Great Expectations

To Round out my TOP 10 albums:

Less Than Jake / Losing Streak
Best LJT album that delivers the best SKA you could ask for.
Top Tracks - Automatic, Johnny Quest (thinks we're sell outs), Just Like Frank, Dopeman

Blink 182 / Dude Ranch
Blink's 2nd Album that really is short, fast-paced and really good!
Top Tracks - Dammit, Josie, A New Hope

Flogging Molly / Swagger
A great mix of Punk and Irish Folk, their 1st album has everything you want and more.
Top Tracks - Salty Dog, The Worst Day Since Yesterday, Sentimental Johnny

Pearl Jam / Vs
The album that separated PJ from the rest of the grunge scene.
Top Tracks - Go, W.M.A., Indifference

Supersuckers / The Evil Powers of Rock and Roll
How to describe this album - Rock kicking Country in the Face (in a good way).
Top Tracks - Cool Manchu, Stuff n' Nonsense, Dirt Roads Dead Ends and Dust, Fisticuffs


And a list of other great albums that deserve a listen:
(in no particular order)

U2 / Joshua Tree

They Might Be Giants / Flood

Rocket from the Crypt / Circa:Now & Scream Dracula Scream

Soundgarden / Badmotorfinger

Descendents / Everything Sucks

The English Beat / I Just Can't Stop It

The Clash / The Clash

Green Day / Insomniac

Depeche Mode / Violator

Sugar Ray / Lemonade & Brownies

Reservoir Dogs Soundtrack

The Beatles / White Album

Chixdiggit / Chixdiggit

Chris Isaak / Baja Sessions

Vampire Weekend / Vampire Weekend

The White Stripes / Elephant

Foo Fighters / One x One

Alice in Chains / Jar of Flies

Death Cab for Cutie / Narrow Stairs

Beastie Boys / Paul's Boutique

Coldplay / A Rush of Blood to the Head

Dido / Life for Rent

Everclear - Sparkle and Fade

Jane's Addiction / Nothing Shocking

Rancid / And Out Come the Wolves

De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising

Bulls on Parade

NUMBER FIVE


Rage Against the Machine / Rage Against the Machine
1992 / 10 Tracks


The first time I ever heard of (and saw for the first time) RAGE was at a House of Pain
show in TJ with Spork and a my GF at the time. We were ready for HOP but soooooo
unprepared for the opening band that set the bar for every band after that for
putting on a great live show (Probably the BEST LIVE act I have ever seen).

From the thick bass line of Tim C. and thundering drums of Brad Wilk, the album
starts with "Bombtrack" like a shot of adrenaline to the heart. With Zack de la Rocha
yelling out "Burn, Burn, Yes you're gonna Burn!", the CD doesn't let up one bit.

"Killing in the Name Of" (My favorite RATM track of all time) takes you on a journey of a
modern day revolution. The guitar really shows off Tom Morello's guitar work
(which is now legendary!) that leads into Zack's chant "Fuck You, I won't do what you tell me!!!"

The funk level of "Take the Power Back" rocks you back to days of the Black Panther
party and late 60's revolutionaries like Huey Newton. The screeching guitar work and
funky bass makes this song memorable.

From the screaming on "Settle for Nothing" takes you directly into "Bullet in your Head".
The thumping and popping of this drum driven track, lead into the great guitar work.
I LOVE this song and they bring it when performing it live. Also a great song to get
the crowd to sing along.

At :36 seconds into "Know your Enemy", you know what you are getting - a hard rocking,
kick in the head song that doesn't let up.

The end of the album is as strong as the beginning with the tracks "Wake Up", "Fistful of Steel",
"Township Rebellion" & "Freedom".

There is still a big void left since RATM broke up. I have been lucky enough to see them
a handful of time. This album holds up in many ways but mainly because it rocks like
nothing else that was out at the time.

8.5 / 10

Tumble in the Rough

So after my top 3, there is a drop off in albums that I LOVE... but that being said,
there are some really great albums that I am putting in somewhat of an order...

NUMBER FOUR


Purple / Stone Temple Pilots
1994 / 12 Gracious Melodies


I like STP's first album CORE a lot, but the band really opened things up
and became what we know as Stone Temple Pilots from this album. Even today
the influences of this album rest within their entire catalog after PURPLE.

"Meatplow" opens the album on a sneer and a bristling beat, and a muddy
sound that takes you into familiar STP territory. Scott's growly voice pushes
you through the song, opening up with some nice harmonizing by the band.

The low hum and bending of guitar chords of "Vasoline", kicks into the drums
and storms through at a fast pace. I can picture Scott dancing on stage -
swaying back and forth to the beginning of the song. One of the best STP
songs ever!!

"Lounge Fly" tracks with a weird opening and a distinctive guitar line.

"Interstate Love Song" starts with a bit of a twangy country feel, that
peels off into agreat rock song, with a simple guitar riff, a killer beat
and Scott's vocals. It takes you through one of the bands best-known songs
with infectious hooks and a catchy chorus. It really is a great driving
song too!

The melodies on "Still Remains" winds you through to "Pretty Penny",
a dreamy acoustic number, with great backing vocals and a wide arrangement
of mandolin and percussion (including what sounds like bongos?)

"Silvergun Superman" big rock song that has deep vocals and heavy,
low guitar. This takes you into "Big Empty". A song that was added to
the original Crow soundtrack. The song has almost a country sound to it -
showing the softer side of STP. The hauntingly quiet verse and memorable
sound makes it another staple in their catalog.

"Unglued" is a BIG rock song that starts with Dean's humming guitar and
is cranked through with Eric Kretz's banging drums.

As the album winds down "Army Ants" takes it back up a notch before...
"Kitchenware & Candybars" closes on a quiet note and a hypnotic song.
with SW singing "Sell me down the River" over and over.

After a couple of minutes of quiet, you end up in a cool, low-lit bar
with a drink in your hand, listening to the lounge song "12 Gracious Melodies".

Scott Weildnd's voice IS the trademark of the band, along with the "cruchy guitars"
of Dean DeLeo, brings a mix of alternative & hard rock, arena rock, glam rock,
psychedelic rock, and even some bossa-nova. This is what sets this album above
many in the same genre.

9 / 10

Restoring Sanity... One Idiot at a Time.

As most of my friends know I get the "news" from The Daily Show, which
is awesome in every way possible, and keeps me laughing every night,
even through some of the tougher subjects John Stewart tackles.

Between him and Steven Colbert ("The Colbert Report"), you get a great
view of why politics is completely f@#ked up and how the news is soooo
skewed. They get great guests - including the President and former ones,
important world-wide figures, actors and musical guests.

They poke fun at everything and hopefully it resonates to some, how
ridiculous they are being.

Recently they have announced similar marches / rallies (on the same day)
to battle each other verbally. Showing that news can be fun (and still
informative).

OCTOBER 30th / Washington DC

Rally to Restore Sanity

March to Keep Fear Alive

UUUUUUGH!!!!!!

I CANNOT believe that the Chargers played soooo F@#KING lousy their first game back!!!
It was like another preseason game to them it seemed. I need them to get serious.
I can't bear to watch them stink it up the first few games... then decide to turn it
on for 12 games in a row. It doesn't work. Consistency... It's all I am asking for.

If NORV cannot get it done this time... bring in Bill Cowher. PLEASE!!!!!

Hold it Now, Hit it

NUMBER THREE


Ill Communication / Beastie Boys
1994 / 20 Tracks

After breaking onto the scene with their debut back in 1986, they started breaking
their persona with albums like Paul's Boutique and Check Your Head, the B-Boys from
Brooklyn dropped this album that took everything that they had done so far, and
took a GIANT leap forward - melding funk, trip-hop, 70's film soundtrack, hardcore samples,
great guests like Biz Markie & Q-Tip, and old-school rap and rhymes, mixed flawlessly.

They played all their own instruments on the album (which they still do live as well).
A very mature album from a very young (at heart) band.

Starting with the dog bark at the beginning of "Sure Shot", the album jumps into a
jazz flute and some big beats, kicks right into "Tough Guy" and the return of the
B-Boys punk roots. It makes me want to get into the pit!

"B-Boys makin' with the Freak Freak" has one of the BEST samples EVER -
"If this is gonna be that kind of party, I'm gonna stick my dick in the mashed potatoes"...

and "Bobo on the Corner" is a great instrumental that leads right into "Root Down",
a super funky piece of rap. I can hear the loop in my head right now.

Cue the lights, start up the grainy film projector and roll the 70's cop movie, adding in "Sabotage"
for the soundtrack and you have a hit on your hands. The rock, funk, and turntable scratches
blend into a wall of noise that works. This along with MC's bass line in the middle of the song
brings it down, the song just explodes back into your face! The song still holds up today.

The boys bring it down and dirty with "Sambrosa" along with the help of Q-Tip.
"Ma Bell got the ILL COMMUNICATION..."

"The Update" gives a nice mellow break, running like a smooth jazz club set,
leading into "Futterman's Rule".

"Alright Hear This", another banging song with big beats and funky rhymes,
and back to "Eugene's Lament" and a slow, melodic track.

"Flute Loop", another one of my favorite tracks, is so funky with great beats,
makes me wanna move, move, move. Taking you directly into "Do it".... "We got the Funk"

"Ricky's Theme", another jazz-inspired track takes you into the 2nd hardcore punk song
"Heart Attack Man" .

The album wraps with "Shambala", "Bodhisatta Vow" (an ode to Buddhist teachings)
and "Transistions".

So many great memories with this album and the Beastie Boys in general. I've see them
a BUNCH of times including the Tibetian Freedom Concert in San Francisco (with Choppy
& Bill Barnes) [PIXS] that featured the Beasties and this CD. Also caught them at the
Greek Theater in LA,[PIXS] which was the best show I saw that year (beating out TWO FF shows).

9.5 / 10

Here We Are Now, Entertain Us

NUMBER TWO


NEVERMIND / Nirvana
1991 / 12 Tracks

I can vividly remember where I was when I first heard "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
and when I heard Kurt Cobain had killed himself. I still conjure up that video
on heavy replay on MTV. This is an album that shapes my musical influences
even today.

The album is complex yet simple, the same way the way the Beatles wrote songs
(Kurt was a HUGE John Lennon fan). This cd single-handedly changed the face of
modern rock, knocking the "King of Pop" from number one and killing Hair Metal.

Starting with the simple guitar-riff of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and Kurts low grumble of
lyrics "Load Up on Guns and Bring your Friends"... this anthem runs head-first into a wall
while you are on fire. The lyrics pull and seduce you - drawing you into the bridge
of noise and melody. Even as the chords and song fades from your speakers, the remains
of the song that changed everything reverberates your soul for some time to come.

"In Bloom" is at heart a simple pop song, with a catchy riff and melody.

"Come as You Are" is almost chilling and spooky at times. The melodic sense of the tune,
pulls you through the murky water, just like the video for this song. The image of a
gun floating and Kurt singing "And I swear that I don't have a gun" still makes me sad
and sends a chill down my spine.

"Breed", a hard-rocking drum inspired song really showed how hard Dave could hit the drums.

"Lithium" is one of my favorite Nirvana songs. It starts with Kris's bass line, into Dave's
deep drums and Kurt almost talking through the low parts of the song, which amps up and
kicks into the heavy rocking parts of the song.

"Polly" is an acoustic (mainly) song based on a true story of a girl that was abducted
and raped in Tacoma, WA. It is haunting & beautiful.

"Territorial Pissings", a fast-pased rock song just beats and pummels you
while "Drain You" (another rock song) builds you up before it breaks you down.

"Truth covered in security, I can't let you smother me"....
"Lounge Act" is another song close to my being. It is at heart, a relationship song.
It starts off with Kurt groaning into the mic and his signature guitar,
taking you into a gorgeous rock song, ending in him growling and spitting the lyrics at you,
as it fades off.

Which then takes you into Dave's fierce drumming on "Stay Away". If a song could beat you
to a pulp, this would be it.

As the album winds down, so does the songs. "On a Plain" slows it down to a classic pop song
while still rocking. Giving you everything and more.

"Something in the Way" wraps the album beautifully in a bow. Kurt's haunting voice and
strumming guitar, rings through my body and soul.

Even with the success of the Foo Fighters and Dave Grohl, it is obvious that he took a lot from
his time with Kurt and Nirvana. I saw them live twice and wish I had even more memories of them,
but at least I can saw I did see them live. It is weird for me to hear Nirvana on the Classic Rock,
but that is one thing that they will ALWAYS be... Classic.

10 / 10

Top of the Pops

So I have been wanting to do this for a while and being such a music guy that I wanted to
write some reviews on some of my favorite albums and why they are some of
the best albums of all time. Be it a great album or purely sentimental reasons, here starts with...

NUMBER ONE


The Colour and the Shape / Foo Fighters
1997 / 13 Tracks

The Foo Fighters second and most mature album by far. It is one of those albums that
I can listen to start to finish and when it's end, start it over again. The powerful lyrics
and tone of this album really speak to me.

It starts with the melodic and powerful "Doll", a song about his marriage that was on the rocks during
the recording of TCATS. The way DG almost talks through the song is amazing.

Busting into "Monkey Wrench", a drum-banging, guiatr-rffing hit. It is another relationship song, but not
in the tradition way. It is now a staple in the FF catalog.

"Hey Johnny Park" (or "Hey JP"), a melodic ballad about friendship. This leads into "My Poor Brain",
one of Dave's "screaming" songs where he really wails and my friend Spork's favorite song.

"Wind Up", a great catching pop song, which builds you into the heart of the album.

"The Rain is Here and you my Dear, are still my Friend...."
"Up in Arms", a simple love song that no matter how many times I hear it, it gets to me.
The slow-version of it is so awesome, but the whistle that leads into the rock on the
album version is priceless.

"My Hero", a song about everyday people being heroes to others. It is sometimes overplayed
in montages and tribute videos, but I still love it none the less. It is another staple of the
FF catalog and awesome live.

"See You", "Enough Space" and "February Stars" all ebb-and-flow towards the Foo's epic - "Everlong".
A song that stirs emotion in most. That talks of love and loss. My favorite song line of all time is in this song -
"Breathe out, so I can breathe you in..."

"Walking after You", another emotional relationship / break-up song. One that I love to listen to alone.

The album finishes with "New Way Home", a song that Dave says is about "emotions and pitfalls
and ups & downs, but at the end of the day, you realize that you're not scared any more and
you're gonna make it".

This album was a HUGE change in what is now the modern FF line-up. Willaim Goldsmith, the original
drummer of the Foo worked on this album, but Dave was unhappy with his work and re-recored the drum
tracks himself. Taylor Hawkins was brought in at the end of the album and became the touring and official
drummer of the band. Also, founding Guitarist Pat Smear (Nirvana / The Germs) decided to leave the band
during the tour for this album and was replaced by Franz Stahl (which only lasted through the tour and
the beginning writing process of their next album). The album was re-released in 2007 with b-sides.

Anytime I take a road trip, this CD comes with me.
This album is perfect and is worthy of a 10 / 10.