As I quickly approach my 27th birthday (an age, coincidentally, that many musicians met their own mortality), I have been thinking about the role that music has played in my life. I have not played an instrument for nearly sixteen years and have never been in a band, but I would still consider myself an audiophile. The 26000 songs on my hard drive would agree with me as well.
Because of all those things, I thought it would be as good a time as any to compile my list of the 27 albums that most shaped these first 27 years of my life. Starting Friday January 31, I will be posting one album from the list every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday until we reach #1 just before my birthday.
Let me make one thing abundantly clear: I am not saying that these are the 27 greatest albums of all time. I am not so arrogant to believe that my personal opinion is the definitive voice on music. I like what I like. Hopefully you will be able to unearth some gems from my list. If not, that is alright. These songs and albums are important to me regardless of anyone’s opinions of them.
#23: Relient K – Two Lefts Don’t Make a Right… But Three Do
Release Date: March 11, 2003
When I first heard the album: Late 2003-2004
Why I loved it then: Oh, Relient K… how I loved you. Tongue-in-cheek pop punk with smart lyrics and religious undertones, they were pretty much everything my 16 year old self could ever want. “Two Lefts…” built on their previous album by mixing smart lyrics and pop culture references with masterful hooks. It was happy, goofy, and mostly carefree… the perfect album for a teenager.
Why I still love it now: This album reminds me of three things. First, tracks from the album were used in the highlight videos for IYCM Summer Camps in 2003 and 2004. I can’t tell you how much I loved those days. Second, it reminds me of an awesome concert experience at the Vic in Chicago seeing them with Anberlin and Don’t Look Down in October 2003. Third (and most importantly), it is a reminder of how good Relient K once was… and how good they could be again if they brought it back to basics.
Lingering Lyric: “I’m falling out of grace with the world/They say I’ve lost my Midas touch/What turned to gold now turned to rust”
Top Tracks: Chap Stick, Chapped Lips, and Things Like Chemistry, Falling Out, Forward Motion, Over Thinking
Previous Entries
27. Avalon - In a Different Light
26. The Dangerous Summer - Golden Record
25. Just Surrender - If These Streets Could Talk
24. The Lumineers - The Lumineers
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