Firstly, I apologise. I have been a rotten blogger for the past month. I got carried away with the joys of Christmas and New Year, spent in Yorkshire and an ex-brothel respectively. Anyway, it’s been a beautiful music-filled time as always. And I’ve seen numerous blogs recently about favourite albums of the decade, so I may as well give that a pop. So, these are my personal favourites, in chronological order.
1. Lostprophets – thefakesoundofprogress/Start Something (2001/2004)
I’m cheating here a little bit by naming two albums, but Lostprophets pretty much got me into everything I like (although Linkin Park‘s Hybrid Theory was the original reason I turned into a grimy mosher, but hush). thefakesoundofprogress was where it all began for little 12-year-old me, but Start Something is probably my favourite of the two.
2. Taking Back Sunday – Tell All Your Friends (2002)
I think this bad boy was the first album that ever made me pay great attention to lyrics. I used to read the CD inlay for great lengths of time. I even have memories of writing out heartfelt lyrics all over notebooks. Cool. “Don’t bother angel, I know exactly what goes on…”.
3. Finch – What It Is To Burn (2002)
Oh, a pattern is emerging. Yet another album that ripped my poor little teenage heart into shreds. Lyrics from this album littered my tragic MSN display names. Most notably – “I’ll sacrifice forever, please, just for tonight”. Brilliant.
4. Fall Out Boy – Take This To Your Grave (2003)
Yet another album which appealed to my faux-heartbroken teenage soul. At 16, I really imagined that this album had been written about me. Lyrics like “Stood on my roof and tried to see you forgetting about me/Hide the details, I don’t want to know a thing” seemed to be the most relevant words in the world. N’aww.
5. The Movielife – Forty Hour Train Back To Penn (2003)
It still hurts me to think that The Movielife ever split up. Such a brilliant band. In fact, when vocalist Vinnie Caruana decided to do a Movielife show with Set Your Goals in 2008, I almost cried with excitement. Listening to them now reminds me of care-free teenage days, and then of seeing them in 2008 at a festival called Bamboozle in New Jersey. And then I cringe a bit at my over-excitement. But never mind, they are still brilliant.
6. He Is Legend – I Am Hollywood (2004)
God, I love He Is Legend. If you haven’t checked them out, you should do. But be sure to check this album out first, because after this one it went a little bit skewiff. The Seduction is a fantastic track. For some reason, “I’m dancing with the Capulet, we’re so crazy in love!” makes me so happy I could explode. Bumped into the singer at a show in London last month, someone mentioned who he was, and I accidentally bellowed, “ARE YOU IN HE IS LEGEND? Okay, I like your band, bye.” I’m so smooth.
7. Every Time I Die – Gutter Phenomenon (2005)
I absolutely adore this band. This album is pure brilliance, completely packed to the rafters full of rowdy masterpieces. Not only is is full of amazing songs, but the lyrics are fantastic too. “Baby, you got me all wrong…”. Owww they are brilliant. One of the best live bands you will ever see.
8. Alexisonfire – Crisis (2006)
Yet another fantastic band. Dallas Green’s voice has to be one of the most beautiful in the world. Another of the best live bands you will ever see – their show in the London Borderline last June was one of my top five ever. And this album is full of amazingly brilliant epic singalong anthems. Check out Boiled Frogs. Amazing.
9. Bring Me The Horizon – Suicide Season (2008)
As controversial as they may once have been, I think people are starting to realise just how good this band is. Topping ‘Best Band’ and ‘Worst Band’ polls in Rock Sound this year shows just how much of an effect they have, and surely that’s better than sheer indifference. But anyway, I listen to this album pretty much constantly. Every single song is a belter. “We will never sleep, because sleep is for the weak…” has become some kind of motto for me. Bad influences.
10. A Day To Remember – Homesick (2009)
I actually love this band. This album will forever remind me of Warped Tour last summer, which was one of the best times of my life. Absolutely incredible. I was actually considering having “I sold my soul to the open road” tattooed on me, that is how much I love them. Never fear, it didn’t happen. But I do love them – their songs make me ridiculously happy, and that is never a bad thing.
Other top notch albums that I didn’t have room to mention are: Gallows – Grey Britain, Blackhole – Dead Hearts, The Blackout – The Best In Town and Kids in Glass Houses – Smart Casual. All brilliant and you should most definitely check them out.
So, to finish this long overdue blog entry, I am going to leave you with a video of Every Time I Die at the Borderline in London last month. They blew my mind.
X
lais my dear, as much as i understand most/all of your picks are based on sentiment rather than quality (not meant as harsh as it sounds, honest!) but gutter phenomemon is truely a blip on the career of etid, aside from 3 at a push 4 songs it’s a nothing album and doesn’t stand close to last night in town, hot damn, t’big dirty and new junk aesthetic.
I was just to left of camera out of shot on your video too. boo.
x
ahh lee, i am a huge huge fan of every single etid record, but my favourite really is gutter phenomenon. i never ever get bored of it and love every single song. the new black? champing at the bit? easy tiger? bored stiff? there are some actual classics on there. if i could i would’ve put them every record on the list though. haha.
and i know what this is about, this is about not getting into that video shot, right
x
You know, in my eagerness to do my regular “albums of the year”, it never occured to me to do an “albums of the decade”. Thanks for encouraging to me to waste more time quantifying creativity at some point. No, really, cheers. It’ll be a good one, promise. I have a feeling the boyos will be in there as well as Hot Damn! I’m with Lee on Gutter… too clean for me, but still good.
And, I’m kinda grateful I wasn’t a teenager this decade. Lyrics driven MSN titles? Avoided.
I went for comedy quotes instead. Probably worse.
haha ant, you will have to forgive me! i had a very rare afternoon off so i decided i would have a pop at ‘albums of the decade’. it didn’t take too long. hahaha, good luck! i’m glad prophets and etid will be representing in yours too.
oh, and ant, comedy quotes > emotional lyrics anyday. although i had a lovely teenage existence so i really can’t complain! n’aww.