Welcome
to part seven. These five albums are part of a transition from Green Bay Bible
Camp to my career as a high school teacher. Enjoy.
TITLE: Bleed American
ARTIST: Jimmy Eat World
YEAR: 2001
YEAR: 2001
GENRE: Alternative Rock
ALBUM TRACKS: Bleed
American; A Praise Chorus; The Middle; Your House; Sweetness; Hear You Me; If
You Don’t, Don’t; Get It Faster; Cautioners; The Authority Song; My Sundown
FAVOURITE TRACK: If You Don’t, Don’t
WHY THIS TRACK: I
really like the lyrics to this song about confusing relationships. Should they
be together? Is it too messy? Is there just some miscommunication? Pretty
relevant at the time with some of my short crushes over the summers and beyond.
ALBUM INFLUENCE: I was
introduced to this band by a friend at Green Bay and was listening to them just
before they hit it big with this album. I felt cool being in the know. Love the
emo lyrics mixed with some infective guitar. I was visiting a Tower Records in
Seattle on a whim and happened to catch these guys playing a small gig in the
store to promote the album. I was on the side and very close and they played my
favourite track. It was awesome. I also managed to see them a couple more times
in bigger venues.
TITLE: Sticks and Stones
ARTIST: New Found Glory
YEAR: 2002
YEAR: 2002
GENRE: Pop Punk
ALBUM TRACKS: Understatement;
My Friends Over You; Sonny; Something I Call Personality; Head On Collision;
It’s Been a Summer; Forget My Name; Never Give Up; The Great Houdini; Singled
Out; Belated; The Story So Far
FAVOURITE TRACK: Understatement
WHY THIS TRACK: This
song is reminiscent of Everclear’s “Everything to Everyone” about being sick of
putting on a front for everyone. I like the accusatory nature of the song for
some reason. I also love the part after the bridge where the music is reduced
to a single guitar and then kicks in after. Love it when they do that.
ALBUM INFLUENCE: Also introduced
to me at Green Bay, this group had slightly more maturity than your Blink 182
and Sum 41. It was just a fun album to blast in the car and reminisce on failed
relationships.
TITLE: Get Born
ARTIST: Jet
YEAR: 2003
YEAR: 2003
GENRE: Garage Rock
ALBUM TRACKS: Last Chance;
Are You Gonna Be My Girl; Rollover DJ; Look What You’ve Done; Get What You
Need; Move On; Radio Song; Get Me Outta Here; Cold Hard Bitch; Come Around
Again; Take It or Leave It; Lazy Gun; Timothy
FAVOURITE TRACK: Get What
You Need
WHY THIS TRACK: Just
some rockin’ music and simple lyrics. Imagine driving down the freeway blasting
this song. Doesn’t get any better.
ALBUM INFLUENCE: I was
now working at Surrey Christian School (formerly
Fraser Valley Christian School) and wanted to be considered the cool teacher. It didn’t
happen. But I tried anyway by playing the popular garage rock at the time. I
was not into The Strokes, but I did get into Jet. Loved the guitar riffs and
old-school-ness of their attitude and lyrics.
TITLE: Meteora
ARTIST: Linkin Park
YEAR: 2003
YEAR: 2003
GENRE: Rap Metal
ALBUM TRACKS: Foreword;
Don’t Stay; Somewhere I Belong; Lying from You; Hit the Floor; Easier to Run;
Faint; Figure.09; Breaking the Habit; From the Inside; Nobody’s Listening;
Session; Numb
FAVOURITE TRACK: Nobody’s Listening
WHY THIS TRACK: Great
song about stress. A different sound than the rest of their album with a little
less yelling. I enjoy the flute being used. Favourite lyrics: “I got a heart
full of pain, head full of stress, handful of anger held in my chest. And
everything left’s a waste of time, I hate my rhymes, but hate everyone else’s
more.”
ALBUM INFLUENCE: Being
lonely at the time and frustrated, I needed to vent at times. Yelling along
with Chester Bennington usually did the trick. I lost my voice a number of
times on long drives with the album playing in the car. Couldn’t play it loud
in my apartment so as not to anger my neighbours. These guys were also awesome
in concert.
TITLE: Final Straw
ARTIST: Snow Patrol
YEAR: 2003
YEAR: 2003
GENRE: Indie Rock
ALBUM TRACKS: How to Be
Dead; Wow; Gleaming Auction; Whatever’s Left; Spitting Games; Chocolate; Run;
Grazed Knees; Ways & Means; Tiny Little Fractures; Somewhere a Clock is
Ticking; Same
FAVOURITE TRACK: Chocolate
WHY THIS TRACK: I can’t relate to the lyrics of an
apology for cheating, but I love the tone of the song and the way the lead
singer uses his voice. The driving drum beat is also addictive.
ALBUM INFLUENCE: Being
lonely also meant sitting in my apartment and listening to sad songs. Snow
Patrol helped out here. Zach Braff used a couple of their songs in a movie he
helped create the soundtrack for. This got me more hooked on the band. This
album works great when I need something a little more mellow.
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