Hello Bastards - Lifetime (Jade Tree, 1995)
I knew of Lifetime in high school because of Jade Tree Records, and I should have listened to them then. They played a poppy, yet, very intense style of punk rock that has influenced many, most notably early Saves the Day and recent kings of the style, Title Fight. Hello Bastards is the band's second LP, and is commonly said to be their best. The vocals took some getting used to. Ari Katz's melodies are good, but, the snarly yell/sing has lost its charm a bit since so many punk and emo bands are doing that now. The drumming is fantastic: fast and tight, but, still technical. The main draw, though, is the guitar playing. It's nothing particularly flashy, but, I'm a sucker for two-guitar punk bands, and the mix of awesome riffs and chords (also, emo chords galore) is right up my alley. "Anchor," "Bobby Truck Tricks" and "Knives, Bats, New Tats" are true standouts, but, my favorite moments might be in "Rodeo Clown" (catchy guitar riff played over one chord progression throughout the song, then over a completely different progression at the end). Looking forward to diving into Jersey's Best Dancers in the near future.
Top jams: "Rodeo Clown," "Anchor," "Bobby Truck Tricks," "(The Gym Is) Neutral Territory," "I Like You OK," "Irony is for Suckers," "What She Said," "Knives, Bats, New Tats," "Ostrichsized"
Cerulean - The Ocean Blue (Sire, 1991)
The Ocean Blue are another band that my girlfriend Sara has turned me on to. They sound like a British band, but, actually hailed from Hershey, Pennsylvania. They also sounded like an 80s band, but, existed predominantly in the 90s. My interest was peaked when Sara put a song from their 1993 album, Beneath the Rhythm & Sound, on a mix for me a couple years ago. Some time later, she introduced me to what has become an all-time favorite song, "Ballerina Out of Control," which always sounded vaguely familiar to me (recently discovered, there was a crappy live recording of Death Cab for Cutie covering it back in 2004 or 2005, which makes a lot of sense). So, I decided to take the plunge into 1991's Cerulean, and it has been wonderful. Like I said, the band's style is very much 80s, but, this is some real 90s production. Comparable bands that come to mind are The Smiths, Echo & the Bunnymen, New Order (minus the dependency on synthesizers), R.E.M., and even The Feelies. The Ocean Blue are a little quieter and perhaps slower, but, you get the idea. The drumming is tight, subtle and very appropriate, the bass drives, the guitars do the jangle and chime thing that I love so much, and David Schelzel sings some mighty fine melodies. There are too many jams to really get into. The title track and the closer, "I've Sung One Too Many Songs for a Crowd That Didn't Want to Hear" are excellent places to start, but, "Ballerina Out of Control" really is one of the best songs of all time.
Top jams: "Breezing Up," "Cerulean," "Marigold," "A Separate Reality," "Mercury," "A Question of Travel," "When Life Was Easy," "Ballerina Out of Control," "I've Sung One Too Many Songs for a Crowd That Didn't Want to Hear"
Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen (Columbia, 1975)
For reasons I don't care to go into, I have avoided Bruce Springsteen as much as possible for a long time. I eventually came around to songs on Born to Run, and picked it up on vinyl for super cheap (or maybe even free, I can't quite remember) when I had the chance. So, I'm finally doing it, and, I don't really need to say much. You know what Springsteen sounds like. This is some blue collar, working class rock 'n' roll. Actually, pop might be the more appropriate term in this day and age, but, that's neither here nor there. The songs toward the end get a little dramatic and ridiculous for my taste, but, the first five rule big time. "Thunder Road" is a great opener, but, "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" is the best, right?
Top jams: "Thunder Road," "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out," "Night," "Backstreets," "Born to Run"
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