Welcome
to part five. These five albums are part of my transition from post break-up to
trying to figure out what to do with my life. Maybe you can relate?
TITLE: Underdogs
ARTIST: Matthew Good Band
YEAR: 1997
YEAR: 1997
GENRE: Alternative Rock
ALBUM TRACKS: Deep Six;
Everything is Automatic; Apparitions; My Out of Style is Coming Back; Strangest
One of All; Middle Class Gangsters; Rico; Prime Time Deliverance; The
Inescapable Us; Indestructible; Invasion 1; Look Happy, It’s the End of the
World; Change of Season
FAVOURITE TRACK: Deep
Six
WHY THIS TRACK: I like
the phrasing of this song. Short bursts of lyrics and great guitar. Love the
line ‘pretend to know’ sung under the breath and the use of the word
‘Polyurethane’. Great driving song.
ALBUM INFLUENCE: I know
Matthew Good is not the nicest person in the world but I appreciate the
commentary and poetry he puts in his lyrics. While I love “Jenni’s Song” from Beautiful Midnight and “Symbolistic
White Walls” from Last of the Ghetto
Astronauts a lot more, this album is full of gems and ends great with
“Change of Season”. This almost anthem rock was a nice change of pace for me
during this time. Being Canadian was a plus too.
TITLE: Eve 6
ARTIST: Eve 6
YEAR: 1998
YEAR: 1998
GENRE: Alternative Rock / Pop Punk
ALBUM TRACKS: How Much
Longer; Inside Out; Leech; Showerhead; Open Road Song; Jesus Nitelite;
Superhero Girl; Tongue Tied; Saturday Night; There’s a Face; Small Town Trap
FAVOURITE TRACK: Inside Out
WHY THIS TRACK: The
lyrics and imagery are so fantastic in this song. “Want to put my tender hear
in a blender, watch it spin around to a beautiful oblivion”. Also, so clever
with their word choices, “Or am I origami”. A great screw you break up song
that I needed at the time.
ALBUM INFLUENCE: This
album was also on the rotation as I drove up to Terrace post engagement break
up. It had the right amount of heaviness and yelling. Gotta yell in the car
sometimes.
TITLE: Silent Radar
ARTIST: The Watchmen
YEAR: 1998
YEAR: 1998
GENRE: Alternative Rock
ALBUM TRACKS: Stereo; Any
Day Now; I’m Waiting; Rooster; Silent Radar; Do It; He’s Gone; Say Something;
On My Way; Top of the World; Come Around; Brighter Hell
FAVOURITE TRACK: Brighter Hell
WHY THIS TRACK: A song
about wanting back in a relationship even though it is doomed to fail. The
mournful music and lyrics like “It’s hard for me to stay away” gets to me. I
also enjoy the crescendo at the end.
ALBUM INFLUENCE: Though
there was anger and bitterness after the break-up, there were times of
introspection and wrestling with my thoughts. This Canadian band helped with
that.
TITLE: Dizzy Up the Girl
ARTIST: The Goo Goo Dolls
YEAR: 1998
YEAR: 1998
GENRE: Alternative Rock
ALBUM TRACKS: Dizzy;
Slide; Broadway; January Friend; Black Balloon; Bullet Proof; Amigone; All Eyes
on Me; Full Forever; Acoustic #3; Iris; Extra Pale; Hate This Place
FAVOURITE TRACK: Black Balloon
WHY THIS TRACK: Okay,
this song is clearly about heroin addiction and I can’t relate to that.
However, when I used to listen to it, I felt addicted to the girl that left me
and wallowed in my destructive nature as I tried to get over it.
ALBUM INFLUENCE: This
album is full of sad songs of regret and loss. There’s a pleading nature to
John Rzeznik’s voice on most of the songs. This a good album to cry to. I found
it pretty cathartic.
TITLE: New Way to Be Human
ARTIST: Switchfoot
YEAR: 1999
YEAR: 1999
GENRE: Alternative Christian Rock
ALBUM TRACKS: New Way to
Be Human; Incomplete; Sooner or Later (Soren’s Song); Company Car; Let That Be
Enough; Something More (Augustine’s Confession); Only Hope; Amy’s Song; I Turn
Everything Over; Under the Floor
FAVOURITE TRACK: Let
That Be Enough
WHY THIS TRACK: This song is a prayer for God to be a
part of my life. It’s a song of desperation and was necessary as I was slowly
piecing my life back together. The line “and I have no plans” was pretty
accurate at the time. ALBUM INFLUENCE: This
album, as well as a slew of other Christian music, was introduced to me at
Green Bay Bible Camp. Being hired to edit their camp videos, I would spend long
hours into the night with the thoughtful lyrics of these Christian bands
reviving my faith. Those who say there is no good Christian music are idiots.
“Company Car” drew me to this band initially, but the whole album became an
inspiration for me. Switchfoot is still my favourite Christan band, hands down. (Sorry Rick)
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