My Favorite Albums 1977-2007

I recently listened to a large sampling of the albums on the well-known Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list. When it was first published, a vocal minority of critics, especially younger ones skeptical of the 60s/70s bias evident in the selections, claimed that it did not adequately capture the truly influential music from the broad spectrum of popular music. Instead of picking apart other lists, I thought I would create my own. These are my criteria:

First, the album must have been issued between 1977 and 2007. The beginning year is point of reference for my listening experience; everything prior to this was B.P. (before punk). While I enjoy listening to some of the groundbreaking music such as those featured on the Rolling Stone list, without the personal connection to them that comes from coming of age in those times, to me they will never be anything more than museum exhibits. The 2007 endpoint is both to make it an even thirty years and also to get some distance from new releases.

Second, the album is in its original form as intended by the artist. No Best Of's, no posthumous compilations of EPs, etc.

Third, I informally weighted the prospects by their popularity on previous lists. If an album is a regular on these lists, it had to be twice as good to make it on mine as a lesser-known album.

Fourth, I tried my best to avoid repeat artists. The only exceptions were albums that I simply could not fairly leave off the list.

Enjoy:

25) Audioslave - Audioslave (2002). Shortly after the breakup of Rage Against the Machine, former Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell and the guitarist, bassist, and drummer from Rage formed what seemed like a side project, Audioslave. However, their debut album held the same explosive intensity that made Rage popular, along with intelligent lyrics and passionate vocals by Cornell.

24) Culture - Two Sevens Clash (1977) I'm not sure if this album is better than the more well-known Exodus by Bob Marley (the original holder of this spot), but it certainly is one of the best reggae albums ever made. A concept album centered around the idea that the world would end on 7/7/77, it remains the best showcase of this very talented band.

23) AFI - The Art of Drowning (2000). Before AFI became a darling goth rock band on a major label, they were another bunch of East Bay punks. Their final album on their original label, The Art of Drowning is a tightly produced showcase of the band's brooding, introspective lyrics, and punishing sound. Rarely has such intensity been so well-documented.

22) Fugazi - The Argument (2001). Indie gods Fugazi have always made groundbreaking music that defies genre conventions. They released The Argument as their last album before going on indefinite hiatus. It is by far their most coherent and accessible work and if it turns out to be their final release, it was a fitting swan song.

21) Bad Religion - Suffer (1988). Southern California punk band Bad Religion crafted a masterpiece with their trademark hyper-literate lyrics and 80s hardcore sound. In later years, they never advanced beyond the formula they perfected on Suffer, and who could blame them; it has few equals.

20) Operation Ivy - Energy (1989) Like Minor Threat before them, East Bay ska punk legends Operation Ivy produced a scene-rattling new sound that led to too much success too fast for four young men. The band broke up after only two years, almost coincidental with the release of their debut LP, Energy. But their influence is still felt in contemporary music. Their groundbreaking style fused ska, 80s minimalist hardcore, and a positive attitude sorely lacking in the scene, and the country, at the time. Two of the members went on to form the hugely successful pop punk band Rancid, but they could never match the energy captured on Energy.


19) Frou Frou - Details (2003). Early in her career, Imogen Heap was a relatively unknown British singer-songwriter in the vein of Alanis Morissette. Her breathy voice was a standout on her inconsistent debut, i Megaphone (a clever anagram of her name). In 2001, she teamed up with writer and producer Guy Sigsworth to create an unique electro-pop album featuring her signature octave-leaping vocal style on top of lush melodies. The album was not a commercial success, but the inclusion of one of its tracks in Garden State made Frou Frou famous. Mishandling of the album by the record company had soured the chances of another album. Heap released a second solo album in 2005 and a third in 2009 but both fell far short of Details. Here's hoping for a reunion.


18) Stiff Little Fingers - Inflammable Material (1979). This blistering debut album by Belfast punk rockers smartly walked a fine line by making an overtly political album that didn't get dragged down by its message. True to punk's early days, it wasn't afraid to experiment, such as the finale "Closed Groove."

17) Idlewild - 100 Broken Windows (2000). Idlewild began as a indie band from Edinburgh. Their debut, Hope is Important, showed a large punk influence. However, their follow up was a true pop gem that combined their ear for catchy hooks with Roddy Woomble's distinctive voice.

16) Tool - Lateralus (2001). Early in their career, L.A. headbangers, Tool, hinted that they were smarter than their own genre. Their 79-minute magnum opus, Lateralus, proved this without a doubt. Full of challenging time signatures and lengthy running times, the album was the antithesis of its radio-friendly peers. Like a dark symphony, the theme builds to its peak in the unforgettable three song cycle Disposition / Reflection / Triad.

15) Bouncing Souls - How I Spent My Summer Vacation (2001). Jersey punk rockers The Bouncing Souls paid their dues for years before achieving success. As chronicled in the entertaining documentary Do You Remember? the band faced a tough choice in having to fire their best friend and drummer Shal Khichi. The band considered calling it quits but instead found a new drummer and learned how to be a band again and have fun. The result of this creative energy is their best album to date, featuring the band's trademark anthemic singalongs with lyrics from the heart.

14) Minor Threat - Minor Threat (1981). Clocking in at just 9 minutes and 20 seconds, this debut EP from Washington, D.C. exploded onto the early 80s scene and cast an immense shadow over the next decade of underground music. Espousing a lifestyle of no alcohol and drugs with a conviction that could only come from nineteen-year-olds, Ian Mackaye and company changed music and youth culture forever and left a lasting manifesto.

13) Rage Against the Machine - The Battle of Los Angeles (1999). Revolutionary rap-rockers RATM developed a loyal fan base of disillusioned youth starting with their inspired debut album in 1992 featuring as its cover the Pulitzer-prize winning photo of a monk setting himself on fire to protest the Vietnam War. But it wasn't until 1999's Battle of Los Angeles that Rage truly demonstrated the brilliance of their thought-provoking lyrics and inventive style led by the mind-bending guitar arrangements of Tom Morello. Producing numerous radio hits and cementing their reputation, it was fitting this was their last original release before disbanding only a year later.

12) Dinosaur Jr. - You're Living All Over Me (1987). Tremendously influential to the later grunge era, Dinosaur Jr. juxtaposed a heavy, distorted guitar sound with accessible melodies and soft-edged vocals. Never achieving mainstream success, this remains their strongest release.

11) Le Tigre - Le Tigre (1999). Riot Grrl pioneer Kathleen Hannah of the groundbreaking Northwest punk band Bikini Kill teamed up with friends to create a vehicle for feminist performance art and music. The group recorded their brilliant self-titled debut in 1999, which featured catchy lo-fi electropunk and quirky humorous lyrics.

10) Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever to Tell (2003). Consisting only of guitar and drums behind the screechy vocals of Karen O, the band made the old new again with their catchy garage rock style. Two tracks in particular, Maps and Y Control, showed there was a lot of depth behind the seemingly spare formula and they remain artists to watch as their sound has matured on subsequent releases.

9) Weezer - Weezer (1994). There is not a wasted second on this wonderfully catchy debut from Southern California nerd rockers, Weezer, led by Rivers Cuomo. It was tempting to eliminate this from the list because of their inability to know when to quit (and subsequent release of two self-titled albums) but it's both impossible to dislike this album and to discuss 90s music without referencing it in some way.

8) Shakira - ¿Dondé Están Los Ladrones? (1998). Forget the airbrushed blonde on 2001's international megahit Laundry Service; Shakira's second album cover features the singer/songwriter with her natural hair color and her hands covered in dirt. Building on the strengths of her quiet debut album, Shakira wrote an accessible pop album that touches on the personal and the political, belted out in her distinctive bleating voice. Diverse influences including Western rock music, Lebanese styles, as well as immersion in the cheerful pop of Latin America, combine in this ambitious work that breaks predictable boundaries. There's a reason it still remains one of the top Spanish-language sellers in the U.S. In any language, Shakira rocks.


7) Pixies - Doolittle (1989). Like Dinosaur Jr., the Pixies were tremendously influential over the movement that would eventually be called alternative rock and grunge. Widely regarded as the band's most consistent and accessible album, Doolittle becomes only more relevant as it ages. In 2009, for the 20th anniversary of its release, the Pixies went on a limited tour where they performed the album in its entirety.

6) Catch 22 - Keasbey Nights (1998) Suburban Jersey ska punks Catch 22 parleyed their demo Rules of the Game into a brilliant full length album that many consider the pinnacle of the genre. Written while the singer, Tomas Kalnoky, was still in high school, it is coming-of-age concept album with darker subject matter lurking behind its caffeinated horn melodies.

5) Radiohead - OK Computer (1997). Following the success of the straight ahead rock formula on The Bends, Radiohead showed a glimmer of the experimentation to come on the accessible and much-praised OK Computer. Repeat listenings to most of the songs is a necessity, since Radiohead pack about as much into each song as other artists, if their lucky, manage to fit into entire albums.

4) Smashing Pumpkins - Gish (1991). Before the runaway success, the breakups, the reformations, and all the other baggage that hounded the band, the Smashing Pumpkins were four unknown alternative rockers recording four-track demos in 1989. Their debut album was a minor hit and hinted at brilliance yet to come. It combined the indie influence of grunge with the production and expanse of stadium rock, a formula Corgan would perfect on the band's follow-up. Oveshadowed by later albums, Gish remains an unpretentious powerhouse that remains some of the band's best, and certainly most honest, work.

3) Radiohead - Kid A (2000) A critic once remarked that it's hard to believe Kid A is from the same band that released OK Computer, let alone from the same planet. Rejecting the mega stardom and all the expectations of another hit following OK Computer, Radiohead reinvented themselves as soundscape sculptors with one of the most interesting (and disliked) albums of the era.






2) The Clash - London Calling (1979). This is the magnum opus from The Only Band That Mattered. Although they suffered from inconsistency, especially on their later releases, everything on London Calling is spot on and this double album remains in a league of its own.








1) Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream (1993). Hailed as the next Nirvana, the Smashing Pumpkins had a enormous amount of pressure on them to deliver a hit with their second album. The process nearly destroyed the band with songwriter Billy Corgan suffering from a nervous breakdown and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin struggling with alcoholism. In spite of this, Siamese Dream exploded as a megahit on the early 90s alternative rock scene.

The album continued to expand their signature style of droning overdubbed guitars that, unlike most of their peers, was influenced more by shoegaze than punk. Above all, the tracks are expertly arranged. The album builds intensity during the opening five tracks, then mellows out with the radio hit Disarm. You can almost imagine flipping over the vinyl for Side B when this transition occurs, even though the format was dead by the time the band released any material. This alternating build-up and release of tension is evident both within and between songs, and was one of the things that made (the original) Smashing Pumpkins such a great band, and it is executed flawlessly on Siamese Dream.


Well, that's that. Let me know what you think. In case you're wondering, I started this list about two years ago in 2009. I made some minor changes, but resisted the temptation to change it to reflect my current listening habits. I am curious to see which of the albums I'm listening to today will end up on the next list...

P.S. If you want to know what I really listen to on a daily basis, check out my Last.fm profile at http://www.last.fm/user/disgruntledgoat

Revisions:

31 July 2011 - Following my own Rule #3 of this list, I replaced Bob Marley's Exodus with Culture's Two Sevens Clash (see #24). Originally, I mistakenly thought Two Sevens Clash came out in 76, so I'm glad it made it on here.

My Favorite Albums of 2010

Originally I intended this as a Top 10. Then as I crawled my Last.fm stats, I realized I really don't listen to a whole lot of new music. For me, 2010 actually featured a lot of releases from artists I love that turned out to be disappointments (Shakira's wildly inconsistent Sale el Sol and Star's yawnfest The Five Ghosts were the biggest). Adding to that, I discovered that a few of my preliminary picks actually came out in late 2009. With this limitations in mind, I humbly present my Top 3 Favorite Albums of 2010.

1. Julieta Venegas - Otra Cosa. Mexican singer-songwriter Julieta Venegas made headlines this year for having her first child and for releasing her sixth album. On this album, Venegas, known for her "accordian rock," showcases her ability to construct likable pop songs on top of traditional styles that utilize a wide range of instruments. I especially appreciate that in an age of singles, this is a well-constructed album that deserves attention in its entirety, so you can appreciate the progression from the whimsical opening track to the more serious, but catchy, closing track, "Eterno." Perhaps this cohesion may be due to Venegas trying her hand at being a producer this time around. It may be too early to tell, but I think this may be her best album yet.

2. Phantogram - Eyelid Movies. This intriguing debut album from an upstate NY electronic duo layers brooding lyrics over fresh beats. While it's difficult to pin down their sound -- they have referred to it as "street beat pysche pop" -- the recognizable influences, from ambient acts like Air, to trip hop and dubstep, are decidedly contemporary. Unlike other artists who alternate female/male vocals and tend to overuse the male, I think the ratio is about right here. While the second half of the album lacks some of the strength of the first half, Phantogram demonstrates their potential and remain artists to watch.

3. Robyn - Body Talk Part 1. Released in early summer, this album from Swedish recording artist Robyn spent a lot of time in my playlists, especially on my drive down the California coast in August. However, at the time I assumed it was throwaway pop and would be forgotten by the dreary winter. However, I was mistaken. For 2010, Robyn set out on the ambitious plan to release three E.P.s as a prelude to an album containing material from each. While the second and third parts (not to mention the resulting LP consolidation) were worthwhile releases, the true gem remains Part 1. It begins with an unexpectedly edgy opener, then features catchy pop hits like "Dancing on My Own," then shifts gears and becomes more introspective, including an acoustic version of "Hang with Me." Even as an E.P., it achieves more than most albums and, for me at least, outlived the summer to remain one of the best of the year.

My honorable mention goes to Mexican synth-pop trio Belanova's Sueño Electro I (2010 was apparently the year to release albums in parts). While still likable, it was a bit of a disappointment compared to their last album. However, I still found it to be full of catchy and likable tracks. I also enjoyed that it had a darker undertone than their recent work.

My disqualified honorable mention (in that it was actually released in 2009) was the self-titled debut LP by Fool's Gold. This LA band blends African and Israeli influences to create an interesting mix. I'm a sucker for African electric guitar and it shines on the brilliant opening track, Surprise Hotel. On my list, it would have been #2.

This year, I'll try to listen to more new music and I'll be looking forward to what 2011 has to offer.

Femi Kuti at The Fillmore

July in San Francisco means the sunny skies and warmth give way to chilly fog as the difference between the inland and ocean temperatures increases. It also means that Femi Kuti comes to town as part of the Fillmore Jazz Festival. I had the privilege of seeing him last year as well, in what I can say was probably the best concert I've ever been to. This year did not disappoint either.

For those of you unfamiliar:

"No one knows who first used the word [Afrobeat], but as far as history is concerned, it belongs to Fela Anikulapo Kuti, the late Nigerian giant through whom any understanding of the sound of 1970s Africa must pass. In the most limited sense, you could say that Afrobeat is the cinematic, polyrhythmic, symphonic funk sound that Fela developed with superhuman drummer Tony Allen" (From the Africa 100 Liner Notes)

Femi Kuti is one of Fela's many sons and he has carried the torch of Authentic Afrobeat. Even as he approaches 50, his stage presence is dynamic and engaging. To set the scene: his band, the aptly named Positive Force, consists of four horns, guitarist, bassist, drummer, and keyboardist. Femi himself plays sax, keyboard, and occasionally other instruments. And then he has his chorus of three dancers/backup singers. The energy and vibe was immediately infectious and remains so for the two hour set (no breaks for these tireless performers). This was then followed by a 30 minute encore.

Femi played his usual hits and like all great jam bands, used the arrangements on the studio albums as starting points to build up improvised and extended versions on stage. Each musician got a few chances to show off with some solo improvisations. He even left with promises of a new studio album in 2011.

As luck would have it, I attended an Antibalas show at the Great American Music Hall in The Loin a few weeks later. While I really enjoyed the music, and the more modern interpretation and Latin influences in their sound, I left feeling even luckier to have seen the Real Thing. I can't wait until next summer.

Atheist Anthem

Interesting article in the NY Times about atheists forming organizations to replace the social component to traditional church membership, even in places you would not expect it, like South Carolina. Quotes one person saying it's time for atheists to "come out of the closet." After seeing Religulous recently, I kinda like that sentiment. I feel like when you don't bring it up, it's almost like tacit consent, like if someone makes a racist joke and if you don't challenge them they think they you must agree. So I should really try harder to make it obvious I stand apart from the herd.

My favorite quote from the article:

"polls continue to show that atheists are ranked lower than any other minority or
religious group when Americans are asked whether they would vote for or approve
of their child marrying a member of that group"

Interesting.

Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Pittsburgh

I grew up in Pittsburgh and moved back after undergrad to attend the University of Pittsburgh to get my MSIS. I lived in Shadyside (the wikipedia entry for Shadyside features the house where my apartment was located) and Highland Park.

I was there for three years before I moved to San Francisco. In that time, I was able to discover a lot of really good vegetarian food in a town that might at first not seem to offer much. I created a google map with my favorite vegetarian restaurants and for convenience I also reprinted the individual comments here:

China Palace II
They have a phenomenal vegetarian menu that was carried over from the old Hunan Kitchen / Zen Garden in Squirrel Hill. Get the vegetarian shu mai dumplings and some tofu with XO sauce.

Pho Minh
My absolute favorite restaurant in Pittsburgh. Oh how I miss it dearly. Get the fresh rolls with tofu (was #3 when I last went). They have a different sauce than the usual peanut sauce. I lived off of these for two years. My favorite main dishes are lemongrass tofu with bun instead of rice and the rice noodle and tofu.

Taste of India
Some of the best Indian in Pittsburgh and a good vegetarian section as all Indian does.

Zenith Antiques
One of the few all-vegetarian places in Pittsburgh. Try out the Sunday brunch sometime. It gets crowded so you may have to share a table and the food is mostly just okay but they have tons of desserts and it's definitely worth going on a gloomy Sunday to lift your spirits. If you go during non-brunch, try the vegan Tofishy sandwich, a fan favorite.

Udipi Cafe
All vegetarian South Indian restaurant. Great food, killer weekday lunch deal. I used to work out in the burbs near this place and would look forward all week to getting their lunch deal, which was around $7 total for entree, rice, and bread. Fantastic. Worth the trip out from the city on a Saturday afternoon.

The Quiet Storm
Another all vegetarian place, reminds me of Zenith in that both serve mediocre food at not-that-cheap prices and, like Zenith, it's all made in advance by the one chef and then reheated in the microwave by the indie kids who work the rest of the time. Worth trying out. I went there for brunch and thought the food wasn't so great, especially since it was pricey for a bike punk kinda place.

Thai Cuisine Restaurant
One of my favorite restaurants in the burgh. They have an extensive separate vegetarian menu. My faves were the Vegetarian Tom Kha soup, the Tofu Sate (yummy sauces for it), and the spicy basil fried rice. They have a full meat menu too which I've heard good things about so you can bring meat eaters too.


Spice Island Tea House
Far and away the best lunch spot in town. I dearly miss working in Oakland because of this gem. It's a Southeast Asian fusion restaurant. Get the mini-samosas (they brush egg on them, as the kind servers will warn you) and the Singapore Rice Noodle made vegan with tofu. The other awesome dish is the tofu lunch special with Indonesian festival fried rice that is phenomenal (your choice of two different topping flavors but they are very similar). Most of the other dishes are very tasty as well, and they are all a pretty good deal.

Lu Lu Noodles
Pretty good lunch spot in Oakland. Most of the dishes they can prepare vegetarian or vegan. Get a bubble tea while you're there.

Reel Big Fish and Streetlight Manifesto (Live Review)

House of Blues Cleveland
Saturday, 8 July 2006


With the closure of Club Laga and the last gasping breath of a decent music scene in Pittsburgh, I was forced to make the drive over the border to see Reel Big Fish and Streetlight Manifesto play in Cleveland.

Despite a poorly designed venue with a tiny mosh area sunk below the rest of the floor and in front of the completely misplaced and oversized sound booth, the show was certainly worth the hefty ticket price ($25) and 2.5 hour drive.

Streetlight Manifesto
Streetlight commited a musical faux pas by opening with a new song and leaving the audience a little confused. They then redeemed themselves by playing a tight set including the now-combined Point-Counterpoint + Keasbey Nights supersong and Everything Went Numb. Their set felt way too short, pretty much the same length as the other two openers, the mediocre Transition and enthusiastic Whole Wheat Bread. The lineup was also completely different, with only Tom recognizable. Apparently Catch 22 vet Josh Ansley left the band. I don't know why he would but he will be missed. Whoever took his place did a good job, though. The lineup is different even than last time I saw them, which is never a good sign for stability or longevity. I have my fingers crossed.

It was great to see Streetlight live, especially since this will be their last tour for quite awhile since they are soon going to be writing and recording a sophomore album, but the set was simply too brief. It was probably not the band's fault but the fans were a little disappointed. If they were going to play such a short set, they should not have played two new songs or the full combined A Moment of Silence + Violence. In any case, we were all left wanting a lot more but we'll have to wait until probably 2007 to get it.

RBF
Reel Big Fish are always excellent live. They have a huge catalog of great songs and they always play one you forgot about. This night was no exception, with Aaron pulling out 'Nothin' towards the end of the set, which really made the crowd go nuts. Highlights of their great set included six versions of S.R. (including the usual death metal, hillbilly, Southern blues rock, emo) including one I've never heard before, in the style of the Strokes, perfectly executed with Scott even singing through a harmonica for that patented vocal sound. As usual, Scott and Aaron's comedic back-and-forth provides a nice filler between songs.

They played one new song from their live album (which apparently is not just old material) that sounded good but it's hard to tell from one live listen. I'm definitely going to pickup the album though, which is a triple disc mega-release on presale now on their website.

Unlike Streetlight, RBF has been around the block and had a great set sequencing. They opened and closed with two covers, starting with Aha's Take on Me, and finishing with Op Ivy's Unity. I couldn't imagine a better end.

If either band comes your way, see them.

Middle Distance Runner - Plane in Flames (Review)

This is the debut album from a new band to the Washington, D.C. / Northern Virginia indie scene who formed last year. I saw them recently at Gooski's in Pittsburgh, where they put on an energetic performance.

The man on the mic, Steve Kilroy, has a singing voice that is comfortable accompanying subtle melodies or the swaggering Rawk of 'Man of the People.' The rest of the five-piece band serves up an excellent sound.

Stand out tracks are 'Naturally,' the catchy opener; 'Top of the Stairs;' and the well-chosen closeout 'That's a Lie.' Their guitars really shine on the sweeping 'Hooks' and 'Out of Here,' both of which certainly bring to mind OK Computer-era Radiohead influence.

I'm not a huge indie fan so I can't do any more name dropping but for a debut album from a new band, Plane in Flames shows not just promise but a fair amount of realization.

Retail Price: $10

My Rating: $15

If you live in NoVA you can pick this up at CD Cellar. I know of one on Rt 7 in the City of Falls Church and there's one in Arlington as well. You can also buy it online at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/mdrunner. I suggest you do and definitely keep an eye on this band.


http://www.middledistancerunner.com/

Keasbey Nights as Performed by Streetlight Manifesto

Release Date: March 7, 2006 - Victory Records

This re-recording of Keasbey Nights (aka Keasbey Nights Volume 2, as Amazon called it) had been a persistent rumor since Streetlight Manifesto first formed in 2002. However, after several mysterious annoucements on their website and finally a press release by their label, it became clear that it would be a dream come true for ska punk fans everywhere.

As their simple liner notes make clear, this is a re-recording of the original Keasbey. There are no new songs or bonus features. There are differences, of course. Lyrically there are a few minor line changes here and there that will make fans of the original album smile and nod in appreciation. To the casual listener, the songs have the same lyrics. Musically, most of the solos were stripped out and replaced with new and I would argue more mature and enjoyable arrangements. In terms of production, the recording is 100% cleaner. The bass is much more prominent and the lyrics are more intelligible, thanks both to Tomas learning how to sing fast but understandably since the first recording and no doubt some smart post polishing. Several of the other changes I have noticed (there are surely more):

• Riding the Fourth wave has a slower tempo at the beginning and since it is an instrumental, has the most musical changes
• Day In, Day Out (my top choice from the original album and one of my all-time top 10 songs) has an extra verse that includes the lines "And everybody's talking about humility,(see)/indecency, (see)/smoke, and mirrors to me."
• "Dear Sergio" has the lyrics and extra verse like the version recorded by BOTAR

Instead of the band's thank-you's, the end concluding track, "1234 1234" now has an obscured synthesized voice (think "Fitter Happier" amid loud music) explaining why the album was made. I have yet to locate a transcript of this online, probably because no one can hear all of the parts. The gist I can gather from several listenings is that the current Catch 22 band was going to re-release Keasbey sonically unchanged to make some easy dough. Tomas, as the computer voice says, offered to re-record it with them but they declined and so he went ahead and made this album, so fans would not be suckered into buying the same old album with a new cover. The computer voice also expresses regrets that due to budget reasons, they never got the first Keasbey to sound as nice as they wanted. As mentioned, that rawness turned into a strength, but it is obvious nonetheless.

Honestly, even if, as some pro-new-Catch22-losers have said, Streetlight made this for financial reasons, who can blame them? After they were robbed on their last European tour, they basically lost everything they had and went into deep debt.

When I first listened to this, I liked it but thought it just wasn't the same, wasn't the original. I had listened to the original so many times I knew every beat, every pause, and I didn't like the changes. However, thirty or so listens later, I find myself choosing it over the original. My guess is because it's new. I think in a few years when I have memorized this version to the same level as the original, I will probably prefer the original, albeit by a narrow margin.

Purists may always prefer the original, but at least they can admit this is a successful re-recording that doesn't ruin it. It's different, not worse. I definitely recommend this album to any Catch 22 or Streetlight fans as well as any young ska punks who have yet to hear of any of this great material.

Retail Price: $11 (Interpunk)

My Rating: $20

Priceless for Catch 22 fans and if you just returned from a 10 year expedition to Antarctica and don't own the original then dare I blasphemously say it, maybe buy this first.