Also, starting with this 1994 list, finally I am writing about albums I heard and bought near the time of their release. I have been working on this post on and off for six months. Is it finished? Probably not, but it is as close as it is going to get.
1. Poor Old Lu- Sin**
This is my second favorite album of all time. Poor Old Lu is my co-favorite band, and this is their masterpiece. One of the reasons I love the band is they are so unique. They sound like no other artist I have ever heard; they are indescribable. They are from Seattle, and started during the grunge movement. They are "four degrees of separation" from Nirvana, yet they are not remotely grunge. ("Four degrees of separation": Sprinkles, Hunter and Barber in Poor Old Lu; Sprinkle, Hunter, Barber and Enigk in Tears of a King; Enigk and Mendel in Sunny Day Real Estate; Mendel and Grohl in Foo Fighters; Grohl and Cobain in Nirvana.) The first two songs I heard from this album were "Ring True" and "Bliss Is", both heard on the A-Zone. Those two songs led me to buy this, my first Poor Old Lu album. Best song: "My World Falls Down"
Obviously closely linked to the first album on this list, I didn't hear it until two years later. My friend Matt lived next door to me in Smith Hall (freshman dorm at Samford), and he recommended SDRE to me near the time we met. He knew I liked Poor Old Lu, and let me know of the Jeremy Enigk connection. It took me a few months to finally take him up on borrowing 'Diary' and 'LP2', which had already been released. In Spring of 1996 I fell in love with 'Diary' and it's amazing cover, one of the best I have ever seen. This album changed indie rock forever, with its dynamic guitars and vocals. It is truly emotional, and led unfortunately to the term "emo" which now has a completely different meaning. Best song: "In Circles"
3. Mortal- Wake
This is the 3rd and last great Mortal album. It is the first Mortal album I owned, as the song "Filter" was the first I had heard from the band (also heard on the A-Zone). Drastically different than the first two industrial Mortal albums, Jyro and Jerome dropped the electronic elements and went with organic, raging guitars. Jyro also started singing (rather than screaming), and did so very well. "Moons and Suns" is the first song that comes to mind when I think of the album, not because it is the best song, it's not, but because I read the lyrics at my senior FBC Panama City camp. Mortal 'broke up' after this album, although they did release three more (sub-par) Mortal albums over the years. Jyro and Jerome of course went on to play together in Fold Zandura. And just a few months ago I discovered Jyro has a new band called Lucena, or LCNA. Their first EP you can get on emusic. While Jyro and Jerome have remained active in music, nothing comes close to the first three Mortal albums. Best song: "Oceanful"
4. Sixpence None the Richer- The Fatherless and the Widow
The debut album from my other co-favorite band. The first Sixpence songs I heard were the original version of 'Spotlight' (rerecorded for this album) or 'Bouquet' (a Steve Taylor cover, which was released on his tribute album this same year). I can't remember when or where, but they led me to buy this album. As much as like this album, I don't have many memories of it. It wasn't until the next album and the following year that Sixpence became my favorite band. 'Meaningless' is far and away the best song on the album, and probably in the top 5 of all Sixpence songs. The song could sometimes last 15 minutes in concert as the band incorporated covers into the instrumental jam at the end. Sixpence has reunited in 2008, as I have talked about a lot in my blog. You can get their new EP for free on www.noisetrade.com and they have a full length Christmas album that was just released and is available everywhere (get it off emusic).
5. Starflyer 59- Silver** & She's the Queen EP
Silver, which is actually a self-titled album, is the first of 11 Starflyer LPs. The band has also released a dozen or so EPs, boxed sets, etc. They are easily one of, if not the most, prolific band of the last 15 years. (So prolific that in 1994 they released an LP and an EP.) Stylistically they have changed a lot over the years, but even their most different songs are distinctly Starflyer. I was fortunate enough to hear the albums in the order in which they were released as my brother bought Silver near its original release date. This is the noisiest and rawest Starflyer album, in the shoegazer style. Jason Martin recently said in an interview that Silver is going to finally be released on vinyl! Best song: "2nd Space Song" (Which I heard first on the A-Zone.) Funny fact: original pressing has "Starflier 59" printed on the CD.
6. 77s- Drowning with Land in Sight
This was the first 77s album I bought. Strangely enough, the first song I heard from it was a Led Zeppelin cover, "Nobody's Fault but Mine." Even stranger, I heard this song for the first time ona regular WAY-FM (CCM) morning show (not the A-Zone). I really liked it, and I am not sure at the time, with my limited music knowledge, if I was even aware it was a cover. The second song I heard from this album was "Snake", which is probably the weirdest song the 77s ever recorded. The album starts out with 3 or 4 hard rock songs including the ones I just mentioned, but then becomes very mellow. Still my favorite 77s album to this day, mainly due to the diversity of it. Best song: "Alone Together"
7. L.S.U.- Graceshaker
I am pretty sure this was my introduction to Michael Knott and the first album I bought of his (heard on the A-Zone). 1994 was still in the middle of his insanely prolific period. He released two of his best 5 albums in this year.The album is divided in many ways. It is half hard rock, half acoustic; half about Jesus, half about alcohol. Sounds like a weird mix, but it works. Best song: "Grace."
8. Dakoda Motor Co.- Welcome Race Fans
A lot of my musical history revolves around Dakoda Motor Co. They opened the door to the world of independent music for me as I explained in my 1993 list and at the start of this blog post. The album is edgier and weirder than their first. Peter King sang more, which is not necessarily a bad thing, except it meant Davia sang less, which is definitely a bad thing. The "Welcome Race Fans" tour was the first big-time indie rock concert I went to. It was them, Hoi Polloi and Johnny Q. Public all at the original Rocketown in Franklin, TN. I went with Keith, Jay, Bethany, Larissa and I think one other person. I bought two shirts, including a Hoi Polloi "ringer", which was a huge departure from my normal average, conservative wardrobe. The saddest thing about the concert is that it took place after Davia left the band, but even with their new singer Melissa it was still terrific. DMC has re-united, sort of, with David in the lead once again. They are supposedly recording an album, but they have been working on it since late 2006. Best song: "Alive"
9. Michael Knott- Rocket & a Bomb
Second Knott album on the list, but much different than the first. Where as "Graceshaker" is more personal, this album is more random stories about other people. And the stories are hilarious. I developed a much greater appreciation for the album in the late 90's when I saw Knott in concert for the first time with my sister. He told tons of stories about each song, including, "John Barrymore, Jr.", which is supposedly about Drew's father. Whether or not the stories are true is irrelevant, they are hysterical. You can hear great live versions of most of these songs along with Knott's stories on the album, "Live from Nashvegas", which may have even been recorded at the show I went to at Jammin' Java in Franklin, TN. Random fact: Aaron Sprinkle was also at this show and this is where I met him for the first time. Best song: "Rocket & a Bomb"
10. Blenderhead- Prime Candidate for Burnout
I am generally leaving out most album covers, but this one I must include because not only is it a literal version of the band's name, it also explains what their music sounds like:
Heard first on the A-Zone, of course. My primary memory of this album is listening to it in my car with my friend Greg. I am pretty sure it was unlike anything he had ever heard; I could have said the same thing about myself a year earlier. Best song: "Power Trip"
11. My Little Dog China- The Velvis Carnival
This was the first release from Kevin Clay, who has gone on to have many projects under many monikers. It is far and away the best thing he ever did, followed by the couple albums he released under his own name. Heavy Nirvana influence, but still fairly original. I think this was one of the first couple CDs my brother bought, and it turned out to be a great one. If I am remembering correctly he might have bought it solely based on the band's name and cover artwork. I don't remember hearing it on the A-Zone first, unlike much of the stuff I discovered in 1994. Most radio-friendly song on the album, "Eggshells", sounds dated because of it's references to David Koresh. Speaking of David Koresh, some friends of mine and myself filmed a reenactment of the Kool-Aid drinking incident as a school project in 1994. Random fact: other members of MLDC went on to form the band Pave the Rocket which released one album on Deep Elm Records. Kevin later referenced the band in the lyrics of his song "Super Sucker Salvation" ("You paved the rocket for free...". Best song: "Listen"
12. Weezer- s/t* (The Blue Album)
People often ask me if I am a Weezer fan. Honestly, no I am not, their discography as a whole doesn’t do much for me. Their radio singles are fun, and ‘Pinkerton’ is a good album, but the blue album is the only one I love. The first song I heard was “Buddy Holly”, which didn’t grab me until I saw the incredible video. “The Sweater Song” really pulled me in, and then “Say it Ain’t So” followed soon after. My favorite song on the album though is “The World Has Turned and Left Me Here.” Chris Higdon of Elliott (and now in 2009, Frontier(s)) recorded an incredible mellow, slowed-down cover of it which you can listen to here.
13. Vigilantes of Love- Welcome to Struggleville
I definitely heard VOL first on the A-Zone, and I didn't really like them at first. Bill's voice got on my nerves, and the overall style of the band was too "normal" for me. Well, in 1995 I saw VOL play live in Birmingham and they blew me away. This was the first over-18 show I went to. What I remember most about the show is that I didn't know Bill was the leader of the band. Barefooted Chris Bland was the bass player at the time, and even though Bill did all the singing, it was Chris who did all of the talking between the songs. I thought maybe Chris wrote the songs and Bill sang them. It is ridiculous to even say this now after owning all the VOL stuff and seeing Bill play with and without the band 15 or so times. This was the second VOL album I bought, and I didn't get it until 1996 or so. Best song: "Vet"
14. Toad the Wet Sprocket- Dulcinea*
I told all my good Toad the Wet Sprocket stories in my 1991 list. Nothing much to say about it, but this is probably Toad's best overall album. I just visited their Myspace page, and learned that they are playing shows! Might have to find a way to get to one. Best song: "Windmills"
15. Sometime Sunday- Stone
Doesn't really hold up very well today, but at the time, very few albums made as big an impact with me, musically and lyrically. "Blue" is the best song I have ever heard about man's struggle with lust. I saw them once in concert at the Crush Warehouse in Birmingham, and people swore I looked exactly like their lead singer, Mikee. I didn't see the resemblance except that we are both tall with shaved heads.
Other notable 1994 albums:
Havalina Rail Co.- s/t
I rarely listen to Havalina anymore, but Matt Wignall and co. have a terrific body of work. This was their first album, and while on Tooth and Nail, completely different than anything else the label was putting out. This album was a blend of jazz, blues, country, etc. Havalina was definitely a live band, they were meant to be seen in concert. I saw them twice at Cornerstone and once at the Crush Warehouse in the late 1990s. The show at the Crush is memorable because it was in the summer so Keith and Brent and I drove down for it. We ended up dragging couches up to the front of the stage and had our feet propped up on the stage as the band played. Best song: "Ragtime" ("Elvis!")
Pearl Jam- Vitalogy* ("Nothing Man" is one of my favorite songs)
The Cranberries- No Need to Argue (Zombie!)
R.E.M.- Monster*
MxPx- Pokinatcha (Probably a rip-off of older punk bands, but it was my introduction to the genre.)
Collective Soul- Hints, Allegations and Things Left Unsaid (Most people have only heard "Shine", one of the most over-played radio hits of the 90s. But the rest of the album is much different and very good.)
Smashing Pumpkins- Pisces Iscariot* (B-sides)
Beastie Boys- Ill Communication
The Offspring- Smash
Jimmy Eat World- s/t (terrible demo-quality punk album, but they obviously figured things out eventually)
Third Wave: Reality Rock Complication (Lots of good stuff on this comp, but the best song is "Low" by the Violet Burning. It is a demo version of the song, but was my introduction to the band. A couple of years later my brother Keith heard a different version of the song on the radio and he was tireless in his search for a Violet Burning album. We eventually found and bought the album at our one and only visit to the original True Tunes store in Wheaton, IL.)
Steve Taylor Tribute- I Predict a Clone (Compilation featuring Sixpence, Argyle Park, Fleming & John, Dighayzoose, Circle of Dust, Starflyer 59, Bride and others)
20081218
Best of 1994
20081217
Top albums through the years...
1990- Michael W. Smith- Go West, Young Man
1991- Amy Grant- Heart In Motion
1992- Bride- Snakes in the Playground
1993- Dakoda Motor Co.- Into the Son (everything changed in 1993 for me musically)
1994- Poor Old Lu- Sin**
1995- Sixpence None the Richer- This Beautiful Mess
1996- Poor Old Lu- A Picture of the 8th Wonder
1997- Sixpence None the Richer- s/t**
1998- Sunny Day Real Estate- How It Feels to be Something On*
1999- The Juliana Theory- Understand this is a Dream
2000- Sunny Day Real Estate- The Rising Tide*
2001- Jimmy Eat World- Bleed American**
2002- The Gloria Record- Start Here*
2003- Fountains of Wayne- Welcome Interstate Managers
2004- Brandtson- Send Us a Signal
2005- Eisley- Room Noises**
2006- Fair- The Best Worst-Case Scenario
2007- Thrice- The Alchemy Index Vol. 1 & 2**
2008- Mates of State- Re-Arrange Us**
Looking through, about half of them are still my favorite album for their year of release. If you look at my other lists you can see the changes.
20081021
Nada Surf Vinyl Box Set
For the other vinyl fans out there, this is a must-have. I had been saving for it for months, and just placed my pre-order for the Nov. 25 release. I will quote Insound,
Barsuk spared no expense in assembling this amazing Nada Surf box set. It's weighty (over 5 lbs.) and impressive, containing five albums on six pieces of vinyl, a 7" single, plus ample additional goodies. Even the sturdy box itself (two separate pieces, the top NADA half fitting securely onto a collar on the bottom SURF half) is a substantial piece of collector's joy, designed by acclaimed NYC artists Kayrock and Wolfy. The box set includes all five full-length studio LPs, including Elektra debut High/Low (available on vinyl exclusively in this box set), The Proximity Effect, Let Go, The Weight Is a Gift, and Lucky. Also included is a repressing of the band's long out of print debut 7" single "The Plan/Telescope;" a 24-page full-color 12x12" booklet which includes lyrics for all the LPs, exclusive photos and tour poster reproductions; and single-use full album download codes for The Proximity Effect, Let Go, The Weight Is a Gift, and Lucky PLUS a very special bonus download folder with 16 b-sides and rarities. The box set is numbered and strictly limited to 1000 copies worldwide.
You can order it here (free shipping):
Barsuk
or here:
Insound
Listening to: The Bridges- Limits of the Sky
20081014
20080809
Tess Rejoins Sixpence...
Well, sort of. Tess Wiley will be playing with Sixpence None the Richer next week for 3 or 4 shows in Europe. For any of you that know me well, this is a dream come true. Sixpence's best album is "This Beautiful Mess" which just happens to be the only album Tess contributed to (wrote "Disconnect", played guitar and sang background vocals). Hopefully they will play songs from this era with her in the line-up. As excited as I am about their reunion, their recent set lists have been rather pathetic with the exclusion of the new songs.
20080709
New Sixpence None the Richer EP out today
Sixpence None the Richer's new EP, "My Dear Machine", is available today, and it is FREE. You can pay some money if you would like, but you can also tell 3 friends and download it for free. The website is www.noisetrade.com, and they also have 26 other "free" albums including Derek Webb and Waterdeep.
20080627
Best of 2008 (half-way there)
We are at the midpoint of the year 2008, so I thought I'd post my favorite albums of the year thus far. I am providing links to artists' Myspace pages so you can listen to songs, and then links to the cheapest way to buy each album, either on vinyl or digitally.
1. Mates of State- Re-Arrange Us. (Buy vinyl. or Buy digital.) Nothing really comes close to this album this year for me. It is rare that a band I am so familiar with exceeds my expectations by leaps and bounds. A very fun summer pop-rock album.
2. Thrice- The Alchemy Index vols. III & IV: Earth & Air. (Buy digital. Vinyl is coming soon in the form of a 4 x 10".) Not as good as the first two volumes, but a great concept and very original. Air is the least successful of the four volumes, it is all over the place. But Earth is a terrific acoustic/organic EP.
3. Nada Surf- Lucky. (Buy vinyl. or Buy digital.) Took some growing on me, but another great album from these guys. I am super-excited about their vinyl box set coming out soon.
4. Colour Revolt- Plunder, Beg & Curse. (Buy vinyl. or Buy digital.) This, their first LP was long awaited, and it does not disappoint. A little more mellow than I expected, but it has great guitar work and dynamics.
5. Coldplay- Viva La Vida. (Buy vinyl. or Buy digital.) You've read about it everywhere, I really like it. I find it to be a completely new direction for the band, which is good because another album like X&Y would have been bad news.
6. R.E.M.- Accelerate. (Buy vinyl. or Buy digital.)The first good album R.E.M. has put out in a decade. A drastic and welcome change from their last album, the band attempted to recapture their energy from the 80's. Sounds like a cross between the 80's stuff and 'Monster.'
7. Thao- We Brave Bee Stings and All. (Buy digital.) One of my random, lucky emusic finds. A great upbeat folk album with very unique vocals.
8. The Weepies- Hideaway. (Buy digital.) I love this folk husband-wife group, but this is not their best work. Nice songs lyrically and vocally, but they all blend together.
9. Headlights- Some Racing, Some Stopping. (Buy vinyl. or Buy digital.) I greatly prefer their first LP, but I do really like this after seeing all the songs performed live.
10. Death Cab for Cutie- Narrow Stairs. (Buy vinyl. or Buy digital.) Very disappointing. I am only mentioning it because of how much I love the band. 'Plans' was a step backward, and they tried to right the ship and failed. I LOVE "I Will Possess Your Heart", but there are only 3 other songs on the album that do anything for me. Probably the first time in history that a single is my favorite song on an album.
20080621
Mates of State: Five Years Later
(First picture here I took in Paris in August 2003, the rest of the shots at the show a couple nights ago. Click on the pictures to see dozens more from the shows at my Flickr site.)
My wife and I saw Mates of State play Wednesday night at Mr. Small's Theater in Pittsburgh, PA. The show was spectacular, it reinforced how much I truly love the band Mates of State. Their new album, "Re-Arrange Us", which was released last month, is my early pick for album of the year. Even if it doesn't end up being the number one album of 2008, it is definitely the album of the summer. It is fun, catchy, poppy- the perfect album to listen to while driving around in the summer months.
Headlights opened the show, a band I have always enjoyed, but never really gotten that into. They released an album this year, "Some Racing, Some Stopping", that has gotten excellent reviews. It was actually a disappointment to me, I greatly prefer their first full-length, "Kill Them With Kindness." Headlights is a great live band, they enjoy themselves on stage and give great energy to their music. Seeing the songs performed in concert gave me a much greater appreciation for them.
I became a Mates of State fan in the summer of 2002 while living in Orlando. A friend referred their second album, "Our Constant Concern", to me, I had never heard anything like it. I mainly listen to guitar-driven rock, I had never heard a rock/pop band driven by an organ. I was then able to see Mates of State in Paris on my August 2003 Europe trip. Five years has passed since that show, and a lot has changed in my life and with Mates of State, so I thought I would do a comparison.
The Venue:
2003: Paris, France. Some small bar/restaurant. I want to say it was called "The American Club." Reminded me of a Chili's and I can remember eating an amazing burger.
2008: Mr. Small's Theater in Pittsburgh, PA. (Actually in Millvale.) Visiting relatives in PA, our first visit to the club. It is an old church that has been turned into a recording studio, skate park and concert hall.
Attendance:
2003: 20 to 30 people there to see the band probably. I am fairly certain I knew Mates of State's music better than anyone there, and I could have been the only other American in the audience.
2008: 200 to 300 people. Mates of State has grown in popularity tremendously over the last 5 years. Most everyone there was also singing along.
The discography:
2003: At the time of the show, Mates of State had two albums: "My Solo Project" (2000) and "Our Constant Concern" (2002). I bought "My Solo Project" at the show in Paris.
2008: Mates of State has just released their 5th LP, "Re-Arrange Us." Their 3rd album, "Team Boo" was released in Fall of 2003, and their 4th, "Bring it Back" was released in 2006.
The band:
2003: Mates of State is the married couple Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel. Until a few months ago, they had never played a show with more than two people on state. Kori plays organ and keyboards, Jason plays drums.
2008: Their current tour is their first with extra band members. They have two guys, the members of Judgment Day, playing a variety of instruments: violin, cello, guitar, trombone, percussion, etc. It adds a completely new dimension to their sound, new songs and old. Half the show was with the extra members, half the show was just Jason and Kori. They would typically alternate two songs with, two songs without. Kori also plays electric piano now, switching back and forth between the organ. Their new album is the first to feature piano on every song. On the final song of the night, "The Re-Arranger", all five members of Headlights also joined the Mates on stage.
Family:
2003: Jason and Kori were married. I was very single.
2008: Jason and Kori have two daughters, I now have a wife and a son. These are the biggest five year differences! Mates of State has a very popular baby blog: Band on the Diaper Run.
I don't remember the exact order of the setlist, but I remember the songs, I think. The opened with "Now" from the new album and ended their 2-song encore with "The Re-Arranger." Here is the full list of songs:
From "Re-Arrange Us" (2008):
Get Better
Now
My Only Offer
The Re-Arranger
Jigsaw
Blue and Gold Print
You are Free
From "Bring it Back (2006):
Think Long
Fraud in the 80's
Like U Crazy
Beautiful Dreamer
For the Actor
From the "All Day" EP (2004):
Goods
From "Team Boo" (2003):
Ha Ha
Fluke
From "Our Constant Concern" (2002):
10 Years Later
From "My Solo Project: (2000):
Proofs
20080522
20080516
LA to NYC: Road trip mix
Last year I came up with the idea of making CDs for the graduating seniors at the school I teach at. This year for the CD I decided I would try the road trip idea again, since they are all dispersing from Rome, GA to schools all over the country (if not world).
LA to NYC
