Five records I will forever associate with high school
Why is this interesting? Well, first of all, maybe you'll like one of them - they're all definitely worth a try. Second, try to remember your
top 5 high school records . It'll be worthwhile, I promise.
1) Secret Machines: Ten Silver Drops
2006, Reprise Records
First heard this band live opening for Foo Fighters in 9th grade. Bought their second LP in 10th, put it on repeat in my room for work, which invariably happened between 1 and 5 am, with my only light being this massive orange neon that somehow ended there. Quite the atmosphere, believe me on that one.
Notice the moustache and the obscene amount of gear. Three Orange half stacks! You'll want to put it up to 11 for this one.
Reading reviews of this album for the first time, I realize that most people were disappointed by this. I guess I'm lucky to be one of the few still able to enjoy this record.
2) Firebird: Hot Wings
2006, Rise Above Records
The album that reminds me why reading Rock & Folk (French hipster music magazine par excellence) although sometimes excruciatingly painful, can be rewarding. From time to time, they'll actually mention (or maybe even review?) a band that's actually so much higher than all the other puree they're promoting that it'll make you wonder who the hell writes these things (as I would find out, a notorious past-his-prime cokehead edits it - does this explain it ?).
Interesting fact: Bill Steer played guitar in founding UK "grindcore" (??) bands Carcass and Napalm Death before forming this glorious power trio.
Probably one of the first albums I listened to entirely so many times the only way I can remember a song off it is by humming the end of the one preceding it.
3) Nebula: Apollo/Atomic Ritual/To The Center
2006, Liquor And Poker/ 2003, Liquor And Poker/ 1999, Sweet Nothing Records
Ah, hanging out with your local high school stoners. Quite an experience. The ironic thing is that I was the one not smoking, and they were the ones not listening to stoner. Another proof that this denomination is just plain wrong? Probably (go see Such Hawks Such Hounds. now.).
But Nebula isn't your run of the mill Queens of the Stone Age. No, contrarily to Homme's projects, these guys make albums with only good songs. You'll hear the Stooges as much as you'll recognize Hawkwind here, and that can't be half bad, right?
I'm pretty sure I also heard of Nebula in Rock & Folk, god bless their evil souls. Started with a heavy rotation of their latest record, Apollo, then ordered their psychedelic masterpiece Atomic Ritual (admire the cheesy cover). Found To The Center pretty cheap at the Virgin Champs Elysees, for those who are familiar with heaven. Some wicked triumvirat you have there - counting it as one entry because really it should really be considered a triple album dedicated to second hand highs.
4) Hawkwind: Space Ritual
1973, United Artists
All I'm going to do is quote the 1973 advertisement for this album, "88 minutes of brain damage" and chuckle.
5) AC/DC: If You Want Blood (You've Got It)
1978, Epic Records
Lets start with the cover for this one:
Yeah.
AC/DC, you like them or you don't, but listen to this album at least once entirely before deciding you can't deal with them. Skip the Brian Johnson era (i.e. every album since Highway To Hell), and go directly for something that'll make you want to do the duck walk dressed like a british schoolboy while drinking whisky and playing air guitar:
Angus! Angus! Angus! Angus!
If this doesn't make you want to at least tap your foot, we can definitely still be friends. You're missing out though...
Alllmusic Review (3.5/5)
Are those record actually objectively interesting?
You tell me. My opinion is too biased.
JNCT
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