Dance! Sing! Repeat!

Even if you don't like ska, give this a spin. Makes every sunny day that much sunnier.
Recommendation: Reel Big Fish - 'Cheer Up!'

What could have been just another pop-punk outfit from Chicago became a staple in the scene with release of Almost Here. Riding the coattails of other bands like Fall Out Boy and Motion City Soundtrack, The Academy Is... managed to create a fresh enough sound to keep the record spinning. Recommended tracks in bold.

1. "Attention" – 2:53
2. "Season" – 3:34
3. "Slow Down" – 4:04
4. "The Phrase That Pays" – 3:17
5. "Black Mamba" – 2:46
6. "Skeptics and True Believers" – 2:54
7. "Classifieds" – 2:52
8. "Checkmarks" – 3:00
9. "Down and Out" – 4:30
10. "Almost Here" – 3:06

One of the few politically-fueled records that manages to remain timeless, Siren Song Of The Counter Culutre gave my car stereo a run for its money a few summers ago. Harder, but not too hard, Siren Song... manages to keep the listener engaged with catchy, yet hard hooks. Recommended tracks in bold.

1. "State of the Union" – 2:19
2. "The First Drop" – 2:39
3. "Life Less Frightening" – 3:44
4. "Paper Wings" – 3:43
5. "Blood to Bleed" – 3:48
6. "To Them These Streets Belong" – 2:49
7. "Tip the Scales" – 3:49
8. "Anywhere But Here" – 3:38
9. "Give It All" – 2:50
10. "Dancing for Rain" – 4:01
11. "Swing Life Away" – 3:20
12. "Rumors of My Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated" – 4:14

The Format (2001-2008) were incredible. Dog Problems is an absolute defining staple in the indie-pop genre in today and will remain so. Unfortnately, it's a record centered around a relationship theme that either hits you, or doesn't. Going along with that thought, i think it's probably a timing thing. Either way, recommended tracks in bold.

1. "Matches" – 2:10
2. "I'm Actual" – 3:47
3. "Time Bomb" – 4:01
4. "She Doesn't Get It" – 3:51
5. "Pick Me Up" – 3:46
6. "Dog Problems" – 4:11
7. "Oceans" – 4:48
8. "Dead End" (Means, Linda Perry, Ruess) – 4:08
9. "Snails" – 4:09
10. "The Compromise" – 3:27
11. "Inches and Falling" – 3:30
12. "If Work Permits" – 5:28

Spinning this record takes me back to the passenger seat in the cab of Joe Vigdal's truck freshmen year. Granted that we were also doing less than legal things whilst listening, it's an incredible record if you like ska or pop music. Not too poppy to be un-ska and not too horny (ha.) to be on some hxc shit, Progress had the one element that every good record has: I could not stop listening to it and not be angry. Recommended tracks in bold.

1. " – 0:28" – 0:28
2. "VCG³" (Rich Balling) – 3:44
3. "Consequential Apathy" – 2:36
4. "Analog Boy" – 4:13
5. "Get" – 2:42
6. "All the Time" – 3:55
7. "In All Rwanda's Glory" – 3:35
8. "Babylon" – 3:20
9. "Who Would've Thought" – 3:15
10. "Status" – 3:28
11. "Anyone But You" (Balling) – 3:03
12. "Nugget" – 4:59
13. "Progress" – 3:28
14. "Nothing Sacred" – 2:58
15. "Infection" – 6:53

I guess this seems as appropriate of any time to recommend this record considering just as of tonight we celebrate the reunion of the boys of 'Blink-182'. This particular record falls into my category of records I wasn't impressed by at first, but came to love over time. My grandma always said, 'Different isn't always bad.', a particularly true statement when examining song structure, instrumentation, and lyricism. Recommended tracks in bold.

1. "Feeling This"
2. "Obvious"
3. "I Miss You"
4. "Violence"
5. "Stockholm Syndrome"
6. "Down"
7. "The Fallen Interlude"
8. "Go"
9. "Asthenia"
10."Always"
11. "Easy Target"
12. "All of This"
13. "Here's Your Letter"
14. "I'm Lost Without You"

Quite possibly earning a place under the definition of 'underrated' in the dictionary, my portable cd player was dominated by the debut from Utah's The Used for the entirety of the summer. Loaded with a strong, but emotional tracklisting, listening to the record on repeat proved to be the closest to time travel I've gotten thusfar.
Download: The Used- 'The Used' (2002)
Recommended tracks in bold.

Track List:

1. "Maybe Memories" – 2:55
2. "The Taste of Ink" – 3:28
3. "Bulimic" – 3:20
4. "Say Days Ago" – 3:17
5. "Poetic Tragedy" – 3:44
6. "Buried Myself Alive" – 4:02
7. "A Box Full of Sharp Objects" – 2:56
8. "Blue and Yellow" – 3:21
9. "Greener with the Scenery" – 3:37
10. "Noise and Kisses" – 2:49
11. "On My Own" – 2:43
12. "Pieces Mended" – 3:13

Okay. I admit, initially I was skeptical that the rest of this record was going to sound like 'Listen To Your Friends'. How could it? Their last effort, Coming Home had a couple of fun tracks and then dropped off. New Found Glory killed the entire record this time.
Tracks To Look Out For: Don't Let Her Pull You Down, 47, I'll Never Love Again
Release Date: March 10th, 2009

Track List:

1. "Right Where We Left Off"
2. "Don't Let Her Pull You Down"
3. "Listen to Your Friends"
4. "47"
5. "Truck Stop Blues"
6. "Tangled Up"
7. "I'll Never Love Again"
8. "Reasons"
9. "Such a Mess"
10. "Heartless at Best"
11. "This Isn't You"
12. "Don't Let This Be the End"

Most b-side records in general tend to be an earful of garbage thrown together until the disc is full (Reel Big Fish- Monkeys For Nothin', Chimps For Free), but fortunately there are some exceptions (Zebrahead- Waste Of MFZB). The Lost Tapes (2002) is full of tracks just as hot as album cuts that don't all run together. If you like Nas, this is a must.
Recommended Tracks: No Idea's Original, Black Zombie, Drunk By Myself
Download: Nas- The Lost Tapes

Track List:
1. Doo Rags
2. My Way
3. U Gotta Love It
4. Nothing Lasts Forever
5. No Idea's Original
6. Blaze A 50
7. Everybody's Crazy
8. Purple
9. Drunk By Myself
10.Black Zombie
11.Poppa Was A Playa
12.Fetus (Belly Button Window) [Hidden Track]

Wow. Forgot about this post-hardcore/screamo masterpiece. This record reminds me of driving around in Joe Vigdal's truck in freshman year. Definitely pull this from your collection and give it a spin. If you don't have it: see below.
Download: From First To Last- Dear Diary, My Teenage Angst Has A Body Count

Track List:

1. Soliloquy" – 0:25
2. "The One Armed Boxer vs. the Flying Guillotine" – 3:18
3. "Note to Self" – 3:53 (3:59 on remixed version)
4. "I Liked You Better Before You Were Naked on the Internet" – 1:54
5. "Featuring Some of Your Favorite Words" – 4:01
6. "Emily" – 2:39
7. "Secrets Don't Make Friends" – 4:01 (4:07 on remixed version)
8. "Populace in Two" – 3:59 (4:25 on remixed version)
9. "Kiss Me, I'm Contagious" – 3:22 (3:27 on remixed version)
10. "Minuet" – 1:02
11. "Ride the Wings of Pestilence" – 4:27 (3:44 on remixed version)
12. "Hidden Track" – 5:16

Another case of the 'I Can't Post It's', the new ADTR record is absolutely incredible. Find a way to get it and spin it constantly. Otherwise, it comes out Feb. 3rd.

Alright, well I posted the Kanye essentials the other day, only to receive an email right after telling me that some copyright organization requested that I take them down, which sucks. Find this album yourself and spin it on your ipod, pronto. Especially when walking through winter conditions. Incredible.