Album Playlist: 1/23/12

There For Tomorrow - A Little Faster
(2009) (B+)

There For Tomorrow just feels criminally underrated to me. They're much better than the scene that they are associated with, and the bands that they tour with do nothing to remove those associations. A Little Faster shows that There For Tomorrow can create an extremely strong record, with not one weak song out of the eleven on the album. Maika Maile's vocals are powerful, and each of the band members' have tightened up their instrumental skills from the self-titled EP. With three ballads, a couple mid tempo anthems, and a bunch of uptempo rockers, A Little Faster is fantastic.
Key Tracks: "Stories", "Wish You Away", "The Remedy"
Recommended If You Like: Anberlin, Ivoryline

Album Playlist: 1/18/12

Mae - The Everglow
(2005) (A)

The Everglow is a top five favorite album of all time to me. The entire record is perfectly flowing from one song to the next, and every single song is extremely memorable. "We're So Far Away" is one of the best piano ballads ever. Honestly, this record has zero weaknesses, though it doesn't hit me as hard as Everything In Transit and Leaving Through The Window do.
Key Tracks: This is not an album to listen to individual tracks to, but if you really want some, "The Everglow", "We're So Far Away", "Someone Else's Arms"


Recommended If You Like: Piano supported, guitar based pop rock. Really though, everyone should be able to love this album.

Check below the jump for one of my favorite records of 2011 by Those Dancing Days and Mayday Parade's comeback record.

Album Playlist: 1/17/12

With the announcement of SPIN Reviews, a twitter account run by SPIN reviewers to push out 140 character max reviews, the art of the review has become much less sophisticated than it has been in the past. But while the descriptions are much less in depth, it allows the writers to talk about a larger amount of albums in a shorter time. I'm now going to introduce the Album Playlist feature to the site, where I will grade and put a short description of the albums I listen to on a specific day. All grades are subject to change, as they will be based off all the listens of the album up to the specific date of the article. Grades will be based on the letter scale as used on the site, but borderline grades (B+/B, B-/C+) will be included. Read below for impressions of Houston Calls' best album, as well as two The Rocket Summer classics.

Houston Calls - A Collection Of
Short Stories (2005) (B)

Houston Calls is (probably) reuniting. So I had to take a listen to A Collection Of Short Stories for the first time in a while. It's definitely a fun listen, perfect for working out or driving. The catchy hooks are only amplified by the synth lines. But while the tracks do blend together, there isn't a poor moment in the album.
Key Tracks: "Exit, Emergency", "Bob and Bonnie"
Recommended If You Like: Pop punk that leans to the poppy side that is full of synths and keys, a la Motion City Soundtrack or Farewell.