Yes folks, today one of my all time favorite recording (and other) artists Justin Timberlake turns 30. If only I could be invited to his parties …sigh… Anyways, in order to commemorate this momentous occasion I’d like to discuss my favorite parts of his career (which in my opinion was all highs).
1. D*** in a box: Oh Justin, not only did you come on SNL and become one of the best hosts ever, but you also gave us this wonderful musical gem about the perfect gift for your lady on Christmas.
2. Future Sex/Love Sounds: There is nothing bad that I can say about this album. It is just perfection. You can see more about my love for it on my best albums of the decade post.
3. Tearin up my heart: Yes I’ll admit I was one of those teenybopper girls who needed to hear every boy band song known to man. NSYNC was definitely one of my favorites, and this, their first single, was the key to my happiness for about ten minutes. Immediately I fell for Justin the way only a teen girl fan can; by plastering pictures of him in my bedroom.
4. Bye Bye Bye/ Its Gonne be Me music videos: Bye Bye Bye the first single off of the excellent album No Strings Attached and the video for this song did not disappoint. Working off of their album art the NSYNC boys were marionette dolls under the control of a woman. Taking up where the action left off Its Gonna Be Me features the boys as actions figures of themselves in a toy store, being purchased by the same woman from the Bye Bye Bye video! See both videos below and gush with teeny bopper enthusiasm.
5. Where is the Love?: The Black Eyed Peas/Justin collaboration had many wondering if Fergie was actually singing or if it was Justin. Either way this song is great, but made 100x better with JT’s solo.
6. Carry Out: A more recent addition to JT’s repertoire; Carry out is a silly ode to sex and take out. This duet with Timbo is just as intriguing and awesome as their first SexyBack.
7. The Singles Ladies Sketch on SNL (and various other SNL performances): Justin easily shows his comedic chops every time he is on SNL. Favorite sketches of his include the single ladies dance sketch (the week it aired he wasn’t even a host!) and the Barry Gibb talk show: which combines singing and making fun of the bee gees all in one hilarious package.
8. Alpha Dog: If you haven’t seen this movie, you definitely should. Justin plays the most likeable and sympathetic member of a drug gang, and has to deal ultimately with the rash actions of the other members, and gang leader. It is a dark crime drama, which is definitely intense, but it is also probably Justin’s best acting performance to date.
9. 4 minutes: Another awesome collaborative effort from JT, Timbo, and this time Madonna. In a time when JT was not making music very often this song was definitely a treat.
10. JT as Sean Parker: I’m not exactly sure who had the bright idea to cast JT in The Social Network as entrepreneur and Napster founder Sean Parker, but as of right now I worship the ground they walk on. I was particularly giddy every time he came on screen and found his performance to be excellent.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Britney: High and Lows:
In honor of Britney Spears’ slammin new single Hold it Against Me I’d like to take a look at some of her highs and lows.
Highs
- Baby One More Time: Arguably one of the best music videos Britney has ever had, and probably one of the best entrances to the music scenes post the Mickey Mouse Club. Britney started a girl-pop revolution that defined my teen years and for that I am eternally grateful.
- Stronger: My favorite song off of the “Oops I did it Again” album and one of her most catchy tunes, this song inspires girly strength every time I hear it. It also makes me want to jump up and down, or clap every time I hear it (which I do).
- Me Against the Music: Madonna + Britney= clutch. This duet is one of my favorites. Born out of their performance at the VMA’s, Madonna and Britney collaborated to make a great synth pop anthem that showcases the talent of both performers. It is also probably one of the best dance videos that Britney has ever had.
- Toxic: My favorite Britney song period features one of the catchiest hooks and some of the least understandable lyrics. This song defined my senior year of high school and is probably one of Britney’s most critically acclaimed songs. Did you know it was first offered to Kylie Minogue but she turned it down? I bet she regrets that decision now.
- The Circus Album: From the first single Womanizer to the last single Radar this album rocked my socks. I couldn’t have been happier with Britney’s return and am thankful for her chance to redeem herself following the Blackout album (see below). If only I could have seen her perform, I am sure she would have no doubt entertained.
Lows
- Don’t Let me be the last to know/ I’m Not A Girl Not yet a Woman: What I’ve learned from these two incredibly boring songs is that Britney should never do slow songs. She shines brightest on fast up-tempo numbers and shouldn’t even bother with these. Give the public what they want!
- Her Marriage to K-Fed/ Breaking up with Justin: Seriously Britney? You had a chance to be with JT! Yet you ended up marrying gross trashy K-Fed instead and began the downward spiral into crazy town. Good choice.
- Blackout Album: Where the circus album shined this one flopped. The singles off the album, Gimme More, Piece of Me, & Break the Ice all sound the same, and have the same beat. They are all a boring lame effort on Brittney’s part. Thank god she came back strong with the circus album because she would not want to be remembered for this lack of effort.
- VMA performance 2007- Performing songs from Blackout probably wasn’t the best idea. Not only was it beyond obvious that Britney was lip synching she had no energy at all and didn’t even look like she was having fun. It was if they had a stand in robot for the otherwise fun and energetic Britney. For shame. See the video below.
- Crossroads: If any of you have been lucky enough to not see this movie, then keep it that way. I was young and foolish once, and saw every movie that came out, but alas, I regret this one almost as much as Glitter. Moral of the story, singers should stick to singing, and not acting. Note: This does not apply to Justin Timberlake.
What do you think were Britney's highs and lows?
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Snippet of the new Gaga Song!
So in the video below, about halfway through you can hear a snippet of Lady Gaga's new song Born This Way. Let me tell you it is worth listening to two minutes of random french runway music! Gaga Fans what do you think? I cant wait for her new album!
Friday, January 14, 2011
Lyric of the Week
Artist: Owl City
In honor of my recent dental woes I decided to discuss a song that is not so new, but still so catchy. Dental Care is one of my favorite Owl City
Song: Dental Care
Lyrics: When hygienists leave on long vacations/That's when dentists scream and lose their patience.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Acceptable Uses of the Ukulele
When my husband and I took our honeymoon to Hawaii, I was extremely excited for various reasons. The main reason was the fact that I had never been to Hawaii and had always wanted to go, and could now go with my husband. Another, lesser reason was to hear the cool Hawaiian music playing at a luau or other cool event. Yet, once we got to Hawaii I found out that the ukulele is an instrument of evil. In Hawaii the ukulele is used ad-naseum to the point of complete brain melting exhaustion. If you haven’t been to Hawaii, let me spread some knowledge; ukulele players play every song imaginable on the instrument. They then also play their own original music which pretty much all sounds the same. Yet the ukulele has made its presence known today in much more popular and trendy ways. For example, songs like Jason Mraz’s I’m Yours and Train’s Hey Soul Sister are top 100 mainstream success stories, much like I assume the Plain White T’s Rhythm of Love will be. You may ask yourself why I am discussing the ukulele at this point. Well, to answer your question, this week the “ukulele virtuoso” Jake Shimabukuro released his latest full length album Peace Love Ukulele devoted to the art of stretching the ukulele’s limits. My personal favorite is his remake of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody played completely on ukulele and with no lyrics or vocals. As a whole, the album is intriguing but lacks a connective thread from song to song (aside from the ukulele of course). If you are interested in more Jake Shimabukuro songs check out his rendition of Thriller. And if you like a unique ukulele sound, you should definitely give this album a try, but if you are like me then stick with the trendy hipster uses of the ukulele and that’s all.
How do you feel about the ukulele?
Friday, December 31, 2010
Best Albums of the Decade 12-1
As 2010 comes to a close I can’t help but think about all the great things music has given us over the past decade. I know technically the decade is usually from 2000- 2009, but Id like to include 2010 in this list. I mean what would the 2000’s be without Brittney Spears? Eminem? Lady Gaga?? So I would like to list my top 25 albums of the decade.
Here I continue my list with albums 12- 1
12. Jet: Get Born: (2003) Jet came onto the scene as a small rock band, which just happened to get lucky and be in an apple commercial. What I did not expect was to love the album as much as I did. They are good old fashioned rockers, who in my opinion, if they had a larger following, could be the Rolling Stones of today. Think about it, they are imports (Australians in this case); they have an awesome new rock sound, and basically are completely embodied by rock music. Favorites off the album are Cold Hard Bitch, Are You Gonna Be My Girl, Look What You’ve Done, and Last Chance.
11. Eminem: The Marshall Mathers LP (2000): From Stan to The Real Slim Shady to The Way I Am and Kim Eminem broke onto the rap scene in full force and really showed us all what he was about in this album. What I mean when I say that is, a cranky, semi depressed, disenfranchised man who also happens to be an extraordinary rap talent. Never before did I think I would say (with conviction) that white man can rap!
10. Death Cab for Cutie: Transatlanticism (2003): From the opening number The New Year to the last song on the album and a personal favorite A Lack of Color, there isn’t a song on this album I dislike. Each tune tells a story and is a perfect transition to the one following it. I thank Josh Schwartz and the OC for my introduction to this album. Whatever the case, it is still one of my favorites to date.
9. Lilly Allen Its Not Me Its You (2009): Many of my friends/family could tell you I went through a serious Lilly Allen phase. I listened to this album NON stop for about 2 months in 2009. Each song is better than the next. Particular favorites are 22, The Fear, and Everyones At It. Lilly is just so cool. She uses her music to express the way she feels about society as a whole (much like the best artists do) and she sounds incredible while doing it. I love the whole British anti-princess thing she has going for her and it definitely works in relation to all of her songs.
8. Snow Patrol: Eyes Open (2006): Snow Patrol, for quite a while, was my favorite band. This album is largely responsible for that fact. Yes, I believe I know all of the lyrics to every song (I say believe because they are strange so I get some wrong occasionally). Yes, one of my all time favorite songs is on this album (Open Your Eyes). And yes, I listened to British radio a lot in 2006, and this was one of the most played albums at the time. All these things and more put this album in my top 10 of 2000’s.
7. Arcade Fire: Funeral: (2004): This album is pure magic from start to finish. I have to commend Funeral for giving me two of my favorites AF songs Wake Up and Rebellion (Lies). Both songs are incredibly ingenious melodically and surreal in their lyrics. These two things make the album ultimate indie rock cool, in my opinion.
6. Maroon 5: Songs About Jane: (2002) Maroon 5 came onto the scene with the hit Harder To Breathe. Maroon 5 came into my heart with this album. Songs like Must Get Out immediately identified the way I was feeling (in HS). What was so great about it was the fact that it was bluesy pop at its best. There is something soulful about Adam Levine and I thank him for that.
5. Lady Gaga: The Fame Monster (2009): Lady Gaga has changed my life for the better. Never before did I think I would listen to and actually enjoy dance/club music. Gaga blew my mind with this album. There are so many amazing hits on it I can’t even believe. For the dance lover there is Just Dance, Poker Face, and Fame. For the exhibitionist there are songs like Bad Romance, Alejandro, Monster and Teeth. Just in case you didn’t think Gaga was talented, listen to her voice on my personal favorite Speechless and let me know your thoughts.
4. Kanye West: Late Registration (2005)/Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010): It is really too difficult for me to choose between two of the best rap albums out there. Yes, Dark Twisted Fantasy came out in 2010 so it shouldn’t really count, but it is a hip/hop master class. Kanye digs into new depths. With Late Registration Kanye gave us Gold Digger, Bring Me Down, and Heard Em Say so how can I not list it?
3. Amy Winehouse: Back to Black: (2007) From the opening bars of Amy’s hit Rehab I knew this album was gonna be special. Amy may seem crazy (she is), but she has one of the most soulful voices there is out there. Her voice shines on Me and Mr. Jones, Back to Black (my personal favorite), and You Know I’m No Good. What Amy did with this album was give us what we didn’t even realize we wanted, soul.
2. Justin Timberlake Future Sex/Love Sounds (2006) Justified shmustified, in my mind JT is no better than he is on this album (with close seconds of D*** in a Box). Every song is full of pop/funk/r&b wrapped into one sexy bundle. Every day I hear a song from this album on the radio, even though the album came out four years ago. When I hear those songs all I can think is JT please make another album! Favorites include What Goes Around Comes Around, Sexy Ladies, and Love Stoned.
1. Coldplay: Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends: (2008) In my mind this is one of the best albums ever, let alone of the past decade. Every single minute of this album is something I love and will continue to listen to until I am 100 years old and lecturing my future children about what “good music really was.” Songs like Lost, Strawberry Swing, Lovers in Japan, and the title track Viva La Vida will live on in reputation for being songs that are unique interesting and rock heaven.
Here I continue my list with albums 12- 1
12. Jet: Get Born: (2003) Jet came onto the scene as a small rock band, which just happened to get lucky and be in an apple commercial. What I did not expect was to love the album as much as I did. They are good old fashioned rockers, who in my opinion, if they had a larger following, could be the Rolling Stones of today. Think about it, they are imports (Australians in this case); they have an awesome new rock sound, and basically are completely embodied by rock music. Favorites off the album are Cold Hard Bitch, Are You Gonna Be My Girl, Look What You’ve Done, and Last Chance.
11. Eminem: The Marshall Mathers LP (2000): From Stan to The Real Slim Shady to The Way I Am and Kim Eminem broke onto the rap scene in full force and really showed us all what he was about in this album. What I mean when I say that is, a cranky, semi depressed, disenfranchised man who also happens to be an extraordinary rap talent. Never before did I think I would say (with conviction) that white man can rap!
10. Death Cab for Cutie: Transatlanticism (2003): From the opening number The New Year to the last song on the album and a personal favorite A Lack of Color, there isn’t a song on this album I dislike. Each tune tells a story and is a perfect transition to the one following it. I thank Josh Schwartz and the OC for my introduction to this album. Whatever the case, it is still one of my favorites to date.
9. Lilly Allen Its Not Me Its You (2009): Many of my friends/family could tell you I went through a serious Lilly Allen phase. I listened to this album NON stop for about 2 months in 2009. Each song is better than the next. Particular favorites are 22, The Fear, and Everyones At It. Lilly is just so cool. She uses her music to express the way she feels about society as a whole (much like the best artists do) and she sounds incredible while doing it. I love the whole British anti-princess thing she has going for her and it definitely works in relation to all of her songs.
8. Snow Patrol: Eyes Open (2006): Snow Patrol, for quite a while, was my favorite band. This album is largely responsible for that fact. Yes, I believe I know all of the lyrics to every song (I say believe because they are strange so I get some wrong occasionally). Yes, one of my all time favorite songs is on this album (Open Your Eyes). And yes, I listened to British radio a lot in 2006, and this was one of the most played albums at the time. All these things and more put this album in my top 10 of 2000’s.
7. Arcade Fire: Funeral: (2004): This album is pure magic from start to finish. I have to commend Funeral for giving me two of my favorites AF songs Wake Up and Rebellion (Lies). Both songs are incredibly ingenious melodically and surreal in their lyrics. These two things make the album ultimate indie rock cool, in my opinion.
6. Maroon 5: Songs About Jane: (2002) Maroon 5 came onto the scene with the hit Harder To Breathe. Maroon 5 came into my heart with this album. Songs like Must Get Out immediately identified the way I was feeling (in HS). What was so great about it was the fact that it was bluesy pop at its best. There is something soulful about Adam Levine and I thank him for that.
5. Lady Gaga: The Fame Monster (2009): Lady Gaga has changed my life for the better. Never before did I think I would listen to and actually enjoy dance/club music. Gaga blew my mind with this album. There are so many amazing hits on it I can’t even believe. For the dance lover there is Just Dance, Poker Face, and Fame. For the exhibitionist there are songs like Bad Romance, Alejandro, Monster and Teeth. Just in case you didn’t think Gaga was talented, listen to her voice on my personal favorite Speechless and let me know your thoughts.
4. Kanye West: Late Registration (2005)/Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010): It is really too difficult for me to choose between two of the best rap albums out there. Yes, Dark Twisted Fantasy came out in 2010 so it shouldn’t really count, but it is a hip/hop master class. Kanye digs into new depths. With Late Registration Kanye gave us Gold Digger, Bring Me Down, and Heard Em Say so how can I not list it?
3. Amy Winehouse: Back to Black: (2007) From the opening bars of Amy’s hit Rehab I knew this album was gonna be special. Amy may seem crazy (she is), but she has one of the most soulful voices there is out there. Her voice shines on Me and Mr. Jones, Back to Black (my personal favorite), and You Know I’m No Good. What Amy did with this album was give us what we didn’t even realize we wanted, soul.
2. Justin Timberlake Future Sex/Love Sounds (2006) Justified shmustified, in my mind JT is no better than he is on this album (with close seconds of D*** in a Box). Every song is full of pop/funk/r&b wrapped into one sexy bundle. Every day I hear a song from this album on the radio, even though the album came out four years ago. When I hear those songs all I can think is JT please make another album! Favorites include What Goes Around Comes Around, Sexy Ladies, and Love Stoned.
1. Coldplay: Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends: (2008) In my mind this is one of the best albums ever, let alone of the past decade. Every single minute of this album is something I love and will continue to listen to until I am 100 years old and lecturing my future children about what “good music really was.” Songs like Lost, Strawberry Swing, Lovers in Japan, and the title track Viva La Vida will live on in reputation for being songs that are unique interesting and rock heaven.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Best Albums of the Decade
As 2010 comes to a close I can’t help but think about all the great things music has given us over the past decade. I know technically the decade is usually from 2000- 2009, but Id like to include 2010 in this list. I mean what would the 2000’s be without Brittney Spears? Eminem? Lady Gaga?? So I would like to list my top 25 albums of the decade. I will begin with #’s 25- 13
25. Sufjan Stevens: Illinoise: (2005) This “concept” album which has songs all relating to times, places, and events in the US had to make the list because of my love for the song Chicago, and because majority of the songs have such long names I don’t even have the time to write them out one by one! Good job Sufjan for filling our brains with non-memorable track names and folky pop catchy tunes.
24. Usher: Confessions: (2004) Yeah! was the anthem for my year in 2004. It was so catchy, had awesome guest starts (ie: Ludacris and Lil Jon) and was just so infectious and catchy. Where Usher shines in this album though is on sultry songs like Burn and Confessions Part II.
23. MGMT: Oracular Spectacular: (2008) MGMT are the rare rockers who leave you wondering, where in the world did they get that idea? They came out with this album and gave us hits like my personal favorite Kids and the awesome Time To Pretend. Supposedly Time To Pretend serves as a mission statement and sets the tone for the whole album, which many great albums do.
22. Ben Folds: Way To Normal: (2008) As you all know I love Ben Folds to death, and think he is fantastic ALWAYS. This album is no exception. Songs like Cologne, Hiroshima, and Effington are a refreshing throwback to some of the work he did when he was in Ben Folds Five. I personally love the melody throughout the interlude Before Cologne that travels on throughout Cologne and considered using it as a song in my wedding. Alas, I went with the old classic The Luckiest instead.
21. The Postal Service: Give Up: (2003) Where there is Ben Gibbard, there is a way. Ben (the lead singer of Death Cab) brought us what we needed the most, which was basically, death cab on speed (or electronica). They made a hit out of the song Such Great Heights that has been covered by The Shins and Iron and Wine, and made a fan out of me with goodies like The District Sleeps Alone and We Will Become Silhouettes.
20. Jay Z: The Black Album: (2003) Any album that gives me the songs 99 problems, Dirt off Your Shoulders, Encore, and Change Clothes, has to be good. Jay Z is a fun rapper who isn’t afraid to get dirty in his raps. Many people may have put The Blueprint on their list instead, but I chose The Black Album because of its intricacies and simplicity.
19. Rooney: Rooney: (2003) Robert Schwartzman (brother of Jason Schwartzman) sure knows his way with music. I happen to love every thing that Rooney produces, and yes, I have Josh Schwartz and the O.C to thank for featuring them. Or wait, was it The Princess Diaries who featured them first. Yes ladies, Robert is the suitor to Anne Hathaway’s Mia in that movie. Whatever the case, songs like I’m a Terrible Person, I’m Shakin, and That Girl Has Love will be forever imbedded in my memory as awesome.
18. Shinedown: The Sound of Madness: (2008) Another hit album for me courtesy of WMG. These hard rockers are more bark than bite which is why I loved this album. Not only did it have the hit single Second Chance which actually mainstreamed to Pop radio (albeit a MILLION months too late) but they also have hard/on the edge of hard rock songs like The Crow and the Butterfly and the titular track Sound of Madness (a personal favorite).
17. Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend: (2008) I mean, what is there to say bad about the Columbia indie rockers? Not much. I loved their debut albums with favorites like A Punk, M79, and Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa. I love their use of non conventional musical instruments and their cool hipster personas. I’m not gonna lie; I probably would have mocked their attempts while I was in college/ seeing them perform on the quad or something, but currently they are just so indie cool I cant help but love them.
16. Switchfoot: Beautiful Letdown: (2003) I was turned onto Switchfoot by the help of my good friends Mandy Moore and Shane West (in A Walk to Remember). What I didn’t know at the time was that Switchfoot could be considered in the “Inspirational” category of musicians. That’s right folks, before they mainstreamed, Switchfoot was a hardcore Christian Inspirational band. I mean it should make sense from songs like Meant To Live, and Dare You To Move or the more blatantly obvious numbers like Redemption or On Fire. Yet I still love this album as it did make me feel good (inspired even?) and made me super into the slow rock ballads of the 2000’s.
15. Keane: Hopes and Fears: (2004) I contribute a large love for this album to my friend Betsy who turned me on to Keane. I happen to continue to love Keane and purchase all of their albums (in their entirety), but this album is my favorite, which makes sense since it is also their debut album. In fact this album (like a few albums on this list) contains one of my all time favorite songs Everybody’s changing. It also contains the melancholy Sunshine and the frothy fun Somewhere Only We Know.
14. T.I. Paper Trail: (2008) When this album came out I was working at Warner Music Group, and my boss loved T.I. It was possibly her most anticipated album that came out in the Fall of 08, so naturally, I had to listen to it with an open mind. What I found out was that T.I was amazing. Not only is he an interesting rapper, who creates awesome tunes with great hooks, but he just played out this album so well. I know subsequently he went to jail, but still this album rocked my socks. Favorites off the album include Whatever You Like, Dead and Gone, Live Your Life, and No Matter What.
13. The Shins: Chutes Too Narrow: (2003) The Shins did something completely different to my musical repertoire at the time: it made me interested in non-mainstreamed/indie artists. Yes, Garden State popularized their songs, but Chutes Too Narrow is an album that shouldn’t be missed. Their album, in a sense, is a tonal progression that begins with the light soft (and my favorite) Kissing The Lipless and ends with the moving Those To Come. Each song is just as good as the one before and is my favorite Shins album to date.
25. Sufjan Stevens: Illinoise: (2005) This “concept” album which has songs all relating to times, places, and events in the US had to make the list because of my love for the song Chicago, and because majority of the songs have such long names I don’t even have the time to write them out one by one! Good job Sufjan for filling our brains with non-memorable track names and folky pop catchy tunes.
24. Usher: Confessions: (2004) Yeah! was the anthem for my year in 2004. It was so catchy, had awesome guest starts (ie: Ludacris and Lil Jon) and was just so infectious and catchy. Where Usher shines in this album though is on sultry songs like Burn and Confessions Part II.
23. MGMT: Oracular Spectacular: (2008) MGMT are the rare rockers who leave you wondering, where in the world did they get that idea? They came out with this album and gave us hits like my personal favorite Kids and the awesome Time To Pretend. Supposedly Time To Pretend serves as a mission statement and sets the tone for the whole album, which many great albums do.
22. Ben Folds: Way To Normal: (2008) As you all know I love Ben Folds to death, and think he is fantastic ALWAYS. This album is no exception. Songs like Cologne, Hiroshima, and Effington are a refreshing throwback to some of the work he did when he was in Ben Folds Five. I personally love the melody throughout the interlude Before Cologne that travels on throughout Cologne and considered using it as a song in my wedding. Alas, I went with the old classic The Luckiest instead.
21. The Postal Service: Give Up: (2003) Where there is Ben Gibbard, there is a way. Ben (the lead singer of Death Cab) brought us what we needed the most, which was basically, death cab on speed (or electronica). They made a hit out of the song Such Great Heights that has been covered by The Shins and Iron and Wine, and made a fan out of me with goodies like The District Sleeps Alone and We Will Become Silhouettes.
20. Jay Z: The Black Album: (2003) Any album that gives me the songs 99 problems, Dirt off Your Shoulders, Encore, and Change Clothes, has to be good. Jay Z is a fun rapper who isn’t afraid to get dirty in his raps. Many people may have put The Blueprint on their list instead, but I chose The Black Album because of its intricacies and simplicity.
19. Rooney: Rooney: (2003) Robert Schwartzman (brother of Jason Schwartzman) sure knows his way with music. I happen to love every thing that Rooney produces, and yes, I have Josh Schwartz and the O.C to thank for featuring them. Or wait, was it The Princess Diaries who featured them first. Yes ladies, Robert is the suitor to Anne Hathaway’s Mia in that movie. Whatever the case, songs like I’m a Terrible Person, I’m Shakin, and That Girl Has Love will be forever imbedded in my memory as awesome.
18. Shinedown: The Sound of Madness: (2008) Another hit album for me courtesy of WMG. These hard rockers are more bark than bite which is why I loved this album. Not only did it have the hit single Second Chance which actually mainstreamed to Pop radio (albeit a MILLION months too late) but they also have hard/on the edge of hard rock songs like The Crow and the Butterfly and the titular track Sound of Madness (a personal favorite).
17. Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend: (2008) I mean, what is there to say bad about the Columbia indie rockers? Not much. I loved their debut albums with favorites like A Punk, M79, and Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa. I love their use of non conventional musical instruments and their cool hipster personas. I’m not gonna lie; I probably would have mocked their attempts while I was in college/ seeing them perform on the quad or something, but currently they are just so indie cool I cant help but love them.
16. Switchfoot: Beautiful Letdown: (2003) I was turned onto Switchfoot by the help of my good friends Mandy Moore and Shane West (in A Walk to Remember). What I didn’t know at the time was that Switchfoot could be considered in the “Inspirational” category of musicians. That’s right folks, before they mainstreamed, Switchfoot was a hardcore Christian Inspirational band. I mean it should make sense from songs like Meant To Live, and Dare You To Move or the more blatantly obvious numbers like Redemption or On Fire. Yet I still love this album as it did make me feel good (inspired even?) and made me super into the slow rock ballads of the 2000’s.
15. Keane: Hopes and Fears: (2004) I contribute a large love for this album to my friend Betsy who turned me on to Keane. I happen to continue to love Keane and purchase all of their albums (in their entirety), but this album is my favorite, which makes sense since it is also their debut album. In fact this album (like a few albums on this list) contains one of my all time favorite songs Everybody’s changing. It also contains the melancholy Sunshine and the frothy fun Somewhere Only We Know.
14. T.I. Paper Trail: (2008) When this album came out I was working at Warner Music Group, and my boss loved T.I. It was possibly her most anticipated album that came out in the Fall of 08, so naturally, I had to listen to it with an open mind. What I found out was that T.I was amazing. Not only is he an interesting rapper, who creates awesome tunes with great hooks, but he just played out this album so well. I know subsequently he went to jail, but still this album rocked my socks. Favorites off the album include Whatever You Like, Dead and Gone, Live Your Life, and No Matter What.
13. The Shins: Chutes Too Narrow: (2003) The Shins did something completely different to my musical repertoire at the time: it made me interested in non-mainstreamed/indie artists. Yes, Garden State popularized their songs, but Chutes Too Narrow is an album that shouldn’t be missed. Their album, in a sense, is a tonal progression that begins with the light soft (and my favorite) Kissing The Lipless and ends with the moving Those To Come. Each song is just as good as the one before and is my favorite Shins album to date.
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