"The Only Thing I Know is Awkward Silence..."

There is nothing quite like the feeling of buying a CD and loving every track on it. I feel that the music industry has commercialized music to the point of absurdity. The disney channel frequently lets there childstars record records and release them. And even real recording artists seem to make singles not albums. If you look off the beaten path you can find great albums, and I know that much like all forms of art beauty, or in this case sweetness, is in the eye of the beholder. However, I have found the following albums worthy of purchasing and give me back confidence in my generations storytelling through song:

1. Coheed and Cambria = In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth***; The Second Stage Turbine Blade****; Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV****
Coheed is a band after my heart, tight rhythm section, guitar riffing that could melt the brain of most metal fans (especially in Good Apollo, by far more metal than the previous two album releases) and not only that, but the entire discography chronicles an intergalactic space battle.

2. Saves the Day = Stay What You Are****1/2
ok ok ok...so its emo, but not that pussy (The Promise Ring, Dashboard Confessional, Get Up Kids) I cut myself to know I still feel shit. Chris Conley combines catchy yet meaningful lyrics to tell stories that are familar enough to relate to but do not become vague to the point of vapid cliches that are associated with this genre.

3. Thrice = Vheissu*****
WOW...I mean there is absolutely no reason this album should not be platinum other than the fact the average music listener is an idiot. This ablum is nonstop high quality rocking. The "single" ( I put it in quotes because you won't ever hear it on the radio) Image of the Invisible could be the anthem of this generation, with lyrics like; "we can't allow this, the quiet cull", lyricist Dustin Kensrue paints the picture of a bleak future in which we are stripped of our humanity while simultanously asking us to stand take responsibility correcting the mistakes of the past. However, Thrice keeps the music a priority and avoids trite preachy lyrics. I strongly suggest this CD to anyone and everyone.

4. Jack Johnson = On and On****1/2, In Between Dreams****, and Brushfire Fairytales***1/2
I realize I am behind on the Jack Johnson wagon, but this guy deserves it. He brings the poetry and storytelling, not to mention credibility back to the singer/songwriter genre. Displaying phenominal skills on the guitar coupled with brilliant, an Example of this is No Other Way, ; "resolve is just a concept that is as dead as the leaves, but at least we can sleep its all that we need, and when we wake we will find our minds will be free " a song in which the lyrics sooth a stressed out and over worried person to sleep. Jack Johnson's music embodies a free spirited and stress free life style with every word, strum of the guitar, bass lick, and percussion hit that makes me feel like by not living on a beach I am missing out.

5. The John Butler Trio = Sunrise Over Seas****
I feel like Robert Johnson merged with Jimmy Hendrix to finally realize the potential of what Delta Blues and Rock have to offer the music industry. John Butler adds a country twang to guitar riffs that could amaze the most avid rock fans. At certain points the lyrics leave something to be desired, but the quality of the music is the closest to perfection I have heard in a long time; honestly this is the best trio of musicians since Rush and the Police. Check this drummer out Neil Pert would be impressed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URNtuqyWW8Q the song: somethings got to give, and Yes he is playing a drum set with one hand and a hand drum (djembe) with his other. Stewart Copeland eat your heart out, I think he bests him in polyrhythmic beats.