Before leaping into these next four albums, I just wanna say I hope you guys have been enjoying hearing these random thoughts on the music that’s really shaped part of who I am. I realized the other day (after a good conversation with Monsieur Nathan Rouse) that some of these records have had a profound impact on me…and as such, these entries have the potential to be the most self-involved and self-absorbed that I’ve written thus far in the short history of this blog. I certainly hope they don’t come across that way. One of the biggest things that kept me from starting a blog for years was the general impression that they were nothing but exercises in self-centered mental-mirror gazing and I had no desire to ever be a part of that nonsense. From the get-go, I wanted this small portion of Internet real estate to simply be a funny, encouraging, challenging and (at times) educational means of communication with the wider world. Yes, by it’s very nature, this blog will be reflective of who I am and what concerns my life, but hopefully there’s still a wide chasm between that and blatant self-indulgence.
At any rate, on to the music!
The Juliana Theory – Emotion Is Dead
This album is not only one of the best that The Juliana Theory ever wrote, it’s also one of the best albums that label Tooth & Nail has ever released. Among the hardcore/emo/punk set, this bad boy is usually regarded as something of a modern classic. Its reputation is well-deserved, as this is a solid listen from start to finish. While the music runs the gamut from indie rock to sugary pop, hardcore breakdowns to electronica, the vocals soar with multiple part harmonies. It’s a joy to listen to. Highly recommended.
Common – Electric Circus
Observant readers will have already noticed that this is the only hip-hop album to make it on my list. And there’s a reason for that. I’m not anti-hip-hop…far from it. I’ve recently been discovering more and more beat-heavy music and I love it. But hip-hop’s entry into my musical life is more recent than these other styles and it would feel disingenuous to try to fit more hip-hop into this list simply to see more diverse or eclectic. In a few years I have no doubt that the albums I’m listening to from Kanye, Mos Def, Jurassic 5, A-Trak, Rjd2 and others will have risen in their influence, but this gem from Common will suffice for now. I actually “discovered” Common after being assigned an article on him for Relevant’s premiere issue. I had heard of him, but I’d never listened to him and this record, having just been released, was my introduction to him. I’m not sure how it hit his long-time fans, but I absolutely loved it. It’s eclectic, strange, weird and all sorts of awesome. It’s not a typical hip-hop album and that’s why it stands out to me. He experiments with all sorts of instrumentation and styles. In the end, it’s more of a deep soundscape than just a rap record…tasty.
The Verve – Urban Hymns
This record is one of three on my list (Oasis‘ Be Here Now and U2’s Pop being the other two) that had a big impact on me when I first moved to France as a junior in high school. At the time, I was still listening to a ton of classic rock, i.e., The Beatles, CCR, etc. I hadn’t really branched out into much modern rock as much of what I heard didn’t appeal to me at the time. As a result, I discovered such things as “grunge,” “punk,” and “hardcore” through a rather round-about process. But that’s a story for another time. At any rate, I remember seeing the music video for “Bitter Sweet Symphony” and being thoroughly entranced and amused by the concept of a dude just walking down the street, not letting anything stand in his way. I checked out their then-new album, Urban Hymns, and thought that I had discovered a rockin’ new band. As I later found out, it was actually their third record. Silly me. But I loved their music, thinking of as a strange mix of Beatles-esque instrumentation and Bob Dylan-inspired vocals. Now looking back, I realize that those descriptions were probably due more to my limited vocabulary as music fan than their actual accuracy. Nevertheless, I knew I liked what I heard and this album, with all its influences, is one of my favorites. As an added bonus, I recently discovered this tasty treat from NME.com. It’s a brand new 14-minute jam session from The Verve, entitled The Thaw Session. Very, very cool. I can’t wait for their new album.
Switchfoot – The Legend Of Chin
Ah, Switchfoot. How you’ve changed. To be clear, this is not a typical “I knew these guys before they were famous but now that they’re everywhere on radio and tv I now hate them” rant. Just a few observations. I have been a Switchfoot fan for years…actually dating back to my time in France. What a special time. I got Switchfoot’s second album, New Way To Be Human, during one of my trips to Paris and I flipped over their sound. It was catchy, punchy, fun, and really well-written. I think Jon Foreman continues to be one of the best (and most under-rated) lyricists of our time. At any rate, I tracked down this record (their debut) at a Habitat for Humanity benefit concert in Raleigh, NC during my freshman year at Davidson. I had organized a group of people to go, due to my lack of personal transportation. Initially I was jazzed that the concert featured the following line-up: dc Talk, Jars Of Clay, Delirious?, and Burlap To Cashmere. To a young pup who was still into a lot that the CCM world had to offer, I couldn’t pass up a show like that. Little did I know that Switchfoot would be there. They played on a little stage near the entrance to maybe 100 or so people. It was just the Brothers Foreman and Chad Butler. And yet they were so tight and awesome live. I loved it and I got The Legend Of Chin on the spot…and Jon autographed it. Schwing! Anyway, this gem is a quirky killer of a debut. It’s a lot better and more mature that you might expect. And yes, I still love Switchfoot now that they’ve gotten bigger (in status and member-size), but there’s something special about this album and that’s why it’s on the list.
