Album # 30 I'm Wide Awake It's Morning - Bright Eyes

I would imagine anyone who knows me, knows Bright Eyes is probably my 3rd or 4th favorite band of all time. That being said, I'm very biased when it comes to hearing their music. I can't believe I had made it this far into the year without hearing an entire CD of theirs. So anyway, here is another 5 MISSED OUT rating CD, I believe that makes 3 for the year! Bright Eyes, Conor Oberst(who is the singer for Bright Eyes) and The Beatles all earning 5 Missed Outs from yours truly. Bright Eyes really touched on their country leanings on this here album as most of the album has a little bit of a country feel to it, with nice romantic yearnings of love and loss and a few anti-George Bush songs thrown in for good measure! I will leave you with the lyrics to one of my favorite songs of all time found on this album. Read them and tell me how wonderful the feeling of being totally in love with someone is, or is not.

"First Day Of My Life"
This is the first day of my life
Swear I was born right in the doorway
I went out in the rain, suddenly everything changed
They're spreading blankets on the beach
Yours is the first face that I saw
I think I was blind before I met you
Now I don't know where I am, don't know where I've been
But I know where I want to go
And so I thought I'd let you know
That these things take forever, I especially am slow
But I realize that I need you
And I wondered if I could come home
Remember the time you drove all night
Just to meet me in the morning
And I thought it was strange, you said everything changed
You felt as if you'd just woke up
And you said, "This is the first day of my life
I'm glad I didn't die before I met you
But, now I don't care, I could go anywhere with you
And I'd probably be happy
"So if you wanna be with me
With these things there's no telling
We'll just have to wait and see
But I'd rather be working for a paycheck
Than waiting to win the lottery
Besides, maybe this time it's different
I mean I really think you like me

Recommended Downloads: BUY THE WHOLE THING

Missed Out Rating: 5 out of 5 Missed Outs

What I was doing while listening: Driving around town

Album # 23 Beyond The Valley Of The Murderdolls - The Murderdolls

With song titles like "Slit My Wrist," "People Hate Me," "Dead In Hollywood," "Dawn Of The Dead," and "Dressed To Depress," you get the idea that this band is pretty dark. You're right, they are, both dark and very heavy. This band is definately not for your mother. Most of the songs deal with zombies, death and other b-movie horror flick subjects and I can't get enough of it. Unfortunately the Murderdolls only put out one album and this is it. However if you like the singer, his name is Wednesday 13, just look him up on the internet and you'll find his other releases.

Recommended downloads: All of the above mentioned songs.

What I was doing while listening: Driving around and laying around the house.

Missed Out Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Missed Outs

Album #'s 18 Thru 22 Blink-182 Discography (5 Albums)

Album # 18 Cheshire Cat – Blink-182

Well I did it. For some odd reason I decided to listen to all five Blink-182 releases over the last few days. I guess when they announced they were getting back together at the Grammy’s I was inspired. Cheshire Cat was their first release and boy do they sound young. This album is filled with 2-3 minute punk songs. The one thing missing from later Blink releases is the pop sound. They definitely were going for a more straight forward punk approach, where later albums find them in the pop punk world. Still a great album overall. 3 Missed Outs.

Album # 19 Dude Ranch – Blink-182

Two Line Review: Starting to sound more like the Blink 182 we all know and love. This album contains their two first hits “Dammit,” and “Josie.” 3.0 Missed Outs.

Album # 20 Enema Of The State – Blink-182

Two Line Review: So here is the album that broke Blink 182 into mainstream America and MTV! How could you forget “All The Small Things,” “What’s My Age Again,” and “Adams Song?” 3.5 Missed Outs.

Album # 21 Take Off Your Pants And Jacket – Blink-182

Two Line Review: The guys found themselves in a groove with the momentum from the last album. Contained the hits “First Date,” “Rock Show,” “Stay Together For The Kids,” and one of my favorite Blink songs ever, “Story Of A Lonely Guy.” 4.0 Missed Outs.

Album # 22 Blink 182 – Blink-182

This was the last release from Blink before they broke up. It’s their most mature album and has my favorite Blink song of all time “Feeling This.” It also has the hits “Down,” “I Miss You,” and a really cool song “All Of This” featuring Robert Smith of The Cure on vocals. 4.0 Missed Outs.

All in all a pretty good experience for me. I plan on doing this a few times this year with various artists.

What I was doing while listening: Laying on the couch, driving around town, taking showers and other general craziness.

Overall Discography Missed Out Rating: 4 out of 5 Missed Outs.

Album # 17 Blind Melon - Blind Melon

Two line review: When this CD was released in 1990, no one sounded like this alt-country-folk-pop-rock band Blind Melon. Listening to it last night in 2009, still no one sounds like Blind Melon, a truly classic band.

Recommended downloads: "Tones Of Home," "No Rain," "Dear O'l Dad," "Change," "Drive," "Paper Scratcher," hell just buy the whole thing!

Album # 13 Answer That And Stay Fashionable - A.F.I

If familiar with them at all, it’s the “Miss Murder” single that was released a couple of years ago that you remember. Or if you’re like millions of Americans you may remember “Miss Murder” from the Guitar Hero video game. When all is said and done, “Miss Murder” is quite a good song and without a doubt A.F.I’s most popular. This album “Answer That And Stay Fashionable” will leave you thinking it’s a different band then the one who released “Miss Murder” or the album “Decemberunderground” that it is from. This album ATASF is pure straight forward punk rock. It’s not pop punk like Green Day or Blink-182 either. It’s the old school Black Flag real deal punk rock. I think the whole album which is 15 songs long comes in at under 30 minutes long. You wont find much to sing along to on here, but you will find 15 songs to pump your fist to and start a mosh pit if you’d like to. If you like punk rock music and have not checked out A.F.I’s older albums, you’re missing out for sure.

Recommended downloads: "Half-Empty Bottle," "Your Name Here," "Highschool Football Hero."

What I was doing while listening: Driving home from work.

Missed Out Rating: 2.5 out of 5.0 Missed Outs