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.
#25: Just Surrender – If These Streets Could Talk
Release Date: July 12, 2005
When I first heard the album: Spring/Summer 2005
Why I loved it then: If you know anything about my musical tastes, you know that pop punk music has my heart because I have the ears of a 16 year old girl. I am not ashamed of this. I also like my music with a little bit of a bite, as you’ll see with the two Rise Against albums still to come on this list. If a pop punk band has some bite, it’s the best of both worlds! I first heard right around the time things started to go downhill in my life (post-Florida trip, during the first unsuccessful summer spent trying to get a job). The stellar musicianship and the relatable lyrics about things falling apart connected with me.
Why I still love it now: Pain is inevitable, and life is cyclical. I don’t believe I will ever be immune from tough times. This album gets that, and it also realizes that you don’t have to take this pain sitting down. As stated earlier, the album has a bite to it, but it does so with a good mix of fast and slow songs and lyrics that you can’t help but sing along.
Lingering Lyric: “Tell me everything will be alright/Close your eyes and dream of me tonight/Tell me that you won't just fade away/Cross my heart and hope to die tonight I'll dream my pain away”
Top Tracks: Tell Me Everything, In Your Silence, She Broke My Heart So I Broke His Jaw
Previous Entries
27. Avalon - In a Different Light
26. The Dangerous Summer - Golden Record
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