Apr
30th
2008
10 Albums that changed my life
- Pennywise – About Time
This was the first time that I made my very own decision about music. I didn’t listen to this because it was on MTV, or because it was easily digestible, I listened to it because I loved it. This was the beginning of my punk rock phase. - Face to Face – Don’t Turn Away
I would later learn exactly why I fell in love with this band, but it started with falling in love with the melodies, the not so angry side of punk rock. These songs were about self improvement. This combined the heart of Robert Smith with the speed of punk. - Third Eye Blind – Third Eye Blind
I stole the CD from my brother to make fun of him, I wound up listening to the entire thing from beginning to end. This taught me that it was OK to like something other than punk. I still can’t believe so many hooks and phenomenal melodies could be on a single record. - The Cure – Wild Mood Swings
This was my introduction to 80’s music even though it was produced in 95/96. This album blends the best of the cure in a not so always easily digestible format. You have drawn out cure songs, happy cure songs, sad cure songs. This album still blows me away. - Paul Oakenfold – Tranceport
Shortly after I moved to arizona and became disenfranchised with the punk scene I found melodic dance music that started my love with true electronic music. I still have a soft spot for trance. - Deftones – White Pony
Slow, Heavy, Dark, Melodic, Beautiful, and Haunting. The Deftones cite Depeche Mode as one of their biggest influences. This marked their transition to drop d guitar tuning, as well as introducing me to it. This album is stellar. I still write, and play the majority of my music in drop d. - Thrice – The Artist In The Ambulance
What? Punk music is evolving? This took the punk speed of strung out, added the technicality of In Flames, through in some screaming and blended it with harmonies. I was a fan. - The Appleseed Cast – Low Level Owl Volume 1
Landscapes and sparse lyrics yet still being incredibly deep. The Appleseed Cast went as far as going outside to record leaves blowing around the parking lot. They may have better albums, but this introduced me to some incredible ideas musically. - Bloc Party – Silent Alarm
The day I heard guitars play true dance music. Sure I heard VHS or Beta and others before, but no one in a consistent way could deliver amazing dance music that was guitar driven. - Ryan Adams – Heartbreaker
Chris getting older. I’ll admit, I was a little late on this one. In what some would say was a departure for me, I fell in love with the attitude, the heart, the depth of alt-country. Heartbreaker was my segway into this world.
