Typically when I think of a perfect pop-punk album, I think of either The Upsides by The Wonder Years or Real Talk by Man Overboard. But after hearing Under Soil and Dirt by The Story So Far, my opinions have varied much further.

Released in 2011, Under Soil and Dirt proved to be one of the most outstanding albums in the pop-punk genre. This album is, of course, familiar in the pop-punk aspect, which brings forth your typical punk rock and pop punk music in a mix. Yet it also brings a modern twist that has a great catchy flow.

If you’re looking for whiny vocals and beat downs, don’t listen to this album. This is an album full of catchy, thought-out vocals that will make connections with your everyday life. This album hits deep, dealing with real-life situations, friendships and relationships. It’s the perfect opportunity to feel what some are searching for.

Some know that pop-punk isn’t always known for the lyrical quality, but The Story So Far raises the bar with what I would say is a brilliantly written album with lyrics like “Never again will I let someone in” and “You have no idea how unproductive it is to fall in and out of you as often as I do,” from the song States and Minds.

For all those pop-punk lovers out there who haven’t given Under Soil and Dirt a chance, anytime is a good time to discover such an awesome album that raises the bar for any other pop-punk bands. If I were you, I’d defend pop-punk and give this album a listen.

Balance and Composure’s newest album, Separation, is a clear indication that the band has separated itself from its old, familiar sound and ventured into a new sound that many have come to love.

Released in May 2011, Separation is familiar in the way most Balance albums start off: slow with intensity, but by the end, minds are blown by the passionately screamed songs that will bring goosebumps to your skin.

Balance and Composure’s Separation is an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish. Many teens can likely relate to every song on this album, but be forewarned that Balance goes to the darker places most are afraid to go.

This album reveals heartbreak at its rawest. Lyrics like “Take, I am leaving all your deceiving. You broke me with your ignorance” from the song I Tore You Apart in My Head put heartbreak into a lyrical form that will move you.

Being the third and best album Balance and Composure has released on No Sleep Records, Separation sets the bar for all its albums to come.

This album has a very distinct style. I would say by far this is one of the most creative albums to have ever come out of the indie/pop punk scene.

When I first heard Mayday Parade’s debut studio album A Lesson in Romantics in the summer of 2007, I fell in love with the band and their sound. Recently, they released their third album, the self-titled Mayday Parade, and it’s safe to say my opinion hasn’t changed a bit.

When Mayday Parade was released on Oct. 4, it hit the U.S. Billboard 200 at No. 12 and sold more than 26,800 copies in its first week. The album is easily one of their best works yet. Featuring 12 tracks, including the singles Oh Well, Oh Well and When You See My Friends, this album has lyrics similar to its predecessor, the album Anywhere but Here.

First impressions

The moment I purchased Mayday Parade, I put it on my iPod and listened to it for the next week straight. In the past, when I listened to an album nonstop for a long period of time, I grew tired of the songs and the sound. But with this album, it was different.

Mayday Parade has always been able to touch me emotionally, because every album has at least one song (although usually there are at least four or five) that I can personally relate to. This album was no different.

On my first listen-through, I felt connections to almost every song. Out of all of the songs, however, Stay and When You See My Friends were the ones that got to me the most because they had lyrics and themes that relate a lot to what I’m going through currently in my life, and they also happen to be my favorites off the album.

The lyrics

The lyrics for Mayday Parade are very similar to previous albums, and the topics of the songs are much like songs Mayday Parade has produced in previous albums. Despite the similarities, I felt like the new songs each brought out something new for the band.

As always, Mayday Parade wrote their songs about love and heartbreak and loss. In When You See My Friends, the lyrics talk about a lost love, but without anger, unlike other songs on the album. In Oh Well, Oh Well, the lyrics talk about a lost love, but the whole song takes a sardonic tone, as evidenced in the lyrics, “So here’s your song. It’s twisting me/I’d give anything to make you scream/And I’ll just smile, and make believe I don’t feel a thing.”

Overall impressions

This is a very high-quality album, and I was definitely impressed with what Mayday Parade produced. For those who have heard Mayday Parade before, this album is a must-listen, because it’s easily one of their best pieces of work to date. And for those who haven’t heard Mayday Parade before, well, if you like bands like The Spill Canvas, Hit the Lights or Forever the Sickest Kids, then you should definitely give this album a listen.

They did it again. Switchfoot has managed to whip out another album of pure awesomeness. From the instrumentation to lead singer Jon Foreman’s voice, and from the lyrics to the overall vibe of the record, Switchfoot blows my mind with their latest CD, Vice Verses.

The lyrics

Switchfoot puts a strong meaning into almost every lyric. Yes, they are a Christian band, but they don’t slap listeners in the face with religion. They like to make the listener think with lyrics like, “When nothing is sacred/there’s nothing to lose,” from Selling the News or “Why would I wait till I die to come alive?” in Afterlife. Their message is subtle, yet moving. They often use strong metaphors to communicate their message, such as, “I am the dried up doubted eyes/looking for a well that won’t run dry,” in the song Restless, describing a person looking for God.  Paired with Foreman’s soulful and astounding voice, I feel myself overtaken by the music and the message.

The record

The album comes out of the gates with Afterlife, inspiring some deep thinking from the start. In Selling the News, Switchfoot strays from their typical rock music and goes a little funkier. They keep the album energized with Dark Horses and The War Inside with a heavy guitar moving the songs along. I’ve always been a fan of Switchfoot’s slower music, and they don’t disappoint with songs like Thrive and the title track, Vice Verses.  They wrap it all up with Where I Belong, a softer song that has an almost surreal vibe, like all the music is in the background, yet surrounding you. It’s as if you’re drowning in the music – truly indescribable.

Fan reception

Vice Verses has been given the highest of ratings by many critics. iTunes gave the album five stars and Amazon.com gave it four and a half. The song Restless has been featured on Christian radio, while the video for Dark Horses has become a Youtube hit.  The album reached the No. 1 spot the week of Oct. 15 on the Christian Billboard Top 100, coming in 8^th overall. It also received eight-and-a-half stars from Ultimate Guitar.

Conclusion

This record is the very definition of amazing. There’s no better way to describe it.  I can’t help but get lost in the music. It’s one of the most surreal albums I’ve listened to.  I’ve been a Switchfoot fan since 2003 with their major label debut, Beautiful Letdown, and this is by far their best yet.

At the end of a really long day, I find nothing more relaxing than sitting down and turning on a nice, calming album and listening to it from start to finish.

Many musicians have a tranquil sound to them, including Coldplay. Chris Martin, the lead singer, has a voice that is one of the most relaxing I’ve heard, and Coldplay’s newest album Mylo Xyloto has the ability to take my mind off the stress of a really hard day.

Mylo Xyloto went on sale Oct. 24, and it was Coldplay’s third album to debut on the U.S. Billboard 200. Before the album hit stores, Coldplay released two singles, Every Teardrop is a Waterfall and Paradise.

First impressions

Every Teardrop is a Waterfall was released June 3, but I didn’t hear it until I actually purchased the album. I heard Paradise multiple times on the radio prior to purchasing Mylo Xyloto. It’s safe to say I was pleasantly surprised with what Coldplay produced. At first, I was a bit skeptical of the album and the direction Coldplay was headed when I saw Rihanna was featured in Princess of China. But when I heard the song, all my skepticism disappeared. The combination of Martin’s voice and Rihanna’s was beautiful, and their song is easily one of my favorites on the album.

The lyrics

I feel Coldplay stepped up their game when they produced Mylo Xyloto. According to Martin, this album is a concept album, or an album unified with a theme.

The album, starting with Mylo Xyloto and ending with Up with the Birds, tells a love story with a happy ending. The lyrics hold true to this idea, because in the beginning of the album, the songs are full of negativity. For instance, in Princess of China, Rihanna laments with lyrics like, “I could’ve been a princess, you’d be a king/could’ve had a castle, and worn a ring/but no, you let go.” Further into the album, this tone remains. In Up in Flames, the lyrics speak of the love ending by saying, “so it’s over/this time I know it’s gone.” By track 12, Us Against the World, Martin leaves hope for love’s resilience and says, “through chaos as it swirls/it’s us against the world.”

Overall impressions

By far, this was my favorite Coldplay album. They held true to their sound, but also incorporated new ideas and techniques into the songs. I recommend this album to anyone and everyone. It’s beautiful, simplistic and overall produced wonderfully.

The legendary Bob Dylan, best known for his political anthems of the early 1960s, outraged the folk scene with the release of Bringing It All Back Home on March 27, 1965. Beginning with the upbeat and exciting Subterranean Homesick Blues, the first side of Bringing It All Back Home went far from home for Dylan as he changed drastically from folk to rock ’n’ roll. But he did it perfectly.

Overall, the album is an accurate representation of Dylan’s career throughout the 1960s. On the original vinyl album, the first side was filled with rock ’n’ roll, blues and country inspired songs like Outlaw Blues, She Belongs to Me and Love Minus Zero/No Limit, which I consider the perfect love songs, and the nonsensical Bob Dylan’s 115^th Dream telling an absurd story of the discovery of America with all of the typical Dylan humor and social commentary. The second side returned to his acoustic roots, but still strayed from his folk beginnings. The lyrics to these songs are far more introspective and poetic than his former topical protest songs.

The second to last song on the album, It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding), is probably my favorite of Dylan’s due to terrific lyrics like: “He not busy being born is busy dying,” “To keep it in your mind and not forget that it is not he or she or them or it that you belong to,” and “While one who sings with his tongue on fire gargles in the rat race choir bent out of shape from society’s pliers cares not to come up any higher but rather get you down in the hole that he’s in.” I know this is just raving about how great Bob Dylan is, but this song is perfect.

If my life depended on it, I might choose this as my favorite Bob Dylan album. It’s a wonderful mixture of rock ’n’ roll and blues and folk and everything I love about music. It has great musicianship and great lyrics. But of course. It’s by one of the greatest performers of all time.

Look into it.

Goodbye Planet Earth is musician Matthew Ebel’s 2007 album, which he describes as a concept album about outer space, love, robots and ninjas. The album features 17 tracks, including tunes that will keep you smiling throughout, such as Everybody Needs a Robot and the titular track Goodbye Planet Earth.

The album also features a few tunes that will sincerely touch you. A Cautionary Tail stays beautiful with the notes from Ebel’s own piano, and the final track on the album, I Will Wait for You, sincerely had me in tears.

I have never before listened to an entire album from start to finish and truly felt like I needed to listen to it again and again and again.

The Instrumentation

Ebel classifies himself as a “piano rocker.” The album itself features piano from Ebel as well as a drum set and, in the spirit of outer space, a nice effects track that one would certainly hear in a sci-fi film. The way these three blend together – especially with Ebel’s voice – creates a pyramid of sound that pleases the ears and keeps one listening long after the first track has played. It doesn’t particularly matter what kind of music you like listening to, Matthew Ebel’s music will create a beautiful symphony in your ears.

GRADE: A+

The Songs

The album is filled with amazing songs, and it’s nearly impossible to pick a few favorites. However, a few really stick out for me. The titular song on the album, Goodbye Planet Earth, has been one of my favorites for a while, as I had heard it before I bought GPE. The song itself carries a very high-energy beat throughout it that will keep you listening until the song’s ending note, the “POW” at the end the fans love so much. On a more serious note, one of the more emotional songs, Every Color, touches me in a simple, beautiful way – it seems to reach out and tell listeners to look out of their worlds of black and white and see all the colors of the world.

Finally, my favorite track on the album is I Will Wait for You. The entire album seems to build up to the apex of beauty contained in this one song. From start to finish, I was subconsciously waiting to hear this song at the very end – and when I did, I couldn’t stop listening. The song itself brought me to tears with the sheer moving force of it, the harmonies and layering of music intertwining with beautiful lyrics to create one of the greatest listening experiences I’ve had in a long, long time.

GRADE: A+

Fan Reception

Matthew Ebel’s 2007 album has been received incredibly well by fans and critics alike. Garnering an almost perfect 5-star rating between Amazon and CDBaby, as well as a 5-star rating on iTunes, Ebel seems to have created a pure gold mine of music for his fans. I count myself among the legion of fans that collectively refer to themselves as the Robot Army.

GRADE: A+

Final Grade Card

So, I’ve gone on and on about how wonderful this album is, but what did I really mean, without all the fluff in between? Here’s a final grade markup:

Instrumentation: A+

Songs: A++

Fan Reception: A+

Final Grade: A++ – Must Have!

There you have it – Matthew Ebel’s Goodbye Planet Earth is an absolute must have for any lover of music. If you want to sample some of Ebel’s music, you can get five free songs for signing up for the mailing list at www.matthewebel.com. And who doesn’t like free songs?

These days, anything can be matched up with a song, whether it’s the crazy things you did last Friday night, a national tragedy or just a Sunday drive. As long as music has been around, artists have used their talents to create songs that mesh with all moods and situations that people experience every day. Staff writer Brian Cassidy invited junior Brandi Fielek  to find songs that best fit common situations students encounter from sunrise to sunset.

ALSO:  Check out Kids in the Hall to see what some of YOUR Friday night theme songs are!

Alarm Clock

Brian:  Boston by Augustana is a brilliant choice to set as your alarm clock wake-up song. The opening piano riff is a soothing way to slowly regain consciousness. If there is anything more agonizing than waking up in the early morning, it’s having a rude awakening. The opening piano riff continues until the second verse when the song adds the instrumentals, giving a suitable amount of time to let your body start functioning again after a night’s rest.

Brandi:  Anything to do with alarms, mellow or not, is a rude awakening in the morning. Why not do it with a bang? Everybody by the Backstreet Boys lets you know the day is back, and it’s time to get out of bed. It makes sure you’re up and ready to go, getting you excited for your day with its dance mood and party beats.

Driving

Brian:  Captain Kirk by Bob Schneider is a song to jam out to while driving. It’s not a fast song, so it relaxes the mind to allow for more focused driving. Schneider has an Indie Rock style that gives the inspiration to roll down the windows and cruise.

Brandi:  Ah, those days when all the windows are rolled down, the sky is that perfect shade of blue, and there isn’t a cloud in sight. Your best friend is hanging out the sunroof, the sun is reflecting off your dash, and you feel like it’s an excellent montage moment. You just need that perfect song, and Windows are Rolled Down by Amos Lee hits the nail on the head. The lyrics themselves may not be the most chipper in the world, but the song’s acoustics make for easy listening. Lee’s voice has that rustic kind of relaxing tone to complete your late afternoon cruise.

Workout

Brian:  Joe Esposito and his track You’re the Best Around make for such a great stereotypical workout song. The chorus consists of the words, “You’re the best around, nothing’s gonna ever keep you down.” Speaks for itself, doesn’t it? Esposito provides words of encouragement to get the body going.

Brandi:  Sure this song may sound like it was pulled straight off a Kids’ Bop CD, but it’s still hard not to get up and “move it like that” when it comes on. The Baha Men’s Move It Like This has a pace that’s quick and fun, and oh-so upbeat to get you gung-ho for your workout session.

Falling in Love

Brian:  T-Pain and Chris Brown’s single Best Love Song offers a modern way to confess one’s love to a special someone. It uses a combination of rock and hip-hop to convey how a man feels for a woman. The song contends that Pain and Brown’s way of saying “I love you” should be the biggest and best. Best Love Song can definitely be considered a great song to listen to when you’ve fallen head over heels.

Brandi:  Falling in love with someone is such a happy thing. It’s hard to be down in the dumps when you know someone cares for you. You’re delighted to see them, ecstatic when you have a chat, and it even just makes you smile just to think about them. With its upbeat tempo and harmonica, All I Want is You by Barry Louis Polisar portrays that feeling of love. Polisar really makes you believe he wants you to “take [him] by the hand and stand by [his] side.” The song and its darling lyrics could make even a hermit get that fuzzy feeling.

Breakups

Brian:  Taylor Swift, the pop star of love songs, was a must for the breakup song list. Her song Mean tells the story of the most perfect, stereotypical bad break-up. Though written by a female artist, the song can still serve a purpose for both genders, depending on who initiated the separation. Why does this song fit the break-up mood so perfectly? Sometimes after a couple splits up, tensions are high and emotions run wild. Blasting songs to vent anger or sadness is an essential part of the process, and Swift’s Mean fits perfectly into the post-break-up puzzle.

Brandi:  So your boyfriend cheated on you? Your girlfriend left you in the dumps? For some reason, you still want to like that evil ex, but now you, and all your friends, have seen the true side of this used-to-be significant other, and now it’s time to end it all and forget. The rock sounds of Done With You by Papa Roach portray the anger of a breakup without being too hard on the ears. With the chorus repeating the message “I’m done with you,” and lyrics stating “I finally realize you’re tearing me apart” and “You’ve made my life completely miserable,” it’s a great choice in song to tune out all their fake apologies. For an equally angry break-up anthem, check out Plain White T’s Hate (I Really Don’t Like You) below.

Sport Pump-Up

Brian:  When it comes to getting psyched for a match, game, or race, student athletes have their favorite song or songs that get them focused and ready to go for the gold. Kanye West’s song Stronger defines the pump-up song. The central theme of the song, “That that don’t kill me can only make me stronger,” provides the words of encouragement an athlete needs to get the adrenaline flowing. Using the tune of Daft Punk’s Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger in his song, West creates an aura of swagger that gives the listener the mindset of a winner.

Brandi:  All I Do is Win by DJ Khaled has an unusual pump-up power. For some reason, when DJ Khaled sings “And every time I step up in this building, everybody’s hands go UP!” someone is sure to throw their extremities in the air.  It’s the kind of song that gets people into the occasion at hand, whether it’s a scrimmage, dance or wedding. There’s nothing better than going to that Friday night game with a great mood and a winning mentality.

Falling Asleep

Brian:  Music helps soothe the mind right before a night’s slumber, and So Long, So Long by Dashboard Confessional is the ideal song to drift away to. The majority of the song combines the light singing of lead singer Chris Carrabba with soothing piano. The combo creates a dreamy atmosphere that makes transitioning from conscious to unconscious much easier. The mp3 sample for So Long, So Long was not available online, but Dashboard Confessional’s Screaming Infidelities is an equally good tune to drift away to.

 Brandi:  With the combination of soft guitar chords and lead singer Justin Vernon’s easy voice, Bon Iver’s Skinny Love seems as though it should pick you up and rock you to sleep. Since the words are easy enough to hear, you won’t be up extra hours trying to decipher Vernon’s lyrics. The blend of calmness and effortless melody make for a great lullaby into any snooze.

Aside from the actual appearance of the concert, what really made the night was her music. Since I had never heard her music live, I was basing my opinion of how she would sound on other people’s reviews: the general consensus was Katy Perry is terrible live. With that mindset, I walked into the concert with a skeptical outlook, but now I am happy to report that these opinions were completely false. I found her live performance to be surprisingly good and it felt great to disprove my previous negative attitude.

Perry began her show with her ever-popular single Teenage Dream, and even the sight of her on stage had the crowd roaring. As her show progressed, Perry performed more and more of her popular tunes like Hot N Cold, E.T. and Firework. With each new song she played, Perry would don a new set of clothes; she even changed outfits mid-song. Overall, I tip my hat to Miss Perry and her entourage for their hard work to put on such a production and being able to consistently perform the same show for months without end. Katy Perry is a must when it comes to concerts of a lifetime.

The Plain White T’s newest CD, Wonders of the Younger, released in 2010, fell quite short of the catchy tunes that I’ve come to expect from them. Like most people who bought it, I was drawn in by the song “Rhythm of Love.” It’s a good song with fun lyrics and a sound that draws you in; that, however, is the complete opposite of the rest of the album. After listening to the album, I learned why the only song from it played on the radio is “Rhythm of Love.” It was kind of like a downward spiral, with the songs getting progressively worse until they reach the point where I didn’t even want to listen to the introduction. Some of the songs had misleadingly interesting intros, like “Last Breath,” with a cool stringed instrument beginning, and the offbeat start to “Cirque Dans La Rue.” This song starts out with a weird demented circus sound that builds false high expectations. Overall, I was disappointed with what The Plain White T’s produced in Wonders of the Younger; I wanted to be able to listen to more than one song off this album without recoiling in horror.