Everyone loves music. I mean, what isn’t there to love? Whether you like indie rock, gangster rap, death metal, ambient noise, or old school punk rock, everyone falls in love with some type of music. I can say that I listen to all types of music from underground hip-hop to screamo, and 80’s hairmetal, to acoustic alternative.

Now you may ask; what is the point to writing this? I wanted to take the time to think about a few of the albums that I fell in love with. Albums that helped to define my life, and albums which I will find their way onto my play list no matter what I’m doing, or where my life has taken me. I’m sure if you brainstorm for a half hour you could imagine what your life would be like without your favorite songs, and Cd’s.

By saying all this, I am going describe why certain albums and artists will always have some type of connectivitiy to my life.

3. Crime In Stereo- The Troubled Stateside: Being from a small town, there are 2 general groups of kids; The “Rednecks” and the “Punk Kids”. There was wasn’t really a medium. Most people were classified into either one of those groups with only a few exceptions. I tended to sway toward the “Punk Kid” side. Now I wouldn’t say that I dressed the part or fell into the stereotypes of that genre, but I liked the music, and the kids who I was friends with.

I was never a big fan of melodic hardcore music, until a couple kids sat me down and had me listen to such bands as Smoke or Fire, Daggermouth, The Movielife, and Lifetime. I instantly became a fan of all these bands. But there was one particular band that really stuck with me. This band was called “Crime In Stereo”. Straight out of the New York Hardcore scene, their album entitled “The Troubled Stateside” had a lasting effect on my youth and early adulthood.

I can remember my freshman year of college, “The Troubled Stateside” was the album I was listening to on repeat while studying for finals, writing papers, playing sports, and driving back home. Crime In Stereo has a familiar sound that always calms, but at the same time the hardcore sound that will always get me movivated to get out and do something with my life.

A lot of their lyrics, talk about politics, and world policy. While doing this, they also have the ability to discuss topics such as the being on the road, love, and life in general. It is a great mix of storytelling, from a great band of smart guys with masters degrees. The Troubled Stateside and Crime In Stereo will always be on of my top artists on Last.fm and top albums on I-Tunes.

2. Blink 182- Enema of the State: What kid growing up in the late 90’s didn’t have some type of obsession with Blink 182. This band takes me back to the days of elementary and middle school, when we didn’t have to worry about rent, jobs, schoolwork, or life in general. I can remember being 12 years old chillen’ in a best friend’s basement playing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater listening to Blink 182. I feel like a bad person saying that in the 10 + years I have been Blink fan that I have yet to see them In concert. Even before their hiatus I wasn’t able to afford a ticket on a dishwashers salary. I can finally say at the age of 21 that I will be able to see this band later this summer. About time… Huh???

The youth athems of Enema of the State still ring hard in my head. We can all relate to the songs on this album about, underage drinking, leaving for college, falling in love, sex, and whether or not alients exist. Don’t we all need a girl that we can train… (Dumpweed) ha.

I’m sure Blink-182 is on the short list of favorite things when it comes to young adults and teenagers, along with Sum 41, American Pie, Porn ha, and Sex.

This may make me sound like a terrible future father, but I hope there is a band like Blink around when my kids are growing. Who knows, Blink 182 may still be pounding out youthful anthems about dicks, and farting in 20 years. Hopefully Angels and Airwaves if broken up by them…..

1. Brand New- Your Favorite Weapon: This has been my favorite album since science class in 8th grade when my friends told me to listen to Brand New. Almost 10 years later since Your Favorite Weapon was released, I have seen Brand New 4 times traveling to cities 5 or 6 hours away. They are my top artist on last.fm by over with over 2000 plays on my computer alone. I have a blog titled after their first album, and I seem to have a different favorite song my them every week ( I guess that’s because every song they have written is genius).

This album used to be just a great pop-punk album to me in high school. Now that I have listened to it for many years, it has become so much more. I think everyone can relate to at least one song on this album. Jesse Lacey in his songwriting discusses, the struggles and pressures to finish a project, having your friends stab you in the back, high school drama, problems with girlfriends, and people not appreciating who you really are.

I never really had a chance to see them play many songs from this album live. I heard a rumor that they just wrote an album like Your Favorite Weapon, just the build up a fan base, before they moved into the more progressive type of music they write today. I didn’t believe that. I witnessed them play various songs here and there from Your Favorite Weapon at various shows and on youtube. Then I had the chance to see them in Cleveland early this month, and I they rocked songs such as The Shower Scene, Seventy Times 7, Jude Law and a Semester Abroad, The Mix Tape, and every 18 year old girls’ favorite song; Soco Amaretto Lime. They looked so happy on stage to be playing these songs, and the crowd loved every minuet of it.

I know I give a lot of hype to Brand New on this blog. I believe that a majority of the time that they deserve it. Your Favorite Weapon will surly carry on with me wherever life takes me.