The Album List

My most recent musical choices have all been very similar in message.  The Deftones April 8 release aside, which has early potential to be their best so far (too early), I have heavily invested in songs about searching for answers and exploration of human emotion.  There are songs about redemption as well as songs about hopelessness but they all have undertones rooted in basic psychology.  There has been a recent post circulating on Facebook listing the top 10 most influential or meaningful albums in ones life.  

My cousin, Keekleneck Lamb, said Monday that he had been expecting to see mine float across the intertubes.  He may have been speaking in jest as my choices could be interesting fodder for he of the hipster variety.  Nevertheless, I have compiled a loose list of my 10.  I can’t call this THE 10 most because I’ll inevitably leave something out.  These are also in no particular order.  One other caveat – I don’t read music, I don’t play music, I don’t know chords.  But, I do have ears and I know what sounds good to me and I know what lyrics speak to me.  Without further ado…..

1.  Deftones – White Pony – Ok, this one was easy and predictable.  If you like the Deftones, you no doubt like this album.  There are raging debates within Deftones circles of which albums fit their sound (see Around The Fur) and sound out of place (see Saturday Night Wrist) but they are all appreciated and accepted.  However, there is never much debate surrounding which album was their best.  For me, this album reigns supreme.  Released in 2000, Alicia bought this for me the day it came out and I sat at her parents house on the computer playing the album and looking at the “new fad” video content provided on the disc.  “Feiticiera” has opened 4 of the 5 concerts I’ve been to.  “Digital Bath” introduced heavy doses of electronic pulses into their songs that are most present than ever in their most recent album.  “RX Queen” remains the text tone when I get messages from Alicia.  “Knife Party” and “Passenger” are Deftones Cult Classics and “Change” is their most decorated commercial hit.  This album is loaded with pure Deftones Magic and Power.  While these are in no particular order, there is a reason this is at #1.
  

2.  Smashing Pumpkins – Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness – Released in 1995, anyone between the ages of 30-40 are almost certainly familiar with the blue and pink double album.  The hardest part of owning this album was deciding on which one to listen to.  I wore both CD’s out in my Ranger decked out with two 10’s and black light.  This CD was perfect for such youthful decadence.  “Tonight, Tonight” is a classic alt rock song and was one of my first forays into lyric decoding.  “And our lives are forever changed, we will never be the same.  The more you change, the less you feel.”  Teen angst with the cryptic sting of truth.  “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” and “Zero” were two heavy hitters while “1979” and “Thirty-Three” were songs you could cruise all night to.  There’s no possible way I could have a list of top albums and leave this one off.

  
3.  Chevelle – Stray Arrows: A Collection of Favorites – Alright, I’ll accept it if you say it is cheating by putting a greatest hits collection on here but Keekleneck did put Garth Brooks Greatest on his, which in all honesty, should have nullified his entire entry.  This album was released more recently in 2012 but spans their entire collection up until that point.  “Face to the Floor”, “The Red”, “Vitamin R” and “Send the Pain Below” are all well known Chevelle entries.  But this album also introduced me to “Sleep Apnea” and “The Meddler” which I was previously unfamiliar with.  Chevelle is, without a doubt, the heaviest 3 piece band you’ll hear that still comes off melodic and smooth.  They remain unchecked on my bucket list of artist to see live before I die.

  
4.  Everclear – Sparkle and Fade – Another important 1995 release that was played from beginning to end on repeat on my many trips to Athens and Valdosta with Munt and Russ.  All of the songs were catchy and enjoyable but one song stood above all others.  The song that actually threatened one hit wonder status among non-alternative fans.  “Santa Monica” made me long for the beach and still makes me want to go to California.  “We could live beside the ocean, leave the fire behind.”  But beyond that song lies a treasure trove including “Heroin Girl”, “Summerland” and “Twistinside”.  Everclear is a popular band among alt fans and have had a couple of big time hits like “Father of Mine” and “Wonderful” but I still believe they are one of the most underrated acts of my generation.

  
5.  Blink 182 – Enema of the State – Maybe it’s Janine on the cover of the album that has stuck with me after all these years.  But aside from that, this was my punk phase and it was a great one.  The garage band I was in basked in the glory of three songs off of this one, “What’s My Age Again”, “All The Small Things” and “Adam’s Song”.  Blink 182 had an epic ride during the late 90’s and were a great side trip for a 20 year old that loved heavier rock.  I still have this one at the ready when I’m feeling immature.

  
6.  Pearl Jam – Ten – If you are 36-42, I dare you to argue with me on this one.  This might be the best album of the 90’s, period.  “Even Flow”, “Jeremy”, “Black”, “Alive”…..this is a greatest hits album in sheep’s clothing.  This plays today on my commute around the city.  You don’t always have to know what Eddie Vedder is saying to know that it is deep and meaningful.  There were those who said you were either a Nirvana fan or Pearl Jam fan.  I’ll raise my Pearl Jam flag and fly it proudly.  Another one on the bucket list to see live.  I’ve heard their shows are unbelievable.

  
7.  Deftones – Adrenaline – This has to be on the list simply because it’s the first taste of the band I ever had.  “Bored”, “Lifter”, “One Weak”, “7 Words”, “Engine No. 9”, “Root”, “Nosebleed”…..every song.  This was the beginning of a lifelong relationship with a band.  I had never heard anything quite like this when it came out.  I haven’t really heard anything like it since as their sound has matured and developed with every album.  This one is very raw sounding and is their least “produced” sounding record but that’s what makes it special too.  This was what they set out to be and what they have ultimately become; a band that plays music their fans want to hear, not the critics.  The most influential of the ever present 1995 releases.  If you like straight alt metal, this is the standard bearer.

  
8.  Breaking Benjamin – Phobia – The heavy hitting group’s third album is their best to me.  To be clear, I like them all but this one hits the hardest.  “The Diary of Jane” and “Breath” are household names among the genre’s fans and helped solidify BB’s rise to fame.  Other gems on this album include “Unknown Soldier”, “Until the End”, “Had Enough”and “Dance With The Devil”.  This band has come the closest to matching Deftones intensity in my collection over the long haul.  The newest album “Dark Before Dawn” could have easily made this list but as I run out of room, I could only include one and this one belongs.  If you’ve never seen it, this is one of the greatest live accoustic recordings ever – BB – Until The End.  Do yourself a favor and sacrifice the next 5 minutes.

  
9.  System Of A Down – Toxicity – I have somewhat of a love/hate relationship with SOAD.  They have put out more songs that make me jump around and shout than they have that make me cringe with disbelief.  But they have put out several of the latter as well.  I like songs from all of their albums but this album was the best of their collection by far and made it in my top 10.  The title track, “Toxicity”, along with “Chop Suey” are a couple of the most memorable songs of the early 2000’s whether you like the genre or not.  Don’t believe me? YouTube either one and you’ll immediately shake your head and say “Ohh yeah!” – unless you are one of the honky tonk folks that hang around my blog.  You are welcome here anytime but this one probably hasn’t been your favorite.  This album is actually loaded with classics like “Aerials”, “Science”, “ATWA”, “Prison Song” and “Jet Pilot”.  When I started looking down the track list of this one it became obvious that it needed to be on this list.

  
10. Starset – Transmissions – It is risky to put an album this new on a top 10 list that includes the likes of Deftones and Smashing Pumpkins.  I realize this.  But, i can unequivocally say that this one will be a top 10 for life for me.  This one fits all of the description of the first paragraph of this blog and can put me in a state of mind that is so deep and introspective, it’s kind of scary.  This band opened for Breaking Benjamin in February of this year and I was smitten from the instrumental opener “First Light” all the way to the closer “Halo”.  The band and album has introduced me to an interest in space and greater forces that I never knew I had.  They have even released a 250 page companion novel with the CD that I am halfway through.  I’m addicted and it’s a weird thing.  This album speaks to me over and over and gives me a clearer perspective everytime I listen.  So, while a newby like this is risky, I know I’d regret not putting them here.  This one could find its way into the top 3 before its all over with.

So, there you have it.  I think the genre/theme is pretty consistent on this list and I’d have a hard time replacing any of these 10.  That doesn’t mean that I don’t have several 11’s right on the outside.  These just rose to that impressive level and needed to be set apart.  Maybe you’ll try some of these out if you’ve never heard them.  Maybe you’ll like them, maybe you wont.  If you don’t, I don’t know if we can be friends any longer.  ?

Joey