Augustana - All the Stars and Boulevards (2005)
Seventh grade was an exceptionally transitional year for me. I transferred from a private Catholic school with a total enrollment of about 200, to a public school with five times that many students. It was during this time that I became incredibly close with my older sister, Kelsey. We spent countless hours riding around in her Nissan Maxima listening to this record on repeat. In fact, she is responsible for the majority of my taste in music so if you disagree with my opinions, you'll have to take it up with her.
One of the common themes that stuck out to me, found in tracks such as "Boston" and "Hotel Roosevelt", is moving on and starting a fresh chapter. Also, it wouldn't be a record made in 2005 without lots of angst. However, it's not whiny-Taking Back Sunday-angst; it's much more subtle. This record should have put Augustana on the map as more than just a one-hit-wonder. Unfortunately, the success of "Boston" overshadowed the entire album as a whole.
Top Tracks: Bullets, Hotel Roosevelt, Feel Fine
One of the common themes that stuck out to me, found in tracks such as "Boston" and "Hotel Roosevelt", is moving on and starting a fresh chapter. Also, it wouldn't be a record made in 2005 without lots of angst. However, it's not whiny-Taking Back Sunday-angst; it's much more subtle. This record should have put Augustana on the map as more than just a one-hit-wonder. Unfortunately, the success of "Boston" overshadowed the entire album as a whole.
Top Tracks: Bullets, Hotel Roosevelt, Feel Fine
The Avett Brothers - I And Love And You (2009)
This album is important to me because it's all about wanting to fit in but remaining true to yourself in the end. I remember standing backstage at Merlefest 2013, watching the Avetts' pile onto the stage for their headlining set. People had been standing in the pouring rain all day just to see these two brothers from Concord play. I had listened to them avidly, thanks to a couple of my friends who were die-hard fans, but I had no idea how much I would fall in love with them as performers. When Scott started into "Laundry Room", I immediately got chills up and down my spine. Throughout the rest of the show, they had me completely mesmerized. I have never seen a group of musicians work so hard while enjoying every minute they were playing.
Merlefest 2013
The next time I saw them was a month later at Gov Ball NYC. Kanye was playing the same set time so there were only about 1000 people in the crowd for the Avetts. I danced so hard that I had to stop before the last few songs so I'd be able to walk back to our boarding house in Harlem. The last song they played was "I And Love And You". It was during this moment that I realized New York was where I'd pursue my career in the music industry. I had this amazing connection of my past (one foot in and one foot back) to my future. All it took was hearing Scott's raspy voice sing, "Brooklyn, Brooklyn take me in."
Top Tracks: I And Love And You, The Perfect Space, Laundry Room
Top Tracks: I And Love And You, The Perfect Space, Laundry Room
Cage the Elephant - Cage the Elephant (2008)
If rock and roll was actually dead, this was the album that brought it back to life. However, Cage the Elephant's recorded material doesn't do their live performance justice. I have never seen a more wildly energetic show in my 21 years of existence. When I saw them play at Amos' in Charlotte, Matt stage-dived into the crowd, climbed up onto the balcony and then proceeded to jump back into the crowd from two stories high. When I saw them at the Orange Peel in Asheville, they were jamming so hard and so fast that the drummer couldn't even keep up.
This album is by far my favorite out of the band's discography. It is one of the most kick-ass, in-your-face, debut albums I have ever heard. Cage the Elephant revitalized the blues and gave the middle finger to the system, all while telling the world that they don't give a shit what they think of them. The lyrics in almost every song could be something one would come across at a slam poetry night at your local coffee shop. This album taught me to never give up on something you love, which leads me to my next choice.
Top Tracks: In One Ear, Back Stabbin' Betty, Drones In The Valley
This album is by far my favorite out of the band's discography. It is one of the most kick-ass, in-your-face, debut albums I have ever heard. Cage the Elephant revitalized the blues and gave the middle finger to the system, all while telling the world that they don't give a shit what they think of them. The lyrics in almost every song could be something one would come across at a slam poetry night at your local coffee shop. This album taught me to never give up on something you love, which leads me to my next choice.
Top Tracks: In One Ear, Back Stabbin' Betty, Drones In The Valley
Kings of Leon - Only by the Night (2008)
This is probably the most painful to talk about. Kings of Leon is my second favorite band (if you don't know the first you will find out very soon). I have attempted to see them three different times in three different years. The first time, my intelligent 16-year-old self was unaware of the difference between a fast pass and an actual ticket. Since we didn't have enough money to purchase tickets at the door, my sister and I decided we were going to sit on top of her car to listen to their set. Then, the rain came. We ended up licking our wounds and driving the two hours right back to Greensboro.
The second attempt was almost a year later on their Come Around Sundown tour. Five days before I was supposed to see them, the lead singer drunkenly stormed off stage in Dallas. They cancelled the rest of their North American tour and rumors of a break up began to surface. My sister and I were absolutely devastated, for the second time. A year later, I found out that they were to headline the first day of Gov Ball NYC in June. Third time's the charm, right? Wrong.
The second attempt was almost a year later on their Come Around Sundown tour. Five days before I was supposed to see them, the lead singer drunkenly stormed off stage in Dallas. They cancelled the rest of their North American tour and rumors of a break up began to surface. My sister and I were absolutely devastated, for the second time. A year later, I found out that they were to headline the first day of Gov Ball NYC in June. Third time's the charm, right? Wrong.
Source: gothamist.com
I spent all day wading through the mud and the muck. It was all going to be worth it at the end of the night. I got to the main stage around 8:30PM, so I could have a nice view of their set. My friend and I waited in the pouring rain until 9:30PM when a man, that was not Kings of Leon, came on stage. He announced that Kings of Leon would not be performing due to the dangerous weather conditions. I felt my heart drop into my stomach. Three years worth of sorrow and disappointment, in the form of tears, came rushing out of every orifice in my face. I cried for 45-minutes straight. I honestly do not think I have ever cried that hard about anything in my entire life.
Source: Me
However, this depressing story does have a happy ending. The band ended up playing the next night before Guns & Roses. It was most definitely worth the wait. The whole reason I told you this unnecessarily long story is because I wouldn't have gone through all of this if I hadn't heard "Use Somebody" on the radio (again, riding around in my sisters' Maxima). Only By the Night, although it is met with much criticism, is what made me fall deeply and painfully in love with Kings of Leon.
Top Tracks: Manhattan, Revelry, Cold Desert
Top Tracks: Manhattan, Revelry, Cold Desert
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californication (1999)
For those of you that know me personally, this does not come as much of a surprise. My overwhelming obsession with the Red Hot Chili Peppers began my sophomore year in high school in an honors Chemistry class. Everyday, my friend, Courtney Ramirez would make me a list of songs that I needed to listen to and I was to report back to her the next day what I thought of them. I remember the first list she ever gave me had "All Around the World" at the top of it. Before this, I had never listened to the Chili Peppers outside of songs like "Give It Away" and "Under the Bridge".
This completely changed my musical taste forever. I listened to everything that the Chili Peppers had ever recorded. I watched every interview. I read every book. I became completely absorbed by them. I loved most of their albums and played them on repeat everyday. However, Californication seemed to be the one I would always go to first. When I was sixteen, I got my first speeding ticket. "This Velvet Glove" was playing in the background as the cop wrote me a citation. "Scar Tissue" provided me with my life's' mission statement: "I'll make it to the moon if I have to crawl."
I saw them in Raleigh for the first time with my sister. It was one of the most fulfilling moments in my life, actually seeing them in the flesh. It left such an impression on me that I went and bought sixth row tickets for their show in Greensboro a few days later.
This completely changed my musical taste forever. I listened to everything that the Chili Peppers had ever recorded. I watched every interview. I read every book. I became completely absorbed by them. I loved most of their albums and played them on repeat everyday. However, Californication seemed to be the one I would always go to first. When I was sixteen, I got my first speeding ticket. "This Velvet Glove" was playing in the background as the cop wrote me a citation. "Scar Tissue" provided me with my life's' mission statement: "I'll make it to the moon if I have to crawl."
I saw them in Raleigh for the first time with my sister. It was one of the most fulfilling moments in my life, actually seeing them in the flesh. It left such an impression on me that I went and bought sixth row tickets for their show in Greensboro a few days later.
Midtown 2013
I'm afraid I can't go into more detail because I could honestly write a novel about the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I'll save it for another post.
Top Tracks: All Around the World, This Velvet Glove, Purple Stain
I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Cheers,
Rachael
Top Tracks: All Around the World, This Velvet Glove, Purple Stain
I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Cheers,
Rachael