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

Punk in the City #3: The Tossers

Punk in the City is a biweekly feature introducing influential Chicago punk, hardcore, post-hardcore, pop-punk, indie, and rock bands that have had a big impact on my personal musical evolution (and the Chicago scene in general).

I can still vividly remember Tony Duggins' stark transitions between songs. He would sing a rousing Irish drinking tune, whether an old Gaelic spiritual or a Tossers' original, without a hitch. Then, the music would stop and the slurred words would run together into vague ramblings. I remember thinking, "Holy shit. This guy is sloshed."

On another occasion, my friend Brendan actually convinced Tony to ask a friend of ours (Katie), who was also attending the show, to prom for him. Tony obliged, and Brendan had a date.

The Tossers are a six-piece Celtic folk-punk band from Chicago that play Irish ditties similar to the likes of Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly. The group has gained notoriety since they signed with Victory Records in 2005. But what most don't realize is that the Tossers have been playing the Chicago scene since the early 90's.

Similar to DKM's relationship with the city of Boston, the Tossers exemplify the spirit of the Chicago Irish population, which is considerable. Drinking anthems, homeland culture, and brute working-class sincerity are all staples of the Tossers' sound. Ask anyone who is plugged into the Chicago scene: the Tossers are hometown heroes and tested veterans of the circuit. 

The Tossers are more vicious with acoustic guitar, fiddle, and tin whistle than most bands with a wall of amps and heavily distorted guitars. Check 'em out below.

Download 07-the_tossers-siobhan

Download 02-the_tossers-teehans

"I used to wonder where my da was at night / When him and ma would start to fight / Out soaked in 95th street beer / It was the strap I had to fear / As he would prowl around the Southside at night."
- Tony Duggins, "Teehans"