Sunday, October 31, 2010

#12: Norah Jones - Come Away with Me (2002)

Emily: I haven't actually listened to this album in years, and I may have listened to it twice back then. It was (and still is) not really my type of music. Norah Jones has a beautiful voice, but the arrangements are very soft and light, too much so that they become a bit sleepy. I'd like to see her do more of a traditional jazz or blues album, or perhaps even rock. With her voice, she could do anything and it would sound great.
Favorite Tracks: Don't Know Why

Zack: To be honest, I wasn’t too interested in this album. It was just too plain and simple for me, but I could see how it would appeal to other listeners. All instrumentation is stripped down to the barest of minimums in order to showcase Norah Jones’s voice, and it is quite lovely.
Favorite Tracks: Don’t Know Why, I’ve Got to See You Again, Come Away With Me

#11: Billy Joel - The Stranger (1977)

Emily: My parents are both big Billy Joel fans (their wedding song is Just the Way You Are), and once I found their vinyl collection this was the first album I listened to. I think part of what makes these songs so popular is that everyone can relate to them. Every song tells a story, and Joel's masterful songwriting makes the characters real. From the chilling piano and whistles of the title track and the sweet melodies of Just the Way You Are, to the rebellious streak of Only the Good Die Young and the fly-on-the-wall saga of Scenes from an Italian Restaurant, Joel created a pop classic.
Favorite Tracks: The Stranger, Only the Good Die Young (which I quoted for my high school yearbook), Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)

Zack: Several times during the listening of this album, I thought Billy was singing directly to me…and it was wonderful. He has a terrific voice and I loved the wide variety of instruments used. Each song has its own feel to it and I could see how your particular mood would affect the songs you enjoyed the most.
Favorite Tracks: Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song), Vienna, Only the Good Die Young

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

#10: The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (2002)

Now that we have the albums we know out of the way, let's jump right in with our first new listen.

Emily: I'm not really a fan of the electronic space-y sound on its own. However, when they add in acoustic guitar it adds a lush new dimension that makes the sound very interesting and unique. All of the songs really flow together, so I think it would make great music to concentrate to. It's worth another listen for sure.
Favorite Tracks: It's Summertime, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Parts 1 & 2

Zack: This album sure was interesting. The electronic space rock parts fit together really well with the lyrics which are...unusual. Everything is simultaneously well-structured and random, from the individual songs to the entire album. The layering is simply exquisite. To be honest, I don't think I was fully able to comprehend the album after just one listen. The songs are just so complex that it begs to be repeated.
Favorite Tracks: It's Summertime, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Part 1, Do You Realize?

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

#7-9: Familiar Territory: Part 3 (Last One. We Promise.)

The Killers - Hot Fuss (2004)


Emily: This is by far the best Killers album. Their New Wave-y sound was fresh and different, yet still catchy enough to be mainstream friendly. I wish they had stayed truer to this sound in their later albums than switching to a more arena-rock style - I think it's much more interesting.
Favorite Tracks: Jenny Was a Friend of Mine, All These Things That I've Done, Somebody Told Me

Zack: I remember hearing Somebody Told Me on the radio and wondering who exactly The Killers were. Honestly, I thought they were going to be a one-hit wonder, but that surely has not been the case. Personally, I don't think it has been influential enough to warrant inclusion on the list, but that doesn't mean it's not worth a listen. It's fun and poppy while still maintaining its alternative credentials.
Favorite Tracks: Smile Like You Mean It, Somebody Told Me, Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll

Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (2006)



Emily: I actually came across Arctic Monkeys just by reading about them in Rolling Stone and thinking, "Hm, they sound cool." Then I listened to I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor, and my inclination was confirmed. This album has a frenetic feel that just makes you want to dance like crazy. It's a very impressive first album that's a lot of fun.
Favorite Tracks: When the Sun Goes Down, I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor, The View From the Afternoon

Zack: I'd heard about the Arctic Monkeys a while ago but didn't really have any interest in them until recently. I started with this album and was immediately impressed. It's just plain fun. Plus I love their name. Arctic Monkeys. It's so fun to say. They earn an A for name alone.
Favorite Tracks: The View From the Afternoon, Perhaps Vampire is a Bit Strong But..., Red Lights Indicate Doors are Secure

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californication (1999)


Zack: Californication may very well be the Red Hot Chili Peppers best album. At the very least, it's the most underrated. It spawned, by my count, 6 singles and features a superb blend of hectic, super-sexual and slow, emotional songs. Everything about this album, from the way Flea slaps his bass to Anthony Kiedis's lyrics that are positively dripping with sexual juices (go ahead, let your mind wander), is pure RHCP at their best.
Favorite Tracks: Scar Tissue, Parallel Universe, Savior

Emily: There really isn't much more I can add to what Zack said - he summed it up perfectly (well, I wouldn't have used the phrase "sexual juices," but that's not the point). This album just has great songs. Everything fits together perfectly to create the classic RHCP sound.
Favorite Tracks: Otherside, Around the World, Californication

#3-6: Familiar Territory: Part 2

Nirvana - MTV Unplugged in New York (1994)


Zack: I am the proud owner of all three of Nirvana's live albums (that's right, there's three) and what I like most is that each is has its own separate personality. Unplugged shows off an acoustic side, and the track selection for it is perfect. Some of their better songs don't fit well with an acoustic sound, and so they were rightfully discarded from the setlist. Instead, songs that weren't singles but are amazing in their own right were given a chance and the result was spectacular.
Favorite Songs: Polly, Where Did You Sleep Last Night?, The Man Who Sold The World

Emily: This is probably my favorite Nirvana album. Something about the acoustic guitar combined with Cobain's voice is so haunting and beautiful at the same time. The mix of hits, covers, and lesser-known tracks show a simpler, toned down side to grunge that puts the focus on the lyrics. What's more is that I love that they can take a David Bowie song and make it uniquely, distinctly Nirvana.
Favorite Songs: About a Girl, The Man Who Sold the World, Where Did You Sleep Last Night?

Green Day - Dookie (1994)


Emily: This is the Green Day album that started it all. For the world, of course, not me - I was 3 years old when Dookie was released. I came to Dookie as a so-called "new" Green Day fan discovering their "old" sound. Even after almost 20 years and an ever-changing sound, Dookie continues to hold its own as a prime example of 3-chord teenage punk. I've seen Green Day in concert twice live, and both times the crowd has gone crazy for the now-classic Basket Case and Welcome to Paradise.
Favorite Songs: Welcome to Paradise, Basket Case, Longview

Zack:  If that crazy clown/puppet thing from the Saw movies kidnapped me and locked headphones over my ears and told me that he was going to play a Green Day album on repeat and that they only key to unlock the headphones was located in my small intestine, I would pray to any deity that would listen that it was Dookie. Then Shenanigans would start and I'd attack my gut with toenail clippers or whatever I could find. In case you couldn't tell, I'm not much of a Green Day fan, but Dookie really isn't half bad. It tells you right off the bat that it's going to be snotty and rebellious and that's exactly what it is. You have to respect anything that's that authentic.
Favorite Songs: Welcome to Paradise, Longview, When I Come Around

Green Day - American Idiot (2004)


Emily: This is the album that made me a Green Day fan. Yes, it's inconsistent, and, yes, the storyline is hard to follow, but American Idiot was a milestone for the band and popular music. This was a whole new sound for Green Day at the time, and the world hadn't seen a punk rock opera, let alone a successful one. Personally, this is the first album that really got me interested in rock. I borrowed the CD from my best friend in 8th grade, and I've been a fan ever since, 7 albums, 2 concerts and 1 Broadway show later.
Favorite Songs: Jesus of Suburbia, Holiday, St. Jimmy

Zack: I give Green Day credit for this album because it showed real maturation and ambition for them as a band. As far as rock operas go, while certainly not a Tommy or The Wall, it is a pretty solid attempt as a whole. It starts out strong and develops a storyline that is semi-well defined, but drifts off towards the end. The singles off the album were all in the decent to good range. Most importantly, this album had a strong influence on a young teenage generation who was largely unfamiliar with Green Day (me included) and it certainly is worth a listen for that alone.
Favorite Songs: American Idiot, Holiday, Whatsername

Muse - Black Holes and Revelations (2006)


Emily: Muse is great for over-the-top arena rock with lyrics that don't really make sense, and this album exemplifies them best. We saw them in concert earlier this year, and the concert experience definitely fits the music. Elevated sets, giant video screens, and Zack's favorite - lasers! Muse is definitely an arena band - they take themselves a bit too seriously but they put on a great show.
Favorite Songs: Supermassive Black Hole, Knights of Cydonia, Map of the Problematique


Zack: Black Holes and Revelations is a fantastic album from start to finish. From the slow, winding start of Take a Bow right up to the triumphant Glorious, it is a well-structured and well-executed album. Really my only complaint is that the singles are forever associated with Twilight. When we went to see them earlier this year (they are fantastic live and you should definitely go if you have the chance) we had to deal with a bunch of black-clad fourteen-year-olds climbing over seats, but we also got to see a guy fist-pumping, so it worked out pretty well.
Favorite Songs: Knights of Cydonia, Map of the Problematique, Exo-Politics

Fist-Pump Guy! This photo took approximately 20 minutes to get the perfect misplaced fist-pumping moment.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

#1/2: Familiar Territory: Part I

Out of Zack's 53 and Emily's 19 there were only 9 that overlapped (not even 1%). We figured we'd get these out of the way first before we start listening to anything new.

Nirvana - Nevermind (1991)


Zack: What can you say about Nevermind that hasn't been said a thousand times over? It is simply flawless. Polly, In Bloom, Lithium, and I haven't even mentioned the two biggest singles yet. Smells Like Teen Spirit has always gotten the recognition as the song that changed the music scene, but I've always found Come as You Are to be their magnum opus. Something about the way Kurt Cobain moans "And I don't have God " has always sent shivers down my spine. Sure, Nirvana purists may say that Nevermind is too polished to be a true Cobain work, but they can shut the hell up. Nevermind was a revolution for under $15 and it remains that way today.
Favorite tracks: Polly, Smells Like Teen Spirit, Come as You Are

Emily: I didn't really get into Nirvana until Philly got alternative radio back on the airwaves a couple years ago, and even then I only knew a few random singles. Not until last year did I finally hear all of Nevermind, and I've listened to it many times over since then. There are so many layers to Cobain's writing that I'm still discovering underlying meanings in his lyrics with every listen.
Favorite tracks: Smells Like Teen Spirit, Lithium, In Bloom

Nirvana - In Utero (1993)


Zack: I've always been impressed with In Utero, not just because of how strong an album it is, but also because of what it accomplished. An album like Nevermind is a once in a generation affair, and yet Nirvana was able to follow it up successfully while completely changing their sound. It's not hard to imagine Cobain, Grohl, and Novoselic sitting around, staring at Billboard charts with their album sitting right above the King of Pop, and saying, "Well this is cool. Next time, let's be more abravise and less listener friendly." The fact that they were able to make such an album and it still be a success is a testament to how uniquely gifted they were as a band.
Favorite Tracks: Dumb, Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through the Strip, Rape Me

Emily: While I think In Utero is less consistent than Nevermind, a few tracks always blow me away. The  emotion in Cobain's voice contrasts with the heavier, rawer sound of tracks like Heart-Shaped Box and Rape Me, yet they fit together perfectly. The lyrics tie it all together, taking it from good to genius. It still leaves me wondering what else Cobain could've done for music.
Favorite Tracks: Heart-Shaped Box, Rape Me, Pennyroyal Tea

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

First Impressions

We found this list through a Sporcle quiz (where all of our greatest useless knowledge comes from). After epically failing at the quiz we went through the full list to check out how many albums we had actually listened to so far. The results were, in a word, pitiful. Zack had 53 and Emily had an impressive sum of 19. Some of you may be wondering how we had gotten through life having only heard a tiny fraction of the greatest albums of all time. In that case, fuck you. We're working on it, and you will witness our progress. You're welcome.

A little more about our music tastes before we start (as this very well may change as we work our way through the list):
Zack: My musical tastes are pretty eclectic. I listen to a lot of classic rock, alternative, hip-hop, and blues. I'll admit, I stole my love of ska music from Emily. I'm usually down to try any kind of music, except country. Country pretty much sucks.
Top 5 Bands (as of 10/20/10)
1. The Jimi Hendrix Experience
2. Pink Floyd
3. Nirvana
4. Streetlight Manifesto
5. Lupe Fiasco

Emily: My range is a bit more limited. I mostly listen to alternative rock, and I love ska - I've seen Reel Big Fish and Streetlight Manifesto 4 times each. My iPod is a random smattering of old stuff, new stuff, and stuff I stole from Zack.
Top 5 Bands (as of 10/20/10)
1) Streetlight Manifesto
2) Reel Big Fish
3) Green Day
4) Less Than Jake
5) No Doubt

A little more about us when we're not listening to music/writing this blog. We're both sophomores at Temple University in Philly. Emily is a marketing major, and Zack is political science/journalism. Oh, and we've been dating for almost a year (insert awws and/or gagging noises here, whichever you prefer).

If you're looking for a mission statement, we don't have one. We're just going to enjoy listening to some really good music and see where it goes from there.