If you ever talk to my Dad, or see his posts on Facebook, you know he has pretty firm opinions on his top tens in life.
This got me thinking: What are my top ten albums, movies, songs, et cetera?
And because I’ve had bad bronchitis, and I’ve had a ton of time to think: here is part 1 of my top tens. My top ten albums.
1. Insomniac-Green Day.
This is my top pick for a lot of reasons. But the main one? It really helped my mental health. I have always had feelings of anxiety and moods that go up and down. This album felt cathateric in my teens in a way that no other album ever did.
2. American Idiot-Green Day.
It’s hard to put into words the effect that this album, and Punk Rock, have had on me. (But I will try.) In short, my entire worldview shifted. This is the album that got me reading the news and engaged in politics, and made me want to seek out more Punk albums.
3. Jagged Little Pill-Alanis Morrisette.
I haven’t always been the most level tempered person. So, when I heard that Jagged Little Pill was an ‘angry album’, I immediately went to buy a copy. It is fair to say that the anger in the album matched my temper at the time.
4. Strictly Viennese Waltz-101 Orchestra.
This is the first album I remember buying. (I’ll age myself a little and inform everyone that this CD was bought at Zellers.) I bought this with the intent of learning to waltz. My maternal grandmother taught me a bit, so I count it as a success.
5. Jackson Square-Arkells.
It’s amazing when a talented band from your city comes along, let alone when they have awesome songs. Arkells are one of my favorite bands to this day, so I’m glad I got this album.
6. In Utero-Nirvana.
This album. Whew. Is it dark? Yes. Is it a masterpiece of rage and seminal grunge? Hell yes.
7. Live Through This-Hole.
Whether you love or hate her, Courtney Love burst into the alternative scene. She showed that a woman can rock just as hard, if not harder, then the boys. (Especially on Live Through This.)
8. …And Out Came The Wolves-Rancid.
Where do you start with this Rancid crowning jewel? Maybe you could start by mentioning how you don’t skip even one song, for fear of losing the bounciness. Or maybe you could mention that this album is nearly perfect. Either way, it’s a fantastic example of Ska-flavored Punk Rock.
9. Sucker Punch soundtrack-Various.
Another in the category of ‘I don’t skip any songs’, the Sucker Punch soundtrack is a beautiful showcase of artists and their remixes and covers of famous tunes. Cool movie, cool album.
10. Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols-The Sex Pistols.
Along with ‘American Idiot’, this CD was my gateway drug in terms of really getting into Punk Rock. It’s snide, it’s rude, and it’s clever. Everything Punk CAN be. (But isn’t necessarily sometimes.)
And that’s my top ten albums. Thanks for reading!
The Art Of Nonsense. 