BEST 11 RECORDS EVER http://www.elsegundousd.com/eshs/be2003/june/entertainment/top11albu...

BEST 11 RECORDS EVER. By Osama Ben Lourey. If all goes well and I pass my English class, this will be the final article I write for the Bay Eagle. I have now spent almost 4 long years in this class, and I can confidently say that this has been the most fun and fulfilling class I have ever had. I think back to my freshmen year, sitting next to James Caverly and watching him write his last article ever, the “ten best records of all time.” The next year I watched Jeff Murphy do the same, and in both cases it seemed worlds away. Now I am at that point. This is something I have been looking forward to for years now, but now that it’s here I can’t help but feel sad. This is the end of my career at the Bay Eagle, and the last time I will be working with not only some of the greatest people I have ever met, but the best, funniest, and most respectable teacher I have ever had, Mr. Gen. Wow. I have been serious for a whole paragraph! What’s going on? Onto the nonsense! When the entire world has been infected with SARS and I am the only one left, I imagine there will only be room for eleven cd’s in my Asian virus proof bubble suit. And I always thought that writing this top ten would be impractical! The following eleven albums are the sound track to my life thus far. Much of the music I listen to is not music that most people appreciate as I do, but I would entirely encourage anyone to explore any of the releases below and the world of underground and independent music.

ONE. Bane-Give Blood Bane is my favorite band in the entire world. So it is only fitting that their latest and greatest release is my favorite record ever. This record embodies the spirit of hardcore music, both musically and lyrically. Musically, this cd stays true to Bane’s style and feel, but also expands the borders of what hardcore is. Lyrically, it is by leaps and bounds the greatest cd ever. Vocalist Aaron Bedard writes about somewhat typical hardcore lyrics such as the sacrifices a hardcore band makes, while still remaining poetic and coming up with some of my few favorite lyrics of all time. All in all, this is my favorite record ever. So check it out, holmes. BEST SONG: Sunflowers and Sunsets.

TWO. Death by stereo-If looks could kill I’d watch you die I discovered the wonders of this record on a 5 hour car drive to Las Vegas with the Tiano family. All other cds had been played and it came down to the Death. I was not happy with it at first, but it bored it’s way into cranium and has settled there ever since. Possibly the most energetic, original, and all around entertaining album I own. There was a decently long period where I considered this my favorite record ever, and it will never leave my top 11. 14 songs of energetic hardcore punk makes for my number two BEST SONG: Day in the Sun.

THREE. Weezer- Pinkerton If there is anything that genuinely makes me believe that most people have crappy taste, it is the fact that Pinkerton, Weezer’s second full length, did not receive the monetary or critical success that both the blue and green album did. Pinkerton is by leaps and bounds Weezer’s best CD. While the Blue album is incredible, and the green is ok, Pinkerton is far more original and much more emotional and deep. This album still has many of the great poppy songs Weezer pinkerton became so well known for, but also some slower, not so poppy ones. I attempted to think of what my favorite song is, in hopes of putting it in this article, but I cannot. Every song is incredible. However, ‘Why Bother’, ‘Across the Sea’, ‘Pink Triangle’, and ‘Butterfly’ really stand out. I strongly, strongly recommend that anyone who likes good music checks out this album. BEST SONG: Across The Sea

FOUR. Nofx-So Long and Thanks For All the Shoes The best CD from the best Punk band of all time. Nofx is easily on of my favorite few bands. They have consistently been putting out amazing records since the release of ‘The Longest Line’ in 1991. “So Long…” is their very best, in my opinion. It has every aspect that has come to make up a good Nofx album over the last 10 years or so. Some funny songs, some moderately slower ones, some ska/reggae-ish songs and some very serious ones too. The songs”180 degrees” and “falling in love” are the highlight of this record. BEST SONG: 180 Degrees.

FIVE. Converge- Petitioning the Empty Sky I can almost guarantee that you, yes YOU, will not like this record. If you aren’t into chaotic metal/hardcore, you won’t like this or any other Converge release. But this isn’t about you, is it? I, for one, love this record, and cherish my copy on orange vinyl as Mr. Gen cherishes his autographed picture of a shirtless Tom Jones. The first song is one of my few favorite songs ever and every number from then on is an absolute gem. This was one of the first bands I ever liked that was considered metal, and they are still the best at it. They are extremely fast, and somehow remain very technical and precise while being chaotic and crazy, it’s like a controlled demolition, really. BEST SONG: The Saddest Day.

SIX. Gorilla biscuits-Start Today The first real ‘hardcore’ record I ever liked. Riley Brady let me borrow it when I was in 7 th grade and I have been in love with it ever since. GB was a late 80’s hardcore band from New York City. I remember sitting in my room, taping this CD for Stryder and then rocking out to it with him everyday for a solid amount of time. This band was one of the first great hardcore bands, and one of the greatest ever. Cats and Dogs is the best animal rights anthem ever, and ‘Things We Say’ changed my outlook on how I treat people. BEST SONG: Things We Say

SEVEN. Hatebreed- Satisfaction is the Death of Desire

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SEVEN. Hatebreed- Satisfaction is the Death of Desire Still the most brutal hardcore record ever in my opinion. From lyrics to music, everything about this record is hard, angry and aggressive. If you turn the stereo up loud enough on the song “Last Breath I Heard” you can break ribs. Everyone thinks that Christopher Reeves became paralyzed from that horseback incident, but the truth is that he accidentally put on this cd and the volume was at 8, his spine was right by the speaker. People make dumb assumptions about the band being racist when they see the band name, but this is not true. This Cd is amazing, and anyone who likes brutally heavy hardcore should check out HB.BEST SONG: Last Breath

EIGHT. Stretch Arm Strong- Rituals of Life This is one of the few most energetic, original, amazing hardcore records ever written. It has an upbeat feel to it and is one of the best melodic hardcore records ever. The singer voice is unique and both his singing and screaming voice are excellent. The music is fast paced but with great breakdowns thrown into the mix. One of the best live bands I have ever seen, and this record will always be cherished and looked upon with fond memories of singing along at the teen center and dancing at the chain reaction. BEST SONG: All We’ve Lost.

NINE. Disembodied- Diablerie This cd makes me want to give my soul to Lucifer or become addicted to heroin or play Russian roulette or something. It has a creepy, dark, depressing tone to it and just makes becoming a vampire seem not so bad. Diablerie is a heavy metal hardcore record with and incredible uniqueness to it. I remember buying this cd from a friend in 8 th grade and being pretty scared listening to it for the first time. The front of the cd cover is a picture of a dead woman and on the cd Diablerie is defined as ‘the having to do with or dealings with the devil.” The music is heavy and metal with screechy screams and creepy lyrics. The dark lord awaits, check this cd out, if you can find it. BEST SONG: Devil’s grin.

TEN. The Misfits- Walk Among Us The misfits are punk rock legends. One of the few punk bands I ever liked, I bought their box set, which is in the shape of a coffin. Melodic evil punk rock from over 20 years ago, songs like ‘skulls’ and ‘I turned into a Martian’ make this cd a classic and a must have for any stupid punk rock kid. If you punks can find time between styling your Mohawk and working on your punk rock fashion, go buy this cd, and let the evil lyrics infect and degenerate your brain. BEST SONG: Skulls

ELEVEN. Boy Sets Fire-After the Eulogy Boy sets fire is a band that lots of people could easily get into. They write incredible hardcore anthems with wonderfully interlaced catchy melodies and singing. Whether or not this is Boy Sets Fire’s best record is definitely arguable. Their first full length, The Day the Sun Went Out, is absolutely amazing, but less listener friendly, and much less catchy. Their new full length, Tomorrow Comes Today, is also a great record, but I feel they have lost some of their aggressiveness and edge. I lost myself in After the Eulogy when I first got it. It was unlike anything I had really heard before, and I couldn’t stop listening to it. Some songs are slow and mellow, and some are fast and very hardcore, but all are great. BEST SONG: an Unspoken Request.

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