My top 10 albums of all-time. This is kind of a big deal.
10-1...
10 - Enema of the State - Blink-182 (1999)
Favorite Song - Dumpweed
If you have been sitting there reading these posts, thinking to yourself "But, Mike, where is the Blink-182? They're your favorite band, aren't they?" Don't worry, I'm about to answer your question with this post. I start off with Enema of the State, which apparently was made in 1999, which means Americana is not the only album in my top 40 made before the new millennium. Basically, what we have here, is the birth of my Blink-182 fandom. Like Americana, I would sneak into my sister's room to grab this album and listen to it on my own. All the Small Things was fantastic to me and I loved the music video at the time because I despised pop music. I thought it was hilarious. What's My Age Again? also had young me in stitches. Years later, when I wasn't a youngin anymore, I delved deeper into the CD and found more delicious Blink-182 goodness. Dumpweed is such a good opening song and when I saw Blink-182 live in 2010, they opened their set with it and I nearly combusted. Aliens Exists has always been a favorite, it was one of the few non-singles Blink-182 put out that the young version fo me latched on to. Mutt was featured in American Pie, which I loved and Anthem, Adam's Song, The Party Song, and Don't Leave Me are the mainstays of this album and are what propels it into the top 10.
9 - In Defense of the Genre - Say Anything (2007)
Favorite Song - Skinny, Mean Man
I got into Say Anything when Alive with the Glory of Love came out and was in full-on Max Bemis mode when the days lead up to the release of this dual CD album. There are 27 total songs on In Defense of the Genre and I adore each one. I mentioned in an earlier post that I love collaborations and this album is chalk full of them. Adam Lazzara and his former band mate in Taking Back Sunday Fred Mascherino are featured in Surgically Removing the Tracking Device, Anthony Raneri from Bayside helps out on This Is Fucking Ecstasy, Hayley Williams from Paramore is featured on both The Church Channel and Plea, Chris Carrabba from Dashboard Confessional helps out on Retarded in Love, and a good friend of Max Bemis, Chris Conley of Saves the Day, is a guest vocalist on Sorry, Dudes. My Bad. And that's just the first CD! Gerard Way from My Chemical Romance is featured on In Defense of the Genre (the song), Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio is singing on About Falling, Jordan Pundik and Chad Gilbert from New Found Glory help out along with Aaron Gillespie from The Almost/Underoath on You're the Wanker, If Anyone Is, and Anthony Green provides his spectacular voice to Hangover Song. It's truly an all-star team of artists to go along with one of my favorite bands all packed into one album. You can tell a ton of work, time, and effort went into this album and it pays off immensely.
8 - The Young and the Hopeless - Good Charlotte (2002)
Favorite Song - The Young & the Hopeless
This may be the first album that I really immersed myself in without any motivation from anyone else. I heard Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous and I was determined to go out and find more songs by this new band Good Charlotte. I know every single set of lyrics to all the songs on this CD, top to bottom and it's because I listened to it so much throughout the years. As I grew up and Good Charlotte changed, this album still always got playtime for me. The Anthem is still one of my favorite songs while Wondering, The Story of My Old Man, Girls & Boys, My Bloody Valentine, Hold On, Riot Girl, Say Anything, The Day That I Die, The Young & the Hopeless, and Emotionless gather together to make one of the most impactful and listened to albums of my life.
7 - Neighborhoods - Blink-182 (2011)
Favorite Song - After Midnight
This album was easily the most anticipated CD in my life, to date. It was years in the making and had such lofty expectations, it had to be almost impossible to live up to. Leave it to Mark, Tom, and Travis to shatter them anyway. I don't go out to stores and buy albums anymore, if I'm going to listen to a CD, I'm just going to get it from the good old internet. I made it a point to go to the store and get the deluxe version of this CD simply because it's Blink-182. I immediately took a liking to After Midnight which skyrocketed to the top of my songs tally and is by far the most honored song. Up All Night came out and it didn't seem real. For so long I had waited for new Blink-182 and I think I had become content with the fact that it would never happen. It was almost surreal to watch the video on Youtube. I kept assuming it had to be a joke or troll video, but no, there they were. The iconic trio back together again. I'm getting goosebumps right now as I type this out. That's how much I love Blink-182. Ghosts on the Dance Floor, Natives, Wishing Well, Kaleidoscope, Love Is Dangerous, and Even if She Falls will forever be implemented into any playlists I make. Reading through the Wikipedia bio for this album is stunningly intriguing to me.
6 - American Idiot - Green Day (2004)
Favorite Song - St. Jimmy
Strictly looking at the quality of work and not just my personal tastes, I'd be tempted to say American Idiot is overall the best album on my list. I am so impressed by the work Green Day put on this album and it's amazing to compare it to their punk albums of the 90's. I don't have the attention span to listen to long ass songs and stay entertained. Somehow, Jesus of Suburbia and Homecoming are 9+ minute songs that feel no longer than 3 minutes to me. This is another one of those albums that I loved and even my mom enjoyed, so whenever we drove together somewhere, we blasted this CD. American Idiot is pure and simple gold. It's one of those albums that I enjoyed when it came out, but years later I'm going back and looking at it realizing just how special it is. It's not technically part of this album I'm discussing, but the St. Jimmy performance featured in Bullet in a Bible is so fucking fantastic. The energy is off the charts. Check it out if you haven't already.
5 - ...Is a Real Boy - Say Anything (2004)
Favorite Song - Admit It!!!
This all started with Alive with the Glory of Love. That song took over my life and my Myspace back in the day and the rest of the album became a hit. It was a very difficult choice for me to decide whether or not I liked Admit It!!! or Every Man Has a Molly as my favorite, but the lyrics and performance of Max Bemis on Admit It!!! just make it stand out. I love the content of this album, the clever lyrics, and how everything was put together so flawlessly. This is the CD that introduced me to Say Anything which has quickly become one of my favorite bands. I've had days where Belt has given me goosebumps and Woe, The Futile, Spidersong and I Want to Know Your Plans established themselves as favorites. The reissue bonus disc (...Was a Real Boy) has some gems on it as well. Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too is one of the most fun songs I have ever heard and Little Girls is so disturbingly awesome. It's a Metaphor, Fool also rounds out this entire compilation as one of the best.
4 - Blink-182 - Blink-182 (2003)
Favorite Song - Feeling This
The year was 2006 and I was feverishly bored in my room every night doing homework, watching TV and listening to music. I embarked on a little project where I mathematically determined my favorite albums. I listened to each one and rated every song. I rated each song and took the average and found out which one of my albums truly was my favorite. I didn't even put that much effort in my homework. This album ended up being the number 1 album, by far, but six years later some things have changed. That doesn't mean I don't love this CD any less. For so long it left such a nostalgic feeling in my heart simply because I assumed it was Blink-182's final album. Feeling This was the main single off the CD and still managed to stay as my favorite song. The combination of Mark and Tom on this CD is masterful, probably the best album of Blink-182's when it comes to the performance of the band's two singers. Obvious, Violence, Stockholm Syndrome (especially Stockholm Syndrome), Down, Go, Asthenia, Always, Easy Target, All of This, Here's Your Letter, and I'm Lost Without You is Blink-182 at its best. I Miss You is probably the most emotional song in my life.
3 - Nimrod - Green Day (1997)
Favorite Song - Worry Rock
Wow! I was way off when I talked about Americana in last night's post. Woopsies. Anywho, I love American Idiot, but this is the quintessential Green Day album for me. It's not perfectly mixed or performed, but it's got that Green Day raw personality. The performance by Billie Joe is spectacular, I love his lyrics and Tre Cool and Mike Dirnt do an amazing job to help establish this CD has a top 3 album in my life. Nice Guys Finish Last is my life's anthem and Hitchin' a Ride is uniquely awesome. The Grouch has always been a favorite of mine to sing-along to and Redundant and All the Time are those fantastic supporting tracks that makes an album special. Worry Rock has always been my favorite, the song, the lyrics, everything about is special to me. It's a short song, but leaves such a lasting impression. Uptight, the hilarious King for a Day (another life performance off Bullet in a Bible you should check out) Prosthetic Head, and of course, the legendary Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) are the reasons why this is a top 3 album of all-time for me. I often times would lay down in my bed with this album's booklet open as I sat there reading the lyrics as I listened to it blaring on my speakers.
2 - Underclass Hero - Sum 41 (2007)
Favorite Song - With Me
Sum 41 has always been a solid little band in my life. I enjoyed Does This Look Infected? and All Killer No Filler, but when Underclass Hero came out, I knew I had something special on my hands. The album's first single, Underclass Hero, quickly sunk itself into my head and I was ready for more. Walking Disaster, Dear Father, With Me, Pull the Curtain, Best of Me, Confusion and Frustration in Modern Times, and So Long Goodbye became instant classics. I listened to this album literally every single day in the summer of 2007 and With Me became one of those typical emotional songs that get enhanced simply because of memories. Walking Disaster is another song I really want to praise. The video, lyrics, it tells a story in less than 5 minutes that I love. If every Sum 41 album was like this, they'd probably be one of my favorite bands.
1 - Take Off Your Pants and Jacket - Blink-182 (2001)
Favorite Song - Anthem Part Two
I doubt this comes as a surprise to anyone. Blink-182 has 40% of my top 10 albums. There's a reason they're my favorite band. The singles off this album, to begin with, are superb. First Date has always been enjoyed by me, it got enhanced by some pretty kick-ass memories. I honestly find it impossible to listen to The Rock Show without singing along. Stay Together for the Kids is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard. The video for it is striking. Then you have the core of the album. Anthem Part Two introduces you to this great album and leads you to the insanely catchy Online Songs. This was still during the heyday of Blink-182's humor as well, so you have the fantastic Happy Holidays, You Bastard sprinkled in. Roller Coaster has always been a favorite of mine, as well as Shut Up. Very underrated songs. Everytime I Look for You and Give Me One Good Reason could very easily be my favorite songs on any other Blink-182 album, but on this one, they're almost amazing afterthoughts. This CD is a 10/10 for me and it wasn't even a question as to what my favorite album was.
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