Albums that changed my life
This is something I wrote today for the next issue of Forge Press which will be out this Friday. For our last issue as editors, myself and Amelia have picked 5 albums each that have 'changed our lives'. Here is mine.
Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake It's Morning
 Brights Eyes became an obsession of mine from the very first time I listened to Iâm Wide Awake Itâs Morning. From Conor Oberst's rambled monologue at the start of âAt The Bottom Of Everythingâ, to the uplifting, epic protest of âRoad To Joyâ, I cannot fault Oberst's outstanding lyrical prowess, his varied musical ability and even his croaky, unconventional vocals.
 Iâd challenge anyone to listen to âPoison Oakâ, with its delicately strummed acoustic guitar and heartfelt metaphors and not feel something. This album alone, even without considering many other exceptional Bright Eyes records, is enough to put Oberst up there as one of the best songwriters of our generation. The last verse of âPoison Oakâ shows this, with lyrics âI never thought this life was possible/ Youâre the yellow bird that Iâve been waiting forâ being so relatable, moving and agonising all at the same time.
 This seminal Bright Eyes album is a mixture of vibrant indie folk and spine-tingling acoustic ballads that all tell stories and in doing so, take the listener on their own individual journey.
The Shins - Oh, Inverted World
 The Shins debut album Oh, Inverted World introduced us to their ability to create incredible indie-rock songs about heartache and loss and also fuzzy, scatty, pop-twinged catchy melodies. Featuring the iconic âCaring Is Creepyâ and âNew Slangâ, which went on to become part of the soundtrack to the influential cult film Garden State, it can be argued that Oh, Inverted World is the Shins masterpiece.
 The album is only just over half an hour in length, but it displays frontman James Mercer's impeccable songwriting style and incredible, calming voice to full potential. It signals the start of the Shins success and the popularity of singles, in particular âNew Slangâ, helps establish Oh, Inverted World as one of the definitive indie-rock albums of the noughties. Their dreamy indie-pop sound grows and is fine-tuned throughout the decade but its Oh, Inverted World that holds that moving meaning and extra special charm that I love.
  Villagers - Becoming A Jackal
 The Mercury Prize nominated debut from Villagers, the moniker of Irish singer-songwriter Conor J OâBrien, is to me, 11 tracks of pure perfection. Each song is crafted beautifully and shows off OâBriens delicate vocals which are controlled stunningly, reaching an unimaginable range of pitches. There is no weak link on the album, each track is memorable in its own unique way and leaves an individual impression.
 It is an album that fits together like a puzzle and is best when played as a whole, as each song flows into the next effortlessly. Title track âBecoming A Jackalâ won the prestigious Ivor Novello award for best song musically and lyrically in 2011 and the rest of the album follows suit, being just as strong, if not more so.
 Becoming a Jackal returned to me the feeling of really experiencing an album fully, without feeling that need to skip âfillerâ tracks, as there are none. It is a marvel and will undoubtedly become a classic in the indie-folk genre.
Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream
 Siamese Dream is the album that almost never happened and included a writing and recording process posed with so many issues, that frontman Billy Corgan suffered a nervous breakdown. Once it was released it was an immediate hit and is still widely considered today as one of the best albums of all time. With Siamese Dream, the Smashing Pumpkins created their own version of progressive noise-pop that has such a recognisable sound that you only have to listen to the first opening bars to know straight away who youâre listening to.
 Emotional tracks like âDisarmâ and âMayonnaiseâ really hit home the way Corgan was feeling when he was writing Siamese Dream, but the fuzzy sounds of âCherub Rockâ help lift the mood of the album and show that they can do both styles amazingly well.
 The dreamy âTodayâ is a contrast to itself, as on first listen it sounds like a feel good, uplifting anthem but on closer inspection actually has a bleak and dark meaning behind it. It is still one of the most distinctive and iconic songs of the 90s, with an almost as distinguishable a video where the band ride around in and vandalise an ice cream van.
 Brand New are the only band I listened to during my Emo days that have really stuck with me. In fact, my adoration for the band has only grown since I left the black hair and studded belts behind back in 2006. Deja Entendu sees Brand New mature significantly from their debut Your Favourite Weapon and proves that they are much more than just another Emo band, and that Jesse Lacey is an amazing songwriter.
 The lyrics are intelligent and incredibly well-thought out and each song on the album is worthy of being there as each adds to its atmospheric quality. The music is just as clever, the intro to âSic Transit Gloria...Glory Fadesâ creates a sense of tension and anticipation that adds to the whole experience.
Deja Entendu is an album that I wonât listen to for months but I will always come back to and retrospectively it has made me realise that all genres of music are worth investigating, even if it is now outside of your usual comfort zone. There are musical gems to be found in all genres.
pixelskylines
blakekathryn
germansingergirl
discoholicmusic
ellievsbear
