All-American Rejects - Move Along

Label: DGC
Genre: Pop Punk
Year: 2005
Recommended by: Lauren Weidner and Chrissy Walker

Move Along, The All-American Rejects's second album, is a pretty fantastic pop rock record. 

It's not one of the greatest rock records and it's not one of the greatest pop records. Move Along is pretty accurate to it's time while still aging well. It's probably behind Bleed American in the best Pop Punk Album in my mind. It's a good listen. The only thing that hurts it from a "Pop Punk" sense, is that Tyson Ritter is just a little too good at singing.

Nightwish - Imaginareum

Label: Nuclear Blast 
Year: 2005
Genre: Symphonic Metal
Recommending Person: Sean Murray

Bummer, first lost post of the year. I had a nice flow going, but I'm going to have to go in a slightly different direction.

This record was created in coordination with the movie of the  same name. It sounds that way the entire album. I felt like it was missing visuals and didn't quite hold up with out them.

The music itself is still powerful, but maybe it was my lack of concentration that led to a lack of narrative feel they had as a goal. I didn't fall in love with any single track and I think its because the vocals put me off in an odd way. The quality itself is not poor, maybe it's just not my cup of tea. I love the final track, it's instrumental and I think it's the tour de force of the entire album. I love that I listened to this record because it is outside of my cultural bubble.

Death Cab for Cutie - Plans

Year: 2005
Genre: Indie Rock
Label: Atlantic
Recommending Person: Karen Miles

Death Cab for Cutie came into my life at the perfect time. Transatlanticism was pretty big when I was in High School 2003. The Sound of Settling is one of my favorite songs of all-time. However, this is their more successful and in my opinion best album they ever released.

When I started this project I asked for recommendations from anyone and everyone. I wanted as an eclectic mix as possible for the entire year, to get out of the same routine of music I would constantly play on repeat, and to expand my horizons. However, I also wanted people I cared about to help me with the project as well. People helping me by giving me a personal, thoughtful endorsement will help me share something that is important to them. Karen (Wayne) Miles was the person who believed I should listen to this. I have to say initially I was a little bummed out.

Why? Karen and I were decently close in High School, She was there for me probably more than I ever was for her, and that always made me disappointed. We probably got a little more separated through Senior year, and then we both went to separate colleges. I visited a few times, but every time I saw her we both were different people. One time I remember seeing her in the day time, inebriated, it was probably during unofficial, and I ran up and gave her a big hug lifting her up. It was awkward, very awkward. I never really interacted with her that way in high school, we hadn't talked in a good while, she probably didn't even know I was in town, but it kind of just put the period at the end of our relationship. No one was at fault for the eventually lapsing of friendship, we were people who moved on and didn't try to stay in each others lives. I still care for Karen, she seems happy, and successful, and slightly warmer in North Carolina over Illinois. This suggestion just reminded me that I let a good friend go before I would have liked.

Yet, it was a great decision by Karen. She thought about it for a long time and it shows. The entire album is fantastic and it was beautiful. The album made me think of Karen and that made it perfect.