Heading into the weekend with this in my headphones. After all these years I’m still not sure what the general consensus is in on this one, but I know I’m still a fan. There’s something special in those guitars and melodies.

I’ll never forget a friend in the record industry driving down to meet me in my dorm room in college after he said he wanted me to play some instrumental demos for me. He popped in the CD, hit play, and said the band was flying out a singer to try to put some vocals on them. The songs would become ‘Translating the Name’ and by the second track I was demanding to rip them to mp3. One of these days they need to press that record to vinyl, but in the meantime I’m happy with all the Saosin eras. Each means something different to me and is attached to a specific part of my life.

I hope everyone has a great weekend.

#vinyl #saosin

I am having a difficult time dealing with the reality that this album is now 20 years old. And an even more difficult time putting to words the impact it had on me, our music scene, and my freshman year of college. It’s an album I’ll always associate with sunny California and the new friends I was making, and the early years of AbsolutePunk. Albums like this made me even more confident in the website’s transition from a fan site because I could see the fire and passion that burned when we wrote about an album like this and someone discovered their new favorite band.

Fun fact: I missed that this album got remastered a few years back because I have been listening to my same set of mp3s for over twenty years now. Sometimes I’m turned off by a remaster because it sounds “off” to me, but I actually think it works well here. Makes the album sound more full without removing the intensity and fury that drew me to it in the first place.

As classic as muscle cars, cold beer, and rock n roll.

#vinyl #takingbacksunday #takingbacksunday20

I was sitting on the couch last night, movie paused while Hannah grabbed some more wine, when I flipped over to Instagram to read the news that Taylor Hawkins of the Foo Fighters had passed away. It felt like getting hit in the chest by a brick. I’ve been listening to this band for literally as long as I can remember. Hell, I’ve followed the Foo’s career since their inception. This is just so impossibly sad, so devastatingly heartbreaking. He was only 50, he leaves behind a family, and the world is left a little darker without his presence in it. A true beacon of happiness behind the drums, his passion and love for music were forever on display. His infectious smile and pure joy behind the kit made him literally the only man alive that you never once thought, “hm, I wish Dave was back there instead.” A legendary talent. I am left without words to describe this loss to the music world. Instead, I recommend everyone watch the 2008 Wembley performance of “Everlong,” and pour one out for Taylor. RIP.

#foofighters #vinyl

I turned 39 on Friday. 39. It’s an almost laughable number. An age I never comprehended as a child ever being. That was the age of adults, the wise parents, the supposedly wise teachers. And yet here I am. Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been repeatedly drawn to this record from The Ataris. It’s interesting to reflect on an album that is ostensibly about nostalgia, with nostalgic eyes. But it captures those feelings of youth, of growing up, and the bittersweet fondness of yesteryear with such clarity. And today the songs not only bring me back lyrically, but also pull me back to when I first heard them. That’s an incredible combination.

“So long, Astoria, I found a map to buried treasure. And even if we come home empty handed, we’ll still have our stories of battle scars, pirate ships, and wounded hearts. Broken bones and all the best of friendships. And when this hourglass has filtered out its final grain of sand, I raise my glass to the memories we had…”

#vinyl #theataris

All these years later and I’m still willing to die on my hill that this album is 1) ahead of its time, and 2) very good. It’s full of all those Batman punch sounds the cool kids use to describe songs these days. And “Run Dry” is up there with the best in his catalog in my opinion. I’ve had this on a lot this week because it’s a great pick-me-up album and it sounds shockingly modern for having been released over a decade ago.

#vinyl #falloutboy #patrickstump

I’m starting the week with another entry in my “underrated as hell” pop-punk albums list. The debut from The Matches is frenetic and buoyant with just the right dash of attitude to make it one of the most fun listening experiences in the whole genre. Plus their live show was one of the best I ever saw. This release, with the original and the Epitaph version packaged together, is beautiful and a joyous walk down memory lane.

#vinyl #thematches

Made it to another Friday and I’m celebrating with one of my all time favorite (and underrated) pop-punk albums. I’ve always loved the raw energy on display here and as the sun starts to peek out a little this gets me right in the mood for a summer of BBQ, friends, and beer. Here’s to the weekend…

#vinyl #valencia

Fun fact for those that like facts that make them feel old: this turns ten today. Yep, a full decade has passed. Still a damn good album.

#vinyl #nownow

“Emotion is my middle name…”

The first line of track one still gets me pumped; what a perfect way to open an album. And today’s Friday and the weekend is upon us, so what a perfect time to break back out this absolute monster of a pop-punk album. All these years later and I still am brought right back to bouncing around my room and cranking this up right to the edge of where my parents yell at me down the stairs to turn it down. These days I just get the side-eye from the wife. 🤘

Truth told, I’m not sure I’ll ever love a song as much as I love “Doing Time.”

#vinyl #mxpx #mxpxcollection

There are bands that everyone knew about in the early 2000s and then there are the little classics that those that were reading AbsolutePunk knew about. This has always felt like one of those. One of the hidden gems that if you know, you know. And it’s an album that continues to feel far ahead of its time and holds up quite well. (And one where a plucky! little band from Las Vegas would find inspiration for their band name not long after.)

“Hold your breath, you know how long…”

#vinyl #nametaken

Honestly, tonight I was just looking for something to take my mind off everything and try and clear the head. Something a little nostalgic, something a lot of fun, and this is fitting the bill. I always thought it faced a little too much criticism from folks that wanted a repeat of their debut. This stretched their sound, gave us incredible songs like “Ready” and “Surprise, Surprise,” and holds up all these years later as a fun and underrated gem in the band’s catalog.

#vinyl #thestartingline