitely a demented individual. Skeletal Lamping is a clusterfuck of funk and electronica beats, woven through some indie pop melodies and ridiculous but infectious lyrics. For example, Barns declares "I'm just a black she-male..." in 'Wicked Wisdom', then, in 'An Eluardian Instance', Barns begins the song as a sort of love note to someone he wants to really get to know... writing, "...you should know that I am not just searching for some first time high...", then he ends the song expressing his want to leave the relationship all together. Personally, it took a few listens to even remotely understand and appreciate this album... but as confusing and twisted as the tracks are, it's fun and irrelevant. Guaranteed to get stuck in your head at some point.


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4. Wavves - King of the Beach



Wavves is like the musical incarnation of Summer. They've only been around two years, and they already have a huge following. This album definitely takes some getting used to, though, especially for newcomers to the Lo-Fi scene; but, once you do get past some of the distortion, you’ll find a pretty damn good record, chiefly due to the subject maters of the songs, which are full of nostalgia for such things as Super Soakers, baseball cards, and of course, being the ”King of the Beach”. It’s totally worth checking out if you’re in need of some awesome Noise Pop.

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The Protomen

After first listening to these two albums, I didn’t really know what to think. I initially thought that it was obviously mocking both the huge, overdramatic Rock Operas of the 70s and 80s and the fanaticism that some people have for retro gaming. But after the next few listens, I started to understand that this wasn’t some tongue-in-cheek mockery of either of those things, but rather, an epic retelling of the Mega Man saga, that has better story telling than ninety percent of any other media. Each album is a new act in the adventure, the first being about Mega Man’s first fight against Dr. Willy, while the second record is the larger prequel to the first. And, if you’re like me, you might end up truly caring for a few of the characters.

Act I:
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Act II:
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The Smiths - Hatful of Hollow

I discovered The Smiths after my first real break up. He dumped me the day after Christmas. I thought, at the time, that it was the worst thing to ever happen to me, the worst pain I would ever feel. That night, I went to a friend's house to get my mind off of things. Mostly to cry and scream about it. We ended up in her garage, going through her older brother's music collection. I found a dusty mixtape under a pile of Chicago records and pocketed it. After we called it a night, I drove home and got in bed as fast as I could. I cleaned off the tape and put it in my player, just because I can't sleep without music playing. The first 2 or 3 songs on the tape were 80's hair band ballads.. and they sucked.. a lot.. but, the 4th song was "You've Got Everything Now" by The Smiths. I remember laying there, wondering why the hell this kickass song was in the middle of 80's glam bull shit, then replaying it over and over again. The next morning, I went to Now Hear This, and found a used copy of Hatful of Hollow. I couldn't put it down for months. I was heartbroken and pissed, and this album was my fail-safe. Morrissey gives off that "I don't give a fuck, but I kinda do" attitude that I've always felt existed in myself. His cynicism and humor, with Marr on guitar, had me in a musical trance. I don't know why I'm even attempting to explain what these songs mean to me, because words can't even begin to express it. I still can't musically relate to anything as much as I do with The Smiths. Do yourself a favor and go listen.

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Fang Island - Fang Island

As a former fan of ska, Andrew WK, and Devo, I like to think I’m sorta a ‘fun’ music connoisseur. With that said, this is by far the funest album I’ve heard, so fun that Fang Island actually took their name from an article in The Onion. Fang Island describes their music by as ‘everyone high-fiving everyone’. And, while listening to this record, you can totally see why, it perfectly mixes indie pop and math rock in a really amazing way. And over this incredibly infectious music? Extremely catchy vocals that, at times, almost sound like tribal chants. I would definitely recommend this for anybody wanting loads of fun, or anyone wanting near perfect music for a party.

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Titus Andronicus - The Monitor

If you ever read Alan Moore’s “From Hell”, you should be familiar with his fourth dimension theory, stating that history is like architecture, with all the columns and styles repeating. If that is true, then I believe that 2010’s version of “In the Aeroplane over the Sea” has got be Titus Andonicus’s newest album entitled, “The Monitor”. I honestly can’t remember any other albums that perfectly combine historical direst and honest to god angst as much as these two do. Titus Andronicus does a damn near flawless job painting a backdrop of the American Civil War, from the monologues, read by their high school drama teacher, to the piano accompany almost every song, to the inspirational battle cries sprinkled throughout. So, if you want to listen to something new, you should down a shot of whiskey and check out the pissing and moaning of Titus Andronicus.

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The World/Inferno Friendship Society - Red-Eyed Soul

Up to a few years ago, music, in short, had no real effect on me or my life. That is, until I first heard this album. Maybe it was the huge ensemble of instruments and personalities working so well together, or maybe it was because the band is driven by lead singer, Jack Terricloth's unreal amount of charisma, but for whatever reason, I fell in love with this record. And, at the risk of sounding like your typical high schooler, this album has changed my life. With lyrics focusing on anarchy, angry mobs, and the "velocity of love", it helped shape, not only my love for music, but also my love for all type of punk rock.

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Lemuria - Get Better

A few months ago, I was introduced to this album, and I haven't stopped listening since. It definitely grew on me through time, though. Their pop-punk sound is unlike any I've heard before, topped off with lyrics that are almost too damn relatable. Most of the tracks are sung by Sheena Ozzella, whose voice is incredibly cute and idiosyncratic. Alex Kerns often accompanies Sheena's vocals. The two vocals compliment each other very well; Sheena's being more eccentric and Alex's being more mellow. Definitely an album worth checking out if you're looking for something very original.

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