Listen to These Albums Before You Die (Or Else) -

Am I a fan of lists? Maybe. I know I'm a fan of spreading recommendations for those looking for new and exciting music, so why not make a blog about it? Exactly. I knew you, the reader, would understand. Anyways, this is basically my list of albums to live by. I consider all of them to be absolute treasures, and you should check them out if you haven't already.

Also, they're in no specific order.

Album: "Happy Songs for Happy People"
Artist: Mogwai
Genre(s): Post-Rock

This is a powerful album, but in a subtle way. Contrary to the title, the tone is rather ominous, but it doesn't force the feeling upon you. Mogwai explores with various electronic instrumentation (most notably the vocoder) that seems to compliment the heavy feedback/reverb of the guitars. In what some would consider a typical post-rock scenario, the album climaxes with a flurry of noise during the last track.

Album: "Kid A"
Artist: Radiohead
Genre(s): Alternative Rock, Electronic, Experimental

Being their largest and most anticipated album (which became even more popular prior to its release after it was leaked on Napster), Kid A made Radiohead the biggest band in the world at the time. Thom Yorke was already established as a distinct and talented vocalist, and this album further showcases his talents as an electronic musician. The first five notes send chills down your spine, and sets the tone for the rest of the album. Initially it's all experimental electronic stuff, but it tapers off into a romp of strained lyrics and distorted guitar near the middle. Again however, it returns to electronic instrumentation, making heavy use of drum machines. It's got a little something for every variety of Radiohead fan, and it stands as the best album in their discography (that's my opinion, of course).

Album: "Lift Yr. Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven"
Artist: Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Genre(s): Post-Rock

The scale of this album is breathtaking. So much so, that it is actually a double album totaling a length of about 87 minutes (and there's only 4 tracks!). Godspeed is a 9 piece band that makes frequent use of orchestral arrangements and dubbing all sorts of older audio recordings over their music. The songs (which are about 15-20 minutes each) present you with massive crescendos that create delicious tension as they build and finally explode in a torrent of sound. My only complaint? That old guy who talks about Coney Island at the beginning of "Sleep". I can't stand it for some reason (and for that, my friends often quote that passage to annoy me).

Album: "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea"
Artist: Neutral Milk Hotel
Genre(s): Indie Rock

If there was a national anthem for hipsters and the DIY culture, this whole album would be it. This is a conceptual album that is largely acoustic, and based on frontman Jeff Mangum's urgent, recurring dreams of a Jewish family living during World War II. The album has a distinctly lo-fi sound, with Mangum's embracing vocals dominating each track. That's not a bad thing, though-- The end product is unique and incredibly memorable. As a side note, this was an album that Pitchfork Media wisely did NOT decide to review harshly, giving it the rating of 10.0 that it rightfully deserved.

Album: "Hydroponic Garden"
Artist: Carbon Based Lifeforms
Genre(s): Ambient

This is the vastly under-appreciated gem of my collection. CBL is a Swedish duo that creates music that is inspired by nature. You might think I'm alluding to one of those CDs that have sounds of the rainforest for you to play while you're in the bath, but that's far from what this is. Hydroponic Garden is a treasure trove of elegantly structured soundscapes and minimalist droning. This is a supernatural high induced by sound.

Album: "( )"
Artist: Sigur Rós
Genre(s): Post-Rock

I'll start off by saying that Sigur Rós is my favorite band. I'll continue by saying that ( ) is their best album, but most fans tend to disagree. Well they're wrong. The band's guitarist almost always utilizes a cello bow, which creates a droning, urethral sound that is all its own. On top of that, the album features vocals that are not sung in any specific language, but rather used for the purpose of adding another unique instrument to the band's ensemble. If you've seen the American film "Vanilla Sky" then you might recognize a few tracks (as they were part of the movie's soundtrack).

Album: "Music Has the Right to Children"
Artist: Boards of Canada
Genre(s): IDM

Boards of Canada is a very interesting experience. Their music is, at face value, a great electronic creation with head-bobbing beats and cool field recordings dubbed over it. With a closer look however, BoC has a habit of including obscure and subtle references to religious cults, specifically the Branch Dividians. There's not much else I can say to describe this album... Give it a listen if you're curious.

Album: "Set Yourself on Fire"
Artist: Stars
Genre(s): Indie Pop

I'm not a huge fan of indie pop, but I AM a sucker for male/female duets and trade-offs. Fortunately for me, Stars offers a ton of that. There's not a single bad song on this album, really. It's that good. Throw in some great songwriting and you've got yourself quite a package.

So that's it! That's my list. If you'd like to know more about something, feel free to inquire.