My Top 10 All-Time Albums

This list is not my opinion, it is 100% certifiable fact.

Alright, so it is just an opinion. Listening to the new Against Me! album, "White Crosses," that was just leaked has reminded me how amazing it feels when you fall in love with an album on first listen and can't stop listening no matter how hard you try. My taste in music is about as diverse as it gets, so I doubt anyone will agree with any two on this list, but nonetheless, I present my Top 10 favorite Albums of all time:

10. "Modern Artillery" by The Living End

As sick as I am of this band (thanks mostly to an overzealous fanboy who doubles as a guitarist in my band), I simply cannot deny the brilliance of this album. Amazing musicianship coupled with ridiculously memorable and exciting hooks make this a truly epic album.

Standout Track: "Maitland Street"



9. "Cool to Be You" by The Descendents

The founding fathers of nerd-rock (eat your heart out Weezer) truly struck gold with this 2004 release. This album has something for every kind of music fan. Poppy songs, hardcore songs, and hilarious songs make this album a breath of fresh air. It's also best enjoyed during the summer. Let's hope they get back into the studio sometime this century.

Standout Track: "Maddie"



8. "Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too" by New Radicals

This short lived vanity project of Gregg Alexander managed to create a masterpiece with their first and only album in 1998. Songs that are as heartbreaking as they are uplifting land this album on my list. Plus it doesn't hurt that the album includes my favorite song of all time.

Standout Track: "You Get What You Give"



7. "Indestructible" by Rancid

What can I possibly say about the album that changed my life forever? Long story short, I was on an immersion trip in West Virginia when I was 16, and lost the booklet with all my Cd's in it (yes we used Walkmans back then). This kid let me borrow the one Cd he had with him, and it happened to be this one. I must have listened to it 15 times through driving back to Jersey in the van. Let's put it this way: I never repurchased the Good Charlotte Cd I lost. I was hooked on real punk rock from then on. If one album changed my life, this was it.

Standout Track: "Start Now"



6. "Yes, Virginia" by The Dresden Dolls

The Dresden Dolls are just about the only good thing to ever come out of Boston, and this album is extraordinary. How a woman playing a piano and a guy playing drums can create this kind of magic baffles me. This is probably the most original album I've ever heard, both musically and lyrically, and the songs will break your heart and terrify you at the same time. Hey, I got the cover tattooed on me, so I'm not bullshitting.

Standout Track: "Shores of California"



5. "The War on Errorism" by NOFX

While Green Day get the credit for leading the punk rock charge against George W. Bush, it was really NOFX that got the ball rolling. If "American Idiot" was a slap in the face to conservative America, then this album was a hard kick in the groin. Fat Mike rails against everything from politicians to the punk rock scene, and most importantly, never forgets to be funny.

Standout Track: "Idiots Are Taking Over"



4. "Streetcore" by Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros

I'm convinced that only Joe Strummer could have put out a half finished, posthumous album and have it be a masterpiece. "Streetcore," released a year after his tragic death in 2002, is one fucking hell of an album. The vocals are as reflective as they are raspy, and as always with a Joe Strummer song, you can't help but hang on every word. Also, Strummer's jubilant and seemingly defiant shout of "Let it Roll!" or "Rock and Roll!" (I'm still not sure which) at the end of the song "Coma Girl" is enough to bring a tear to even the most hardcore punk rocker's eye.

Standout Track: "Coma Girl"



3. "London Calling" by The Clash

Speaking of the late Joe Strummer, this album is a must have for any real rock and roller's collection. The Clash proved they were more than just a scrappy three-chord punk band with this totally original and seminal album. But besides the obvious significance of this album, it's just pure fun, which sadly is sometimes a rarity in the rock world. Truly one of the greatest albums ever produced.

Standout Track: "Lost in the Supermarket"



2. "American Idiot" by Green Day

While it has numerous detractors (some of whom make decent points), to me this will always be the definitive rock album of the 2000's and possibly even my generation. Fuck the concept album part of it, the bottom line is that these are just some FANTASTIC songs. While it often gets labeled as a political album, it's really so much more than that. It also gave new life to an aging and seemingly over the hill band that is now once again on top of the world.

Standout Track: "Jesus of Suburbia"



1. "Let it Be" by The Beatles

C'mon, did you really think I wouldn't include a Beatles album? Truth be told, I could have made the entire list from Beatle albums alone, but that wouldn't have been very interesting. I often waffle on my favorite Beatles album. "Magical Mystery Tour," "The White Album," and "Abbey Road" are all up there, but when I really think about it, this tops them all. Perfect from start to finish, "Let it Be" was recorded during the most tumultuous period in the history of The Beatles, and maybe that's what made it so great. However if you're going to buy this album, try to purchase the "Naked" version which is devoid of Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound" bullshit.

Standout Track: "Across the Universe"



Well there you have it. I'm sure you won't agree with most of this, so please give me some feedback in the comment section. If I listed an album on here that you haven't heard, and sounds interesting, then please go and check it out. I wouldn't steer you wrong, cuties!