5 Albums That Will Make You An Album Person
Words and Picks by Annette Schaefer
In my book there are two different kinds of people in this world: song people and album people. Song people really aren’t into any specific artists or bands. They prefer listening to their random, mish mash playlists or are more than content to just turn on the radio. Whereas album people usually are dedicated fans of several bands and artists and are all about taking in an album as a whole rather than just picking and choosing a few highlighted songs. But honestly some albums are just so good that no matter which category you fall under you’ll find yourself immersed from beginning to end. Here are a few of the albums I feel fit that mold.
Gym Class Heroes – The Papercut Chronicles II
I would say I’ve been a fan of Gym Class Heroes since about 2006. I can remember my friends and I singing along to songs like “Cupid’s Chokehold” and “The Queen and I.” Other than that I was a pretty passive fan. It wasn’t until they released their 2011 album The Papercut Chronicles II that I really appreciated what Gym Class Heroes had to offer. Every song on the album is so infectious and catchy, any one of them could have been a single and it would have been great. I couldn’t stop listening to this album on repeat after purchasing it. It was impossible to skip tracks because each track was unique, but just as good as the last.
The Killers – Hot Fuss
When I first started really getting into alternative rock, there was one other band besides Green Day that I just couldn’t help but love; that band was The Killers. Nearly 10 years after purchasing this album, it is still one that I catch myself listening to. Filled with new wave goodness and plenty of nostalgia Hot Fuss is a perfect go-to album. While I never really bought another album by The Killers, this album remains as one of my favorite albums of all time.
Mae – The Everglow
Since the first time I listened to American Idiot by Green Day, I have upheld a “new CD tradition.” When I buy a new album, I like to take out the lyric booklet and read along as I listen to each song. It’s a great way to really lose yourself in an album and with an album like The Everglow by Mae you will find yourself deep in a story loaded with sadness, fear of the unknown, adventure and ultimately joy. It would be a crime to only listen to a few chunks when this album is clearly meant to be taken in as a single work of art. The story is much better if you find the time to take all of it in.
Panic! at the Disco – Pretty Odd
While this doesn’t seem to be a fan favorite amongst many Panic! fans, this fan absolutely loves it. This is by far the most unique album Panic! has put out. Each song wrestles between being quite strange and undeniably enchanting. The whimsical feel of this album is at its best when it’s in its entirety. I may be one of the few, but album definitely is towards the top of my list of amazing albums.
Thirty Seconds to Mars – This Is War
The third album by Thirty Seconds to Mars is definitely my favorite. Somehow this album manages to be both menacing and uplifting. When I was working and a dystopian tale for my creative writing class, this album was the soundtrack that kept me inspired to write such a dark, but still hopeful story. Thirty Seconds to Mars are the masters of making catchy music with a bit of drama. To me This Is War is the epitome of what this band has to offer.
