5 albums you should listen to

*There is no particular order to this list

5. Neutral Milk Hotel – On Avery Island

Neutral Milk Hotel released one of the most influential albums, and one of my personal favorite albums, of the late ‘90s, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea. Aeroplane is considered by many, including myself, a masterpiece. Because of its success, the rest of Neutral Milk Hotel’s music was somewhat overlooked. I don’t claim that On Avery Island is better than In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, because it’s not, but it is an album that deserves more recognition than it has. It follows the same formats as Aeroplane, a mix of soft guitar ballads by Jeff Mangum, and loud rambunctious rock songs, with loud hi-fi guitar riffs. While it is produced differently than Aeroplane it is still uniquely Neutral Milk Hotel, and a more than decent album.

4. Thee Oh Sees – Floating Coffin

Thee Oh Sees (Otherwise known as Oh Sees, and OCS) is a San Francisco punk rock project fronted by John Dwyer, who’s been referred to as the Rocky Erikkson (Of 13th Floor Elevators) of his generation. Floating Coffin is one of the most prolific albums Dwyer has put out. It features the powerful twangy delay-soaked guitar hooks seen on many other albus bys Thee Oh Sees. But in the case of Floating Coffin, the production is matched with brilliant and diverse songwriting, which is a common Thee Oh Sees theme, but Floating Coffin features some of Dwyer’s best songwriting.

3. The Growlers – Hung at Heart

The Growlers are a lo-fi Surf-rock band from Dana Point, California. They’ve been doing it since 2006, and during this time have refined their sound many times over. Hung at Heart is a combination of the things they do best. It utilizes the melancholy guitar-hooks, and lyrics of Chinese Fountain, but retains some of the lo-fi production of earlier works. Not to mention the spot on vocal delivery by frontman and lead singer Brooks Nielsen. This album is a great listen with a hint of longing, loneliness, and surfy undertones.

2. Spoon – A Series of Sneaks

Spoon is a relatively well known band in the indie world, they’ve put out nine full length albums in their lifetime, and several more EP’s and singles. Among these albums is A Series of Sneaks, their second full length and what I would consider to be my favorite. The albums opens up with the chime of bells, and immediately goes into a catchy chugging guitar riff, followed by distinct Spoon vocals done by lead singer Britt Daniel. It has a m. Unlike Spoon albums to follow, A Series of Sneaks has a more Pixies-esque punk sound more akin to Telephono/Soft Effects, their first LP/double EP, making it a great record for punk-rock fanatics and hardcore Spoon fans.

1. King GIzzard and the Lizard Wizard – Quarters!

King Gizz is an Australian psych-rock group that never sleeps. They average at about two or three records per year, they already have four out this year, and have one more planned for 2017. But Quarters! Stands apart because it is a 40 minute full length LP containing only four songs. The idea of the record was to record four almost equally lengthed songs, hence the name Quarters!. This album combines mid-fi psych-rock with jazzy 5/4 chord progressions. This is just one of King Gizz’s many over the top albums.