PATTERNS IN TRAFFIC

I am exceedingly proud to announce that after three years of remote writing and recording from opposite sides of the world, my bandmate Eva Driessen and I have completed our first full-length album as Harsh Lights, titled Watch the World Divide. I pushed myself both lyrically and vocally on this album, and I am so proud of what we created and what it has to say. I hope that if nothing else, you have some fun with the earworm hooks we peppered throughout these propulsive pop-rock jams. If you like Blink-182, New Found Glory, Sum 41, and the like, I hope you’ll give this album a shot!

Chorus.fm, the site where Eva and I met and who kindly reviewed Lights & Reflections, penned a positive review of the album which you can read here!

The sound of this album is not terribly similar to my solo work as Patterns in Traffic, but these are still my lyrics and vocals, and since I am not the sole creator I think I’m allowed to say I am a huge fan of this album!

In other news, I am deep into demoing for PiT LP3! While you wait, check out some Harsh Lights here!

I was a guest on today’s episode of the Something in the Wilderness podcast, which is an exploration of the music of one of my favorite songwriters, Andrew McMahon. On the episode, we discuss “Orphans,” the track from The Glass Passenger that contains the lyric that inspired my artist name, Patterns in Traffic! I also did something I’ve been meaning to do for a long time, which is record a cover of the song!

Listen to the episode to hear the new cover, a lot of me geeking out about Andrew McMahon, and some discussion of my music! Also, the story of how Patterns in Traffic may not even be the correct lyric from the song... Whoops.

I love this podcast and I was so excited to be a part of it. Hope you enjoy the episode! Find it anywhere you listen to podcasts, or try the link below!

https://pod.link/1527812756

If you would just like to listen to the new cover song, you can find it below!

As you may know, Eva and I have been hard at work on the first full-length as the pop-punk duo Harsh Lights. On Friday, we released the third single from the album! It is called “Masochists” and it has a bit of a different flavor from anything we’ve released in the past. Behold, the synths! Listen at the link below.

https://chorus.fm/share/song/harsh+lights/masochists

Hope you enjoy and stay tuned for more news about the full album release, coming soon!

Something pretty thrilling happened on Lights & Reflections release day, which I thought I would share here. The album was reviewed by Adam Grundy for Chorus.fm, my favorite music blog/site/community! I sent Adam an advance copy of Lights & Reflections and he was kind enough to listen and publish a review on July 1. I cannot thank him enough for the exposure that the review brought to my album, or for the extremely kind words in his very positive review! I think he really found the heart of what I was going for on this album and with my music in general. 

Lights & Reflections by Patterns in Traffic

Welp, it’s out there. It is weird to send something out into the world after it’s been mostly just for me over the past four years. But it’s time! If I’m being honest, I haven’t listened to the record in a couple weeks because if I hear something I don’t like at this point, it’s too late to change it. But I know I revised and edited obsessively until it was the best that I could make it.

Despite the ever-present self-doubt, I’m super proud of this album and I truly believe it’s worth your time. I hope the journey of Lights & Reflections takes you somewhere worthwhile.

I can’t possibly thank you enough for listening. But enough words, let’s get to the music!

I am admittedly a bit obsessive about the art of album sequencing. It has always fascinated me how albums are constructed and the journey that they take you on from beginning to end. After listening to thousands of albums, you start to get a feel for what songs sound like an album opener or closer, or, weirdly enough, sound like a track four (or whatever other track number you please)!

Sequencing Lights & Reflections was a unique challenge because of the existence of the Reflections EP and the Lights EP, each with their own track sequences and very different sounds. I wanted to find a way to blend the EPs together while maintaining a sense of cohesion and natural flow. As it turns out, this is pretty difficult when roughly half the songs are acoustic and the other half are high energy rock tunes! I did not want to give the listener whiplash by alternating between the two styles track by track, but I also didn't want to end up with an album that felt like it had two distinct halves by grouping the songs together in the same manner as the EPs.

I experimented with way too many permutations of the track order until I finally arrived at the final tracklist below. This is the first and only version of the sequencing that feels right to me all the way through. I had some that started strong, but the tracks that were left at the end didn't quite make sense. I had many that were too heavily-weighted toward Reflections tracks or Lights tracks early in the album, leaving the songs from the other EP heavily backloaded. I originally intended for two of the three new songs to be the opener and the closer, then changed my mind, and ultimately changed it back. I think that two of the new songs serve as perfect bookends for the record, and I like the idea of the first and last tracks still being brand new even to folks who have already heard the EPs.

What I ultimately ended up with feels to me like small suites of tracks that fit well together but also transition easily into the next suite. A few louder songs kick off the record, giving way to a suite of acoustic tracks, and so forth. I doubted for a long time that I would ever feel totally at peace with the tracklist for this album, but I've come to believe that this is the best way to present it. I can't imagine it any other way at this point. I don't know if anyone has ever spilled this much ink on album sequencing, so without further ado, here is the final tracklist for Lights & Reflections (and the big reveal of the titles of the three LP-exclusive tracks, if that gets your blood pumping!):

01. Lights and Reflections 02. Echo 03. The Music Plays 04. Beautiful Surprise 05. Hotel Chelsea 06. Fi's Song 07. No Wonderland 08. Sparks Fly 09. Sink or Swim 10. Easy Way Out 11. Safe to Say 12. So Damaged 13. Living Without You

Here is the cover art for Lights & Reflections, which is available everywhere one week from today! I adore the image that Crafted Crane Design created to complete the series of images that started with the Reflections and Lights EPs. I love that the three images are interrelated, showing a lake view from different vantage points at different times of day. It really drives home how these releases are all different facets of one piece.

I’m back with big news! Lights & Reflections, the album I announced back in 2020, is finally complete and has been submitted for distribution. It hits streaming services and digital storefronts on July 1!

Along with the release of the full-length album, I am very happy to announce that the Reflections EP and the Lights EP are both being widely released. As of now, they should be on all streaming platforms and digital music stores. They are no longer relegated to Bandcamp-only status. I am proud of the EPs and the way they are each so cohesive and stand on their own as individual bodies of work. I want everyone to have the option to hear the songs in that format if they so desire. Choose your own adventure; a full album listen, or the more bite-sized experiences of the individual EPs. I’d be lying if I said that the decision wasn’t also influenced by the gorgeous cover art provided by Crafted Crane Design. The art for the two EPs and the full album are all interconnected, and the three images feel like their own body of work in and of themselves. I want those three images presented side by side when someone seeks out this music.

As was the plan from the beginning, the full-length album will shuffle up the 10 previously-released EP tracks with three brand new songs. That’s 13 tracks and 53 minutes of music (if you’re counting) coming your way.

I’m sure there is some recency bias in play, but the three LP-exclusive tracks are some of my favorites on the album. I will reveal more details as we get closer to release, such as tracklist and cover art, but I only get to release music once every few years, so I’m going to draw this out and savor it, OK? Properly capturing and compiling these songs ended up being a four-year process.

All joking aside, the fact that I’ve now completed a second full-length album of original material is almost incomprehensible to me. Doing this is incredibly rewarding, and that in itself is enough to justify the existence of these songs, and to keep me creating when it would be way easier to let this musical outlet fall by the wayside. But of course, I do hope that a few people stumble across it, appreciate it, and get something out of it.

Music is awesome! This is all very exciting. More to come.

Never one to give up too easily, I have one more addition to this feature that I've enjoyed so much. Words and pictures are all well and good, but how about some actual music? The above 240-song(!) playlist includes two tracks from each album on my top 100 list, plus the 20 honorable mentions. It probably goes without saying that I chose to include two of my favorite tracks from each album. Generally, I tried to go with one more obvious/popular track and one personal favorite that may not be as well-known.

Sorry to say I am not an Apple Music OR Spotify subscriber, so this playlist is through YouTube Music. I am hoping that everyone can listen even if you are not a subscriber! Thankfully, almost every one of the 120 albums were on the service and are represented here. The only exceptions are The Damnwells' One Last Century (I instead included two tracks from their 2003 album Bastards of the Beat) and, obviously, Manic's unreleased record A Strange Audience (I included two songs from Another New Home, the "album" on streaming services which compiles their two officially-released EPs).

Hope this playlist makes it easy to sample any of the great unheralded artists/albums that I wrote about over the past few weeks. Or, if you have, like, 12 free hours, you can listen to the whole thing!

OK. This is it, I promise. At some point I have to stop listing albums from my youth. ...Right?

Seriously, thanks for reading and I hope I either introduced you to or reminded you of some great music from an underappreciated musical decade. I know I enjoyed myself! Next time you hear from me it should be with new music news in tow!

Hotwire - The Routine (2003)

I remember coming across Hotwire at a friend's house while we were in some rarely-visited corner of the Internet seeking out new music. The song was either "Not Today" or "Hands on You" (either would have done plenty to catch my attention) and I made a point to follow the band after that and pick up their first and only album The Routine. The album is classified as alternative metal, but it's not far at all from louder emo acts like Taking Back Sunday, Thursday, or Thrice. Hotwire were on the Ozzfest tour in 2003 and also toured with the likes of Mogwai, Darkest Hour, Killswitch Engage, and Atreyu. It's hard for me to imagine them fitting in with that crowd, as they had such a melodic and pop-leaning side to their music that most of those bands lack. Put them on a few tours with those aforementioned emo bands and I think they gain a much larger following. Hindsight is 20/20, as they say.

Jonezetta - Popularity (2006)

Jonezetta was one of the few Tooth & Nail bands from this decade that didn't make a big impression on the scene. I couldn't tell you why, because Popularity is full of danceable, infectious pop rock that easily stands toe to toe with its contemporaries. "Get Ready (Hot Machete)," "Man in a 3k Suit," and "Backstabber" are painfully radio-ready, as are most of the other songs on the record. There are so many alternate universes where one of these tracks catch on and Jonezetta is a household name, rather than fading into obscurity after their quietly-released second album.

Mae - The Everglow (2005)

Here's a Tooth & Nail record that took off. The Everglow is deserving of its scene classic status; a concept album with 15 tracks of uplifting and catchy melodic rock. The songs are triumphant, anthemic, and inspirational, and there are no real weak links in the tracklist. For some reason I never quite claimed this album as my own and developed a deep personal connection with it. I think the praise for it was so effusive that it turned me off; I was averse to following popular trends in that way. But my college bandmates loved it and it was often blasting in the car while we drove around campus or to and from band practice. I will definitely be picking this one up on vinyl the next time it is pressed so I can spend some more long-overdue time with The Everglow.

Manic - A Strange Audience (2008) [Pictured: Another New Home (2007)]

I decided when compiling my original list that I would only include albums that were officially released. But when I expanded to honorable mentions I had to include this album that was recorded for Suretone/Geffen in 2008 and never saw the light of day. I have a pretty wild history with this band, starting, once again, with DC101's New Music Mart. In 2003, they featured "No Words" by a band called Bemus. It took me quite a while to hunt the song down, but once I did it became my favorite song for a while. It was like Incubus with a harder edge, and I couldn't get enough. I followed the band for a few years, checking their website every few weeks waiting for word about an album release. But much to my dismay, it never happened. Bemus dissolved and some of the members went on to form Manic, which released two great EPs in Floor Boards and Another New Home. Again, I waited with baited breath for a promised full-length, and again it didn't materialize. Manic posted on their Myspace page in 2008 that the album they completed, titled A Strange Audience, would not be released by their label, but they would send the tracks to anyone who wanted them via email. I wrote that email posthaste, and soon received 14 masterful spacey/shoegazey rock tracks that were sparse, strange, haunting, experimental, ambient, unique, and captivating. All those descriptors are an attempt to say, it's hard to classify this album. It's not immediate, but it does have great hooks that sink in after a few listens. It's a bit weird, but not so much that it keeps the listener at arm's length. I'm happy to say that I recently worked with YouTuber irreversiblemess, someone who shares my zest for music preservation, to post both A Strange Audience and the unreleased Bemus album on his YouTube channel in full. If I have anything to say about it, at least a few people will take advantage of the ability to hear these gems that were almost lost to time. There is also a full-length version of Another New Home on streaming services which is made up of Manic's two officially-released EPs plus a couple of cuts from A Strange Audience. Neither band nor label seem to be involved in the distribution of that album, so I have no idea how it came to be. But I'm glad those songs are on streaming and encourage anyone to check those out as well. They're great! The Bemus/Manic guys must have been one of the unluckiest group of musicians in history, getting so close twice without ever having a full-length album released. The music reveals that they deserved so much better.

Margot & the Nuclear So and So's - The Dust of Retreat (2006)

I needed a bit of convincing to even check this album out, as I was pretty turned off by the band name Margot and the Nuclear So and So's. But I eventually gave in when I found out some friends were really enjoying The Dust of Retreat. These are mostly acoustic tracks led by the delicate voice of Richard Edwards, and they lope along with an uneasy gait, like you're listening in on an audio diary that wasn't really meant to be heard by anyone but Edwards himself. Songs like "Skeleton Key" and "Quiet As a Mouse" have undeniable hooks, but what stands out most when I think about this album are the unique production choices. There is an eerie undertone of foreboding that hangs over these otherwise beautiful and gentle songs, making for a fascinating and never-quite-comfortable listen.

Midtown - Forget What You Know (2004)

I was familiar with Save the World, Lose the Girl and Living Well Is the Best Revenge, but I never became well-acquainted with either. Midtown's final album, 2004's Forget What You Know, was the one to draw me in on the strength of singles "Give It Up" and "Empty Like the Ocean." These songs have more big rock riffs and bombastic production than the band's earlier emo output, and frontman Gabe Saporta grapples quite a bit throughout the album with religion and the state of our world. By the time you reach the loop that repeats ad nauseam to close out the album a la "Goodbye Sky Harbor," it's clear that you've just heard an important and well-thought-out piece of work.

Saosin - Saosin (2006)

The indie community was shocked when frontman Anthony Green departed Saosin just as they were gaining momentum on the strength of their debut EP Translating the Name. But the band barely missed a beat when the position was assumed by then-teenage vocalist Cove Reber, who more than capably maneuvers through 12 high-energy post-hardcore/alt-rock tracks including standouts "It's Far Better to Learn," "Voices," "I Never Wanted To," and "Bury Your Head." I rarely reach for this one since I wouldn't call it my go-to genre, but I never regret it when I do.

Steel Train - Trampoline (2007)

Before Jack Antonoff was a member of Fun. and then producer to the stars, he headed up Drive-Thru Records pop/rock/folk hybrid Steel Train. I happened to be on a kick with their second album Trampoline when I got my first smartphone, and while playing with all the new features I put mp3s of the album on my phone so I could take it on the go. I never got around to uploading any more music, so every time I went into the local files on that phone I was reminded of this very good album. Antonoff's youthful and urgent delivery is captivating on songs like "Kill Monsters in the Rain," "Dakota," and "Firecracker." The organic instrumentation and often-noodley guitar performances are a far cry from his current output with Bleachers, and well worth a listen if you are a more recent fan.

Test Your Reflex - The Burning Hour (2007)

I don't remember exactly how I came across Test Your Reflex's "Pieces of the Sun," but I was enamored with the blend of '80s pop influence with current indie rock. And that chorus! (*chef's kiss*) The Burning Hour has one of the best opening three-song stretches that I've ever heard, passing the baton from the undeniable "I'm Not Sorry" to the aforementioned "Pieces of the Sun" and then to the slightly quieter and more new-wave-leaning "Thinking of You." While the rest of the album doesn't match the peak of the first three tracks (and how could it, really?), it is full of engaging songs that hint at a successful career to come. Unfortunately, singer Ryan Levine and company could never settle into a groove and consistently build on the promise of this debut album. They changed their name to No Country in 2009, but only ever released some one-off tracks on Myspace. They appeared in the film Jennifer's Body and had a couple of original songs on the soundtrack, but they were attributed to Low Shoulder, their in-movie moniker. In 2014 they reemerged as Wildling, were signed to Warner Brothers, and released a few singles and an EP, but that band appears to now be defunct as well. In 2021 Levine has resurfaced yet again, releasing three singles under his own name. I hope that he can stick with one project long enough to consistently create and release music. He is clearly a talented writer and performer, but all the shuffling and reshuffling over the years has kept the volume of his output pretty low.

This Providence - Who Are You Now? (2009)

As promised, I'm back for more, as 100 bands and albums could not accurately contain my overflowing love for 2000s rock. Maybe I have a problem, but I'll reflect on that later. For now I'm going to keep listing and blurbing about great albums from my coming-of-age decade. The 20 honorable mentions I am going to feature were all on my shortlist ("short" is a relative term) to make the top 100, but narrowly missed for one reason or another. They were difficult cuts, and I really enjoyed revisiting them all to expand this feature. Putting a few of these on made me feel like they should have been included in those top 100 spots, but at least now they'll get their recognition. These albums are not ranked, just in good old alphabetical order. Come reader, I shall drag you kicking and screaming through yet another slate of 10 records. Enjoy!

Audiovent - Dirty Sexy Knights in Paris (2002)

Audiovent was quite literally Incubus' younger sibling, featuring Brandon Boyd's brother Jason on vocals and Mike Einzinger's brother Benjamin on guitar. Jamin Wilcox (later of Under the Influence of Giants "fame") was the drummer for the group. With Incubus being one of my absolute favorite bands at the time and with a barnburner of a lead single in "The Energy," it was a no-brainer for me to pick up this album upon release. Incubus-lite is an obvious and not-particularly-charitable descriptor of their music, but it's not entirely inaccurate. They have the riffs, the powerful choruses, and the ballads of their more famous siblings. However, the songs don't need any familial context to stand on their own. Audiovent reformed for some reunion shows in 2019. Maybe one day we'll get the follow-up album that never materialized (legend has it almost 20 songs were demoed before the band split in 2004).

Boy Kill Boy - Civilian (2006)

This is the album that tipped the scales toward expanding this list to include honorable mentions. I recently revisited Civilian and it holds up exceptionally well. I don't know if I purposefully ranked this one outside of the top 100 when I first did this exercise or if I forgot about it completely, but it probably deserves a spot on the list proper. Another U.K. band with a relatively short career (they dissolved shortly after their sophomore album was released), this debut record is brimming with smart, peppy alt-rock. Singles "Back Again" and "Civil Sin" are probably the standouts, but almost every track on the album bursts with rhythmic guitars, synths, and commanding vocals. An album that is just as easy to dance along to as to sing along to. Trying to right my wrongs here. #justiceforboykillboy

Cartel - Chroma (2005)

Cartel's debut album is a scene classic for a reason. Will Pugh, one of the most technically proficient singers in the genre, deftly leads the band through a set of earworms with vocal performances ranging from soaring to delicate. Chroma is a collection of pop-rock tracks that never waver in quality. The interconnected three-song suite that closes the album and introduces some prominent electronic elements ("The Minstrel's Prayer," "Q," and "A") gives it the subtle nudge it needs to go from standout to something truly special.

Damone - Out Here All Night (2006)

In the mid-2000s, it was unfortunately still very rare to hear female voices in rock music. Damone not only featured a badass frontwoman (and great guitarist) in Noelle LeBlanc, but they rocked with the best of 'em. None of this should be remarkable or surprising, to be clear, but at the time it just wasn't something I'd been exposed to. The title track is the can't-miss song here, but the '80s rock riffs, ballads, and tunefulness don't let up through the entire runtime. Damone reformed and released a single in 2019. Here's to hoping there is more headbanging to come.

Driveblind - Driveblind (2006)

Growing up, my family would spend at least one week a year on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, staying with my grandparents and other extended family. In 2006 at 19 years old, I was fully obsessed with live music and discovered that there was a Candlebox show at Monkey Business, Hilton Head's premier seedy bar/concert venue, the week of our vacation. I knew maybe one Candlebox song (still rings true today), but it was live music and a night out, so I got a ticket. I don't remember much at all about Candlebox's set, other than being dumbfounded to hear them cover "Out Here All Night" by Damone, who literally just appeared on this list, but the opening band was a Scottish rock outfit called Driveblind who caught my attention in a big way. They were the perfect bar band, with loud guitars, an energetic frontman with a great voice, and a touch of southern rock DNA. After peeling myself off the back wall of the bar, which was where I camped out for the evening to prevent having to interact with anyone, I picked up their self-titled album at the merch table and got a lot of play out of it over the next months. The fast-paced songs like "Silhouette," "Tell Me," and "All I Want" are infectious, and the slower tunes like "Leave Home" and "Light Sleeper" are plenty captivating as well. Another one-album-and-done band that caught my ear by being in the right place at the right time. Singer Terry McDermott went on to place second in season three of The Voice. He's also in a band called Lotus Crush with members of Candlebox after meeting on this tour. Small world.

Eisley - Combinations (2007)

I saw Eisley open for Mutemath right after Combinations was released, and at the time I would always check out the opening bands before attending a show. I was familiar with a few songs from Eisley's debut album, but this was my first time listening to a full record, and it was surprisingly great. The opening three-song run of "Many Funerals" (the heavy guitars in that chorus are something I never knew I wanted from Eisley), "Invasion," and "Taking Control" is my favorite in the band's discography. While those tracks bring the energy and the darkness, we still get the delicate and enchanting songs the band are known for in "Go Away," "Come Clean," and "Combinations." That Mutemath-Eisley show was one of the rare occasions where I left the venue with new t-shirts from two of the bands on the bill.

The Exit - Home for an Island (2005)

"Lonely Man's Wallet" from The Exit's debut album was a standout New Music Mart find in 2002. While I never checked out that album in full, I sprung for their second record Home for an Island on the strength of singles "Don’t Push" and the title track. I was really drawn to their blend of reggae and indie rock, which stood out from anything I was listening to at the time. It was an interesting sound that saw the band open for Taking Back Sunday, Muse, 311, and OAR over their seven-year existence. Maybe it ultimately led to their downfall since they didn't fully belong in the rock world or the reggae world, but if you want something unique with great grooves and great hooks, I've got an album for you.

Fuel - Something Like Human (2000)

It's funny how you reevaluate music over time. In 2000, I was completely infatuated with Fuel's "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)," the lead single from Something Like Human. This was before I had the ability to download music, so "The Nine at Nine" on WHFS was appointment listening for a week or two so I could hear the song at least once a day. I got the CD when it was released and enjoyed most of it at 13 years old. But within a few years I was pulled into the world of emo and indie and a "radio rock" band like Fuel was no longer respectable in my mind. I even banished the CD to my closet because it was not worthy to be displayed alongside the more sophisticated and lesser-known albums that comprised my collection. I've since come to the realization that being popular doesn't necessarily equate to being bad, and I've come back to a lot of those first albums that I bought based off of big radio singles. Something Like Human is a great album, Fuel singer Brett Scallions had a jaw-dropping voice (Seriously, check out some YouTube videos of Fuel performances in the late '90s and early 2000s. The power and control! Drool.), and "Hemorrhage" is still, like, one of the best songs ever, IMO.

Good Charlotte - The Young and the Hopeless (2002)

I will admit that I haven't listened to this one in a very long time, though I have been pleasantly surprised by Good Charlotte's most recent albums Youth Authority and Generation Rx. There's just no denying how attached I was to The Young and the Hopeless in 2002 and 2003. "Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous," "The Anthem," and "Girls & Boys" were inescapable at the time, and even "Hold On" and the title track were getting airplay in my home state of Maryland, where the band hails from. Listening back now, the nasally vocals and songs about parents and high school crushes seem simplistic and dated, but at the time I lived and breathed it. The Young and the Hopeless was my perfect gateway album to emo rock.

Hard-Fi - Stars of CCTV (2005)

We've made it! My 10 favorite albums of the 2000s, and probably my 10 favorite albums of all-time. If you've read this whole crazy series, thanks so much and I hope it led you to revisit or think about some of your favorite music and memories. I'll be back soon with 20 honorable mentions, because I can't do anything in moderation, apparently. I haven't actually written those yet, so it might take a little time. Feel free to do anything else with your life until then.

Let's do it. Here are the most important albums of my life.

10. Graham Colton - Here Right Now (2007)

A friend tried to introduce me to Graham Colton Band sometime after the release of their 2004 album Drive. I remember brushing off the recommendation at the time, thinking they sounded too poppy, too country, too something for my sophisticated music tastes. But something changed between then and the release of Colton's first proper solo album Here Right Now in 2007. I don't remember exactly how or why the tides turned, but I was eagerly awaiting the album's release and it didn't disappoint. In 2007 I was playing in a pop punk band, just starting to learn guitar, and getting more serious about writing my own songs. This album, and Colton in general, became a huge inspiration to me as a songwriter. His relatively simple compositions and heart-on-sleeve storytelling made me believe that I could create something worthwhile on my own. I saw Colton perform many times over the ensuing years, and each time it reinforced my drive (no pun intended) to pursue my own music. My song "Katherine," which became a proof-of-concept for my solo work, was written after bingeing the highly-affecting hidden title track "Here Right Now." For several years I would have considered Colton my favorite songwriter, and aspired to be like him as a writer and performer. I still return to his music every few months and find immense comfort in it, like I'm visiting an old friend.

9. Muse - Absolution (2003)

In 2003 I hadn't heard much in the way of prog rock, or virtuoso musicianship. Then this album came along and blew my damn mind. From the off-kilter piano that kicks off "Apocalypse Please" to the endless arpeggios to Matt Bellamy's now-oft-parodied falsetto and wail, I was all in on everything this album delivered. The lead single "Time Is Running Out" and the spastic "Hysteria" sucked me in with their huge hooks, and before I knew it I was listening to this album on repeat in my room for weeks on end, at volumes that make me appreciate my parents ever more in retrospect. The climax of "Sing for Absolution" makes me utterly aware of my neck hairs. I was in a band in college with an incredible songwriter and guitarist whose compositions were heavily informed by this album. Even though it's the only band I've ever been a part of where I had little to no part in the songwriting (not to mention some serious imposter syndrome from playing with a bunch of guys who were much more musically accomplished than me) I was a huge fan of the music we made. Songwriting is one of my greatest passions, but I will also ride for anyone successfully emulating Matt Bellamy, circa 2003.

8. Incubus - Morning View (2001)

The late '90s and early 2000s were the days when I was still discovering my musical tastes and getting all of my music from radio. Lucky for me, then, that Incubus had some giant hits from the Make Yourself/Morning View era ("Drive," "Pardon Me," "Stellar," "Wish You Were Here," "Nice to Know You," omg) which led me to adopt them as one of my first favorite bands. Morning View was and still is my favorite Incubus album for its gentler undertones while maintaining the addictive pull of its predecessor. Before I had any musical talent or could sing whatsoever, I wanted to sound like Brandon Boyd. I wanted to be able to scream through "Under My Umbrella" (my underdog pick for one of Incubus' best songs) and croon through the groovy "Are You In?" The band was, unbeknownst to me at the time, paving both the harder and softer roads of my musical journey, and showing me that I could travel both simultaneously. I had a science teacher in middle school who would let students bring in CDs to play during lab work, and I had this CD with me every day. I'll always remember the excitement that I felt being able to soundtrack my experience, and sharing music that I loved with others. It's a rush that I still seek out to this day.

7. Silversun Pickups - Swoon (2009)

2009 was a transitional year for me. It was the year that I graduated from college, got my first full-time job, saw my long-term relationship come to an end, and dipped my toes back into the waters of dating. I picked up this album around its April release date, the month before leaving college. But it didn't become a pivotal album for me until months later, after the summer had come and gone, the fallout from my breakup had settled, and I was trying to balance the beginning of a career with the beginning of a new, adult relationship. I was struggling to wake up early enough to get to work on time (I still couldn't shake my college schedule of staying awake until 4 am) and I was generally stressed and exhausted as I transitioned into being a contributing member of society. Every day when leaving work I was faced with a choice; take the highway north to my parents' house, or south to my new girlfriend's place. Naturally, I spent a lot of time on the road trying to put the office behind me and speeding toward her tiny apartment. It was an escapist feeling that I had never known until I truly had something to escape from, and those twilight drives were where I rediscovered and became enamored with Swoon. For weeks on end, the CD was on repeat in the car as I navigated the highway traffic, looking forward to better times ahead and contemplating my place in this new season of life. There are no weak spots on this dreamy, hooky, shoegaze-y affair, but the impossibly sultry "Catch and Release" might contain my favorite moments.

6. Something Corporate - North (2003)

I was introduced to Something Corporate through their impeccably-capitalized debut single "iF yoU C Jordan" in 2001. The next year I heard "I Woke Up in a Car" and had to have their full-length album Leaving Through the Window. I was a sucker for rock with a piano and SoCo quickly became one of my favorite bands. By the time North came around in 2003, I was eager for more and Andrew McMahon and company delivered. It had the pining rockers like "Only Ashes," "The Runaway," "Ruthless," and "Break Myself." It had the softer songs like "As You Sleep," "Me and the Moon," and "She Paints Me Blue" that showed the maturation of McMahon as a songwriter. These songs had everything I could pour my 16-year-old heart into, and they cemented McMahon as one of my favorite artists and songwriters for life.

5. AFI - Sing the Sorrow (2003)

Sixteen is such an impressionable age. Everyone getting driver's licenses, experiencing their first taste of real freedom, and going through high school where every emotion feels like a life or death proposition. I'll always remember getting together with friends in the summer of 2003, going on drives, playing basketball, goofing off in basements, and during it all blasting Sing the Sorrow. These songs became the unofficial anthems of our coming of age, and they had the passion and gravitas to suit the occasion. The album blends alternative rock and post-hardcore with incredible guitar solos and a magnetic frontman in Davey Havok. Reading the tracklist is like checking off a list of personal classics. It's hard to think about growing up without thinking about AFI.

4. The Working Title - Bone Island (2009)

The Working Title were an up-and-coming band that released a very good emo rock record About-Face in 2006. I came to the album a few years late, but quickly grew to love it and wondered when I would be able to hear the follow-up. Bone Island came in 2009, and it was weird. The pop sheen was gone and in its place were these jangly, quavering tunes that sounded like they exploded out of a sweltering room on a haunted island. I'm pretty sure every existing fan of the band instantly hated it. As it turns out, every band member departed in the years between the two albums, leaving singer Joel Hamilton to record what was essentially a solo album in his stomping grounds of Charleston, South Carolina. It also happens that the summer this album was released found me spending a whole month in South Carolina myself, trying to enjoy the directionless freedom of having graduated college and not yet landing a job. Exploring the lowcountry at that time in my life and being awash in this music was just a perfect confluence of events that left me viscerally attached to this album. It doesn't hurt that Hamilton gives a masterclass on confessional songwriting and stretches his sound in every direction over these 13 tracks. "Darkness" is one of the most affecting pieces of music I've ever heard, with a slow build to a sublime climax that might be the most reliable source of catharsis I can think of. Every year when the weather turns and the summer sun starts to swelter, I put the windows down and take a drive with Bone Island. There are some feelings that you have to try to recapture whenever an opportunity comes along.

3. The Format - Dog Problems (2006)

I was a casual Format fan before Dog Problems. I loved "The First Single," but didn't fully attach to their first full-length Interventions and Lullabies. Dog Problems came along in May 2006, but I think I delayed listening to it until July, when the physical CD was released. I was a stickler for owning albums on CD until about five years ago (when I sold off my collection of over a thousand shiny discs). The colorful dogs on the packaging drew me in right away, but I bristled at the music at first listen. I recall hearing the lush arrangements full of instruments that aren't normally present in rock music, and thinking they sounded like something that would be heard at a carnival. This album might be unique in that I remember exactly where I was when it clicked. Sitting in my car on a hot summer afternoon, windows down, sun shining through the sunroof. I had just dropped my little sister and her friend off at a palatial house that sat on a succession of vast, green, rolling hills. "She Doesn't Get It" was coming through the speakers, and suddenly I realized how infectious it was. I turned the volume up and proceeded to fall deeper in love with the album, each song growing on me more and more over the following months. This album's arrangements and melodies truly revolutionized my songwriting. I was just starting to seriously write my own songs during this time, and the pop sensibilities of this album can be traced from that moment in the summer sun to the present day. A truly masterful pop record.

2. Butch Walker - Sycamore Meadows (2008)

Everyone who loves music remembers the joy of discovering the artist. The band or musician or songwriter that seems to speak to you on every level. The release of Sycamore Meadows revealed Butch Walker as my undisputed favorite artist, which he has remained ever since. The songs penned by Butch after losing his home in a California wildfire vacillate between aching and rowdy, from the barnburning "The Weight of Her" to the stripped-down and impossibly emotional "ATL." Along the way, we get the coming of age story of "Going Back/Going Home," and of course, plenty of heartache ("Here Comes the...," "Ships in a Bottle," "Passed Your Place, Saw Your Car, Thought of You," and "Summer Scarves," my pick for the most underappreciated song in Butch's discography). I knew a few Butch Walker singles prior to Sycamore Meadows, but after hearing this masterpiece I went back to the perfect emo-pop of 2004's Letters and the absolute blast of a record that is the glam rock The Rise and Fall of Butch Walker and the Let's-Go-Out-Tonites. Butch has a song for every mood, every thought, every moment of my life. He has continued to reinvent himself from album to album, and the journey his music has taken me on over the years has enriched my life immeasurably. I will always love Sycamore Meadows for being the origin of my relationship with Butch Walker's music.

1. Blindside - Silence (2002)

I've had so much fun posting this list and revisiting this music that I'm kind of bummed that I've almost reached the end. So I've decided to keep going! I still have the list of my last few difficult cuts that nearly made my top 100, so I will be doing a couple more posts of honorable mentions. I get to write about a few more albums I love, and those who aren't completely burned out on my writing can continue to follow along. But before we get to any of that, here are some of my favorite albums ever.

20. American Hi-Fi - American Hi-Fi (2001)

I was 13 when "Flavor of the Weak" hit the radio and I was completely smitten. In a lot of ways I think my current music tastes (and the kind of songs I'm drawn to writing) can be traced back to this album, with its slickly-produced alt rock sound and catchy-as-hell pop influence. "Safer on the Outside" is still one of my favorite examples of the huge-chorus-that-explodes-out-of-a-quiet-verse trick. "I'm a Fool" was the first of countless hopeless romantic anthems that I would relate to all too personally over the ensuing years. "My Only Enemy" was my introduction to screaming vocals. "Don't Wait for the Sun" educated me on the acoustic ballad that tears you apart during the back half of all of the best albums. Looking back now, I learned everything I needed to know from American Hi-Fi.

19. Motion City Soundtrack - I Am the Movie (2003)

I Am the Movie was one of the first albums I bought without the benefit of hearing a single on the radio. The Internet had started to vastly expand my avenues for musical discovery, and one of my first finds was Motion City Soundtrack. Yahoo! used to have a page where new music videos were posted, and it was there that I heard "My Favorite Accident" and "The Future Freaks Me Out." I found the album at a music store near Ocean City, MD while my parents were having a marathon shopping spree at the outlets. The rest of that shopping trip was spent with headphones on and my portable CD player in tow, getting acquainted with these quirky, spastic, utterly captivating pop rock songs. It was a pleasure to follow Motion City Soundtrack's career through six albums, and I've always felt lucky to have been "in" on them from the very beginning. Though Commit This to Memory and Even If It Kills Me are classics in their own right, I'll always have a soft spot for the album that introduced me to Motion City Soundtrack, back at a time when it still felt like you could discover a new band that no one else had ever heard of.

18. Under the Influence of Giants - Under the Influence of Giants (2006)

Earlier in this list, I wrote about discovering and falling head over heels for a little-known band called Home Town Hero, who played the side stage at the legendary (to me only) Weezer show of 2002. In the years after ingesting their debut album, I checked their website frequently hoping for news of a follow-up album. Eventually, one appeared, posted quietly for download on their website after they had been dropped from their label and left with no other way to release the music. It was called Bitch City and it was my In Rainbows one year before Radiohead revolutionized digital music distribution by giving their album away for free. I couldn't believe that I was getting this highly-anticipated sophomore album with no strings attached. I also couldn't believe this was the same band, because Bitch City sounded nothing at all like Home Town Hero. It had elements of indie, pop, rock, dance, funk, you name it. I was shocked and confused at first, and then quickly became enamored. The drastic change in sound led the band to reinvent themselves as Under the Influence of Giants. (I propose that Bitch City should be retconned as an Under the Influence of Giants album, even though it was originally released as Home Town Hero. Not only is the sound way more in line with the band's output as Under the Influence of Giants, Bitch City songs were performed during Under the Influence of Giants live sets. Case closed.) Anyway, Bitch City should probably be the one featured here as I still listen to it several times a year, but instead I'll go with the band's only properly-released album, which is much easier to track down and has some nice cover art for this list. Under the Influence of Giants is every bit as good as Bitch City, and it has the benefit of major label production. I can't pick a weak track on this album, which seamlessly blends many genres and influences into one of the most unique and spellbinding tracklists I've ever heard. I am glad that Aaron Bruno found the success he deserves with AWOLNATION, but damn do I wish he would have found that success with Under the Influence of Giants.

17. Copeland - Eat, Sleep, Repeat (2006)

Copeland opened a few shows I attended before I was familiar with their music, and I always found their live set kind of samey and low-energy. My opinion of the band completely changed when You Are My Sunshine was released in 2008 and became the soundtrack to my senior year of undergrad. After falling so hard for that album, I naturally dove into the band's back catalog and discovered Eat, Sleep, Repeat, which I've grown to love even more. It nods toward the heart-on-sleeve ethereal sound of Sunshine while also keeping one foot in the alt-rock world where Copeland made a name for themselves with their first two albums Beneath Medicine Tree and In Motion. There's the jittery "Where's My Head," the gorgeous piano-led "Love Affair," and the deliciously emo "I'm Safer in an Airplane" rubbing elbows with toe-tappers like "Eat, Sleep, Repeat," "Control Freak," and "I'm a Sucker for a Kind Word." A masterful showcase of everything that Copeland does well.

16. Pilot Speed - Into the West (2006)

I had only heard the single "Barely Listening" before picking up Into the West on a whim. I remember sitting in the Best Buy parking lot and putting the CD into the player in my dad's Lincoln Navigator. I remember the opening notes of "Knife-Grey Sea" washing over me and knowing right away that I was in for a sweeping, epic listen. The songs on Into the West ebb and flow like few I've ever heard. Frontman Todd Clark's vocals are incredibly expressive, building from a whisper to a wail in most of these songs. Pilot Speed are masters of building, holding, and releasing tension. "Barely Listening" is still one of my favorite songs and never fails to give me chills. "Don't Stare" is an eight-minute epic that somehow goes by without me ever noticing the runtime. Something about the way these songs unfold gives me an incredible feeling of catharsis with every listen.

15. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - B.R.M.C. (2001)

In 2001, The Strokes opened my eyes to garage rock and taught me that singers do not have to have a high, nasally voice to be appealing. It took me a while to pick up the debut album by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, but when I did they finished breaking down the door that The Strokes had cracked open. The singles "Love Burns" and "Whatever Happened to My Rock 'n' Roll (Punk Song)" were impossibly cool, and the rest of the album followed suit. This is just great, straightforward, guitar-bass-and-drums rock 'n' roll. The loud moments crash through the speakers, while the quieter moments have this aloof confidence that makes me feel like I'm hanging out with the brooding, ambiguously dangerous crowd that I never would have fit in with. Every song from this album has become a classic in my opinion, but over time "As Sure As the Sun" has revealed itself as the song. That bassline. Yes.

14. Jack's Mannequin - The Glass Passenger (2008)

We've reached the first appearance of one of my favorite songwriters, Andrew McMahon, but not the last. When McMahon put Something Corporate on the backburner to embark on his solo project Jack's Mannequin, I was skeptical at best. I had a strong allegiance to SoCo, and I had morals, y'know? I'm not sure why a new band from one of my favorite artists seemed icky to me at the time, but I didn't even bother to listen to Everything in Transit until a few months after its release. Of course, I fell in love with it in spite of my orneriness, and by the time The Glass Passenger was released I was salivating for more. Many consider this album uneven, or at least strongly prefer Transit, but these coming of age songs hit me just at the right time to soundtrack the summer before my final year in undergrad. The songs of a man finding his footing in the world post-leukemia were the songs that questioned and romanticized the path to adulthood unfolding ahead of me. The Glass Passenger made me feel like I could embrace the unknown.

13. Matchbox Twenty - Mad Season (2000)

Back when I was still listening to Top 40 radio, a little song called "3 A.M." caught my ear. I saw the CD at Caldor (may have been KMart, but I'm taking this rare chance to shout out Caldor) and managed to get my parents to buy it for me. I had no concept of following specific artists at the time, so I was amazed when I knew three other tracks on the album ("Real World," "Push," and "Back 2 Good") from the radio. I hadn't even considered that there could be multiple songs on the radio from one album. I also remember some of the grungier songs on the back half of the album making me a bit uncomfortable - I wasn't used to music with an edge! When Mad Season was released a couple years later I was substantially more well-versed in the music industry and had been seeing the video for "Bent" on VH1 ad nauseam. At first I was a bit put off by the change in Matchbox Twenty's sound, but soon enough I was singing along with "Mad Season" and "Last Beautiful Girl" and bobbing my head to "Crutch." I felt the heartbreak in ballads like "Rest Stop," "Bed of Lies," and "You Won't Be Mine" before I even had the courage to speak to a human of the opposite sex. The first three Matchbox Twenty albums carry a ton of nostalgia, but they also hold up incredibly well.

12. Eve 6 - Horrorscope (2000)

For some reason I have a detailed memory of standing at a friend's open locker in middle school and watching him pull Horrorscope covertly off the top shelf. I can't remember if we weren't supposed to have CDs in school at the time or if it was just the Parental Advisory sticker on the cover alongside the woman with pursed lips and purple hair that made it feel taboo. The content was definitely edgy for 13-year old Kyle, with tales of depraved sexual rendezvous ("Rescue," "Nocturnal," probably all of the tracks at some point or another), threats of suicide ("On the Roof Again"), drug use ("Amphetamines"), and a song called "Sunset Strip Bitch." But my impressionable mind was neither warped nor intimidated by the lyrics, which were wrapped in a carefree, tongue-in-cheek, highly-infectious package. Max Collins weaves clever and playful turns of phrase throughout the album, with sharp pop melodies and a unique penchant for alliteration. Horrorscope still holds up remarkably well 20 years later. Bops aplenty here, from well-known singles "Here's to the Night" and "Promise" to hidden gems like late-album cut "Bang," my darkhorse pick for best chorus in the band's catalog. I saw Eve 6 in Towson, MD on my 21st birthday and I sent them a message on Myspace beforehand requesting a performance of "Bang" as a gift. They responded to my message, but did not honor my request. I've made my peace with it. Not salty at all.

11. The Strokes - Is This It (2001)

We're about to dip into the top quarter of the list. There's not much to say that hasn't already been said in my pre-list ramblings so far, so I'll save us both some time and get right into it! Enjoy!

30. Unwritten Law - Elva (2002)

Rock radio ruled my listening habits in the early 2000s. A lot of my earliest musical favorites came straight from the airwaves of 99.1 WHFS, and though I don't hold all of them in such high regard nowadays (3 Doors Down, Limp Bizkit, and Orgy come to mind, though respect is due all around) some of them still stand tall as the most formative bands of my life. Those days seem like a weird parallel universe when I look back on them now. The radio played alternative rock songs by little-known or up-and-coming bands? The rare times that I've tuned in to a radio station lately, it seems like all the airspace is taken up by established hitmakers without much in the way of chances being taken. If it wasn't weird enough to have bands like Unwritten Law on the radio, Elva's lead single "Seein' Red" cracked the TRL top ten! A punk rock band ten years into its career had a video on primetime after-school MTV. I bought the CD and was immediately captivated. The harder songs had edge but didn't take themselves too seriously, while the softer songs were perfectly tailored to my nice-guy persona. Elva doesn't feel quite as unique looking back on it in 2021, but I can't deny that these tracks are heaters all the way through.

29. Phantom Planet - The Guest (2002)

One of the closest friendships I've ever experienced was with a classmate and bandmate in high school. For a few years, we were absolutely inseparable, and we shared a lot of formative experiences. This friend was the first in our group to get a driver's license and a car, and even though he lived a few miles from our school he would drive 15 minutes out of his way to pick me up and give me a ride in the mornings. For a while - it seemed like forever but was probably only a few weeks - The Guest was the album most often blasting through the speakers as we enjoyed our first taste of freedom. I can remember anecdotes about every song where he would point out a moment he loved or turn up the volume to bask in a shimmering chorus. These are pure, sundrenched pop songs that are etched in my history as the perfect soundtrack for carefree summer drives. The possibilities are limitless and the music just enhances the moment. I wasn't even that crazy about the album when I first heard it, but by now it's earned an easy spot among my all-time favorites.

28. The All-American Rejects - Move Along (2005)

Move Along was released during the summer between graduating high school and going off to college. The infectious choruses of "Dirty Little Secret," "Move Along," and "It Ends Tonight" alongside the wistful ballads like "Dance Inside," "Straitjacket Feeling," and "Can't Take It" were tailor-made for those carefree months. I vividly remember the album blasting at my then-girlfriend's pool party, laughter and young love in the air as it seemed like everyone in our friend group had coupled up at the time. One of those idyllic, nostalgic-even-as-it-was-happening kind of moments. These songs still bring back those good feelings, and it's still hard to resist a singalong.

27. My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004)

This is the other "edgy" album that was pushed on me by my good friend shortly after its release. The harsh vocals and morbid lyrics weren't really my bag at the time, but my friend showed up at my house one day with a copy of the album he bought for me. A few listens after it was forced upon me, I was fully on board. The songs were raw and energetic, but also impossibly catchy and fun. Not long after, I was at my college freshman orientation and the video for "Helena" was playing on MTVU in the lobby of my dorm building. A few months into that freshman year, My Chemical Romance performed in our on-campus arena and all my friends came to visit for the show. It was an incredible performance and still the only time I've seen the band live. It cemented Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge as the peak MCR album for me, even if their popularity hit its zenith with The Black Parade.

26. Keane - Hopes and Fears (2004)

I was way into the Britpop craze in 2004, and I was way into any rock band that featured a piano, so naturally I ended up buying Keane's Hopes and Fears after hearing "Somewhere Only We Know" and "Bend and Break." I loved the album then and listened to it a ton, but my appreciation for it has only grown over the years. As most of these albums are steeped in nostalgia and elevated by the fact that I was discovering so many sounds for the first time, Hopes and Fears is aging like a fine wine. I recently got the album on vinyl and it is one of my most-played records. With a wife who doesn't much appreciate the heavier end of my musical taste spectrum and two baby girls in the house, everyone can enjoy this album. Maybe I'm just settling into easy listening territory as I enter the dad phase of life, but this album just clicks, all these years later. That falsetto on "She Has No Time" is the stuff middle-aged dreams are made of.

25. Linkin Park - Meteora (2003)

I'm sure there are many people with similar stories, but Linkin Park was my gateway into rock music. In 2000, I was in middle school and had my radio tuned to the Top 40 station, where I was bombarded with boy bands, teen pop stars, hip hop, and Eiffel 65. No disrespect to those genres (maybe a little to Eiffel 65), but that music was never more than enjoyable background noise. My friend, who is appearing quite a bit near the top of this list due to his propensity to push me out of my comfort zone, literally changed the course of my life by coaxing me to tune into the local rock station, 99.1 WHFS, to hear "One Step Closer." I liked the song, though I wasn't used to such aggressive music. I changed the dial back to Top 40 once my friend left my house, but a few days later I was banished to dust my room and decided to spice up the activity with an edgy soundtrack. The first song out of the speakers after changing the dial was Bush's "The Chemicals Between Us," and I was immediately caught up in the energy and attitude of the track. I've never become a huge Bush fan, but that song will always hold a special place in my heart. (The last "chemicals" that hangs in the air when the band cuts out at the end of the last chorus? Music goals to this day.) From then on out, I was strictly a rock radio listener, and Linkin Park ruled the airwaves that year. I stayed up late watching MTV just hoping to see their music videos. I got Hybrid Theory that Christmas and listened to it on repeat while playing The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask on Nintendo 64. What a time to be alive. It's hard to put Meteora on this list over Hybrid Theory (I'd say it's a virtual tie), but with Linkin Park as my first favorite rock band, Meteora was my first highly-anticipated follow-up album. I remember when the first singles started trickling out before the album's release, and being blown away by the bit of progression in the band's sound while ultimately just being amazed that they'd done it again. The three-year wait between albums seemed insanely long at the time, as I hadn't followed specific bands for long enough to be used to the normal album cycle (plus, that was like a quarter of my lifetime). Meteora surpassed all the high expectations I had for another Linkin Park album and didn't leave my Walkman for months.

24. Jimmy Eat World - Bleed American (2001)

The first time I listened to music through the wonder of the Internet, I was in my mom's office staring at the homepage of Jimmy Eat World's website on a 30-pound monitor. The desktop speakers were blaring the title track to the band's upcoming album Bleed American, and despite the poor connection making the song play in fits and starts, it blew my mind completely. It felt like I was getting away with something, being able to just listen to a song on my PC whenever and however many times I wanted? Was this allowed? I was hooked. The moment was enhanced by the energy of the song, which was just as intoxicating as the thought that I was getting my first taste of the future of music distribution. Of course, I purchased the CD as soon as possible and "Bleed American" was joined by "The Middle," "Sweetness," and "Get It Faster" in a smorgasbord of uptempo rockers. Add the heart-on-sleeve emo of "Hear You Me" and "My Sundown," and you have a modern classic.

23. Hot Rod Circuit - Sorry About Tomorrow (2002)

"The Pharmacist" is one of a handful of songs that I loved, unequivocally, the first time I heard it. As soon as I could, I picked up Sorry About Tomorrow and Hot Rod Circuit immediately sprung into the upper echelon of my favorite bands. "At Nature's Mercy," "Radiation Suit," "Cool for One Night," and "Let's Go Home" were more of the tunes that just seemed to get me. Hot Rod Circuit didn't sound radically different than the other hundreds of pop-punk acts of the time, but Andy Jackson's songwriting chops made these songs sound so sophisticated and specifically tailored to my tastes. They've been leapfrogged by a number of other more unique bands over the years, especially as Jackson's output got more uneven after Hot Rod Circuit's breakup in 2007. But when I put this album on it still feels like I'm in my bedroom at my parents' house, marveling at how a band can so perfectly deliver on what you're hoping to get out of music.

22. Ambulance LTD - LP (2004)

In 2004, I heard and loved "Primitive (The Way I Treat You)," the single from Ambulance LTD's first and only full-length album LP. The track had this swagger and groove that wasn't present in most of the self-deprecating and angry emo rock of the time. However, the elements that made the song unique also kept me from exploring more of the band's output. Five years later, when I had some disposable income and an expanding taste in music, I remembered "Primitive" and decided to check out the full album. LP didn't leave my car CD player for weeks, as I listened on repeat nonstop to and from work every day. The album is a unique blend of indie rock and shoegaze and absolutely nails the feel/vibe/what-have-you that it's going for. It's a shame that legal troubles with their record label spelled the end of the band before a follow-up could be released. A couple more albums in the same stratosphere as LP could have given Ambulance LTD the distinction of being one of my all-time favorite bands. Instead they are probably my favorite hidden gem. A band that only needed one album to make a lasting impression.

21. Lovedrug - Everything Starts Where It Ends (2007)

I've always been partial to bands and albums that fly under the radar. Music that is great, but never gets the recognition it deserves. I think due to my tendency to root for the underdog, many of the albums near the top of my list are going to be less obvious picks. Albums that meant more to me because they felt like my little secret, or it felt like I was in on something special and somewhat exclusive. It goes without saying that I would strongly recommend any of the albums that are this high on the list if you haven't heard them before! I hope I can get a few more ears on some of this underrated music.

40. Youth Group - Casino Twilight Dogs (2006)

Single "Shadowland" and a sticker on the CD packaging with a ringing endorsement from Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla were what originally drew me to Youth Group and their 2004 album Skeleton Jar. I loved that release, and the gentle indie goodness was even better on the following album Casino Twilight Dogs. "Catching & Killing" does the speak-singing thing just as well as Butthole Surfers or Nada Surf, and "On a String" and "Sorry" are excellent for head bobbing. Elsewhere, "Sicily," "Daisychains," and "Start Today Tomorrow" tug on the heartstrings with the best of them. One of my favorite Australian exports.

39. Paulson - All At Once (2007)

Paulson is another little-known gem of 2000's pop rock. A New Jersey band that never made it past this major label debut, but not because they didn't deserve it. All At Once is full of infectious synths and jittery drums, and is equal parts buoyant and contemplative. There is a sense of foreboding that winds through these otherwise sugary tracks, nearly always bubbling under the surface but never brought to the forefront. Listen to the one-two punch of "Calling on You" (which I still maintain is one of the catchiest damn songs ever recorded) and the brooding "Window Frames" and see if you can resist checking out the rest of the record.

38. Hot Hot Heat - Elevator (2005)

At one of the few quintessential high school house parties I ever attended, this album was blaring in the basement. The unrelenting new wave-y tunes and the oh-so-smart-and-cool-and-a-little-bit-aloof delivery from frontman Steve Bays were the perfect backdrop for a bunch of teens in the mid-2000s who wanted to feel invincible for the evening. I know my idea of party music doesn't mesh with popular opinion, but in my mind it's hard to top Elevator. The only drawback is how the hell are we going to clean this place up before the adults get home?

37. 30 Seconds to Mars - 30 Seconds to Mars (2002)

In 2002, I saw Incubus at the Baltimore Arena on the Morning View Tour. An upstart band called 30 Seconds to Mars was opening, and all I knew about them was that I was enthralled by their first single "Capricorn." By the time they navigated through a short set of enormous sci-fi-tinged rock songs and delivered my beloved "Capricorn" to close it out I was a die hard fan. I had my dad buy me the CD at the show and it quickly became one of my favorite albums. I just loved how everything about the band felt larger than life. It wasn't until months later that I learned the singer, Jared Leto, was an accomplished actor. I felt strangely betrayed by this news, like maybe this band that I loved so much didn't really earn the recognition that they'd gained based on their music alone. I'm not sure why it was so important to me, seeing as I loved the songs before I had any knowledge of the involvement of a Famous Person, but it seemed gravely important at 15 years old.

36. Nightmare of You - Nightmare of You (2005)

"I Want to Be Buried in Your Backyard" was my introduction to Nightmare of You, and between the melodramatic lyrics and the hypnotic bassline I was hooked immediately. The album is full of songs that are sharp, witty, kind of horny, and definitely depraved, and what more perfect medley could there be for a timid guy navigating his first year in college? I joined a band shortly after starting at UMBC, and I got at least one of the guys hooked on this album with me, so there were plenty of drives with Nightmare of You while we wished we could pull off something half as good. We even named one of our songs after one of the band's demos, despite my protests because damn guys, that is a very long and specific song title.

35. Sparta - Porcelain (2004)

Sparta was the opening band on the main stage for my twice-previously-mentioned first concert experience without my parents in 2002. Their debut album Wiretap Scars was set to release three weeks after the show, but I was already familiar with the single "Cut Your Ribbon." After being enthralled by their set, I purchased and loved Wiretap Scars, and I loved the 2004 follow-up Porcelain even more, where the band further distanced themselves from the At the Drive-In sound and made a record with some incredible alternative rock hooks (see "Guns of Memorial Park," "While Oceana Sleeps," "La Cerca," and "Breaking the Broken"). I saw Sparta headline at the 9:30 Club while touring for this album and it is the only time I've ever watched a show from directly in front of the stage. The people against the barricade saw how much my friends and I were freaking out and let us up to the front. I only recently could bring myself to get rid of the too-small red t-shirt with the Porcelain swan logo on it that I bought at that show. One band, two of my favorite concert memories.

34. Anberlin - Cities (2007)

Anberlin was a band that I could put on in the company of any number of friends whose tastes in music didn't overlap much. Never Take Friendship Personal was a staple of senior year drives, and Cities became one of my most listened-to albums in college. With euphoric rockers like "Godspeed" and "Dismantle.Repair." and acoustic odes to love and longing like "The Unwinding Cable Car" and "Inevitable," it covered all my emotional bases. "Alexithymia" is my darkhorse pick for best song on this remarkably stacked album. And of course, who can forget "(*Fin)"? Many fans think Anberlin never topped Cities, and that's a tough position to argue against.

33. Mutemath - Armistice (2009)

I picked up Mutemath's debut album on a whim after enjoying the single "Chaos," and they quickly grew into one of my favorite bands. Their genre-blending sound is unparalleled and every member is virtuosic on their instrument. I saw them live at least four times, and those were some of the best musical performances I've ever seen. I hold their first three albums in extremely high regard, and though I love the rawness and live energy of Mutemath and Odd Soul, it is their sparkling, polished second album Armistice that ranks as my favorite. When the piano enters in "Clipping" it is an all-time musical moment. "Spotlight" is undeniable even if it was popularized by a Twilight film. The title track is probably my favorite on the album and it sits back at track ten. And "Electrify" is the ultimate thirst anthem for the times when you don't want to be too brazen or vulgar about it. There's plausible deniability there, but really, the recipient should know exactly why that song made it onto their mix CD.

32. Thursday - War All the Time (2003)

War All the Time is one of two more brash, hardcore-influenced albums that were forced on me by one of my best friends, and they both appear in the next few spots on this list. I was hesitant to dip my toes into the waters of screaming vocals, and he either bought me this album or left it at my house to force me to give it a shot. He was right (as he maddeningly almost always was), I fell in love with the album, and 17 years later Thursday is one of the bands I've seen live the most. The pummeling "For the Workforce, Drowning" gives way to beautiful and intricate songs like "Division St." and the title track. I spent more than a few nights in high school emoting over the short but cathartic "This Song Brought to You by a Falling Bomb," as if it in some way related to my unremarkable suburban existence.

31. Abandoned Pools - Armed to the Teeth (2005)

We've reached the top half of the list now. Most of these next 50 albums are my absolute favorite albums of all-time. I hope you are ready to read some personal anecdotes, because as I get into many of the most important albums of my life, it's going to be hard for me to write about them without telling the stories of how I became so emotionally attached to them. Grab a drink and get in your feels, here we go!

50. Radiohead - In Rainbows (2007)

A million thinkpieces have been written about Radiohead, and In Rainbows specifically. There's nothing that I have to add that is remotely as insightful as those, so all I can offer is my personal experience. I enjoy Radiohead a lot, though I much prefer their more accessible rock output over their forays into electronic and experimental music. That may be blasphemy to some fans, but as has been well-covered in this list I fall, first and foremost, for a good hook. In Rainbows is my favorite Radiohead output of the 2000s (though I'm also very fond of Hail to the Thief) because it injects those electronic and experimental influences into the music while maintaining the accessibility of the band's earlier work. I'm not much for award shows, but I happened to catch enough of the Grammys in 2009 to see Radiohead perform "15 Step" with a full marching band. An iconic performance.

49. Pete Yorn - Musicforthemorningafter (2001)

Pete Yorn never had a huge hit on rock radio ("For Nancy" was the closest he came), but his debut album from 2001 was critically lauded and gained him a strong following. This year marks 20 years of Yorn releasing music without matching the quality of Musicforthemorningafter (though some of his other records are really great!), so it's easy to forget how strong this album really was. It has a lo-fi aesthetic, but the production is still impeccable. The 14 tracks are remarkably consistent and effortlessly cool. "Black" is one of the best songs of the 2000s, full stop. I won't let this one fade into obscurity.

48. Home Town Hero - Home Town Hero (2002)

One of my first rock concerts was Weezer, Dashboard Confessional, and Sparta at Merriweather Post Pavilion in the summer of 2002. It was the first show that I attended with friends rather than with my parents, and for that it'll always hold a special place in my heart. It was also where I discovered a little-known band called Home Town Hero playing on a side stage (thinking back, it's wild that this otherwise-normal tour had two stages and a total of seven bands). After watching their set, I grabbed their self-titled debut album on my next trip to the mall and absolutely fell in love. This was one of the first bands that I discovered that weren't on local radio. They felt like they were mine, and I was totally smitten with their mix of hard rock and pop. Singer Aaron Bruno has an incredibly dynamic voice, and it's no surprise that he's since found success on a large scale with his solo project AWOLNATION.

47. The Exies - Inertia (2003)

I heard "My Goddess," the lead single from The Exies' major label debut Inertia, on the radio before the album was in stores and it is one of my earliest memories of anticipating a release date. I downloaded the song on Kazaa (what a time to be alive) and absolutely wore it out while waiting what seemed like forever for the album release (it was probably only a few weeks). I convinced one of my parents to pick up the CD on the way home from work on release day, and what I got was a blend of hard rock instrumentation with pop melodies, industrial elements, and some electronic-tinged production. I revisited the album last year and was shocked at how well it holds up. I might actually enjoy it now more than I did in 2003. "No Secrets" is essential listening.

46. Idlewild - The Remote Part (2002)

The Remote Part found commercial success in the U.K., but Idlewild never made a big splash in the U.S. This is probably the band's best album (though I love 2005's gentler follow-up Warnings/Promises) as it mixes full-fledged rockers like "You Held the World in Your Arms" and "A Modern Way of Letting Go" with some of the first hints of the folk-influenced tracks that the band would pursue more fully on their later albums. The ballads "American English" and "I Never Wanted" saw the band reinventing their sound with lush melodies and poppier instrumentation. Idlewild is one of my favorite bands to recommend because they truly have something for everyone over their now 25-year career.

45. Blink-182 - Untitled (2003)

Blink-182 were inescapable during the Enema of the State era in the summer of 1999. I was in middle school at the time, the prime age for Blink's immature antics to feel fresh, cool, and hilarious, and they seemed to be everyone at school's favorite band. I remember the hype for Take Off Your Pants and Jacket, which is the first time I can remember (what seemed like) the entire student body anticipating an album release, and the hallway discussions about the album once it was in everyone's Walkmen. By the time Blink were gearing up to release Untitled, I was in high school and their popularity was at a fever pitch. I have vivid memories of being at a neighbor's house and watching the MTV documentary about the making of the album. It was by far the most ambitious and fully-realized album the band had created, and once again it captured everyone's attention. I spent so much time contemplating the intricacies of high school romance while listening to "Feeling This" or "I Miss You." My parents caught me jumping around my room in imaginary performances of "Down" or "Always" on more than one occasion. This was an important album for a lot of kids my age, and I am definitely no exception.

44. Relient K - Mmhmm (2004)

I was aware of Relient K for a while before Mmhmm came along, but a Christian band was something to be avoided back then, and they were pretty overtly religious. "More Than Useless" was my first taste of this album from the player on the band's Myspace page, and once I heard "Be My Escape" I was ready to purchase this album the next time I was near a Sam Goody. I was in one of my first bands at the time and Mmhmm was the fully-realized version of what we wanted to be. Pop-rock/alternative with prominent piano parts. We covered "Be My Escape," because of course we did. This album still holds up well, and these days I'm more impressed by the beautiful "Let It All Out" than the rollicking guitar jams.

43. Mellowdrone - Box (2006)

New Music Mart was a weekly program that aired on local rock radio station DC101 in the 2000s. It featured singles by bands who were getting some radio push, but weren't big enough to crack the station's regular rotation. I didn't listen to the program live that often, as I was usually too busy with CDs or downloaded music, but they would post the list of tracks they played each week on their website and I would check it religiously. I can't count how many bands I was introduced to through those playlists, and Mellowdrone was one that stood out from the pack. The song was "Fashionably Uninvited," and it was from the 2003 EP A Demonstration of Intellectual Property. It quickly became one of my absolute favorite songs, and I followed the band closely waiting for their first full-length album. It finally came in 2006, and Box delivered everything I'd hoped for from the band. Groovy, lo-fi, catchy alternative rock sung by a guy who sounds like he's too cool to really care all that much about whatever the deal. Still one of the first bands I think of out of the many unsung acts on this list.

42. Digby - Falling Up (2004)

Here's another New Music Mart find. Digby could barely be called more than a local band from Louisville, Kentucky, but they released Falling Up, their last and most notable full-length album, on the Toucan Cove label, which was enough to get them one play on DC radio. I downloaded the featured track "Too Late" (which was hard to find even on the booming file-sharing programs at the time) and eventually bought the CD used for a penny on Amazon. It's hard to be totally unbiased, as I'm sure there's an inherent level of investment that I felt after discovering such a small band with such great songs, but I still think this is one of the best pop rock albums I've ever heard. It's smart, infectious, cool, self-deprecating, and impeccably written. Like if early Weezer were a little more self-aware and a little more...Louisville. And speaking of Weezer...

41. Weezer - Maladroit (2002)

Last post of the first half of the list! Music: it's good!

60. The Used - The Used (2002)

Looking back now, it's insane to think that The Used were a mainstream band in 2002. Not only that, but "A Box Full of Sharp Objects," one of the most hardcore songs on the album, was a major radio single. The video was frequently played on MTV! Nowadays a vocalist screaming his lungs out like Bert McCracken couldn't poke an airwave with a 16-foot pole. But it's undeniable that the band had the intensity and the tunes to deserve the recognition. Not only was McCracken one of the most talented screaming vocalists the scene had heard, his clean vocals soared and soothed. The melodies, no matter how they were delivered, were catchy as hell. I'm not a fan of the term "screamo," but this album is the best of the genre.

59. Radford - Sleepwalker (2004)

Radford were one of many alternative rock bands that were signed, released a few albums, and disappeared without ever making much of a name for themselves. I never would have heard of this band if it weren't for a website called Alternative Addiction, one of a number of sites that I would visit religiously in the middle of the decade to find and consume as much rock music as humanly possible. (I checked and was sad to see that the site recently shut down in 2020.) It's hard to explain what differentiates Sleepwalker from the hundreds of similar albums by similar bands during this period. The songs are just well-written and captivating, and hard to get out of your head. They also feel important. Check out "Fake a Smile" or "Out of the Dark" and maybe you'll see what I mean.

58. Army of Me - Citizen (2007)

I became familiar with Army of Me as a local band (they were formed in Washington D.C.) before they signed to Atlantic Records and recorded Citizen. While the local ties put the band on the map for me, these songs didn't need any help to get into high rotation on my iPod. "Going Through Changes," "Meet You at the Mouth," and "Still Believe in You" are pop rock perfection, and "Rise" and "Saved Your Life" prove that the band is just as effective with acoustic guitars. Songwriter Vince Scheuerman has that It Factor that can turn a few simple musical ingredients into a transcendent pop song. It's an incredibly rare skill that, to me, is one of the most impressive natural gifts in existence.

57. Sugarcult - Palm Trees and Power Lines (2004)

Ocean City, Maryland. A bunch of high school kids on summer break, headed to the boardwalk. This is the carefree, sundrenched memory that comes to mind whenever I think about this album, which was blaring in a friend's car during one such trip. Songs like "Memory," "Back to California," and "Destination Anywhere" were the perfect soundtrack to that time and place, and now it's impossible to separate the music from the nostalgia. But that's the beauty and the power of music; the kind of connection that I still seek out, even as the passing years make it harder and harder to find.

56. Death Cab for Cutie - Plans (2005)

While it would have been cooler to say my introduction to Death Cab for Cutie was the indie classic Transatlanticism, I wasn't fully on board until "Soul Meets Body" and "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" made Death Cab a household name in 2005. Plans opens with the resplendent "Marching Bands of Manhattan," and doesn't let up with the plaintive arrangements and aching lyrics. This album was a high school emo kid's dream.

55. Maroon 5 - Songs About Jane (2002)

Before Adam Levine became a famous reality TV personality and Maroon 5 became a juggernaut of contemporary pop music, they were a little-known band playing a soulful brand of funk rock that was unique for the musical landscape of the early 2000s. I remember hearing "Harder to Breathe" in 2002 and thinking it didn't sound like anything else that was being released at the time. Of course, "This Love" and "She Will Be Loved" eventually followed and took Maroon 5 to a level of stardom that I never expected. Even the album cuts like "Tangled" and "The Sun" are standouts on this album. It's a shame that the band's signature sound seemed to dissolve album by album until we ended up with . . . whatever it is they're pumping out today.

54. Our Lady Peace - Gravity (2002)

Our Lady Peace are an institution in Canada, but they haven't found the same level of success in the States outside of a few hit singles. One such single was "Somewhere Out There," which led me to purchasing Gravity. While I've since found out that this is probably their poppiest and most straightforward record (I don't accept either of these descriptors as criticisms), at the time all I knew was that I liked these heartfelt tunes with the soaring choruses and heavy guitars. I recently picked this up on vinyl and the songs hold up impressively well. "Do You Like It" and "Bring Back the Sun" are my darkhorse standout tracks.

53. Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning (2005)

This is the album that opened my ears to the genres of folk and country. Bright Eyes was a Big Deal in 2005, so it wasn't like I was going out on a limb by checking out this release, but it was pretty far out of my comfort zone at the time. It quickly became a gateway to the twangier side of rock. Conor Oberst had familiar and relatable desperation in his lyricism, which paved the way for my acceptance of these quiet acoustic songs with slide guitars. When I got married in 2017, my wedding party entered to "First Day of My Life." A little cliché, but deservedly so.

52. New Found Glory - Sticks and Stones (2002)

When I was an underclassman in high school, Blink-182 and New Found Glory were probably the two most widely-accepted bands among my friends and acquaintances. "My Friends Over You" and "Head On Collision" absolutely ruled the radio in 2002, and that was still where I was getting most of my music. Though the band has rehashed the same sound a bit too often for my liking in the intervening years, I can't deny how much time I spent with this album. And "Understatement" still bops.

51. Lit - Atomic (2001)