Top Ten Albums
I'll be posting some random top ten lists. Not that I really think anybody will be terribly invested, or interested, but maybe somebody will connect to something somewhere eventually.
So, I’ll kick this post off by admitting my taste in music changes weekly, if not daily. I’ll make this list and in a week, it will likely be slightly different. The honorable mentions will almost definitely be different a week from now. I’m going to do my best to think historically, which albums I have always come back to and listened to, or which albums have multiple songs that get stuck in my head on a regular basis. I’m no musician myself, so this isn’t a ranking of most technical musicians or anything like that… just the ten albums that have stuck with me or impacted my life the most.
Honorable Mentions:
Craig’s Brother - Lost At Sea
Brett Detar - Too Free To Live
Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory
Project 86 - Acoustic EP (from their Wait for the Siren campaign)
Blindside - With Shivering Hearts We Wait
FM Static - What are you waiting for?
10. Playdough – Lonely Superstar
I considered putting deepspace 5’s The Night We Called It A Day here, but I think I have gone back to Lonely Superstar more often. TNWCIAD deserves an honorable mention though, for sure. Anyway, “Seeds of Abraham” is a classic. Playdough made me want… and try… to be a rapper with this album (we'll save that for another blog post). Haha. Fun part of being a kid right there. “Clappy Valentino” was another song that I listened to a lot. Honestly, I probably should rank this a little higher on the list because there are some Ill Harmonics songs that would rank high if I did a “song list” (which would have to be at least 50, maybe 100 in order to capture everything I feel is worthy). Playdough goes by KRUM now, and he’s still evolving as an artist.
9. Chevelle – Wonder What’s Next
I hadn’t really listened to much “heavier” music when I first listened to Chevelle. It opened a door to so much more music. So much HEAVIER music. One of those albums I could let play without hitting skip often, if at all. That bass on “Comfortable Liar” was impressive in my car… until my amp and subs got stolen. Chevelle had such a smooth combination of heavy and melodic, it can kind of transcend mood and be enjoyed regardless of how I’m feeling.
8. NF – Perception
I slept on this guy for so long… it’s crazy. I heard “How Could You Leave Us” off his last album and immediately bought the CD. Then, “Green Lights” came out. I pre-ordered the CD and I can let it play straight through almost every time I listen to it. He really puts himself into his music in a way that’s incredibly rare. I look forward to what the future holds for this guy. There’s not really much to say about this CD other than “go buy it.”
7. Maylene and the Sons of Disaster – IV
I had a different album here originally, but as Spotify was going… I was reminded of this one. It holds a special place in my heart. I remember the anticipation. I remember the hate from “long time fans” because it wasn’t the right style. It wasn’t heavy enough. I was skeptical. But, I didn’t really get into Maylene until III was coming out. How sad is that? I remember seeing their first album in the Christian book store and thinking it looked like something I wouldn’t listen to… and maybe I was right at the time. I’m glad I eventually found them either way! This album came out at a dark time for me (see the top 3 on this list) and the heavy, somewhat melancholy feel helped me through. “Taking On Water”, “Save Me”, and “Drought of 85” really helped me focus on getting through and not feel alone. And the heavier songs like “Open Your Eyes” and “Cat’s Walk” were awesome in their own way. I remember listening to this album while waiting for early morning formations in the Army. I can see that parking lot and can feel the emotions that I felt at that point in my life when I listen to it.
Quick side story: One day, while cleaning our weapons for inspection (as the guys in my shop regularly got stuck doing) I was casually listening to some Christian music, including Maylene. One of our warrant officers was just “hanging out” and helping clean weapons. He asked who it was, and I told him and said it was a Christian band. He asked if I had heard of Underoath… naturally, I told him I had and that this was their original singer. His response? “Really? I went to school with Dallas and hung out with his brother.” Or something to that effect. He had a young Dallas story or two. Small world.
6. MxPx – The Ever Passing Moment
I was introduced to MxPx by my cousin when I was in middle school. I went all-in on Tooth and Nail artists after that. I bought the Cooties, Arthur, Tumbledown, and Mike’s solo albums. I think Before Everything & After would be a close second. These two albums have some nice songs I shared with my girlfriend. I love music so those songs feel connected to her in many ways. For me, MxPx encompasses the concept of our “Bee Yourself” shirt. They were who they were and they did what they wanted to do with their lives. Stand out tracks: Responsibility, One Step Closer To Life, Answer In The Question, and My Life Story.
If you love any of these albums, or bands, be sure to comment below and show some love!
Until next week when Part II will be posted...
Stay Random, Friends!
Lance