100.)
Our Endless Numbered Days (2004)Artists: Iron and Wine
Label: Sub Pop
Favorite Song: Love and Some Verses
The first record really brings the energy. 44 minutes of calming and easy to listen to tunes echo from Samuel Beam as he guides you through 12 tracks. An album that picked up traction during study sessions, sleepy time, and sharing with a lovely lady.
99.)
The Heist (2012)Artist: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Label: Independent
Favorite Song: Can't Hold Us
I feel a little ashamed that the only record from this genre is a white rapper, but we all have our flaws. From start to finish I was hooked on the hooks. Ryan Lewis is really the secret weapon because many of Macklemore's solo efforts fall short of this work. Singles like "Thrift Shop", "Can't Hold Us", and "Same Love", garnered the duo a lot of success as the album went platinum. They did this despite no major label backing with the exception of help with single promotion from Warner Bros, but otherwise produced independently.
98.)
Say It Loud (2002)Artist: Sanctus Real
Label: Sparrow
Favorite Song: After Today
This is the label debut for one of my favorite local bands. Hailing from Toledo, this is the only band that I have ever watched play a show in Bryan, a small venue called The Fire Escape, which has long since been converted into a myriad of different storefronts. I remember accidentally finding this in Walmart because this was in the early years of using the internet and I had just assumed they weren't doing anything after the LP I bought at their concert. Turns out they had released two albums since with this being the second of the two. It features many songs from both Message for the Masses and Nothing to Lose as is the case with many bands who get signed to a label. "After Today", is one of those songs that if I'm in a particular down mood I can listen to and get right, or at least better. Unlike the first two appearances, Sanctus Real will return later on this list.
97.)
Nothing is Sound (2005)Artist: Switchfoot
Label: Columbia
Favorite Song: Daisy
You may or may not have noticed that Christian music is already making a strong case and back in high school it did have heavy rotation. I've always used other people's expression of words to say what I want to say, because they're so much better at saying it. However, the bands that I still listen to from this era also have an overlap into other genres of music that I was into, whether it's alternative, pop punk, singer-songwriter, or rock. This is a big change from their previous release that earned them a breakout into the mainstream. Nothing is Sound is a chill to calm down the excitement. Like Our Endless Numbered Days it's a great relaxing album, but also has the unfortunate distinction of being one of the CDs you couldn't burn because Sony/Columbia wanted to try and stop pirating.
96.)
North (2004)Artist: Something Corporate
Label: Geffen
Favorite Song: Me and the Moon
This album could be so much higher, but there are a couple of songs that don't quite mesh with the others on the record. Piano rock with some pop punk guitars might not sound appealing to some, but it's a recipe for success in the Pool household. This is one of those bands that I was bummed broke up before I ever got a chance to see them as this is their final release that's not a greatest hits album. That GH record is called Played in Space, although it has nothing to do with the song "Space", from this album, but instead "The Astronaut" which is off of Leaving Through the Window and was played as a wake-up call to astronauts on the International Space Station in 2006. Also, my favorite song from this is about murder, so there's that.
95.)
My Dinosaur Life (2010)Artist: Motion City Soundtrack
Label: Columbia
Favorite Song: Disappear
Motion City Soundtrack is one of my favorite bands of all-time and because of their willingness to tour areas that I live in, they are also the band I've watched play the most with 5 shows, including 3 in a year's time (all amazing). This is where they start to dip musically, but are still enjoyable, unlike their next album Go, which for me is their weakest record. This one though, is still full of catchy melodies and lyrics about lead singer Justin Pierre's downfalls.
94.)
Trainwreck (2005)Artist: Boys Night Out
Label: Ferret
Favorite Song: Medicating
A concept album with plenty of dark undertones. A man murders his wife in his sleep and because of it slowly slips into insanity and ultimately his demise. Sounds fun right? Well, it actually can be a lot of fun especially during the songs "Medicating" and "Composing". In "Medicating" he talks his way out of a psych ward, "Dr., Dr., what am I in for, can't you see that I don't need this place, I don't need these walls, I'm no threat at all," followed by, "Dr. I can't thank you enough. Dr. you won't regret this." The second part is complete with claps and callbacks. This is truly post hardcore/emo at its finest.
93.)
Comfort Eagle (2001)Artist: Cake
Label: Columbia
Favorite Song: Shadow Stabbing
Well if you needed to cleanse yourself from the darkness that was the last record, then this is the perfect remedy. Light and bouncy, it's Cake's greatest work, which for some out there is an abomination. "Short Skirt, Long Jacket", is easily their most recognizable song from this record, but "Shadow Stabbing", makes several appearances in movies from the early 2000's for it's infectious opening chords.
92.)
Start Static (2001)Artist: Sugarcult
Label: Fearless
Favorite Song: Pretty Girl (The Way)
Speaking of songs used in early 2000's movies, nearly a third of this record was featured in the movie Van Wilder. Catchy pop punk that will have you "Bouncing Off the Walls", (pun very much intended). The video for "Pretty Girl", also introduced me to the country Trinidad and Tobago, which later proved beneficial when I tried to name all the countries of the Caribbean.
91.)
The Face of Love (2006)Artist: Sanctus Real
Label: Sparrow
Favorite: I'm Not Alright
Do you know how it feels to watch a band you saw play in 1999 end up on MTV? Ok, MTVU, but still. "I'm Not Alright", earned that distinction when their music video found its way into the dorm rooms across the country. It's 3 million plus listens on Spotify are more than the other 11 songs on this album combined. Still the rest of the record deals with difficult topics such as divorce ("Don't Give Up") and the loss of a parent while celebrating the birth of a child ("Benjamin").
90.)
Hot Fuss (2004)Artist: The Killers
Label: Island
Favorite Song: Mr. Brightside
The Killers are one of those bands that when I first heard them, I wasn't sold. Initially, "Somebody Told Me", was not the sing along tune it is now. In fact it wasn't until "Mr. Brightside" that I went back and listened to it again and really enjoyed it. Speaking of "Mr. Brightside", that song made a surge in the UK charts and has made an appearance the last three years, peaking at No. 63. In the end Hot Fuss was a staple in college thanks to songs like "All These Things That I Have Done" and "Believe Me Natalie". This had a chance to be higher, but it closes with "Everything Will Be Alright", which is not great.
89.)
Bayside (2005)Artist: Bayside
Label: Victory
Favorite Song: Devotion and Desire
Right up their with Motion City Soundtrack when it comes to touring is Bayside. Any chance I get to see them, I'll try and find a way. Once the two did a show together and it was essentially my dream concert. This album unfairly got lost in the shuffle for me in between Sirens and Condolences and The Walking Wounded. After playing their acoustic CD non-stop, I went back to revisit many of the original tracks which came off this record. I had always loved "Devotion and Desire", but tracks like "Montauk", and "They Looked Like Strong Hands" were just as amazing with a full accompaniment. I also owe all those Victory Record samplers for me getting into this band.
88.)
To Be Everywhere Is to Be Nowhere (2016)Artist: Thrice
Label: Vagrant
Favorite Song: Death From Above
Thrice returned from hiatus to drop this record and at first I had mixed feelings. It wasn't until I listened to it from start to finish without any direction that I truly fell in love with it. As usual there are traces of Thrice's previous work, but they have moved on to some different ideas. From the start when "Hurricane" begins and then immediately follows with another strong outing with "Blood on the Sand". For me "Death From Above" is the highlight of this record not only musically, but also lyrically, with "Black Honey" running a close second.
87.)
Catalyst (2004)Artist: New Found Glory
Label: Geffen
Favorite Song: Failure's Not Flattering
Catchy and infectious at most points, Catalyst is the follow up to New Found Glory's first commercial success Sticks and Stones. The singles off this record are strong with "All Downhill from Here", "I Don't Wanna Know", and my personal favorite "Failure's Not Flattering". They even made their way on to the Madden 05 soundtrack which meant hearing "This Disaster" while trying to decide who I was going to torch with Michael Vick.
86.)
Composure (2005)Artist: Waking Ashland
Label: Tooth and Nail
Favorite Song: I Am for You
Taking the successful formula or piano rock and catering it toward a different audience, Waking Ashland has some beautiful ballads that flow throughout the record. The bummer part is that they couldn't figure out how to translate these great songs into success. They released one more album, but broke up in 2007 with Jonathan Jones forming We Shot the Moon as well as solo projects.
85.)
Take Off Your Pants and Jacket (2001)Artist: Blink-182
Label: MCA
Favorite Song: First Date
So I was way too old before I realized the innuendo that is this title. Still this is Blink-182 at the peak of their popularity and it still has some great songs to go back and listen to. However, lyrics on "Anthem Pt. 2" and "Give Me One Good Reason" (my least favorite Blink song) don't quite age well when you're 33 and singing along. Like New Found Glory, there are some well polished videos that equally add to the songs impact.
84.)
So Wrong, It's Right (2007)Artist: All Time Low
Label: Hopeless
Favorite Song: Remembering Sunday
A band that started as a Blink-182 cover band that got their name from a New Found Glory lyric is bound to carry the torch into the late 2000's and that's exactly what they did with pop punk classics "Dear Maria, Count Me In" and "Poppin' Champagne". The song that stays with me though is a break-up/love lost song called "Remembering Sunday" which features Juliet Simms from Automatic Loveletter, though some may remember her as finishing second in the first season of the voice.
83.)
Interventions and Lullabies (2003)Artist: The Format
Label: Elektra
Favorite Song: Sore Thumb
I had a chance to see these guys open up for The All-American Rejects and frankly they were the better of the two performers. Nate Ruess would go on to have much more success with Fun., but The Format for me is a better outlet. This is their first full length and it has everything from catchy choruses to thoughtful acoustic jams. They were able to build off this work and make and even better album, which will be much farther down the line.
82.)
Phantoms (2005)Artist: Acceptance
Label: Columbia
Favorite Song: Permanent
Another of the misguided attempts by Sony to block you from burning the disc, this was mostly bumped in a car stereo for the first few years. This would be their only full length release before they broke up shortly after making this. They would get back together and record their second full length, 12 years later. A good blend of bangers and slow and steady songs, they had their most success with the song "Different". For me though, it's "Permanent", a song they re-recorded off their EP Black Lines to Battlefields.
81.)
The Battle of Los Angeles (1999)Artist: Rage Against the Machine
Label: Epic
Favorite Song: Sleep Now in the Fire
So I lived a sheltered musical life from 1992-96 when Rage Against the Machine was releasing their heavy hitting records Rage Against the Machine and Evil Empire, so I was only aware of their band by name only. It wasn't until I saw the video for "Guerrilla Radio", that I had ever heard anything like them. Tom Morello's guitar playing had me hooked and Zack De La Rocha's angry vocals meshed well with my teen angst. No parental advisory label meant I could go to the store and purchase this with my paper route money.
80.)
Page Avenue (2003)Artist: Story of the Year
Label: Maverick
Favorite Song: Sidewalks
So much teen angst flowed through my blood and dudes that sometimes screamed were all the rage. I feel like people liked Story of the Year, but they were never big, probably because their follow to this album was less than stellar, but Black Swan is pretty good. I got a chance to see them live and they put on a fantastic show. There's not a song on this record that I skip and that's a big piece in making it up this high.
79.)
Something to Write Home About (1999)Artist: The Get Up Kids
Label: Vagrant
Favorite Song: I'll Catch You
I know, more emo, great right? Well this is some of the best right here from Matt Pryor and the guys from The Get Up Kids, that at this time features James Dewees, who would go on to form Reggie and the Full Effect. I hadn't listened to theses guys until the only CD that my wife has ever made for me (our 1 month anniversary no less) featured the song "I'll Catch You". Weirdly my second favorite song on the record has Jim Suptic taking over vocals in the song "Ten Minutes".
78.)
The Finer Things (2013)Artist: State Champs
Label: Pure Noise
Favorite Song: Nothing's Wrong
Pop punk's not dead! That amazing concert I mentioned with Bayside and Motion City Soundtrack, well these guys were the openers for that show and they killed it. Jam after jam packs this full length debut and while they haven't been able to match this level, they've also changed their sound a bit. If you like anything from the early 2000's then you'll love this one.
77.)
Magpie and Dandelion (2012)Artist: The Avett Brothers
Label: Republic
Favorite Song: Another is Waiting
Another band that my wife is responsible for introducing me to. This album took me a while to get into, but as I've gone back and listened to it, it's gotten better and better. The biggest instance of this is the slow banjo filled "Bring Your Love to Me" which is a must for headphones to fully enjoy the beauty of the song. "Another is Waiting" is the first single from the record and a great song to see performed live, as most of their songs are. They are a great show for anyone who loves folk rock.
76.)
The Weak's End (2004)Artist: Emery
Label: Tooth and Nail
Favorite Song: Fractions
From the get, this record slams with "Walls", as Toby Morrell screams, "Are you listening?" From there, he, Devin Shelton, and Josh Head take turns harmonizing, screaming, and guiding you through one of the quintessential early 2000's Tooth and Nail releases. Sceamo records like this were essential in keeping me awake for long car rides back home from college. In particular the emo side of me would listen to "Fractions" on the way home from visiting the pretty lady in Athens.
No comments:
Post a Comment