At number 86 is another NYC-based band, The Bravery. I have seen the Bravery perform live when they opened for Incubus on their 2007 summer tour.
Wiki - The Bravery is an American rock band from New York City that consists of Sam Endicott (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Michael Zakarin (lead guitar [also known as Moose], backing vocals), John Conway (keyboards, backing vocals), Mike Hindert (bass, backing vocals), and Anthony Burulcich (drums, backing vocals). Their music is a synthesis of both post-punk revival and New Wave.
Discography -
The Bravery (2005) The Sun and the Moon (2007) Stir the Blood (2009)
I own the first two albums, liking the first a little more than the second. I've heard that the last album is pretty good, which is exciting because when they are at their best, the band sounds really good.
Popular Songs -
An Honest Mistake Fearless Unconditional Believe Time Won't Let Me Go Slow Poison Hatef*ck
Favorite Lyric -
"I spent my whole life surrounded, And I spent my whole life alone." - Unconditional
Now watch/listen/smell: SLOW POISON
Next up: a band that released their first album in 2009
At number 87 is Interpol. Interpol has released three albums,the most impressive being their debut. They are said to be releasing a fourth sometime this year.
Wiki - Interpol is an American indie rock band formed in 1997 in New York City. The band's line-up is Paul Banks (vocals, guitar), Daniel Kessler (guitar, vocals), Carlos Dengler (bass guitar, keyboards) and Sam Fogarino (drums, percussion).
Interpol is one of the bands associated with the New York indie music scene, being one of several groups that emerged out of the post-punk revival of the 2000s. The band's sound is generally a mix of bass throb and rhythmic, harmonized guitar, with a snare heavy mix, drawing comparisons to post-punk bands such as Joy Division, The Strokes and The Chameleons. Aside from the lyrics, their songwriting method includes all of the band members, rather than relying on any given chief songwriter.
Interpol's debut album Turn on the Bright Lights (2002) was critically acclaimed, making it to tenth position on the NME's list of top albums in 2002 as well as #1 on Pitchfork Media's Top 50 Albums of 2002. Subsequent records Antics (2004) and Our Love to Admire (2007) have confirmed the band's initial success and turned them into a commercial and critical success.
Discography -
Turn On The Bright Lights Antics Our Love To Admire
Best Songs -
TotBL: PDA Obstacle 1 NYC
A: Evil Slow Hands NARC
OLtA: The Heinrich Maneuver No "I" in Threesome Mammoth
Favorite Lyric -
"I had seven faces Thought I new which one to wear But I'm sick of spending these lonely nights Training myself not to care" - NYC
Now listen to: PDA
next up: finally we get to a band that I've seen live
At #88 is the Black Keys. They are a blues-rock duo from Akron, Ohio. This was the first band that as preparing one of these I made a note to update my catalogue of their work.
Wiki - The Black Keys are an American blues-rock music duo consisting of vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer/producer Patrick Carney. They were formed in Akron, Ohio in 2001.
The band released their debut album, The Big Come Up, in 2002, followed by Thickfreakness in 2003, and Rubber Factory in 2004. Around this time, they also opened for bands such as Pearl Jam, Beck, Radiohead and Sleater-Kinney. October 2005 saw the release of the DVD Live, recorded live at The Metro Theatre in Sydney, Australia March 18, 2005.
In 2006 they released their fourth album, Magic Potion on September 4, 2006 in the UK and September 12, 2006 in the United States. Ultimately Attack & Release, their fifth album, was produced by Danger Mouse and released on April 1, 2008, having leaked onto the internet by March 4. Attack and Release debuted at number 14 on the Billboard Top 200.
Discography -
The Big Come Up (2002) Thickfreakness (2003) Rubber Factory (2004) Magic Potion (2006) Attack & Release (2008) Brothers (2010) - expected release May 18
Best Songs -
When the Lights Go Out 10 AM Automatic Just Got to Be Your Touch I Got Mine Strange Times Psychotic Girl
The band is frequently compared, for obvious reasons, to The White Stripes (also a blues-based musical duo of drums and vocals/guitar that started around the turn of the millennium) and to the stylings of The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant, Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, and Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead are fans of the band.
And now, press play to hear: I GOT MINE
next up: a one-word band that starts with "I". gotta be Incubus right?
At number 89 is Long Island product, Brand New. Brand New is a pop-emo band, which as a genre, I dispise, making their appearance on my countdown all the more admirable.
Wiki - Brand New is an American rock band from Long Island, New York. Formed in 2000, the band currently consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Jesse Lacey, guitarist Vincent Accardi, bassist Garrett Tierney, drummer Brian Lane, and guitarist/keyboardist Derrick Sherman.
In the late 1990s, Jesse Lacey, Garrett Tierney, Brian Lane were all members of the band The Rookie Lot. They eventually split off from the other members of the group, and in 2000 formed Brand New in Merrick, New York. The band signed to Triple Crown Records and in 2001 released their debut studio album, Your Favorite Weapon, a pop punk record. Their second album, Deja Entendu, was released in 2003 and marked a stylistic change for the band. The album's first two singles, "The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows" and "Sic Transit Gloria... Glory Fades", both received airplay on MTV2 and Fuse TV, entering the top 40 on the United Kingdom Singles Chart. Deja Entendu was eventually certified gold in the United States.
Brand New moved to Interscope Records and released The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me in 2006. "Jesus Christ" became their highest charting single in the US, peaking at number 30 on the Alternative Songs chart. In March 2008, the band started their own record label, named Procrastinate! Music Traitors. Their fourth album, Daisy, was released in 2009 and became their highest charting album in the US, reaching number six on the Billboard 200.
Discography -
Your Favorite Weapon (2001) Deja Entendu (2003) The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me (2006) Daisy (2009)
Top Songs -
Seventy Times 7 Jude Law and a Semester Abroad The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot Sic Transit Gloria ... Glory Fades The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows Sowing Season (Yeah) Jesus Christ At The Bottom Daisy
Favorite Lyrics -
"So tell all the English boys you meet, about the American boy back in the states. The American boy you used to date. Who would do anything you say." - Jude Law and a Semester Abroad
"Somebody threw that brick, shattered all your plans" - Sowing Season (Yeah)
"Jesus Christ, that's a pretty face The kind you'd find on someone that could save If they don't put me away Well, it'll be a miracle
Do you believe you're missing out That everything good is happening somewhere else? But with nobody in your bed The night's hard to get through
And I will die all alone And when I arrive I won't know anyone
Well, Jesus Christ, I'm alone again So what did you do those three days you were dead? 'cause this problem's gonna last more than the weekend.
Well, Jesus Christ, I'm not scared to die, I'm a little bit scared of what comes after Do I get the gold chariot? Do I float through the ceiling?
Do I divide and fall apart? 'cause my bright is too slight to hold back all my dark And the ship went down in sight of land And at the gates does Thomas ask to see my hands
I know you're coming in the night like a thief But I've had some time, O Lord, to hone my lying technique I know you think that I'm someone you can trust But I'm scared I'll get scared and I swear I'll try to nail you back up
So do you think that we could work out a sign So I'll know it's you and that it's over so I won't even try" - Jesus Christ
So Brand New can write... but you'll be happy to see/hear they make good music too.. Here's SIC TRANSIT GLORIA...GLORY FADES
next up: a duo with a color in their name. gotta be white stripes, right?
At number 90 is alternative rock band, Unwritten Law. They have been around for a lot longer than I realized.
Wiki - Unwritten Law is an American rock band formed in 1990 in Poway, California (a suburb of San Diego) and currently recording for Suburban Noize Records. They have released seven full-length studio albums and have toured internationally, including performances on the Warped Tour. They are notable for their singles "Seein' Red" and "Save Me (Wake Up Call)," both of which entered the top 5 in the US Modern Rock charts. Their most recent release is a live album entitled Live and Lawless, released September 30, 2008.
Their current lineup is Scott Russo • Steve Morris • Pat Kim • Dylan Howard
Discography -
Unwritten Law had 2 albums prior to the ones I'm mentioning... those two albums were fast-paced punk instead of the alt. rock sound they center on now.
Unwritten Law - 1998 Elva - 2002 From Music in High Places - 2003 Here's to the Mourning - 2005
Songs to check out -
UL: Cailin Lonesome
Elva: Up All Night Seein' Red
FMiHP: Rest of My Life
HttM: Save Me She Says
And now.. listen to 20 Scott Russos sing SEEIN' RED
At number 91 is Stone Sour, an American hard rock band from Des Moines, Iowa. Apparently that's all that matters, as that's all wikipedia has in their first paragraph on them.
So anyway, Stone Stour is the side project of two members of the band Slipknot. Except the songs they make as Stone Sour are actually worth listening to. Stone Sour is Corey Taylor (vocals), Jim Root (lead guitar), Josh Rand (rhythm guitar), Shawn Economaki (bass guitar) and Ray Mayorga (drums).
Discography -
Stone Sour (2002) Come What(ever) May (2006)
Singles
SS: Bother Inhale
CWM: 30/30-150 Through Glass Sillyworld Made of Scars Zzyzx Rd.
Favorite Lyric -
"I'm only here for a while But patience is not my style" - Zzyzx Rd.
Stone Sour's most popular two songs are Bother and Through Glass, both more melodic and slower than most of their songs. The former is one of the most depressing videos I've ever seen (still REALLY well done), and the latter goes along creatively with the lyrics of the song.
At #92 is Cold War Kids. They are from California and have 2 CD's, "Robbers & Cowards" and "Loyalty to Loyalty".
Wiki - Cold War Kids are an American indie rock band from Long Beach, California. Band members are Nathan Willett (lead vocals, piano, guitar), Jonnie Russell (guitar, vocals, percussion), Matt Maust (bass guitar), and Matt Aveiro (drums).
Favorite Songs -
We Used to Vacation (2006) Hang Me Up to Dry Tell Me in the Morning Robbers Hospital Beds Something is Not Right with Me (2008) I've Seen Enough
Favorite Lyric -
"I promised to my wife and children I'd never touch another drink as long as I live but even then it sounds so soothing to mix a drink and sink into oblivion" - We Used to Vacation
For your listening pleasure... HANG ME UP TO DRY
next up: a side project from a band that's way better than the main band.
