15 Albums

Another Facebook Survey...

"Think of 15 albums that had such a profound effect on you they changed your life. Dug into your soul. Music that brought you to life when you heard it. Royally affected you, kicked you in the wazzo, literally socked you in the gut, is what I mean. Then when you finish, tag 15 others (or more!). Make sure you copy and paste this part so they know the drill."


Ordered by when I heard them

1. The Beatles - The White Album

My mom used to play it all the time. I thought it was the Beatles greatest hits for the longest time.

2. Green Day - Dookie 

Heard songs from it before but heard it all the way through at my buddy Josh Boyd's 6th grade birthday party and was blown away. Maybe the only album that truly changed my life.

3. Weezer - The Blue Album

In January of 6th grade Ian Erskin (sp?) moved to Iowa and was in my 6th grade class. At lunch one day he gave me a tape with the blue album on it. At this time I used to listen to music every night as I went to sleep. It was impossible for me to fall asleep while listening to the Blue Album. I had to hear it through every night.

3. Weezer - Pinkerton

Between 6th and 8th grade there was nothing that really threw me against the wall and had its way with me. I still remember driving in the car with my mom listening to the radio and someone on 107.5 talking about Pinkerton's release. I got really excited. Its the only album I got the day it was released. I actually had no idea they were broken up until they got back together. Such an awesome record. Someone needs to explain to me how it was panned upon its release. So great.

4. Foo Fighters - The Colour and The Shape

After seeing the Monkey Wrench video I had to have this album. The first rock album that truly rocked me. Dave Grohl is my hero for this album, as time passes its hard to decide between this and the self-titled but this one turned me on and rocks me front to back.

5. Local H - As Good As Dead

I discovered the depth of this album while driving around and not realizing the album had gone past the tracks I listened to normally. Thank goodness it did. The second half of this album blows away this bands only hit song.

6. The Presidents of The United States of America - II

Still one of my favorite bands and one of the few that makes me want to dance. This album has been in my cd visor for as long as I've had a drivers license. I love their whole catalog and they have other songs that are great but I love this album. I've always want to be in a band that was completely goofy yet still rockin. That's what I want to do next. Maybe if I move back to Iowa that will be my next musical move.

7. Goldfinger - Goldfinger

It took a long while before I really started my descent into the underground of punk and ska but this album and the next really pushed me over the edge.

8. Reel Big Fish - Turn The Radio Off

I loved this album so much that I started my own Ska band. I didn't work really hard at writing songs so we really just added horns to old songs but it was so much fun. I still pick up anything they put out. Aaron Barrett is a rock god as far as I'm concerned.

9. Green Day - Nimrod

I had no idea Green Day had gone M.I.A. because I still listened to Dookie on a weekly basis but Nimrod really changed my opinion of what could go into a punk song. Before this my own song writing was similar to the 3 chord punk format. After Nimrod I really started branching out. It's funny how this band maturation mirrored my own. This album is in my top five of all time and if I ever record an album in a professional studio I plan on using it as something for my album to mirror for production value.

10. Less Than Jake - Losing Streak

I bought this album on a whim. I overheard someone I trusted musically mention it and picked it up at a music store in Chicago without ever hearing a song. Best leap of faith (not sure nine bucks qualifies but eh...) I ever took. Front to back this Ska punk album meant business. Teamed with RBF I was a officially a third-wave ska freak. Their latest albums have been sad attempts at main stream success but the Losing Streak era was absolutely what I needed and are still a huge part of my car trip rotation.

11. Jimmy Eat World - Clarity

When I picked this album up I popped it into my CD player on the ride home from Best Buy and was initially bored. It wasn't until my junior year of high school when I was digging through my mountain of CDs and gave it another shot. I don't think they'll ever put out another album that comes close to this albums songwriting. I remember giving it to friends and it slowly creeping out to a ton of people who became instant fans.

12. Dashboard Confessional - Swiss Army Romance

Saying your a fan of Dashboard now is close to being a fan of Hootie and the Blowfish but I don't care. Their first two albums really transitioned my music sensibilities from mainstream rock and pop punk to up-and-comers. It's hard for me to listen to their new stuff and not feel like its composed and contrived whereas Swiss Army just feels born as a whole. Almost a concept album about having a broken heart.

13. Alkaline Trio - From Here to Infirmary

They have much better albums but this album was the gateway. There are such driving beats on this album that it shook the pop sensibility in me. I immediately picked up their entire catalog at the time and loved everything I heard.

14. RX Bandits - Progress

This album is a rock force. They picked a single that doomed their commercial success but the songwriting is almost like Prog Ska. And their live show... oh man I love this band.

15. Dismemberment Plan - Emergency and I

My freshman year at college my good buddy Matt Denner dragged me to Grinnell to see a free concert. I'm so glad I went. I was mildly aware of the Plan but after seeing them live I was obsessed. Still the best live show I have ever seen. I would give anything to see them one more time (they're broken up). When they broke up their website said they would reform for worthy causes and when I saw the lead singer perform solo I floated the idea of playing my wedding... he was actually down with the idea. Their albums don't do them justice but I love turning this thing on and almost everyone I'm riding with going "what the hell are we listening to?"

There have been other albums I loved but these changed me. I went from being another dorky kid to a musician, a songwriter, a festival going music vulture. Sure they all branch from rock n roll but thats where I come from. Good stuff.