(50) Sundays of Music: #1

#1: Taking Back Sunday - Where You Want To Be

Someone asked me a short while back when I started liking music. Like, when did I get to the point I am now, where it's basically an obsession - where new music put me in a great mood, concerts are life changers and a good cd can give me a high that drugs won't be able to touch. I thought about it a second and then immediately came to this cd.

You know how some senses take you back to time periods? Like if you eat a fruit that is grown the best in a certain area or smell a perfume that your first kiss was wearing. When I hear the beginning to the opening track of Where You Want to Be, I become transported back to the early years of high school.

I went to school in a small town, but technically lived in an even smaller town. Another resident of said smaller small town would go on to become one of my best friends. One year for her birthday I got her a cd holder thing and I put the Spider-Man 2 soundtrack and this release by Taking Back Sunday in there. Being the clever guy I was, I listened to the music before I gave it to her.

And I fell in love.

Maybe it was the dual vocals, the lyrical angst, the pounding drums; whatever it was I was mesmerized. Taking Back Sunday was a band I had always heard of and after putting this cd in my player I needed to hear more. It was after this cd that I actually went back to Tell All Your Friends and prepared myself for the albums that were to follow.

At the time, I think I was just singing along to the music, but not really hearing it. To be quite honest, as much as I liked the band, a part of me felt the second half of the album was kind of lacking. Fast forward a few years later and my eyes re-opened.

A cd I first listened to in my early years of high school came back to me in my middle time period of college. I went through a long, drawn out breakup, the kind that you mix equal parts of sadness and anger. One day, I randomly put this album and it spoke to me in a whole new way.

Taking Back Sunday was the first band where I started to read into the music. And they have a way of taking words that look good on paper and make them sound even better coming through a stereo.

I think it speaks to the musicianship that I may not be in "that place" where these songs speak to me, yet I can still put this on and get totally immersed in the music.

Fight Club will always be my favorite movie. Where You Want To Be will always be my favorite album.

And to switch things up for the finale, no videos. Instead, I want to focus on what I feel are some of the best passages of these songs, the ones that I re-discover time and time again.

"Well there's a secret I've been perfecting,
I swore I wouldn't but you let me
I'm comfortably confused
(and you...) You've gotten so removed"

"Now I'm lying on the table
with everything you said
it will all catch up eventually
well, it caught up and honestly
the weight of my decisions
were impossible to hold
but they were never yours
they were never yours"

"I always hoped to avoid the issues
Got me alone so I couldn't address you
Home is where you make it, Love,
Don't get yourself confused
Besides what's it to you?
I traded my conscience for your
For your confidence
Attacked my lungs with lies to pass the time
Made states move like regular days"

"See the months they don't matter it's the days I can't take
When the hours move to minutes and I'm seconds away"

"She says live up to your first impression (Come on, just say it),
Well my best side was your worst invention (Come on, just say it),
Why can't you live without the attention (I need you defenseless, dependent),
Why can't you live without the attention (alone)."

"Well I'm blowing smoke out of your window
And you're slipping back into your dress
You know you were always such a lady
I've always been impressed
But gentlemen
They don't ask questions
Just keep quiet
She'll pay attention
Gentlemen don't ask questions
We could pay attention"

"This glass house is burning down (open all night, know it...)
You light the match, I'll stick around (open all night, know it...)
I'll give you everything you want (open all night, know it...)
And wish the worst of what I was (open all night, know it...)"

(50) Sundays of Music: #2

#2: Coldplay - A Rush of Blood to the Head

This is the post I feel everyone (or maybe just a couple people) were waiting for. I mean, when you name your blog after a CD, you know that it has to be somewhere at the top.

As someone who considers Coldplay either my #1 or #2 favorite band, depending on when you ask, I feel A Rush of Blood to the Head is Coldplay's defining album. It shows off what Coldplay can do best - emotional ballads with piano backgrounds - but also shows that they can carry a CD from start to finish and even rock out a bit.

The beginning intro track "Politik" crashes you into the experience that you are about to partake in before the symphony of sound that Coldplay has been known for comes in with "In My Place."

From there, the album navigates through meaningful vocals and moving instrumentals. Some of my favorite songs from all music come from this cd: "Green Eyes," "The Scientist" and "Clocks."

However, I think what puts albums on this countdown is the personal experience I have with them. And personal stories is something I have plenty of with A Rush of Blood to the Head.

*"Amsterdam" - This song may be one of the most meaningful I have ever heard, and is one of those rare songs that is truly an experience when you hear it out, containing some of the most heartfelt lyrics I've ever heard come from Chris Martin "You can say what you mean / But it won’t change a thing / I’m sick of the secrets / Stood on the edge, tied to a noose / You came along and you cut me loose." I've heard rumors that Coldplay's next album will tell a story and if this song is any indication of what Coldplay can do with that method, music fans are in for a treat.

*"Green Eyes" - For a band that is considered "deep" (or whiny, depending on who you ask), this is one track where they are positive with a good vibe. Also, it was one of my favorite songs to sing along to when Martin performed it acoustic at the concert I attended.

*"Clocks" - If I ever get around to learning the piano, this is the track I will jam out to.

*"In My Place" & "Warning Sign" - Here is where I am going to be completely honest with anyone who reads these things. These are the only two songs in my musical history to make me shed tears by listening to them. Of course, I had to listen to them at the right time for it to hit me in the right way, but when they did they took a hold of me. Both times were from different break ups with the same girl, but both are still tracks that I hold close to my heart even today.

So for those who wanted this album to be #1, sorry for the disappointment. But hopefully you will still come back the day after Christmas to see who claimed the top spot. Until then, check out some of the songs I mentioned.

(50) Sundays of Music: #3

#3: Lostprophets - Start Something

This is the one that I was thinking there would be a possibility of a surprise with. Not so much because of the band, but because they are so high among such worth contenders of the top spots.

But the reasons for me putting this album at #3 are simple: it is well made from start to finish, they are memories associated with it and it rocks.

I was first introduced to Lostprophets like most everyone else at the time, with the release of the song "Last Train Home." That tracks continue to this day to be one of the biggest sing alongs among people my age, no matter which musical genre you prefer. I will always remember the day I was visiting my family in California and my brother and I took a drive to Sacramento and on the way back we belted out this song. I also took the song "Last Summer" and set it to a slideshow of pictures from the summer between high school and college.

However, one of the main reasons I will always go back to this cd is it was one of the first ones to introduce me to how a band can make an album an entire experience. Now, this wasn't an experience in the sense of the album had a theme or anything. It's just that each song flowed into one another. Some with interludes and others it was just a case where the music didn't stop. I still compare current releases to this method of musicianship whenever artists try something similar (I'm not saying they were the first ones to do it - just that they were the first ones I heard).

But what is a good thought process without good music? Luckily, Lostprophets deliver in that aspect as well. With tracks that have been featured in racing video games (such as "To Hell We Ride"), a majority of the album is a pure shot of adrenaline. The quality doesn't suffer when they slow it down, however, as it is actually enhanced. I remember piecing together a music video in my head for "Hello Again" (ironically, it had them on rooftops, which would be the name of a single from their next album) and the closing melodic style of "Sway" is still one of my favorite tracks.

If you haven't heard this before, I urge you to give it a shot. If you have, well then I urge you to pull it out and give it another listen like I just did. And then sit there and rock out.

(50) Sundays of Music: #4

#4: My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge

I discovered My Chemical Romance like all great bands should be discovered - through a mixed cd. I know it sounds like a recurring theme for this countdown, but that's how I discovered a lot of music in high school. And after that sample led me to purchase this album, it became a staple of that time period.

There's two different ways to talk about this album. The music itself and the impact it had.

As far as the music, two words come to mind when I think of this album (and the band itself really): energy and theatrics. It's like they are the punk version of Queen.

"I'm Not Okay" is a classic track and one of my top songs of all time. "Helena" is also one of those theatric style songs, with a theatric style video to add to it.

But the thing about Three Cheers is that the energy and the overall feel of the songs stays throughout the entire album. It never stops, even when it dips, such as in "The Ghost of You" the only time the album comes close to a slow song (and another one of my all time favorites).

What I like about it now is the same thing I liked about it then. It's the fact that I can really get into the songs. And not really in an "I can relate" sort of way, more of a "put on a concert in my car" kind of way. I could put on a show back in the day and I can still do it now. From how Gerard Way quivers his voice, to the way the drums blast your chest and everything in between, this album is a complete show.

But on to the impact. I've read different stories from different places about how My Chemical Romance helped teenagers. I remember a story where their music literally saved a kid. He was considering suicide but listened to their music and for whatever reason re-thought his decision.

Now, that wasn't me. Nor did I paint my fingernails black or dye my hair because of new found music. But I did enjoy the hell out of it. And I am not one of those people who hated high school as I actually enjoyed my time. It was the coming home part that I hated.

My dad and I got along fine, but we were never close. When I was home, I spent a lot of time in my room. Not as a loner or anything, I would come out and mingle, but my room was my little slice of the world so to speak. And albums like these were what was on constant rotation in there.

Here are some of the tracks I can still give a good performance to. (But read on, there's more).

While their first cd (I Brought You My Bullets You Brought Me Your Love) and their latest (Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys) are both great releases, it was their third album, The Black Parade, that almost got its own spot on this countdown. Though they started getting play on the radio, the theatrics continued while the progression into a solid rock band began. The songs below are still ones that, like those contained in Three Cheers, I can put on a solid performance to. (And note to Sara: I smiled hard at the fact that "Mama" was one of your favorites, as it is one of mine too).

*Please take a minute to check out this epic video. I don't know who made it, but it's wonderful.

(50) Sundays of Music: #6

#6: Pierce the Veil - A Flair for the Dramatic

"Like a rush shot through you..."

Those are the opening words to this release from the San Diego band who are slowly working their way up the ladder of their respective screamo/post-core/whatever identifier you want to call it scene. And years later after its release, I still get a rush when listening to it.

Here is my disclaimer: I realize as we get to the top of this countdown that more people will recognize the ones selected. However, I don't expect many to know this band (even I stumbled upon them by chance). Unless you listen to the Warped Tour scene deeply you may not have heard of them and I personally feel in due time they will be mentioned at the top. But with that said, my goal is to give you a few minutes of entertainment with a story. So here we go.

I was visiting my family one summer in California when my brothers said they wanted to go to a show headlined by a band out of Sacramento called Dance Gavin Dance. I was getting into DGD because they had slid me some music and while I usually do not gravitate toward the screaming/singing type, I did like it.

As we packed into the small club in Stockton, some of the opening acts took the stage. One contained a band with a ton of energy, featuring this skinny lead singer who looked like he would flinch at a fly but when the music started he turned into a beast. His high-pitched (at times whiny) voice was the type where you either loved or hated it, there was no in between. And I was immediately hooked. That opening band was Pierce the Veil.

I got their cd a few days later at the local Hot Topic and listened to it that entire summer. When I got back to Bama, I saw PTV was opening for Emery in Atlanta. I dragged a friend and once again, they stole the show. They did exactly what an opening band was supposed to do - impress you enough where you ask questions and take a chance on the cd.

What I remember about that show was wanting to take a picture with them and they couldn't have been any nicer about it. They were behind their merch table and I was standing in front of it and they said "hey, come around here" and they posed with me. The moment that grainy cell phone pic was snapped, they instantly were thrust into one of my favorite bands.

I would see them two more times at two different Warped Tour stops. Both times they did autograph signings and both times I got to chat with them for a second.

So as much as that may be a nice story about the band, what about the cd landed it at #6 beside memories of shows? Well, that was one reason. The tracks bring me back to those memorable live experiences (such as sliding in covers of pop songs - see below for an example). But the other is that it's a damn good cd.

The tracks are labeled "Act 1" and so forth before the song title. As previously stated, I love when bands put effort into their music like that. A Flair for the Dramatic is one of the few cds where I have pressed play and read the lyrics while the music played for the entire album.

If I ever can figure out how to go about it, the song "Currents Convulsive" contains a line that I would like to get tattooed at some point: "So I'll toast every beat of my heart like a miracle."

The music may not be for everybody, but I wish there were more bands like this. Bands that put effort into the overall package of the music and genuinely care about their fans.

And here is that pic:

Cover of NeYo's Closer before going into one of their songs:

(50) Sundays of Music: #7

#7: Death Cab for Cutie - Plans

If I could go back in time, I would have gotten into Death Cab for Cutie much sooner. Instead, they were a band I had always heard of, but never heard. It wasn't until my freshman year of college, when I was living with one of the people I had heard of them from, that Ben Gibbard's voice started coming through the speakers in my house. (Which you can read more about at the end of this post).

Then, all of a sudden "Soul Meets Body" got on the alternative radio I listen to. I remember the roommate and I were at FYE in our college-town mall and I saw this cd, thought "what the hell" and picked it up.

I want to say that I went home and was mesmerized, that it completely took hold of me. But I can't, because it didn't. I read a piece on the website for Alternative Press recently where he was talking about not appreciating a Radiohead album till years after he obtained it. He said he had to be ready to hear it, and that's how I felt about Plans.

As depressing as this might sound, I got into a lot of music in the time during a very bad breakup that I went through. Though, when you look back at Plans, I wouldn't necessarily call it "emo." I don't know if this is a classification, but I would call it "well thought out" music.

What Plans did for me was introduced an appreciation for the piano. The opening track "Marching Bands of Manhattan" and "Summer Skin" are two good examples, but without a doubt the songs that I keep coming back to are the back-to-back masterpieces of "What Sarah Said" and "Brothers on A Hotel Bed."

While my major was journalism, I also graduated with a minor in psychology. One of the classes I took was called "Psychology of Aging" and we given an assignment to analyze a song or movie - anything that tells a story of growing older or the struggles elderly people face. I actually submitted a piece on "Brothers on a Hotel Bed" and received an A.

But it's not just the piano-background, there is also some cool tracks like the already mentioned "Soul Meets Body" and the classic "I Will Follow You Into The Dark." However, if I were to list my favorite tracks from this cd, in the top three would have to be "Crooked Teeth." I just love how it gives a sort-of bouncy vibe to an otherwise deep cd.

I love this album so much. I could put it on to fall asleep to, to relax to and when I'm tired of jamming on road trips, to channel reflection mode.

BONUS

The good thing about music is that even if you miss out, it will always be there. I mean, how many Beatles fans do we have today? It's because their music is timeless. Because of this aspect, I was able to go back to the time I missed out on and I have to also include Transatlantacism to my favorite cds as well. As mentioned before, I went through a pretty rough breakup and there were certain songs that spoke to me. "Tiny Vessels" was one of those tracks.

(50) Sundays of Music: #8

#8: Taking Back Sunday - Louder Now

I remember specifically sitting in the living room of my first apartment during my freshman year of college and reading about the latest music news and becoming excited that 2006 would not only bring a new Red Hot Chili Peppers album but a new one from Taking Back Sunday as well. Both bands were (and are still) in my top 5 favorites so anything new from them creates excitement for me.

The lead-off single that got passed around many MySpace players was "MakeDamnSure" - probably the biggest hit in the career of TBS at least in terms of radio play (at least rock radio - not sure if it ever made it to the pop and mix stations). It's still a crowd pleaser, one that people wait for at shows.

And of course you know where the story goes from here. As soon as more people started knowing the name Taking Back Sunday, the more some fans shunned them. I, for one, was happy with the change.

Louder Now was more rock to the previous albums that had been labeled emo. I'm sure there is some kind of sub-genre of emo that TBS fall under, I just don't know what it is. But I was getting older. And honestly, I was happy to just rock out with a good rock band. And in my mind, that's what Taking Back Sunday had become with Louder Now.

While "MakeDamnSure" is still a classic, this album contains a couple of not only my favorite TBS songs but some of my favorite songs period. "Spin" and "Error: Operator" are two songs that I listen to when I need to get pumped up, or when I need a pick-me-up during long road trips. And then the melody of "Divine Intervention" shows that TBS can take it down a notch and still produce hits.

Lyrically, this is one of the best albums I have ever heard and solidified their place as my #1 favorite band (until Coldplay came along and began a constant struggle for that top spot). I love analyzing the song writing, which I will give credit to Fred Mascherino who helped with that aspect. This album marked Fred's last with the band as the two parted ways shortly after and took with him the dual vocals that made the slow-brooding then punch you in the face "Liar (It Takes One to Know One)" so amazing. As an example, check out the lyrics to "Twenty Twenty Surgery."

To end this, I want to address those familiar with the band. They have their big anthems such as "Cute Without The E" and "Decade Under the Influence" but I really think when it's all said and done, there is one song that is GROSSLY underrated. And that would be Louder Now's closer in "I'll Let You Live." It was one of those rare songs that I had heard a ton of times but at one point in my life it really spoke to me ("Tell me just how dangerous is second best / You've settled for less and I'm sure you'll settle again"). And that's why I love this band - and this album.

(50) Sundays of Music: #9

#9: Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown

This is the most recent album to have come out to appear on this countdown and it appears here for one simple reason: I really really like it.

Maybe it's the memories. Maybe it's that I bought this cd at the Virgin store in Hollywood during our Alabama to California to road trip and listened to the entire thing while waiting in traffic. Or listened to it while traveling back through Arizona.

It does take me back to listening to the story contained in the songs, the follow-up to American Idiot. Though not as in a second chapter, but in Green Day doing yet another concept album.

I don't feel it's necessary to write a super long blog post about this album because I feel anyone who is going to comment is going to say the same thing: "I lost track of Green Day when they did American Idiot and now they just aren't even the same band anymore."

And you know what? I feel really sorry for anyone who is stuck on a band's past and is not willing to give something they put tons of effort into making a decent shot. (If you have listened to it and didn't like it, that doesn't pertain to you. It's the ones who dismiss it before even listening to it that I was referencing). Sure, it contains more elements of "pop" then any of their previous releases, but I honestly don't think I want guys their age still acting and writing like the "punks" they were when Dookie is released. They are really talented musicians and the way the songs on this release flow together and mix in a vast array of sounds is purely amazing.

When music history is written years and years from now, I firmly believe Green Day will be placed up there with Queen, Guns & Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers and other legends as one of the greatest bands of all time. And this cd will be one that, if no one had heard before, they are sorely missing out.

For a more well-worded review of this cd (a 5 star review no less), please check out this post from Mike at This Song Starts a Craze.

(50) Sundays of Music: #10

#10: Blink-182 - Take off Your Pants and Jacket

First off, this has got to be one of the greatest titles for an album the long history of album titles. One of the things I loved about the Mark, Tom and Travis show (not to be confused with the live cd) is their way to just have fun with life.

As much of an impact Enema of the State had during my middle school years, this release came just as I was entering high school. I remember hearing "The Rock Show" while I was in Texas during the summer of 2001. To this day, some people still refer to it as The Warped Tour Song (trivia: I didn't attend my first Warped until four years later).

That summer was actually a tough one for me. In a summary, I was basically given the decision to keep on living my life with my friends in Alabama or move back to California and be with my family. Long story short, I chose my friends. My dad picked me up from Cali in his 18-wheeler and we drove all the way back to the southeast. Along with Eminem, blink-182 was a band I listened to as I sat in the back and waited for the long drive to return to small-town home.

While living in said small-town, this was a cd that got played a lot in my room, a place I spent a lot of time in. I wasn't a loner, but my room was definitely a getaway from a lot of stress (before I could drive). Songs like "Give Me One Good Reason" and "Everytime I Look For You" were songs I had on rotation.

And just like "Adam's Song" from Enema, "Stay Together for the Kids" was another track that hit me in a time when I just wanted to rock out. I remember my best friend at the time and I made a music video to it. It's kind of lame, but was really fun and I still think of him to this day when I hear it.

The good thing about this cd? It's one I can still put on and enjoy from start to finish.

(50) Sundays of Music: #11

#11: The All-American Rejects - The All-American Rejects/Move Along

Yes, there are actually two cds for today's (tonight's?) post. I absolutely could not decide which I liked more so I decided to just put them both. It's my countdown, I'm allowed to do these things.

I don't really remember where I was the first time I heard "Swing, Swing" but I know I liked it. The song was catchy at first, but then really started to stick with me. One time I went to some conference for some high school group I was in and the "entertainment" did a cover of the song, which was actually pretty good.

Sometime later I received a burned copy of the cd from somebody. My sister and I would sometimes drive to school together and I remember her actually liking "One More Sad Song" and I have to "actually" because she rarely likes the same music that I do. But I ended up really getting into the cd as a whole and we used for some of our drives.

The closing track, "The Last Song," is one that still sticks out to me even today. My friends and I kind of used to highlight our high school years coming to an end because we were all parting ways and it was just kind of fitting.

When word came my senior year of high school that AAR had a new cd coming out, I became excited. I liked the lead-off single, "Dirty Little Secret," and marked the release date on my calender. The day happened to come when I was in Los Angeles visiting family and I specifically remember making my mom take me to Target so I could get it.

While "Move Along" was more radio friendly (both the title track and the album as a whole), I still played the entire thing on repeat. In fact, when listening to the entire thing, it takes me back to that summer. To the beginnings of a four-year relationship with my now ex-girlfriend, to my transition from high school to college and to my brothers and I making my mom turn up "Dance Inside" and singing along.

(50) Sundays of Music: #12

#12: Fall Out Boy - Take This To Your Grave

I think Fall Out Boy gets a bad rap. Their name is synonymous with "skinny jean wearing emo kids" and then with "14-year-old girls who think Pete Wentz is hot." I honestly don't think that's fair to the actual band because this cd is a straight up classic.

Like discovering all good bands, I first heard a song from FOB on a mixtape a friend made for me. It contained "Chicago Is So Two Years Ago" and was a song that immediately struck with me. Jme ended up getting a burned copy of the entire cd and I borrowed it from her and the rest is history.

Not only was the music fun to listen to, but the lyrics cut to the core. The opening track contains the chorus: "Let’s play this game called “when you catch fire” / I wouldn’t piss to put you out / Stop burning bridges and drive off of them /So I can forget about you."

The album also contains the gem "Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy" and is what I consider a "scene classic."

Honestly, I can still put this cd on and not only be transported back to my senior year of high school but can still enjoy a good record. And sometimes I do, because this is one of the rare releases I also have on vinyl.

Here are a few tracks but don't go anywhere, I'm not done just yet.

I really don't understand the "I miss the old Fall Out Boy" comments. If you played all their songs on one giant mixtape, I guarantee you will see that their style stays pretty similar. Yes, they got a little more radio friendly as time went on and as much as I love Jay Z maybe he didn't help all that much on Infinity on High. But the last album they released before their "hiatus," Folie a Deux, was actually pretty solid in my opinion.

But the other album I have to highlight is "From Under The Cork Tree." Though it contains the over-played and (poster song for Fall Out Boy hate) "Sugar We're Going Down" it also contains some gems as well. But their second single from that album is still one of my favorites to this day. If I hear the beginning to "Dance, Dance" I still smile a little bit before air-rocking out.

(50) Sundays of Music: #13

#13: Blink-182 - Enema of the State

I've learned a lot of things in the time I started really listening to music. One of those things is that if you throw out the word "punk" you won't be able to get 10 people to agree on which bands fall in to that category. Well in my honest opinion, Blink-182 is THE punk band of my generation and this cd in particular is the reason why.

In the TRL-era that contained boy bands and Britney Spears, Blink-182 made waves with a video for "All The Small Things" poking fun at the popular bands of the time. Ironically, the song that got them on the radio was the one that first started to get me to listen beyond the radio.

I realize "What's My Age Again?" came out first and I remember that video clearly, with the naked cartwheeling. I also realize this was by no means their first album, but like I've stated, I was strictly a radio guy at this point.

So while I came for the two lead singles, I stayed for this raw sound I had not experienced before. It had catchy, sing along elements - but also contained cuss words. And for my age at the time (I wanna say 12, 13?) that was big. Also keep in mind, this album came out JUST before the Napster craze (or right along side it - either way it came out before MySpace).

This was the first record of it's kind that got me into music other than "pop" and that is why it's so high on the countdown. The thing is, it's one of those timeless releases that high school kids today can still put on and relate to. One of my favorite memories is visiting California and walking around with this cd in my discman (throwback) and absorbing every word.

What still resonates to me is throughout a cd containing topics such as the state looking down on sodomy and girls with no underwear on, there was a game changer called "Adam's Song." That track, from my perspective is about a teen's struggle with suicide, is still one of my favorites to this day. And it is a testament to their talent that they can go from such an impactful song right into "All the Small Things."

So if you have Rock Band, play the drums on these tracks because Travis Barker is a living legend. If not, enjoy them below.

(50) Sundays of Music: #14

#14: Green Day - American Idiot

I have to admit, as much as I talk about music and my love for it, I missed out on the "early stuff" with Green Day being one of the casualties. I didn't grow up with Dookie and "Time of Your Life" was really my first exposure to them so I'm not jaded to this release like most of their hardcore fan base. I see this album for what it is - a stand alone musical masterpiece.

There are a lot of places to discover music. Nowadays, you have Pandora, iTunes recommendations and social networking blogs that post the latest "band you need to know but when a certain amount of people do I'm not going to like them anymore" artists. But there is a way to discover that was very overlooked until Guitar Hero and Rock Band hit the scene - video games.

"American Idiot" (the song) appeared on the soundtrack for one of the Madden games. That's where I got used to it and one day bought the cd and gave it a shot. I have to admit, at first I was just kind of like "eh." I liked the title track and really liked "Holiday" before the radio got a hold of it. It would be a while before I truly appreciated the cd as a whole.

One of the reasons was because to this day "When September Ends" is one my least favorite and at one time was heavily played on the radio. I want to make sure that statement came across correct: "least favorite" doesn't mean I didn't like it. (and yes, I know the story behind it. But like I said, just a "least favorite") But radio-overexposure also killed "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" for me as well, another song I really liked.

But what turned me around to this cd was actually when I started opening my eyes to music for what it was. Interpreting the lyrics, appreciating the bass lines, realizing what goes in to making a song. I've come to appreciate songs that are unique and I found that in "Jesus of Suburbia." It's a 9-minute track that acts like a 5-for-1 deal.

And it's also an example of what the album does - tells a story. I feel a lot of times, artists will put out songs with singles to get on the radio and make money. I appreciate and respect Green Day for, at a time when they had already done that in their careers, taking a chance and doing something creative.

Also, I have to admit. Green Day Rock Band helped me appreciate "Homecoming" which is similar to "Jesus of Suburbia" in the multiple-songs-condensed-into-one formula. That and "Whatsername." So that's why the following three tracks are displayed.

NOTE: Please, if you have never given these tracks a listen or have been jaded to them because you don't like the cd (you are entitled to your opinion), for me - give these songs a try.

(50) Sundays of Music: #15

#15: Taking Back Sunday - Tell All Your Friends

There are certain albums that, in my opinion, define a time period. Some go on to be known as classics. "Pinkerton" by Weezer, "Clarity" by Jimmy Eat World are some of the classics that came before the time that I got into good music but still hear about to this day. However, I was fortunate to get into "Tell All Your Friends" at just the right time.

I give that kind of intro because the debut album from Taking Back Sunday still has fans clamoring for them to go back to this style three albums later. The lineup has changed a few times since this release, but has recently gone back to these members and it will be interesting to see what happens in the future of TBS.

My personal memories from these tracks involve making a picture slideshow to "There's No 'I' in Team," overplaying "You're So Last Summer" during relationship struggles and being assigned a part to sing along to "Cute Without The 'E' (Cut From the Team)" at a 2007 concert - one of the best moments of my life.

However, to really hammer home the point that this is a cd of a generation, I figured I would do something special this week and turn the words over to my blogger friends and have them do the talking for me.

From ___j @this is me; consequently:

I remember the first time I heard them. It was the summer before my senior year of high school. I was sitting in my room searching for new music, and I found it. The first song I heard was “Cute without the E”. I listened to it over and over and over…It was like a God send.

Before then, my c.d. collection was comprised of N*SYNC, Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, and the Dixie Chicks. Needless to say, I needed a change, and TBS was just what the doctor ordered. They opened my eyes to a whole new genre.

Over the years, they have changed not only by replacing some of their band members, but also changed their sound. I can honestly say that in my mind these guys can do no wrong. Their music has gotten me through the good times and the bad, and they will always be my favorite band of all time.

From Liz @ Dance to the Radio:

My list of favorite albums is carefully composed of those that are excellent straight through. Skipping a song doesn't cross my mind while listening. Tell All Your Friends by Taking Back Sunday makes this list. It is a very influential album from my high school years and still is on frequent rotation. When I hear the intro to You Know How I Do I am instantly brought back to late nights driving through the suburbs with my windows down and my close friends singing at the top of our lungs. This album is the reason why I like Taking Back Sunday. Ten high energy, brilliant pop-punk tracks that are anthems of my youth.

From Mike @ This Song Starts a Craze:

When Tell All Your Friends came out in 2002, it was a game changer. Like The Clash’s self-titled album, or The Cure’s Pornography, Taking Back Sunday created an album that would be the benchmark for years to come. It defined a scene. Suddenly, Long Island was a creative hot spot for melodic hardcore, and the genre had it’s own version of The Rolling Stones. Adam Lazzara’s cocky sarcasm called to mind the serpentine swagger of Mick Jagger, while John Nolan’s freshly layered guitar parts called to mind Keith Richards’s timeless songwriting. They were dangerous while being melodic, accessible while staying sophisticated, and the MySpace generation loved them for it. The buzz saw opening of “You Know How I Do” and the tongue twisting dual vocals in “Cute Without The ‘E’ (Cut From The Team)” ushered in a new era, one where bands from a punk tradition didn’t have to sound like Green Day. And while it provided a snapshot of 2002, it also captured how it felt to come of age at the beginning of the decade. People my age understand that Tell All Your Friends isn’t just an album with clever hooks; it’s an album that captures growing up. It showcases the irrationally that comes from a friendship imploding (“There’s No ‘I’ In Team”) and how your wits could keep you from feeling second class (“Your So Last Summer”). In many ways, it plays like a diary, documenting the pain of growing up, in a time where everything seems big and intimate. Musical impact aside, Tell All Your Friends goes down as a classic not just because of its legacy, but because its songs were the kind of songs to get under your skin, and stay there. It’s the kind of record you wanted to tell all your friends about, simply because it was a soundtrack to the things you were going through together

(50) Sundays of Music: #16

#16: Panic! at the Disco - A Fever You Can't Sweat Out

Let's go ahead and get this out of the way: If I was doing a list of my worst/most disappointing albums, Panic's "Pretty.Odd" would be in the top three. Now that that information is out of the way, let's go return to the era of the exclamation mark.

Once again, I go back to my freshman year of college. I am roommates with Hedman, another music aficionado and he says to me "man, you need to hear this band" and I have a first listen and I am intrigued. I listen to it a few more times, like it, and end up getting it from Target because it was on sale ridiculously cheap.

My Christmas of 2005 will always coincide with this cd. I went back home to work at my high school job and it was the only time since leaving for college that I stayed back at my parent's house. I spent a lot of time chilling by myself in my room and this cd was what was playing.

I became totally immersed. The fast techno beats, the witty lyrics, the intros and interludes. I loved everything about it. It was a sound I had never heard before and unfortunately never really heard again.

I realize most of the responses will talk about this and I will say it too. The radio overplay of "I Write Sins, Not Tragedies" killed this cd for me as well as everyone else. But after stepping away for a while, some of these songs randomly popped up on a shuffle and I knew I made the right decision by putting this in the top 20.

Also, I have to say. "Build God, Then We'll Talk" is one of my top ten videos of all time.

These guys can break up, take the ! away and put it back and come out with a, well, pretty odd second cd. But "A Fever You Can't Sweat Out" will always hold a significant place in my musical library. Enjoy the examples below.

(50) Sundays of Music #17

#17: Anberlin - Never Take Friendship Personal


If you recall, I said earlier when talking about Armor For Sleep in this countdown, that it was one of two cds that I got from my ex for a birthday because I liked the burned version so much I wanted the real thing. "Never Take Friendship Personal" was the other one.

The first time I heard Anberlin, I was immediately intrigued. However, my love for them didn't grow till later. I had to learn to appreciate the work put in by the band because, to be honest, at first, I just kinda thought they were good, but not enough to go crazy over.

Then I listened to them more and more. And I think the thing I admire most about Anberlin is how they can have what some would call "emo" lyrics, but they are sung in an adult setting. Does that make sense? I hope it does. I guess I'm just trying to say it has always felt like real emotion, rather than whining.

And it's not just heartbreak. Love is in there. Relationships in general is an overall theme with the band, as you could kind of see in the countdown leading up to this post.

I have to say, this cd was chosen because it was the one that introduced me to them. But I feel all their releases are on the same level and all have definitive songs. On this release you have songs about staying in touch, a friend confessing love just a little too late, and always bailing on relationships.

It also contains the original version of the band's 2008 radio hit "The Feel Good Drag." Check out the one that was released for this cd, which as a fun fact - was released the year I graduated, and some other standouts below.

Music Sunday Bonus Post #4 of 4

The last day before the #17 selection on the Music Sunday countdown. Missed out on the first three days? Check back here.

So far we have went over the majority of Anberlin's discography. However, they released "Lost Songs" which was a collection of B-sides, covers and acoustic versions of previously released songs. Honestly, I wish more bands would do this.

Their covers are fantastic (Radiohead's "Creep" and The Smith's "There is a Light that Never Goes Out" are on there). But the song for today is one of the b-sides, "The Haunting."

Now, while I am posting lyrics and not videos, I have to make a compromise because, in my opinion, what makes this song is the way he delivers the words.

See what I mean by checking out this acoustic performance.

"Up on this hill in this uncanny house
The wind makes this place creak
The lights, they are flickering
The moon, she is lurking
The clock, it stopped working
At a quarter past three
There's something dancing here in the shadows
And I wish it were us

You haunt me baby
You haunt me here tonight
You haunt me baby
You haunt me here tonight
Tonight, tonight

Can't get your memory off of my mind (My mind)
Just want your heartbeat on top of my mine (On mine)
There's something dancing here in the shadows
And I wish it were us

You haunt me baby
You haunt me here tonight
You haunt me baby
You haunt me here tonight
Tonight, to-

Up on this hill, in this uncanny house
Your spirit I can't see, but I still believe
I can feel your breath on me"

Music Sunday Bonus Post #3 of 4

Not sure what this is all about? Go back to Tuesday's post here.

It's getting really hard to leave the stories of my connection with this band out of these posts. But hopefully it will draw attention to Sunday's post.

Today's album highlight is Anberlin's latest release, coming out exactly two years ago, "New Surrender." I remember being kind of "eh" about it at first because admittedly, it is a slight departure from earlier work. But after giving it a few more rotations I really got into it.

Song selection from today is "Soft Skeletons"

"Dear little girl
There's so much hurt for such a young age
Trapped inside a pretty little lie
Your body's betrayed

Don't fix your eyes on a fix you'll rely on
Fixed her eyes on a fix she relies upon

Stand unafraid
All the good souls
Stand unafraid

When the light starts to burn, and the pain returns
I just wish that I could heal the hurt you feel tonight
There's life in your veins
These needles are chains to hold you down
How can you expect to win this war if you're too afraid to fight?
Are you too afraid to fight?

Dear little one, there was so much pain
Time you can't replace
Trapped inside, too afraid to cry
And now hands and bruises cover face

Don't fix your eyes on a fix you'll rely on
Fixed her eyes on a fix

When the light starts to burn, and the pain returns
I just wish that I could heal the hurt you feel tonight
There's life in your veins
These needles are chains to hold you down
How can you expect to win this war if you're too afraid to fight?

Stand unafraid
All the good souls
Stand unafraid
All of the good souls stand unafraid

When the light starts to burn, and the pain returns
I just wish that I could heal the hurt you feel tonight
There's life in your veins
These needles are chains to hold you down
How can you expect to win this war

When the light starts to burn, and the pain returns
I just wish that I could heal the hurt you feel tonight
There's life in your veins
These needles are chains to hold you down
How can you expect to win this war if you're too afraid to fight?"

Music Sunday Bonus Post #2 of 4

Confused as to what's going on? Check yesterday's post here.

Like I said, I'm holding off on my Anberlin story, but I will say today's selection wasn't that hard as it discusses elements I am still going through, and frankly, I bet we have all been through. There, that's a small glimpse into why I've been busy lately (or it will will be once you read on).

Today's album is "Cities." And while I have a few favorite tracks on there, it was a no-brainer to pick "Dismantle. Repair" as today's pick.

"One last glance from a taxi cab
Images scar my mind
Four weeks've felt like years
Since your full attention was all mine
The night was young and so were we
Talked about life, God, death, and your family
Didn't want any promises,
Just my undivided honesty, and you said

Oh oh, things are gonna change now for the better
Oh oh, things are gonna change, oh, they're gonna change

I am the patron saint of lost causes
A fraction of who I once believed (change)
only a matter of time
Opinions I would try and rewrite
If life had background music playing your song
I've got to be honest, I tried to escape you
But the orchestra plays on, and they sang

Oh oh, things are gonna change now for the better
Oh oh, things are gonna change

Hands, like secrets, are the hardest thing to keep from you
Lines and phrases, like knives, your words can cut me through
Dismantle me down (repair)
You dismantle me
You dismantle me

Give me time to prove
Prove I want the rest of yours (prelude)
Call this a prelude to a lifetime of you
It's not that I hang on every word
I hang myself on what you repeat
It's not that I keep hanging on
I'm never letting go"

Music Sunday Bonus Post #1 of 4

So if you remember a couple Sunday's ago, I said I switched the countdown up because I could. But also to coincide with the release one of my favorite band's new album coming out. So, for the first time in the countdown, I am revealing what band will be featured this coming Sunday. And that band is...

Anberlin.

I will talk more about the band on Sunday. For now, I finally figured out how I am going to celebrate their new release, "Dark Is The Way, Light Is A Place" coming out on September 7.

I will count down my favorite Anberlin cds, leading up to Sunday's selection, and then one more friendly reminder next Tuesday. But instead of taking up space with videos, I decided to challenge myself.

All I will do is attempt to find my favorite song from each cd. Trust me, this is hard.

The first cd up for the bonus days is "Blueprints for the Black Market." The song is "Naive Orleans."

"Come and go now as you please
Your actions write the melodies
To those songs that we sing
And you just sing

And I finally found that life goes on without you
And my world still turns when you're not around

Is this the way you want it?
Is this the way it has to be?
Sitting here beside you
When my heart's lost in New Orleans
Dreams come clever
Hearts now severed
Difference of forever
And I am lost there

And I finally found that life goes on without you
And my world still turns when you're not around
And I finally found that life goes on without you
And my world still turns when you're not around"