All Time Favorite Albums

In an attempt to actually post stuff other than set lists from the radio show, I'm going to do something I did in my other blog/personal online journal. Over the next couple weeks, I'm going to feature my favorite records of all time. Some of them are punk, some of them aren't. You'll just have to deal with the fact that being punk doesn't mean you only listen to punk. Let's begin, shall we?


Bad Religion - Suffer - Epitaph - 1988
1988 was a magical year for me. It was the year I went to my first concert (Metallica at the Rosemont Horizon), the year I started 8th grade, which would be my last year at a Catholic school and it was also the year I discovered punk rock. I was a pretty dopey metal head and one of my cousins was pretty hell bent on fixing that. She took me to an all ages punk show (and I hate talking about this, because the two bands I saw were incredibly influential and would become favorites of mine later in life and I hated both of them that night) and while watching these bands I've never heard of play, I knew that Agnostic Front was playing at the Metro, which was where I wanted to be (I found out about Agnostic Front through my love of the band Anthrax). She was pretty desperate to get me into something that wouldn't lead me down the road of mullets and the unbreakable comb, so one day, she sat me down with her record collection and started playing records for me. The results went like this:
Ramones - eh
Sex Pistols - eh
Crass - eh
Clash - "didn't they do 'Rock the Casbah?'"
Bad Religion - "Holy fucking hell! This pretty much totally rules!"
"Suffer" was my gateway drug. This made it easier to get into other bands and because I was a rabid music fan already and really enjoyed researching my favorite bands, Bad Religion would get me into Black Flag, Redd Kross, Circle Jerks, MDC, the Avengers, the Dils, the Weirdos, X, and countless other classic LA punk and hardcore bands. Also, because Brett runs Epitaph, I studied the catalog and got into early Epitaph bands like RKL, NOFX and Rancid. Through Rancid, I got into Operation Ivy, who in turn would introduce me to the wide world of Bay Area punk (ie - Crimpshrine, Tommy Rot, Green Day, Kamala and the Karnivors, etc etc).
What grabbed me about "Suffer" was it's blatant rebellion and my need to keep a dictionary next to me while listening to it. It was a challenging record that kept me coming back. Very few times in my life has a record grabbed me right away and kept me interested for the long haul. A lot of records that grab me right way become a passing fancy that end up collecting dust in the archives and very rarely seeing the light of day. "Suffer" on the other hand still comes off the shelf once or twice a month and gets a spin or two while I clean my apartment or ride the L. It's still as vital and relevant today as it was in 1988 and that's saying a lot.



Lifetime - Jersey's Best Dancers - Jade Tree - 1997
By the time this album came out, I was pretty burnt out on pop punk and melodic hardcore, looking for something fresh that would excite me. I was already a huge Lifetime fan and was touting "Hello Bastards" as one of the best albums of the decade. All of that was pretty much smashed when this record came out. From the first chords of "Turnpike Gates," I was absolutely hooked on this record. I've spent a great deal of time trying to figure out what it was about this album that made it so incredible and evoke the emotion that it does and I think the conclusion I've come to is that it has a very nostalgic sound to it. The song writting on this record makes me think of the mid 90's, driving out to VFW halls and hanging out in musty basements watching local heroes and passionately urgent touring bands belting out the anthems of their lives. That is what makes this record great. These songs are the type of songs that you put on the soundtrack to your life and mix tapes for road trips. Every song is a sing along and a fist pumper.
I was hesitant about the Lifetime reunion, simply because I was afraid that it would compromise the legacy that they left behind them after they broke up. Although I wanted to go to their reunion show, I opted not to, because I felt it was more important that "the kids" see this band rather than some guy who had the privelage of seeing them already. Next time they come through though, it's on!


Born Against - Nine Patriotic Hymns for Children - Veriform - 1991
Born Against was one of the first modern hardcore bands that I really appreciated beyond going to shows for the sake of going to shows. Born Against were fairly instrumental in forming my personal beliefs when it comes to DIY culture, punk and politics. Where the Dead Kennedys said things I agreed with, Born Against made me rethink a lot of my opinions and not accept everything I'm taught as fact.
This particular album is probably Born Against's strongest work and still one of my most listened to albums. Unfortunately, I missed the boat on their other records and I'm pretty thankful that they're being reissued.


Against Me! - Reinventing Axl Rose - No Idea Records - 2002
The buzz behind this band around the time that this record came out was incredible. The only thing more incredible was the backlash when they signed to Fat Wreck Chords. A friend of mine was all up in a tizzy about that and despite the fact that the follow up to this album ("As the Eternal Cowboy") is also an amazing record, scene politics won out over the quality of the release.
This album, begining to end is flawless. Every song is a personal account of what Tom Gabel was feeling when he wrote it. The lyrics are delivered in a poetic manner, yet clear cut enough to keep a listener engaged. Musically, Against Me! was at it's most unique and diverse on this record. Combining influence from fellow Florida natives, Hot Water Music and folk-punk hero Billy Bragg, all the songs sound unique and fresh, especially during a period where punk was very stagnant and stale. Against Me! were a breath of fresh air and managed to unite "the kids" from Florida to Olympia and rally behind something. Unfortunately, "the kids" tend to be stupid sometimes and do horrible things like slash tires over a band signing to an indie that isn't fashionable enough.