Favorite Albums: 21-30. Let's Do This.

21-30

30. Say Anything- ...Is a Real Boy
Sometime between sophomore and junior year of college I came across Say Anything. The whole record is great, if you are into that type of thing (Pop Punk: Something Corporate, Fall Out Boy, etc). Later the band added a second disc to this album titled '...Was a Real Boy'. Just as a chance to list more songs I love, I'm going to cheat and say you should listen to 'Wow, I can get Sexual too', 'Little Girls' and 'Metal Now'. Memory lane time!: Driving down 26 towards Columbia from a random rest stop my friend Jack tricked myself and his roommate Mark drive 45 minutes out of town to visit (sigh) blasting 'Wow I can get sexual too' and loving every cheesy minute.
Alive With the Glory of Love, Every Man has a Molly, Admit it!!!  (watch the lyric video for the last one, so good)

29. Incubus- Make Yourself
For this one we are going back, back to a time when I had never kissed a boy, and thought that Brandon Boyd was what boys were supposed to look and sound like. I was in 9th grade, and the video for 'Stellar', and Boyd throwing his shirtless torso around that made me feel all warm and tingly inside. I knew I liked Incubus already, as I had discovered 'S.C.I.E.N.C.E.', but it was this album that made me feel all teenager-y. Make Yourself, Privilege, I Miss You


28. Belle and Sebastian- Dear Catastrophe Waitress
Belle and Sebastian get typecast as unequivocal hipster music. I just think of it as music for a sunny day while outside lovin' life. YES, I am most likely wearing cut off jean shorts while playing something like foursquare (BEST. GAME. EVER) but, I could listen to Wu Tang while doing those things too. Just depends of the day. If She Wants Me, I'm a Cuckoo, If You Find Yourself Caught in Love
From a separate album, but when I hear Belle and Sebastian, THIS is the first thing that comes to mind, this scene from the DARK comedy 'Pumpkin'.


27. The Darkness- Permission to Land
SHUT UP. It is one of the most entertaining albums out there. Believe me when I say I have way more ridiculous albums further up on this list. I remember watching the video for 'I Believe in a Thing Called Love' and giving the lead singer a mental high-five. This album never fails to get me pumped up and dancing up a storm. I love the 80s hairband feel, out of a album from the 2000s. Get Your Hands Off of My Woman, I Believe in a Thing Called Love, Friday Night

26. Tune-Yards- W H O K I L L
Minneapolis. This album will always be Minneapolis. I discovered it simultaneously through the GREAT Public Radio station The Current and while browsing with Nick through Paste's 25 best music videos of 2011 and seeing the badass video for 'Buziness'. (I am addicted to Paste's List of the day. ADDICTED.) The album as a whole is wonderful. I cannot believe the sounds that come out of this wonderful musician. Her voice is insane, in all the best ways. I cannot pick three songs. Here is the entire album.

25. Jump, Little Children- Magazine
Jump, Little Children is this wonderful band based out of South Carolina. Or used to be. They don't exist anymore. But they were wonderful. And they had a great following in the south, but never managed to break it big. The had another big fan in Zach Braff, and he played some of there music on 'Scrubs'. Also Elton John. He loved their song 'Cathedrals' because, once you hear cathedrals, you'll realize no one can NOT cry from its beautiful beautiful joy. I saw JUMP twice during college, and would see them a zillion times more, if possible. Cathedrals, B-13, Body Parts

24. Decemberists- Picaresque
2006. I heard 'Of Angels and Angles'. I dug deeper. I loved the epic sound to all Decemberists albums. My favorite songs of their's ('O Valencia!' 'July, July', 'Summersong') aren't on this album, but this one just holds a place in my heart. Fun Side note: they do some wicked live covers of the band 'Heart'.
The Sporting life, Of Angels and Angles, From My One True Love (Lost at Sea)

23. Tallest Man on Earth- Shallow Grave
Tallest Man on Earth is one of those artists that I was told time and again I would enjoy, and just would brush it aside, or listen to one track think 'eh yeah okay' and then move on, etc. I don't know what got me finally really listening, most likely the fact that most people I loved and had similar taste as wouldn't stop harping about him. Either way, thank god they are all relentless. I'd say the main memory associated with TMoE would be my drive from Minneapolis back to Alaska with my ridiculous friends Glenna and Nick. How we survived 10 days together in a car with a cat still astounds me. I Won't be Found, Where do Bluebirds Fly, The Gardener

22.Vampire Weekend-self titled
Fun story: When I was a senior ( I think?) in college I went on a road trip with a friend. It was last minute and sporadic. When I got back from said trip, another friend of mine was like 'HEY! Where were you this weekend? I tried calling! We went with so and so up to (virginia?) and saw this awesome band play in so and so's garage! Then we partied with them in the woods all night!' That band? Vampire Weekend. I had never heard of them, the extended friend simply knew them from youtube and on a whim asked if they wanted to play a house show. Life's cray, right? I would later get to see them in 2008 at Bonnaroo and they were just AWESOME live. Such great sound and energy. And really this album, just a fun great collection of music. Walcott, One (Blake's Got a New Face), A-Punk. Though the fact that 'The Kids Don't Stand a Chance' always brings images of The Police puts it at a strong fourth place.

21. Ben Harper- Live From Mars
Okay YES. This album is definitely cheating by being on the list, but DAMMIT. It's my list. I DO WHAT I WANT.  Ben Harper is sex. Pure sex. I have seen him twice ( maybe three times?) and each time a change of pants is in order. He is ridiculous. This live album is raw and wonderful and everything I love about Ben Harper. I am gonna cheat AGAIN and since this is a two disc album, pick 3 songs from each disc, HA! Take that Rules I created to govern myself in the first place! Disc One: Woman in You, Mama's Got a Girlfriend Now, Glory & Consequence Disc Two: The Drugs Don't Work (verve cover), Number Three, Like a King/I'll Rise (melody)