Number 31 - Rage Against the Machine by Rage Against the Machine

 Number 31: Rage Against the Machine by Rage Against the Machine

The modern political manifesto

Release: November 3rd, 1992
Genre: Rap Metal
Favorite Tracks: Take The Power Back, Know Your Enemy, Freedom

 

Where I heard it: 

Back in 2010, my music taste exclusively gravitated towards the genre of classic rock, largely thanks to my acquisition of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. This mostly entailed legendary rock acts of the 70's and 80's like AC/DC, Guns 'n' Roses, and Metallica, but there were plenty of exceptions that managed to break through. While it might not be too far out of the league of rock and roll, Rage Against the Machine were one of the first bands that I obsessed over which snapped the monotony of guitar music for old people. I was first introduced to stapes of the band like Killing In The Name and Bulls On Parade that brought palpable energy and anger, even if I didn't necessarily understand the political undertones that encompass the majority of their catalog. As a budding teenager, I resonated with the rebellious nature that drenched iconic tunes like Calm Like A Bomb and Renegades of Funk, literally buying in to the message of Rage Against The Machine with merchandise that included shirts, a wallet, and a tote bag that my father bought me during a visit see him in California. As my political stance began to grow increasingly liberal throughout high school, I began to fully digest the meaning behind songs like Take The Power Back and Wake Up, using them to help expose the injustices of the world to my classmates who in my mind were none the wiser. As it turns out, there are plenty of others that heard Rage Against the Machine loud and clear, and no piece of work in their discography shouts that message louder than their landmark debut album.

I give a shout out to the living dead
Who stood and watched as the feds cold centralized
So serene on the screen, he was mesmerized
Cellular phones soundin' a death tone
Corporations cold turn you to stone before you realize
They load the clip in omnicolour
Said they pack the nine, they fire it at primetime
The sleeping gas, every home was like Alcatraz
And motherfuckers lost their minds
Just victims of the in-house drive-by
They say, "jump", you say, "how high?"
~ Bullet In The Head

What to expect:

Distinguished by its emphasis on frontman Zack de la Rocha's furious vocal delivery, there were very few acts like Rage Against The Machine before the release of their eponymous album in the early 90's. In an era defined by the downtrodden grumblings of the grunge movement, Rage stood out for their unique genre variance that blended together metal, funk, and rap. This feat alone is enough to put the group on the map, but they were discontent with remaining an interesting sideshow at best. As their name implies, Rage Against The Machine puts the failures and atrocities of the American government on full blast, taking strong anti-war stances in tracks like Bullet In The Head and Know Your Enemy and uncovering the longstanding historical oppression of minorities with Take The Power Back and Freedom. Their deep contempt is made bluntly obvious through Rage's violent approach to their songwriting, exemplified through Zack's vicious vocals and the band's hard-hitting unisons, highlighted by the numerous pedal effects of lead guitarist Tom Morello. Beginning with the prolific rapper, Zack de la Rocha is the heart and soul of Rage Against the Machine's appetite for destruction. The electricity in his lyrics motivates the fury-driven engine that powers the group, whether he's spitting hard facts like in Fistful of Steel or screaming his lungs out in Wake Up. The intensity of Zack's bars are heightened with every syllable uttered when integrated with the accompanying heavy metal riffs that draw partial inspiration from disco rhythms. In moments of respite for Zack, we are treated to groovy breakdowns and technical solos from Morello that bloop and bleep with extreme distortion, matching the unique texture of Zack's vocal inflections. While both integral components of Rage Against the Machine rely on their aggressive edge, neither part ends up clashing with the other, instead working in tandem to create one of the most blood boiling productions the music industry has ever seen.

He may be a brave contender for this position
But should he abandon his supposed obedience
To the White liberal doctrine of non-violence
And embrace Black Nationalism
Through counter-intelligence, it should be possible
To pinpoint potential troublemakers and neutralize them
How long? Not long
'Cause what you reap is what you sow
~ Wake Up

 

Why it's my favorite:

Even if you isolated the hip-hop influence of Zack from the grittiness of Rage Against the Machine's instruments, both mediums have enough individual talent to be successful in their own right. This point is further proven by the amount of groups formed during Rage's hiatus after their album Renegades in the new millennium. Zack has since been featured on a few tracks from the similarly politically conscious rap duo Run the Jewels, as well as teaming up with drummer John Theodore of the Mars Volta to form One Day As A Lion. Meanwhile, Tom Morello and crew have collaborated with notable vocalists such as Chris Cornell for Audioslave and more recently MCs Chuck D and B Real for Prophets of Rage. As iconic as some of these groups grew to be, it's tough to compare these bands to the genius concept Rage Against the Machine adopted so long ago. The synergy within Rage opens the door to some of the most creatively inspired music I've ever heard. The messages they convey reach beyond the limitations of written music, and serve as a call to action to their audience. Hell, the name of the band shows pretty clear intentions of what this group set out to accomplish. While political protest songs were nothing new by the 90's, I struggle to conjure any bands that revolved their entire existence around fighting oppression, besides maybe Public Enemy in the 80's. Rage Against the Machine is willing to put their money where their mouths are, contributing to numerous foundations that benefit the growth of urban populations as well as Native Americans. It's refreshing to see a band that doesn't bend their morals to recording companies in order to gain traction and popularity. Rage Against the Machine's limited recording run may have left fans wanting more, but the mark they left on society may never dwindle in the wake of their tour reunion announcement in 2020. There's been many obstacles in front of them to heed that progress, but Rage have never been ones to back down in the face of opposition. Those guys know, given the state of the world we live in, the people need a bastion of hope to carry them forward. Soon enough, I hope to witness it in action myself.

Number 32 - Paracosm by Washed Out

 Number 32: Paracosm by Washed Out

Imagination run wild

Release: August 7th, 2013
Genre: Synth Pop
Favorite Tracks: It All Feels Right, All I Know, Weightless

 

Where I heard it: 

A month after I graduated high school in June of 2014, I embarked upon a cross-country road trip for the purpose of attending a drum festival on remote farm land in Asheville, North Carolina. Accompanying me on this journey was my good friend Mark, and a friend of his named Clint that hitched a ride to the festival with us. While the event was quite enjoyable, the road trip to Asheville was a spectacular nightmare riddled with a series of unfortunate events that were memorable for all the wrong reasons. All the while, Clint's short fuse only escalated the tension within stressful moments and wore down my fragile young mind. I loathed being enclosed in a metal box with him for a few days, but I have Clint to thank for introducing me to Washed Out's Paracosm. Each of us burned some CD's to play in Mark's car to pass the time while driving, and Clint's contributions were CHVRCHES' The Bones of What You Believe as well as today's entry, which oddly resonated with me in the wee hours of the morning driving through lush areas of Kentucky. This burned copy of Paracosm happened to make its way into my CD collection, and I grew attached to it over the multiple listens I've had since that time. There wasn't a lot of good to come out of that experience, but this album might be one of the better things.

 We'll be gone for a few nights
Meet up with the old crowd
Music's playing so loud
It all feels right
Close my eyes
Think about the old times
What's it all about?
The feeling when it all works out
~ It All Feels Right

 

What to expect:

Dubbed by Pitchwave as the Godfather of the chillwave subgenre, Ernest Greene's solo project Washed Out gained traction with listeners in 2011 when his song Feel It All Around was featured in the TV show Portlandia during its opening sequence. Although lampooned as trendy hipster music, Washed Out proved its staying power later that same year with the release of their debut album Within and Without that drew attention from listeners and critics alike. Hailed for its use of soothing synthesizer tones that inspire hazy, dream-like visions, Greene fully embraces this concept in his studio follow-up Paracosm. Named after imaginary fantasies within our minds, Paracosm paints vivid pictures of lost loves and times gone by through a lens of lyrical minimalism. Though his words are few, Greene's poignant diction evokes potent emotions with a creeping dissonance hiding within the haunting harmonization. The music matches the somber tone of Greene's lyrics, generating sleepy melodies that awaken feelings of nostalgia wrapped within the fog of our memories. The inclusion of rarely heard instruments such as harp and kalimba further enhances Paracosm's dreamy vibe, ensuring the listener is taken on a relaxing ride. Several production tricks are utilized to achieve this effect, such as subtle synthesizer oscillation in Don't Give Up or chirping birds in the transition between Falling Back and All Over Now. Each track appropriately works in conjunction with its lyrics, with Greene at the helm to masterfully engineer every element of Paracosm so every detail tweaked to his exact specifications. From its seamless song transitions to its elaborate track layering, Paracosm is both spectacular and impressive of a group to compose collaboratively, let alone recorded by a single artist. Washed Out is a wonderful break for those seeking refuge from the intensity of more aggressive genres like rock and hip-hop.

 

Our life is over
It's all been left behind
So many choices separate us now
I was still surprised when we met that night after all this time
And it took me back to the times we had
Even though that we're far apart
We've come so close and it feels so right
~ Don't Give Up

Why it's my favorite:

Although the majority of Paracosm's music is melancholic, I'm amazed at the wide spectrum of complex emotions that the album manages to cover during its short run time. I hear a longing desire for peace and closure that comes off bittersweet with the added conceptual context of Greene's imaginary perspective of this pursuit. There's an implication that the fulfillment of these desires are painfully null in actuality. However, this idea is never explicitly alluded to at any point of the album, leaving the open-ended meaning up for interpretation. I find that to be especially profound; the physical existence we experience is completely determined by the world view of the listener, whether that reality seems promising or hopeless. There are periods in my life where I might have agreed with the latter, but my perspective continues to grow as I get older. To me, Paracosm is a representation of the regrets we have in our lives that manifest through the conjurations of our brains, and the healing that comes as a result of addressing them. We may never attain the perfection of our dreams, but there is hope that we can capture a piece of it when we step out of our lucidity. Of course, this is all personally contrived theory that isn't confirmed by any other sources, but that's what makes Paracosm such a special album for me. If I knew what laid ahead of me in the years following my tribulations to Asheville, perhaps my problems would have seemed a lot smaller then like they do now. I have Paracosm as a constant reminder throughout my life that in the end, everything is going to be alright. It's not often that music gives me that safe place to come back to, but Washed Out has since taken me with arms wide open.

Number 33 - Saturation II by BROCKHAMPTON

 Number 33: Saturation II by BROCKHAMPTON

The world's greatest boyband

Release: August 25th, 2017
Genre: Hip-Hop
Favorite Tracks: Swamp, Sweet, Jello

 

Where I heard it: 

For as long as I can remember, I've generally turned a deaf ear toward mainstream music the kids listen to these days. My strategy usually involves letting a few years pass to filter out the forgettable and pan out the gold nuggets that reside among the vast sea of content released every day. For the most part, it's a successful practice that introduces me to some of today's premiere artists I'd have otherwise passed up on. The drawback is that I don't get to engage with fans during a release's initial run, the most potent time to discuss among the community. Fortunately for me, I discovered BROCKHAMPTON right at the precipice of their explosion in popularity. Initially, I was hesitant to dive in when one of my best friends introduced me to BROCKHAMPTON as a new boyband that was lighting it up. With my limited knowledge of boybands that included squeaky clean acts like NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys, I had no idea what to expect when my friend pulled up the video for their song Heat for me around Christmas of 2017. My expectations were immediately blown away by the heavy beat sample and aggressive verses from the band's multiple performers. I was then informed that BROCKHAMPTON were currently in the midst of an album trilogy that spanned over the course of a year. I couldn't believe that a band would achieve such consistency after Green Day's failed attempt at the concept with Uno, Dos, and Tre, but the Saturation saga proved me entirely wrong. While I have a soft spot for all three albums, Saturation II takes the cake for me personally.

Niggas talk a lot of shit in a safe place
Aiming with they keyboard
They shootin' uppercase
I'm bookin' tour dates
Money in the suitcase
Commander and the chief like Barack Hussein
Same nigga, two names
I am onto new things
Flyin' outta Houston
Lemme say a few things
I don't give a fuck about you or your screen name
I'ma be a star even if I say the same things 
Cause them same things keep me on the wavelengths
~ Chick

What to expect:

BROCKHAMPTON is about as unconventional with their approach to the boyband model as you can get. Unlike modern pop groups like One Direction and the Jonas Brothers, BROCKHAMPTON favors bombastic hip-hop bangers that emulate artists like Kanye West in their production and songwriting methods. There do exist components to the group that remain faithful to traditional boybands, such as their collection of performers with unique personalities that bring a different flavor to every song. Saturation II also contains dreamy, melodramatic ballads that demand the most of the band apart from their ability to rap well. These sections of the album like Jesus and Sunny are some of the most engrossing parts of the album, revealing a more intimate side that is often unseen in hip-hop. Finding their strength in numbers, BROCKHAMPTON totals an impressive thirteen members consisting of six producers and seven vocalists during their Saturation run, each with their own sound and flow that define each individual performance. Dom McLennon and Ameer Vann take inspiration from gangsta rap, recounting harrowing tales of Ameer's time dealing drugs and Dom's violent upbringing with guns. Kevin Abstract and Matt Champion take a more down-to-Earth route in their lyrics, getting in touch with their emotions and reactions towards the changing world around them. Merlyn Wood, Joba, and Bearface all offer an interesting variety of styles between their occasional features. While Joba is often used alongside Bearface for their beautiful vocal harmonization, Joba and Merlyn deliver some of the boldest bars of the whole record in the limited verses they have. Operating like a modern day Wu-Tang Clan, BROCKHAMPTON wisely structures their verses to balance the representation of every member on Saturation II, fairly distributing the artists' time in the spotlight. Despite the obvious talent BROCKHAMPTON possess as a whole, every fan will naturally gravitate their tastes toward one of the group's seven performers. That's a large part of the draw for these guys; there's a lot to love among their eclectic conglomeration that shows in the passion they have for their material. It takes special minds to release three albums in a year, let alone make them all sound good.

 

Is it homophobic to only hook up with straight niggas?
You know like closet niggas, masc-type
Why don't you take that mask off?
That's the thought I had last night
"Why you always rap about bein' gay?"
Cause not enough niggas rap and be gay
Where I come from, niggas get called 'faggot' and killed
So I'ma get head from a nigga right here
And they can come and cut my hand off and my legs off
And I'ma still be a boss 'til my head gone
~ Junky

Why it's my favorite:

Over the course of BROCKHAMPTON's mainstream career, the group experienced plenty of turbulence between a shady recording contract and controversies surrounding allegations of sexual violence against Ameer Vann that they were able to withstand until their sudden dissolution in late 2022. It's still hard for me to believe that I was present for the majority of the journey, starting with the Saturation trilogy through the departure of Ameer and rebranding of the band moving forward. After the two concerts I attended of theirs, I was convinced that BROCKHAMPTON would be the next great band to explode on the scene in the coming years. Today, it's all but certain we've seen the last of BROCKHAMPTON in this form. The reality hit me like a ton of bricks when the band revealed they would be on a hiatus that eventually led to their disbandment. While the group who made these tracks may be gone, the music that created so many wonderful personal memories of carefree summers with the homies lives on. When I listen to Saturation II, I'm instantly transported back to that period of my life where BROCKHAMPTON's new release was the most important thing I had to worry about. It wasn't all that long ago, but it feels like a world away from me half a decade later. Now that it's all over, I have so much more appreciation for BROCKHAMPTON's accomplishments than I did during their years of activity. Sometimes, you don't know what you've truly got until it's gone. BROCKHAMPTON was something too special to last forever, and I'll never forget the way they improved my friendships for the better.

Number 34 - From the Fires by Greta Van Fleet

 Number 34: From the Fires by Greta Van Fleet

Led Zeppelin B-sides

Release: November 10th, 2017
Genre: Rock
Favorite Tracks: Edge of Darkness, Safari Song, Highway Tune

 

Where I heard it: 

When I started collection vinyl records in early 2014, I made the conscious decision that Led Zeppelin would be my favorite band of all-time. I don't know exactly what pushed me to make such a bold stance, but I knew that I loved a majority of their catalog. I even finished the Zeppelin studio discography in my collection a few years back. However, I knew good and well that any chance I had to ever see this legendary band in person were pretty much squandered. Vocalist Robert Plant had exhausted his pipes years ago, drummer Jon Bonham had already passed away decades before I was even born, and Jimmy Paige was content with living a more scaled-back life removed from the spotlight. I felt like my choice in a favorite band wasn't exactly legitimate, as their musical run had long since ended. Right around the time I began to question myself, I had a friend recommend me a crazy-sounding band that he swore sounded exactly like Zeppelin. Stricken with disbelief, I actually forgot the name of the band until months down the road when Greta Van Fleet landed in my Discovery Weekly playlist on Spotify. When I played Safari Song for the first time, my jaw hit the floor. Turns out my friend was absolutely right. It sounded as if Robert Plant himself had de-aged fifty years and was back on the microphone to bring the house down. There wasn't another moment to waste; I had to see what Greta Van Fleet was all about. Nowadays, I'm old enough to understand the concept of having a favorite band for the sake of social status is stupid...but I gotta hand it to them, Greta Van Fleet really had lightning in a bottle with their debut release From the Fires.

Do you remember what I said
When I got down on my knees?
Gotta get your lovin' baby
Your lovin's all I need
Don't make me beg now baby
Don't make me bleed
I gave you all a man could give
And you still walked out on me
~ Safari Song

What to expect:

Nowadays, rock music as an institution is a shell of its former self compared to its heyday in the 70's and 80's. During an era where rock and roll now clearly plays second fiddle to more popular genres like hip-hop and electronica, there are few artists left to maintain the integrity of rock's storied history. Greta Van Fleet defiantly takes a stand against the mainstream with their sound that harkens back to the golden age of bands like AC/DC and Aerosmith. Their refreshing brand of stadium rock breathes new life into a style of music long since dormant, combining impassioned vocals from frontman Josh Kiszka with the electrifying chords and solos from his brothers Jake and Sam on guitar and bass respectively. Rounded out by outsider Daniel Wagner on drums, Greta Van Fleet's inaugural outing From the Fires embraces common rock tropes like catchy guitar riffs, eccentric drum fills, and all-out vocal freestyles to deliver a product that sounds straight out of the 70's. Original songs like Flower Power and Black Smoke Rising flex the group's collective songwriting talent which preserves the intimate yet powerful sound of rock and roll. Each song is meticulously engineered in its structure to seamlessly flow between every verse, bridge, chorus, and solo. If Greta Van Fleet's in-house work isn't enough to convince you, From the Fires includes a couple cover songs, including a performance of Sam Cooke's A Change Is Gonna Come that doesn't quite eclipse Cooke's legendary recording, but still does the song great justice. Josh's singing demonstrates remarkable tonal discipline, even in unhinged moments where he lets loose and goes off into the higher register. Not to be outdone by his brother, Jake's solo work on guitar matches the intensity of the vocals with emphatic squeals and the perfect amount of distortion in tracks like Safari Song and Highway Tune that do their best to steal the spotlight. This brotherly competitivity pushes Greta Van Fleet's standards increasingly higher, creating an audible musical chemistry on From the Fires that is unmistakable. These boys are powered by the spirit of rock and roll, and they're doing a damn fine job of keeping it alive and well.

She's a lady, comes from all around
She's many places, but she's homeward bound
And now she walks kinda funny, I think she knows
Day by day by day our love grows
'Cause she's a lantern in the night
She's outta sight
~ Flower Power

 

Why it's my favorite: 

I'd be lying if I didn't credit Greta Van Fleet's likeness to Led Zeppelin as the largest contributor to my enjoyment of their catalog. As mentioned previously, there are moments of uncanniness within From the Fires that pretty blatantly mirror elements from Led Zeppelin, arguably one of the greatest rock bands of all-time. Greta Van Fleet draws close inspiration to the same blues rock roots that Zeppelin helped popularize. Not only are Josh's vocal inflections reminiscent of those from Robert Plant, but the lyrical content revolves around mythical imagery in similar fashion to Zeppelin. When confronted with copycat allegations, Greta Van Fleet vehemently denies their association with Led Zeppelin and insists upon their originality. The question I find myself asking concerning this entire fiasco is this: does it matter if Greta and Zeppelin sound the same? For decades, the fans of rock and roll have longed for an act that embodies the same qualities as the titans of the genre's past. When that act appears in the form of Greta Van Fleet, they're pegged as rip-offs who rely too closely to the source material. Ultimately, my interest in Greta Van Fleet has led me to the understanding that people are going to like what they want to like, and hate what they want to hate. I feel lucky enough to be alive during a period where we do have artists that are trying their hardest to revitalize something many people hold dear in the rock community. Apparently, I'm not the only one who feels that way; I've watched Greta Van Fleet evolve from clubs to theaters to stadiums over their short career span. If you thought their studio albums brought the energy, the two live performances I've attend of Greta Van Fleet have been nothing short of incredible. I just have so much respect for what From the Fires achieved for rock and roll, and I'm excited to see just how far these guys can ride that train until they ride off into the sunset. Perhaps once Greta Van Fleet retires, we'll all acknowledge how good of a thing we had in this band. It's only a matter of time before their legacy is cemented alongside some of the most storied bands to ever grace rock and roll.

Number 35 - FIDLAR by FIDLAR

 Number 35: FIDLAR by FIDLAR

Fuck it dude, life's a risk

Release: January 22nd, 2013
Genre: Skate Punk
Favorite Tracks: No Waves, Cocaine, Cheap Beer

 

Where I heard it: 

After graduating high school in 2014 and briefly exploring college courses, I officially joined the work force as a full-time gig late that year. During my free time off work, favorite activities of mine included multiple bong rips and playing video games in my living room for hours on end. Like many others upon its release, I was fully invested into Grand Theft Auto V and its remarkably immersive world that encouraged exploration. Sometimes I would just get in my souped-up sports car and drive across the highways as fast as I could, blasting some of the game's available radio stations. The Grand Theft Auto series, among more glaring controversies, had earned a reputation for its expansive soundtrack that offers a wide array of genres to listen to like pop, soul, punk, rap, and even Latino music. Featured in Grand Theft Auto V on Vinewood Boulevard Radio was a song called Cocaine by FIDLAR, a station I wouldn't listen to often, but would tune in now and again to see if Cocaine was playing. I particularly enjoyed the intensity of the song, which coaligned with my increased intake of aggressive music around 2015. I took a look into FIDLAR around this time, and to this day their eponymous debut album is a staple while driving fast down the highway in my own car, much more safely than in GTA5, mind you.

Gettin' pissed and bombin' hills
Cocaine and shitty pills
Get head in a broken car
With the windows up and the lights turned off
There's nothing wrong with living like this
All my friends are pieces of shit
Busted chin and a bloody nose
And I'm covered in dirt from my head to my toes
~ Stoked and Broke 

 

What to expect:

Although their popularity has only seen modest heights, FIDLAR helped redefine the sound of punk music in the modern era during the last decade. It seemed only natural, as brothers Max on drums and Elvis on guitar and vocals were the children of Greg Kuehn, who played in the pioneering 80's punk band T.S.O.L. on keyboards. There exist several comparisons between T.S.O.L. and FIDLAR, beginning with the band names themselves. FIDLAR is a popular acronym used in skate culture, which stands for Fuck It Dude, Life's A Risk. It's a testament to the inherent risk and danger of the sport, but nevertheless persisting toward improvement. Their debut album strictly adheres to these same characteristics, embracing the violent, drug-fueled tendencies of punk rock in pursuit of stardom. The majority of the lyrics revolve around the band's personal substance consumption and addiction, which in turn leads to their penniless and nomadic lifestyle of couch surfing and car camping. FIDLAR somehow manages to glamorize the excessive abuse of various drugs in practice, while simultaneously condemning them for the consequences they cause in life. It's a fascinating juxtaposition that reveals a bit of the humanity behind such profane and sleazy behavior. The music itself is mostly about as jarring and in-your-face as you'd imagine from a band like FIDLAR, driven off of heavy riffs like Cheap Beer and 5 to 9 that utilize power chords to maximize the sheer force of their volume. In typical punk fashion, FIDLAR is produced with incredibly low fidelity that shows most blatantly through the gritty vocal filters and squealing feedback that bookmarks transitions between tracks. The execution of all these qualities induce a level of stimulation that teeters on the border of satisfaction and unenjoyment. However, nobody can sustain that amount of excitement for too long. FIDLAR also includes slower, more whimsical tunes like Max Can't Surf and Gimme Something that cleanse the palate and offer some respite from the norm. For a punk album, it's pleasing to see range in their playing that isn't all gas, all the time. FIDLAR takes a nostalgic trip down memory lane in the projects, where the memories aren't always the most positive, but focused on the good times had regardless.

 I'm so strung out I can't even see
Skating so hard I can't even breathe
But I gotta bomb this hill
And I gotta shoot this line
Gotta get my King for a dollar ninety-nine
And I'm so fuckin' cheap
And I'm so fuckin' broke
And I don't have a job and I don't have a phone
Don't have a life and I'm already stoned
~ Wake Bake Skate

Why it's my favorite: 

When I first heard FIDLAR in 2015, I felt a strong connection to the skate culture of bombing hills with your friends night in and night out. After living a life well-lived since then, I've grown to associate myself unfortunately closer with its message of drug use. While I can't profess I've done some of the substances alluded to in FIDLAR, I do understand what it's like to be so high out of your mind that you start to wonder how you got to that point in the first place. It isn't necessarily a matter of good or bad; it just is what it is. FIDLAR is unapologetically frank and candid about the band's abusive relationship with drugs and alcohol from the perspective of young twenty-somethings, which I feel is an issue many in this demographic can relate to. These songs are snapshots of moments in time that may not make us proud, but we may look back on with fondness after kicking the habit. It's been a point for me to lessen my usage eventually, but is consistently put on the back burner. Much in this same respect, FIDLAR consciously acknowledges that what they do is probably self-detrimental in the long run, but is not hopeless in seeing the light beyond the tunnel of addiction. In fact, later releases from FIDLAR focus on the recovery aspect of prolong substance abuse, offering a more retrospective look into what once was. In my mind, if there's hope for these guys, then there's hope for me someday. FIDLAR is simply a microcosm of those who live among us with the same problems just trying to have a good time, and I respect the hell out of it for that.

Number 36 - MM...FOOD by MF DOOM

 Number 36: MM...FOOD by MF DOOM

All caps when you spell the man's name

Release: November 16th, 2004
Genre: Hip-Hop
Favorite Tracks: Rapp Snitch Knishes, Kon Karne, Vomitspit

 

Where I heard it: 

With the advancement of communications I've experienced in my lifetime, I've never considered myself much of a social media mogul. I posted a lot in high school to sites like Facebook, and even played around on MySpace as a juvenile, but I've fallen off of it almost entirely since I graduated. That is, with one glaring exception: Reddit. My God, I probably browse Reddit for an hour daily minimum. It all started back in the second semester of my senior year in 2014, when I was inspired to create an account after hearing of the interesting content that resided there. In my first year as a Redditor, I fully immersed myself into the culture of the site's niche communities that I was interested in at the time. One of the first subreddits I subscribed to was r/HipHopHeads, a prospective look at some of the genre's greatest accomplishments through the opinions of scholarly minds. As my music taste was gravitating towards hip-hop during this time, it was a perfect combination to spend countless hours browsing during free time in the computer lab. A topic of conversation that often arose from newbies was where to begin as an outsider to hip-hop, and the top comment always seemed to be the same: MF DOOM. I hadn't heard a single second of this guy's music, and I already was familiar with his status in the rap game. It took a while for my understanding of the genre to deepen over the years to give DOOM a fair shot, but his landmark album MM...FOOD eventually landed with me after shelving it for so long.

 

Try the straight pliers if not the vise grips
A real price saver way to acquire nice whips
What a steal for real on wheels of steel
Stunner a funner summer number one meal deal bummer
A bizarre phenomenon, is your armor on?
Take ya cash coma or break ya fast like Ramadan
~ Kon Karne
 

What to expect:

To tell you the truth, I'm not incredibly familiar with the deep lore behind MF DOOM's numerous alter egos. Between King Geedorah, Madvillain, Viktor Vaughn, and DOOM, it's tough to keep all his recording aliases straight. What remains consistent across all these acts is the immaculate bar flow in their raps, often touted as one of the best of all-time. MF DOOM's style shows clear influence from street rapping and freestyling, showcasing the incredible ability to link subjects and rhymes together in harmony with uninterrupted sequence. In the case of MM...FOOD (an anagram of MF DOOM), it resembles instances of freestyle rappers polling their audience for topics to rap about on the fly with impressive quickness and acuity. Appropriately, MM...FOOD revolves completely around the subject of food, covering issues like overconsumption, shady industry practices, and personal health, all cleverly weaved into commentary about the rap game. In fact, the entire track list references a different food or drink that dominates the lyrical content of each song without much literal connotation. Further establishing the theme, MF DOOM includes a grocery store's worth of brand names scattered across his rhymes, culminating toward the album's finale Kookies which is loaded with brands. MM...FOOD also features select guest rappers like Angelika and 4ize on Guinnesses and frequent contributor Mr. Fantastik on Rapp Snitch Knishes to assist him in his gastronomic journey. Interweaved within DOOM's mesmerizing raps on MM...FOOD are segues that stitch together various snippets of clips from public access television from the 70's, most notably from old Marvel cartoons that include the inspiration for DOOM's stage appearance, Doctor Doom. These vocalized segments serve to explain the overarching narrative of DOOM's rise to prominence from a tragic backstory, and allow for intermittent breaks within the action for the listener to process the dense bars that preceded a track. While DOOM's rap style is persistent across all his work, MM...FOOD's emphasis on jazz in its backing tracks brings out the suave delivery in his lyrical approach, reinforced by a solid concept that remains faithful through to the end.

You don't mess with the Ritz Bitz
Wheat Thins, Saltines, or Triscuits
Matzos or Cheez-Its
Catch sugar fits every time that he sees
Chips Ahoy, double chocolate chunk
Something with the bubble and the junk in the trunk
Even the Oreos, no matter what the weather
Always keep 'em dipped in milk and suck together
~ Kookies

Why it's my favorite: 

When I wrote my article on Aesop Rock's Labor Days, I mentioned Aesop's prolific knowledge of the English language as a significant factor toward my love for the album. Although MF DOOM's vocabulary isn't as expansive as Aesop Rock, the manner DOOM handles his diction is much more comprehensible and enjoyable in comparison. I haven't heard a hip-hop artist utilize such frisky wordplay so deliberately before DOOM, which has since earned him the title of 'your favorite rapper's favorite rapper'. Despite never achieving mainstream success, you don't have to look far to find an artist that cites MF DOOM as a career influence. Even among the fandom, it's exciting to connect with other listeners that are far more educated than me on the mythical creature that is MF DOOM. This rap community is about as underground as DOOM himself, but the culture he helped establish bred one of the most accepting places to help me further understand what rap is all about. You have acts within the genre that claim fame and fortune, or tout acts of violence as accolades, but albums like MM...FOOD don't take their reputation as a figure head too seriously, instead focusing on the ultimate point of performance: the music. MF DOOM is so well versed in his craft, he makes rapping seem easy and approachable for those who may not be initiated into the club quite yet. Well, consider MM...FOOD your ticket to initiation. Turns out everybody on Reddit was right - don't tell them that, though.

Number 37 - Eat A Peach by the Allman Brothers Band

 Number 37: Eat a Peach by the Allman Brothers Band

Moving to the country

Release: February 12th, 1972
Genre: Southern Rock
Favorite Tracks: Mountain Jam, Les Brers In A Minor, Blue Sky

 

Where I heard it: 

For quite a while in my life, I made sure to go out of my way so that I wouldn't hear anything even remotely related to country music. To this day, it's the genre I'm least fond of. However, there did exist breakthroughs in the form of southern rock, a genre that merged the feisty bite of rock & roll with the mellow ballads of country.  Most prominently, my introduction began in 2010 with staples like Lynyrd Skynyrd and .38 Special that regularly found themselves on classic rock radio stations. Even with their twangy vocals and honky-tonk attitudes, I was able to look past all that as a teenager to marvel at the remarkable guitar work in tracks like Caught Up In You and, of course, the mother of all rock anthems Free Bird. That was about it for my southern rock intake until I began expanding my vinyl record collection, where my search for great classic rock albums reawakened my interest in the genre. I stumbled upon the Allman Brothers Band during that pursuit, having been recommended Idlewild South and At Fillmore East on internet forums for must-haves in my library. I promptly ignored that advice and my first Allman Brothers Band record was instead Eat A Peach, an album that contained songs like Melissa and Blue Sky that I'd heard during my days of radio exclusivity. Well, I got a whole lot more than I bargained for when I spun the double LP on my turntable for the first time. Right from the start of opening the gatefold to reveal the intricate inner artwork, I should have known I was in for a wild ride.

 

Don't fly, mister bluebird
I'm just walkin' down the road
Early morning sunshine
Tell me all I need to know
You're my blue sky
You're my sunny day
Lord, you know it makes me high
When you turn your love my way
~ Blue Sky

What to expect:

The Allman Brothers Band were riding an all-time high during the early 70's, coming off a successful tour capped with an iconic live performance At Fillmore East in New York City. Headed by brothers Duane and Gregg, the six-piece were excited to be back in the studio for their next album. The band recorded three tracks (the final three featured on Eat A Peach) before a crippling addiction to heroin took hold of Duane and bassist Berry Oakley, halting production for a short stint in rehab. Right when the band planned to begin recording once again, Duane Allman collided with a flatbed truck on his motorcycle, tragically taking his life at the young age of 24. Shook to their core, the Allman Brothers Band seriously considered disbanding after not only the loss of an incredible guitar virtuoso, but the heart and soul of the band on stage. Perhaps most directly affected, Gregg Allman quickly came to the conclusion that his brother would not have wanted the music to end in his absence. Instead, the band rallied together even stronger in tribute to their fallen comrade, dedicating their in-process album to the memory of Duane. That album's title, Eat A Peach, specifically references a quote from Duane about his response to the Vietnam War, which includes the line, "Every time I'm in Georgia, I eat a peach for peace." The songwriting from Gregg Allman was much more reflective and solemn in songs like Ain't Wastin' Time No More and Melissa compared to the band's initial recording session. Most importantly, Eat A Peach features three outtakes from At Fillmore East that didn't make the cut, including the 33-minue long instrumental epic Mountain Jam that contains lengthy solos from each member, reprises of musical verses, and undeniable chemistry between the lineup as a final ode to Duane's soulful spirit on guitar. In fact, I'd consider the majority of Eat A Peach to be comprised of long-winded blues-style jam sessions that scale back the lyrical density and let the emotions of the music shine through brightest. This is achieved with fantastic string harmonization between Gregg and Duane in songs like Blue Sky, heavy bass notes from Berry Oakley that give tracks like One Way Out the rockabilly feel, and of course the percussive duo of Butch Trucks and Jai Johanny Johanson that tag team remarkable solos like the one in Mountain Jam that provides surprising depth for an instrument that lacks discernable pitch. The Allman Brothers Band possess far superior skills as a whole than the sum of its parts, bringing music to life every time they lay it down together. Eat A Peach signifies a turning point in both the lives and careers of the Allman Brothers Band that triumphs in the face of tragedy.

 

Last Sunday morning
The sunshine felt like rain
Week before, they all seemed the same
With the help of God and true friends
I've come to realize
I still have two strong legs
And even wings to fly
And I ain't wastin' time no more
'Cause time goes by like hurricanes and faster things
~ Ain't Wastin' Time No More

 

Why it's my favorite: 

The lamentable tale of the Allman Brothers Band really resonated with me when looking into the history of the band in early 2017. In fact, the devastation didn't end after Eat A Peach - a year into touring the album, Berry Oakley was killed in a motorcycle accident eerily similar to Duane's, also at age 24. Once again, the Allman Brothers Band persisted through the decades all the way up to the year 2000 when they finally decided to quit studio work. In 2017, both Butch Trucks and Gregg Allman passed away just four months apart at the age of 69. It's safe to say that even the band's resiliency towards past losses could not withstand this one. However, the passionate products that these musicians left behind offer me a potent emotional connection to remember them by. These songs have imparted me my own good memories to associate with, like listening through Mountain Jam with some of my best friends in a cozy Colorado ski lodge around Thanksgiving of 2018. I'll be honest, a large part of the reason why Eat A Peach is so high on this list is because of Mountain Jam. My friends make fun of me for enjoying songs that are over a half hour, but I cannot disprove them because I adore this track. From beginning to end, this monumental movement is an absolute masterclass on live jams that rivals all-time greats like the Grateful Dead and the Dave Matthews Band. It's so long, the vinyl pressing is split between two different sides of the record. I couldn't believe it when I first made the realization that these halves were not individual songs, but instead a continuation of one another. Mountain Jam began my fixation on sensationally long songs, and I formed most of my current music taste thanks to it. It just so happens that the rest of Eat A Peach is modelled so beautifully as well, from its composition to its surrounding influences that swayed the direction of the album to honor Duane. If you gather anything from this entry, please give Mountain Jam a listen sometime. I think the patience required to sit and listen through it in one sitting is absolutely worth it given the right mindset.

Number 38 - Sandwich by Psychostick

 Number 38: Sandwich by Psychostick

A double-decker delight

Release: May 5th, 2009
Genre: Comedy, Metal
Favorite Tracks: Minimum Rage, Do You Want a Taco?, You've Got Mail Enhancement

 

Where I heard it:

My second generation iPod Nano was one of my most treasured devices growing up in my teens. It was the first opportunity I had to gather songs I personally enjoyed, mostly from the radio. One of my most frequented stations to keep an ear out for new music was the hard rock hallmark of southern Colorado, 94.3 KILO. Some of my best memories are listening to my cousin's boombox radio in his room while we played video games for hours on end. A favorite of ours that made its way into the rotation was a song simply called BEER!!, a laughable ode to the carbonated beverage. There was a point in time where my cousin and I heard that song nearly every day, leading us to occasionally change the lyrics a la Yankovic and laugh our asses off at what we'd come up with. BEER!! was an undeniable selection for my iPod library, ultimately leading me to the artist page for Psychostick within the iTunes store. Curious to hear what else this band hand to offer, I was impeded by the dreaded paywall with no means of income, limited only to the complimentary thirty second previews of each song. I remember hearing the brief snippets of songs like P Is the Best Letter and Do You Want a Taco?, but I wasn't hooked like I was with their breakout radio hit. Over a decade later, the magic of streaming has made music more accessible than ever before, allowing me to revisit some of the tracks that passed me by in my childhood. Spotify was kind enough to recommend me today's album Sandwich based on my previous listening patterns, which I immediately recognized from my time browsing the iTunes store as a kid. It was a full-circle moment for me that I'm glad finally got back to me, as my musical taste had matured to a point where I now understood the comedic genius behind Psychostick.

You bought (or stole!) this dumb CD
Now you are suffering
Driving home, working out, or at your job
At your house, or wherever
On your iPod
~ This Is Not a Song, It's a Sandwich

 

What to expect:

If you're gauging whether or not Psychostick is the band for you, I would first point you back to the song that put them on the map: BEER!!. This track sets the benchmark for Psychostick's style of comedy, showcasing their tongue-in-cheek humor with hyperbolic musings that are exaggerated by the aggressive metal tones the band embraces. The trivial and mundane nature of the subject matter juxtaposed with the extreme tendencies of metal create amusingly hysterical scenarios, which channel the infuriating qualities within the small displeasures of life. Sandwich is merely a continuation of this ideology, loosely based around food-related conundrums many of us can relate to. This album cleverly identifies analogous events like dealing with douchebag roommates in Don't Eat My Food and working crappy fast-food jobs in Minimum Rage, paying close attention to minor details in order to validate the authenticity of these circumstances and drive home the punchline even further. Some songs may come off a bit childish, but that humor is completely on brand for Psychostick's target demographic of dudes in their twenties. A large strength of Sandwich is its variety in song lengths, distributing longer winded jokes like The Hunger Within next to quick quips like Grocery Escape Plan to keep the laughs coming. The band's comedic delivery is deliberately paced through each song to extract the most chuckles without overstaying its welcome. While the majority of Sandwich revolves around gastronomic themes, Psychostick also includes tunes like Die...a Lot! and We Ran out of CD Space that exist for no other purpose than to be silly little entertaining songs. If you're a fan of metal, you'll catch on quick to how talented each member of the band is, resulting in astounding chemistry that boosts the album both musically and comedically. Sandwich works as a concept because the performers don't take themselves too seriously, yet are flawless in executing the mechanics that rightfully earn them the respect they deserve as musicians. There's bound to be a track off Sandwich that will tickle your funny bone, regardless of your relationship with metal.

The internet is a wonderful place
The ability to retrieve information on any subject
Or communicate with anyone around the world
Is a significant step towards world peace
And the evolution of the human race
Then you've got these assholes who gotta be like:
"I'm gonna shit all over this precious gift to mankind!"
~ You've Got Mail Enhancement

Why it's my favorite: 

The line between music and comedy is perilously thin to traverse with great success. For every Tenacious D and Lonely Island, there's ten other less successful acts that wear out the same tired joke to death and bring nothing new to the table. While I don't consider Psychostick titans of the industry, I admire them for their consistency and dedication towards the niche audience they cater to. Cornering the market of comedy metal, Sandwich displays a satirical awareness that relies on the life experience of the listener to complete the comedic circuit. The absurdity mixed with monotony strikes a chord with my similar sense of humor. Songs like Minimum Rage are hilarious to me because I lived through instances almost exactly like that when working fast-food for seven years. Perhaps even funnier to me than the content itself is Psychostick's ability to parody some of the eye-rolling tropes of hard rock and metal in the 2000's in their sound. Tracks like #1 Radio $Ingle lampoon the drabby stylings of radio-friendly hits from otherwise heavier bands, and Grocery Escape Plan models itself after hyper-meticulous math metal bands, all with the air of self-awareness toward how ridiculous some moments can be. Across the board, Sandwich stands as a legitimate metal album that just so happens to be able to split your sides with its hilarity.

Number 39 - Labor Days by Aesop Rock

 Number 39: Labor Days by Aesop Rock

The fabled lyricist

Release: September 18th, 2001
Genre: Hip-Hop
Favorite Tracks: Labor, Daylight, No rEgrets

 

Where I heard it: 

Nearly a decade ago, I created a Reddit account on my high school's tech lab computer after weeks of intrigue. Dubbed 'the front page of the internet', there were so many niche communities that aggregated interesting content from external links and articles on other websites. One of the very first pages that I saved and still cherish to this day is a write-up from The Pudding newsletter that ranks rap artists based on the size of their vocabulary. This interactive chart analyzes unique words contained in a rapper's first 35,000 lyrics, plotting the data along an axis to emphasize the gap between certain artists. It's a fascinating read; the author even edited the chart in 2019 to include a selection of modern rappers. In a league of his own at the top of the graph was Aesop Rock, who is one of only two artists measured to exceed 7,000 unique words. I wasn't very into the hip-hop genre while I was in high school, but Aesop Rock was familiar to me from the inclusion of Labor within the soundtrack of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4. Despite my distaste in rap, I figured an artist with the intellectual capacity of Aesop Rock had to be worth a listen. I tore into Labor Days in the early months of 2014, which reignited my love for Aesop and started my forthcoming hip-hop journey with lofty expectations.

 

Life's not a bitch; life is a beautiful woman
You only call her a bitch 'cause she won't let you get that pussy
Maybe she didn't feel y'all shared any similar interests
Or maybe you're just an asshole who couldn't sweet talk the princess
~ Daylight

What to expect:

Although he's received widespread acclaim for his prolific songwriting and poetic flow, Aesop Rock has forgone the fame and accolades to remain a king of the underground hip-hop scene. Gaining popularity among college campuses across the East coast, word of Aesop Rock quickly spread after signing to fellow rapper El-P's label Definitive Jux. Notable for his production work, El-P aided in establishing the trademark sound of Aesop Rock in his early years: bass-heavy, groovy beat loops that allow his intricate lyrics to take center stage as the main attraction. By the release of Labor Days at the turn of the millennium, Aesop and his production crew had refined this art of songwriting down to a science. Labor Days is a technical feast of vocal mechanics, rife with tongue-twisting bars and meticulous meter that echo the storytelling abilities of an Aesop fable. Whether it's the bouncy string samples of No rEgrets or the laid-beat beat of The Tugboat Complex Pt. 3, Aesop Rock is guaranteed to immerse you with his lyrically dense verses. While this inherently increases the album's complexity, it doesn't take a Masters degree in English studies to understand Aesop's verbiage in his verses. In fact, Aesop's pronunciation in his vocal delivery is perfectly clear. The challenge of Labor Days lies in interpreting the myriad of literary devices buried under an avalanche of words that accompany each verse, especially in faster sections like the end of Save Yourself. Aesop's bars are bursting with witty observation and pensive reflection, weaved together with the prose of a motivational speaker that commands your attention. It isn't impossible to gleam a song's meaning just by listening to it, but it's difficult to digest the album in one full sitting without reading along with the lyrics sheet as a supplemental guide. I don't often recommend this practice, but Labor Days is best experienced when its content is most comprehensible. You'll be surprised at how effortlessly each line flows into the next. This album offers a trial for experienced hip-hop heads and linguists alike, should you choose to accept it.

We, the American working population
Hate the fact that eight hours a day is wasted
On chasing the dream of someone that isn't us
And we may not hate our jobs
But we hate jobs in general that don't have to do with fighting our own causes
~ 9-5ers Anthem

 

Why it's my favorite: 

When I first latched on to Aesop Rock my senior year, I pompously touted the sophistication of listening to educated material like Labor Days over modern rap garbage that everybody my age listened to at the time. In hindsight, I was just being a gatekeeping ass toward a genre I hardly knew anything about in the first place. Enjoying Aesop doesn't earn me a medal; what it does is heighten my own appreciation for rap as a form of art and expression. Labor Days' underlying concept of unification among the working class demonstrates Aesop's down-to-Earth attitude that views him as an equal, not an idol. This theme is more obvious in tracks like Labor and 9-5ers Anthem, but some of my favorite songs like Daylight are more subtle in disguising their political message. Aesop's expansive knowledge of the English language create lines that are distinctly his own, utilizing clever rhyme schemes to conjure playful lines that leave a lasting impression. The world of underground hip-hop is an iceberg of hidden talent, but Aesop is in a league of his own when it comes to his lexicon, and Labor Days represents the pinnacle of that pedestal. My love for hip-hop wouldn't be what it is today without encountering this masterpiece.