I Breathe the Underground

The Top 20 Greatest Underground Debuts Pt. 4

And now, the finale of the Top 20 Greatest Underground Debuts! View Part 1 here, Part 2 here, and Part 3 here.

5. Dropkick Murphys - Do or Die - Before Al Barr's grungy vocals entered the picture, DKM was fronted by now Street Dogs front man Mike McColgan. Do or Die was an animal all its own compared to the Murphys of today, riding waves of in-your-face street punk with a regular twinge of the Celtic punk so adamantly displayed in more recent Murphys albums. DKM might have turned out a very different band today had Mike McColgan not joined the Boston Fire Department. Then again, Street Dogs might be a decent representation of a very different DKM.

Download 10 - Barroom Hero

4. Taking Back Sunday - Tell All Your Friends - You haven't heard a record that more desperately requires a sing-along than TBS' Tell All Your Friends. Following the departure of Brand New's Jesse Lacey and preceeding the departure of Straylight Run's John Nolan, TBS was a complete unit, cranking out emo masterpieces filled with a new kind of teenage angst. Unlike today's TBS, Nolan's vocals seemed to stand out just as well as Adam Lazarra's had, creating the most potent and emotional combination I've heard to this day.

Download 06 Ghost Man On Third

3. Further Seems Forever - The Moon Is Down - Hey, remember how Chris Carraba formed Dashboard Confessional and made a bajillion dollars? Yeah, he was in Further Seems Forever before that ever happened. And they were incredible. The Moon Is Down is still one of the most powerful collections of songs I've ever heard, showcasing Carraba's vocals amidst spectacular drums and sentimental melodies. If you've never heard these guys, you better check 'em out. Just don't listen to any of their other albums, because this is the only one worthwhile.

Download 06 New Year's Project

2. Saves the Day - Can't Slow Down - They did slow down. But damn it all if they weren't lightning fast back then, cranking out tune after tune of sexually-frustrated emo-core with Lifetime-esque prowess. Three phrases to describe this album: short, fast, to the point. Much the opposite of my blog posts. Efficient punk rock with honest and violent, yet attractive lyrics that somehow felt comforting amidst the chaos and catchiness of the music. Still one of my favorite spins on my iTunes.

Download 07 Always Ten Feet Tall

1. Alkaline Trio - Goddamnit - What is there to say about Goddamnit that I haven't already written in detail? Not only is this the greatest debut album of all time -- it's simply the greatest album of all time. Disagree? Feel free to put your favorite album up against mine in the comments. As a warning -- I will argue Goddamnit's rightful place in punk history to the death.

Download 03 San Francisco

The Top 20 Greatest Underground Debuts Pt. 3

Part 3 of the Top 20 Greatest Underground Debuts. View Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

10. Hey Mercedes - Everynight Fire Works - Chicago indie lost a critical component when Bob Nanna's Braid disbanded. Luckily, it was to be replaced by the non-typical pop-punkishness of Hey Mercedes. While Hey Mercedes is primarily driven by Nanna's unique vocals and poetic lyrics, the music was tight, friendly and catchy. Hey Mercedes would only complete two full-lengths before breaking up, but Everynight Fire Works is, was, and always will be a classic.

Download A-List_Actress

9. Less Than Jake - Pezcore - What can one say about Less Than Jake? The band certainly has staying power, surviving two unsuccessful runs on major labels (the second much more unsuccessful than the first). Even though they continue to put out quality recordings, Less Than Jake had to start somewhere. Pezcore brought an attitude to ska reminiscent of Operation Ivy, but LTJ brought it even faster and with more fun. This is still a stand-out album in my book. Track from Losing Streak.

Download 08 - Less Than Jake - Krazy Glue

8. New Found Glory - Nothing Gold Can Stay - We all know the stigmas that come from being an NFG fan. I don't care; I'll say it loud and proud right now: I listen to New Found Glory. What's more, I believe Nothing Gold Can Stay is one of the most influential pop-punk albums of all time. The album set the pace for a generation of admittedly questionable pop-punk, but remains quintessential in the face of such criticism. Track from New Found Glory.

Download 09 Black And Blue

7. Rise Against - The Unraveling - By now, everyone knows who Rise Against is. I wouldn't be surprised if a large portion of the band's base hadn't yet delved into the awesomeness of The Unraveling. RA started off on Fat Wreck and completed an album that fit the label purposely, simultaneously making some of the label's more veteran bands sound comedic. Case in point: NoFX, who apparently want people to think they're a joke anyway. Well, at least Fat Mike has an ear for good music, whether he can create it or not.

Download 01. Alive and Well

6. Catch 22 - Keasbey Nights - What can you say about New Jersey's Catch 22 except that the band has seen better days. Before Catch 22's remaining members decided to release a couple of shitty Reel Big Fish rip-off albums, ska visionary Tomas Kalnoky led them to create one of the (arguably) best ska albums of all time. Although Kalnoky's later project, Streetlight Manifesto, went on to re-record the entire album, there's nothing like the first time. Sorry about this one -- I have both albums, but neither are loaded onto my computer. Check out this Streetlight Manifesto track, as its the closest band to Catch 22 I have readily available.

Download 01-streetlight_manifesto-we_will_fall_together

The Top 20 Greatest Underground Debuts Pt. 2

Part 2 of the Top 20 Greatest Underground Debuts. View Part 1 here.

15. The Lawrence Arms - Guided Tour of Chicago - Even though Brendan Kelly dominates the vocals entirely on TLA's first album, Guided Tour of Chicago introduced a driving power in contemporary punk rock. Follow-up albums would highlight more of Chris McCaughan's gentler sensibilities, but GTOC was a force unto itself and a fan favorite.

Download Lawrence arms - a guided tour of chicago - 10 - eighteen inches

14. Primus - Frizzle Fry - A few years after his audition for and subsequent rejection from Metallica, Les Claypool took James Hetfield's advice and started his own band. There is no doubt in my mind that Primus was ultimately more important and unique to the scene than Metallica has ever been. Frizzle Fry debuted Claypool's unique vocal and bass style, provoking an immediate underground following.

Download 03. Too Many Puppies

13. Rancid - Rancid - What can I say about Rancid? They seem to be the luckiest punk band in the history of punk bands. It's hard to put my finger on what exactly it is that makes Rancid so good and even more difficult for me to locate what makes them more marketable than other punk rockers. But they made themselves into an incredibly influential part of the scene, and their self-titled debut still rings true today. Even if Tim Armstrong thinks he's a rock star. Track from B Sides and C Sides.

Download 12-rancid-sick_sick_world-3am

12. Thursday - Waiting - Post-hardcore had no idea these guys were coming. Thursday's debut was a wall of sound that displayed a little of their now signature darkness alongside some more upbeat tracks. Thursday is still on top of the genre today and will drop Common Existence on February 17. Track from Full Collapse.

Download 04 - Autobiography Of A Nation

11. Circa Survive - Juturna - Following his departure from Saosin, Anthony Green's next project blossomed into Circa Survive, a melancholy, atmospheric, and emotive collective. Juturna did well in defining the band's signature sound, rocking slow, powerful pop masterpieces. After a few years and another full length release, Juturna is still an essential album for underground enthusiasts.

Download 07 Stop the Car

The Top 20 Greatest Underground Debuts Pt. 1

Today I came across Amazon.com's 100 Greatest Debut Albums of All Time. Sure, the post was meant to pander to the consumer. Some marketing stiff at Amazon likely saw an opportunity to highlight some great albums, conveniently linked to Amazon's store. The list wasn't a total waste, though, highlighting some spectacular albums and some I found to be duds. No accounting for taste, I guess.

A few of the highlights from Amazon's list: U2 - Boy, Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures, Metallica - Kill Em All, Bob Marley - Catch a Fire, The Clash - The Clash, Kanye West - The College Dropout, Sex Pistols - Nevermind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols, The Smashing Pumpkins - Gish, Weezer - Weezer, Sonic Youth - Confusion is Sex, Morrissey - Viva Hate, The Shins - Oh, Inverted World.

(No, I will not link these albums to Amazon. Go support your local DIY store for chrissake.)

A few of the duds: Beastie Boys - Licensed to Ill (cmon guys, you started off in hardcore punk then decided semi-intelligent hip-hop babble was your niche?), Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers (simply because I hate Tom Petty and I do not understand the appeal), The Postal Service - Give Up (I love this album, but it's the only one! Let them release another before you hand them industry cred!), 50 Cent - Get Rich or Die Trying (can't Fitty get rich AND die trying??).

Anyway, the point is that the Amazon list inspired me to create a list of my own, incomplete though it may be. This is part one of a four part series. Without further ado, I give you the Top 20 Greatest Underground Debuts.

20. The Weakerthans - Fallow - Shortly after John Sampson left Propagandhi, he formed the ambitious and callous Weakerthans. Given Sampson's disposition with the Weakerthans, it was probably better he hung his punk shoes up. Fallow defined an awkward new sound in indie that brought another spectacular Canadian band into the limelight of the scene. Track from Left and Leaving.

Download 03 Watermark

19. Panic! At the Disco - A Fever You Can't Sweat Out - Before they dropped the !, Panic! debuted with a sound that borrowed from recently outed Fall Out Boy, mixing heavily with dance-pop beats and tons of hooks. Too bad Panic! decided to quit the sound they were so instrumental in bringing to the masses. Then again, if a bunch of shitty rip-off bands followed immediately in my footsteps, I'd probably make a change as well.

Download 03-panic_at_the_disco-london_beckoned_songs_about_money_written_by_machines-jrp

18. Protest the Hero - Kezia - Protest the Hero showed up just in time to save metal from the clutches of metalcore. Crafted from incredibly tight, heavy beats, wandering bass, insane guitars, and flawless vocals, Protest the Hero took something like ten years to tweak Kezia to perfection. Was it worth it? This humble blogger thinks so.

Download 07 She Who Mars The Skin Of Gods

17. From First to Last - Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has a Body Count - Before Sonny Moore left From First to Last, the band was a complete unit, blending elements of modern emo and metalcore into abrasive, emotional anthems. The follow-up didn't quite satisfy, but DDMTAHABC will remain a consistent spin on my playlist.

Download 03 - From First to Last - Note to Self

16. The Get Up Kids - Four Minute Mile - There's no doubt in any emo kid's mind that the Get Up Kids are still kings of their genre. Following on the heels of 90s emo success like Texas is the Reason and Sunny Day Real Estate, the Get Up Kids were a defining moment for the emo scene. Unfortunately, a bunch of shitty pop-core bands followed, molding the term "emo" for their own use. Do you see a trend forming here? Track from Something to Write Home About.

Download 01. Holiday