Honesty is sick...

This album should be just as acclaimed as Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division. A post punk classic, but it's also much more than post punk. It's kind of metal, kind of funky, kind of electronic and you can definitely hear the beginning of Industrial music. But all things said, it's a punk album, and a damn good one.

Interesting side note: Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Metallica, and Tool have all credited Killing Joke for influencing much of their own material. With Foo Fighters and Metallica actually covering songs off this classic album (Requiem and The Wait respectively).

DL below.

Killing Joke - "Killing Joke"

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The Nightmare Continues...

"The blast wave from a thermonuclear explosion is being likened to enormous door slamming in the depths of hell."

Hear Nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing. Released in 1982, and at the time deemed "unmusical". Now it's seen as the first "extreme" album of all time. Highly debatable, but holy fuck this was heavy and raw for the time. I remember when I bought this CD freshmen year of high school, I was scared when I first heard it. Truly on a different level. Possibly the greatest hardcore band of all time. 12 tracks of rage and protest that stand the test of time.

Discharge - "Hear Nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing"

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I'm at home, but it don't feel the same.

Merchandise are from Florida and feature members of tons of other great punk bands. This is a cassette tape they released a couple years ago (their 2nd release). This is one of my favorite tapes in my collection. It opens with a punk rager entitled "White Walls", then weaves in and out of 4 more tracks that all sound like one big bedroom session. Sounding more like the early 90's indie rock with a post punk vibe. Sad, distant music and lyrics. Quite catchy but retains that grittiness that makes punk rock so likable. HIGHLY recommended if you like depressing sounds.

Merchandise - "Terminal Jagger Jane's Addiction Boxset"

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(not my rip of the cassette, link stolen from icoulddietomorrow.blogspot.com)

The Earth just won't seem worth your night or your day...

Current musical obsession. Slept on this album for too long. This album sounds so ahead of it's time. Released in 1972, Pink Moon is Nick Drake's 3rd and final studio album. After the album he withdrew from performing and recording and moved to his parents home. He then died in 1974 from an overdose of antidepressants at the age of 26. The sound here is sad and somber yet beautiful. Lofi and acoustic. Reminiscent of the sound that artists like Elliott Smith, Jeff Buckley and Iron and Wine would popularize decades later. Great stuff. This is my morning train ride music. Highly recommended.

Nick Drake - "Pink Moon"

  

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You deserve even worse

Insert definition of anger.
members of The Swarm and Cursed
Essential hardcore/punk
"Fuck your popularity contest, I want to see a murder contest."

Left For Dead - "Splitting Heads"

eatshit

Insane Eyes...

quick update. sorry super busy with school, work, life etc.
Here's one my favorite eps from one of my favorite bands: My Bloody Valentine
It's called "You Made Me Realise" and it contains 5 of the bands best tracks. It's different then Loveless due to the fact that these are more structured (dream) pop songs and less experimentation. I might actually like this release more, but they are both good. check it out if liked Loveless or anything from them
Bye.

My Bloody Valentine - "You Made Me Realise"

 

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I can see around my mind when you're not here

I've slept on this band so long. This is soooo good. Had to share it. More shoegaze with lots of buzzsaw guitars and dreamy vocals. Right up my alley. Here's a description from Last.fm:
Medicine is a shoegaze/dream pop band from Los Angeles, USA. They have had two distinct incarnations. The band was first formed in 1991 by guitarist and programmer Brad Laner (aka Electric Company) and signed to Rick Rubin’s American Recordings label the following year. Medicine was/is considered the American response to shoegazing bands such as My Bloody Valentine, Ride and Chapterhouse. With a signature guitar tone, created by running Brad Laner’s guitar through a Yamaha 8-track recorder, Medicine’s music managed to distinguish itself from some of the more noisy and ambiguous endeavours of the shoegazing movement. The band made a brief appearance as themselves in the film The Crow, performing Time Baby III.


Highly recommended.

Medicine - "The Buried Life"

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Each shade of blue is kept in her eyes

M83 is releasing a new album in October and touring the states in November, and I am beyond excited. One of my favorite artists. If you don't know M83 is French electronic music artist and what I'm including here is his fifth studio album Saturdays = Youth. This is my favorite album by him because it mixes electronic music with shoegaze/80s music. Seriously the sound on this album is huge. Check it out. Ignore the stupid album cover.

M83 - "Saturdays = Youth"

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Suddenly...life has new meaning

Yep, I'm going there. This is probably one of the best metal records of all time. Raw recording, scathing vocals, classic black metal riffing with ambient parts thrown in creating a unique sound that no one as matched since. Say what you want about Varg (visionary, overrated, racist, arsonist, murderer, etc), but he knows how to create great black metal records. Just recently scored this on vinyl (not an original of course) and it is beautiful.

Burzum - "Filosofem"

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I was born when God was looking away.

The Four new Fucked Up singles released with their newest album "David Comes To Life". These are out of print so here they are for those who missed out. Really cool punk with an indie/dream pop influence. Not much like them these days. One of my favorite active bands. I actually might like these singles more than the album they sprang from. Check it.

Fucked Up - 4 Singles

Byrdesdale Garden City b/w Into The Light

Do All Words Can Do b/w What Would You Do?

Remember Me b/w What They Didn't Know

Octavio Made The Bomb

  

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Now it's hard for me to show you anything I write...

Tigers Jaw is an indie rock band from Scranton Pennsylvania. This is their EP from 2009 titled Spirit Desire. This is really good, sad, indie rock music that gives nods to pop punk without sounding like all the new crap that's being spewed out these days by so called "hardcore" dudes. Reminds me of a mix of stuff like Jawbreaker, Archers of Loaf, and early Saves the Day. I saw this band play 3 songs in an overly packed backyard somewhere in Oxnard(?) California after Sound and Fury 2010 festival was shut down by the cops. It was incredible. Get their full length albums too. On repeat all Summer.

Tigers Jaw - "Spirit Desire"

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Kiss me in the shadow of a doubt

Here's my favorite Sonic Youth album. EVOL is their 4th album and it was released in 1986. To be honest their discography is so immense that I haven't heard all of them but this one has definitely stuck. To me it would seem that this album/band had a huge influence on the whole Shoegaze style, but don't let that fool its still noisy and punk as fuck. Highly recommended. Also just read an interview somewhere where Thurston Moore (Vocals & Guitar) talks about his love for black metal. Interesting. None the less if you want to get into Sonic Youth and don't know where to start. I recommend this one.

Sonic Youth - "EVOL"

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I am no theif...

This reeks of despair. New hardcore/emo band from Arizona called Alexander Korda. Even though I don't listen to much stuff from that style, this is really fucking good. The demo has that dynamic that allows it to go from serenity to chaos in the matter of seconds. Reminds me of Orchid or Comadre but much more raw, which I love. Also one of my best friends does the vocals. So Dee El this and check them out. The demo has a french title and a cat on it. Must be good, right?

http://alexanderkorda.bandcamp.com/ 

Alexander Korda - "Vous Avez Encore Des Secrets A Dire"

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Have you ever tasted skin?

The last two At The Drive-In full lengths. Absolutely essential. If you have to ask you'll never know.
Relationship of Command is probably my favorite album of theirs, but In/Casino/Out contains my favorite song: "Napoleon Solo".

At The Drive-In - "Relationship Of Command"

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At The Drive-In - "In/Casino/Out"

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"I'm a Champion"

Can't believe I haven't posted these yet. Probably my favorite current musical act. Letlive from California play post hardcore and most people compare them to Glassjaw, particularly on these two CDs. But anyway, don't write them off as a Glassjaw clone because they have a lot to offer and they have one of the best frontmen I've ever seen, and the band plays tightly and matches his intensity. Catch them when they invade your city (heckle them to play a Refused cover) and buy their new album on Epitaph records titled Fake History. While your at it download their first two albums. Long out of print, and they'll never play these songs, but still good regardless. Links below. FFO: Glassjaw, Refused, Frodus, At the Drive In, Circa Survive, Poison the Well, etc etc etc.

Letlive - "Exhaustion, Salt Water and Everything In Between"

 

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Letlive - "Speak Like You Talk"

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She thinks she missed the train to Mars, she's out back counting stars.

Sorry for the lack of posting for those who sometimes check out my uploads.
Here's a goody for everyone, the band is called Hum and they are from Illinois. They play alternative rock with nods to punk and are considered one of the pioneers of the questionable genre people call "space rock". This album gained the band some mainstream success upon its release, but until recently it seems like few have appreciated them. Though they seem under listened at least they were still highly influential. Chino Moreno, singer of the successful Deftones actually puts this album in his top 13 albums of all time, and claims he was shooting for this guitar tone in their early albums. Also his song "Knife Party" sounds very similar to Hum's "Little Dipper". Perhaps an ode? Anyway check this record out, it's great. Also the band is playing reunion shows soon, kinda weird but im hoping we'll get a repress out of it.

Hum - "You'd Prefer An Astronaut"

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There I stand neath the Marqueen moon, just waiting...

Television from New York, formed in 1973 and undoubtedly influenced some of your favorite punk/indie/new wave bands of the late 70's thru the 80's. From Last.fm:

"Television was one of the most creative bands to emerge from New York’s underground scene of the mid-’70s, creating an influential new guitar vocabulary. While guitarists Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd liked to jam, they didn’t follow the accepted rock structures for improvisation — they removed the blues while retaining the raw energy of garage rock, adding complex, lyrical solo lines that recalled both jazz and rock. With its angular rhythms and fluid leads, Television’s music always went in unconventional directions, laying the groundwork for many of the guitar-based post-punk pop groups of the late ’70s and ’80s."

Television - "Marquee Moon"

dl here 

She was into S&M and Bible studies

Really good Indie pop from Glasgow, Scotland. In my opinion they are up there with the Smiths. Classic band. If you haven't heard them check them out. All their records are good. Here's my favorite.

Belle And Sebastian - "If You're Feeling Sinister"

here

The Bourgeoisie had better watch out for me.

Is it possible that four black dudes created the best hardcore album of all time back in 1982? You decide.

Essential listening.

 

Bad Brains - "Bad Brains ROIR Cassette"

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If there's any justice in heaven then God won't let me in

One of my favorite bands of all time. Brand New should need no introduction. Look them up if you haven't and get their records. I would post my favorite album of theirs The Devil and God Are Raging Inside of Me but i fear it would get deleted quickly, so just make sure to find that one, it's a good record. So here's more of a rarity for you. The Fight off Your Demons Demos. I don't have much info on this, I think it was released just prior to the Devil and God, and it has some cool tracks on it. There is a song called "Morrissey" where his vocals are actually reminiscent of  Morrissey's. Also the song "Brothers" is the same song as the B side "Aloc Acoc" but with different lyrics. Also this includes demo versions (with some alternate lyrics)  of "Sowing Season (Yeah)" and "Luca", which some of my favorite songs from Devil. This band can do no wrong in my eyes. Here's the tracklisting I have:

1. Untitled 01
2. Morrissey
3. Brothers
4. Untitled 04
5. Cleanser
6. Mamas (Luca)
7. Fork and Knife
8. Sowing Season (Yeah)
9. The Edge Takes Over For Vin

Brand New - "Fight Off Your Demons Demos"

 

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We're really missing you. We're really missing you.

It took me awhile to find the files for this compilation and when I did they were corrupt so I just ended up purchasing the CD. I decided to upload them for anyone that's interested. It contains some A sides, some B sides, live tracks, and some previously unreleased stuff. Essential if youre a Morrissey nut like myself. Mostly mid era stuff, so those into Southpaw, Your Arsenal, Maladjusted, etc.

Track listing from wikipedia:

1. "Sunny" – 2:43 [single A-side]
2. "At Amber" – 2:44 [B-side of "Piccadilly Palare"]
3. "Cosmic Dancer" [live in Costa Mesa, June 1, 1991] – 3:56 [previously unreleased, T. Rex cover]
4. "Nobody Loves Us" – 4:50 [B-side of "Dagenham Dave"]
5. "A Swallow on My Neck" – 2:50 [B-side of "Sunny"]
6. "Sister I'm a Poet" – 2:27 [B-side of "Everyday Is Like Sunday"]
7. "Black-Eyed Susan" – 4:07 [B-side of "Sunny"]
8. "Michael's Bones" – 3:08 [B-side of "The Last of the Famous International Playboys"]
9. "I'd Love To" [US version] – 4:50 [B-side of "The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get" US CD single]
10. "Reader Meet Author" – 3:42 [from Southpaw Grammar]
11. "Pashernate Love" – 2:23 [B-side of "You're the One for Me, Fatty"]
12. "Girl Least Likely To" – 4:51 [B-side of "November Spawned a Monster"]
13. "Jack the Ripper" [live in Paris, December 22, 1992] – 4:11 [from Beethoven was Deaf & B-side of "Now My Heart Is Full"]
14. "I've Changed My Plea to Guilty" [US version] – 3:14 [edited version of B-side of "My Love Life"]
15. "The Boy Racer" – 4:45 [from Southpaw Grammar] 
16. "Boxers" – 3:30 [single A-side 

 

Morrissey - "My Early Burglary Years"

 

 

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Dreams Reoccuring

Busted this CD out of the case yesterday, and I love it just as much as I did the day I purchased it. Husker Du is known as one of the most important indie rock bands of the 80's and Zen Arcade is a testament to the trio's song writing capabilities. It is a concept album about a runaway youth. Not only is it interesting lyrically but also musically, as it is so diverse. At the time they were one of the most experimental punk/hardcore bands of the time, and it payed off well. This is my favorite album because it's the perfect balance of their earlier hardcore sound, and their later indie rock / proto grunge sound. Good shit. check it out.

Husker Du - "Zen Arcade"

Reoccurring Dreams

And the rich eat you...

Old punk records still do it for me. They're second album plus the In God We Trust Inc EP. Jello Biafra is one of the greatest frontmen ever.

"Pull up to your sterile home, You're drained. Bite the heads off your kids, chew them well, they taste like you just slam the door."

Dead Kennedy's - Plastic Surgery Disaster w/ In God We Trust Inc.

this dl has both releases

I don't have to sell my soul, he's already in me.

Been listening to this album alot lately. Seems like I can always come back to it and it still holds up. More britpop for those into stuff like that. From LastFM: "Meshing ’60s-styled guitar pop with an understated ’80s dance beat, the band defined the British guitar pop scene of the late ’80s and early ’90s." Definitely essential in my book. The Opening track is probably one of my favorite songs ever.

The Stone Roses - "The Stone Roses"

click thisss

Take me out tonight....

How do you not own these records? Well if you didn't have them, here they are. The four studio albums by my favorite band of all time: The Smiths. Each one is essential.

The Smiths - "The Smiths"  (1984)

One 

The Smiths - "Meat Is Murder"  (1985)

Two

The Smiths - "The Queen Is Dead"  (1986)

Three 

The Smiths - "Strangeways, Here We Come"  (1987)

Four

You breathed, then you stopped

Since I saw Deftones tonight (and they were fantastic) I thought I would post some of their material. This is just some rare b side tracks, some acoustic version of songs (notably Change and Digital Bath) and my favorite part which is all the cover tracks. Here we have songs by The Smiths, Cocteau Twins, Jawbox, The Cure, Sade, and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Pretty cool to see another side of a band that most people peg into one category.

Deftones - "B-Sides and Rarities"

daolnwod

I am my mother's only one

Here are some sad tunes for you of the indie/folky/acoustic/etc type. One of those records you listen to alone, on the road, at 3AM, with nowhere to go. And apparently this album was created during 3 months of solitude in a cabin is Wisconsin. So that makes sense. It's not overproduced, yet sounds good, and it's soothing yet it sounds dark and gloomy. Check it out.

Bon Iver - "For Emma, Forever Ago"

FE,FA

More Hate Than Fear

Honestly I haven't been listening to hardcore as much as I used to anymore, but this EP still holds up really well. One of the pinnacles of 90's hardcore One King Down's Bloodlust Revenge should appease anyone that is into bands like Unbroken, Refused, Integrity, etc. This album mostly deals with topics like the straight edge, vegetarianism, abuse, etc. So unlike most hardcore bands these days One King Down had things to say. Singer Rob Fusco joined Most Precious Blood starting on their second record. Speaking of Most Precious Blood, they just released a new album which is good, and are playing shows again, including here in Arizona. Beyond stoked. Though I like MPB more, OKD is just as good and they introduced me to the former and is one of the bands that got me into hardcore punk mixed with radical politics. So here it is...

One King Down - "Bloodlust Revenge"

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Drawn to be erased

Words can't describe my love to for this record. It's soooo good. If you liked Refused - Shape of Punk to come you should check this album out. Released around the same time, this record sounds like it would be the soundtrack to the collapse of human civilization and takeover by machines and technology. Like the soundtrack to 1984 or something. Really cool record, described as being a mix of math rock, hardcore punk and indie rock. Highly influential as bands like Thrice have sited them as a main influence and have even covered them. They broke up in 1999 whilst in the process of signing with Sub Pop and about to go on a tour with At the Drive In. They should have been big. They recently reformed with members of Dillinger Escape Plan and even released a new single recently. They still have it. Someone is supposed to repress the vinyl for this. I'll be waiting patiently for it while the machines take over, because they never died...

Frodus - "And We Washed Our Weapons In The Sea"

Destroyfalseculture. 

 

Life is (still) a pigsty

In honor of Morrissey turning 52 today, I thought it would be only fitting to post some work of his. So here is his eighth solo album Ringleader of the Tormentors. To me this album is underrated and often written off as a mediocre Morrissey album. But to me this album is a favorite. It's got some of my favorite songs like "You Have Killed Me", "The Youngest was the most loved", "I'll Never be Anybody's Hero Now", and of course the 7 minute "Life is a Pigsty". So if you've never checked this album out here it is, or if you've never gotten into solo Morrissey, I'd say that now is the time. Happy Birthday Moz!

Morrissey - "Ringleader of the Tormentors"

 

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She said, "I touched the ground"

More British Shoegaze. The band is called Ride and their first full length album Nowhere is regarded as a classic just as much as My Bloody Valentine's Loveless and Slowdive's Souvlaki when it comes to shoegazer music. They were around in the early 90's and their sound was loud and noisy at times, not far off from punk rock, but they also had slower songs that sounded more like britpop acts of the time. But no matter what they always maintained melody and pop aesthetics. Members actually went on to be in the highly successful Oasis, who I might talk about another day. Until then...

Ride - "Nowhere"

yeppers

A Three Legged Workhorse

Saw this band last night and they were amazing, so I thought I'd post about them. I've never really seen a band like them, they are an experimental post rock band from Texas. So their set had no vocals, no stage banter, no bullshit, they just fucking played and that's what I loved about it. Just lots of textured soundscapes, some buildups, some noise, a bit of glitching, going from calming to explosive in the matter of seconds while remaining beautiful at the same time. All of this with the intensity of any hardcore band I've seen. Highly recommended. For fans of Explosions in the Sky, Mogwai, God is an Astronaut, etc. Here is their 2008 self titled album, which is my favorite. Also check out their new album Tunnel Blanket which was just released this year. It's a little less post rock, and more ambient, noisy and experimental, also recommended.

This Will Destroy You - "This Will Destroy You"

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Will nature make a man of me yet?

My girlfriend bought me this record and to be honest I've never heard of it before then. I believe it's just a bootleg of different recordings of songs, I actually think they are more Peel radio sessions, from 1983-1986, so basically right before The Queen is Dead.  Though it's a bootleg I still enjoy it a lot and it's a good mix of songs. We've got some singles: "This Charming Man" and "Sweet and Tender Hooligan", tracks from self titled: "Still Ill" and "Reel Around the Fountain", and a couple tracks from Meat is Murder: "Rusholme Ruffians" and "Nowhere Fast". Those last two actually being two of my favorites, particularly Rusholme which sounds like it's played much faster here. The Smiths can do no wrong, so even if you have the proper releases by them, having some bootleg songs can't hurt.

The Smiths- "The Old Guard - BBC Tapes 1983-1986"

 download.

(by the way this is not my own vinyl rip)

Blue as I write this...

Another one of my favorite bands of all time: Glassjaw. I decided to not post one of the full lengths and in place I'll post an EP of theirs, El Mark. This EP is a bit different then most of the material, the first song "El Mark" is straightfoward typical GJ song, but the next two songs we see Glassjaw opting for a softer side than usual. I would say it sounds like Glassjaw as a lounge band. Really cool. So if you don't have this, check it out and also check out their more recent material as well. In my opinion, Coloring Book might become the best thing they have ever done, but right now it's still a little behind Worship and Tribute. Give it time...

Glassjaw - "El Mark"

(not sure if this is the actual artwork, my itunes has a different one but I'm not sure which is right)

Link removed. Just find it somewhere else it aint hard

Your blood is sweet like wine

Just got finished with a haircut, I hate them, they're always so awkward. So In celebration of my new haircut I am going to do a double post today of some albums I've been listening to a lot recently. 2 extremely different albums, but by one incredible band: Cave In. First I'll give you their first full length Until Your Heart Stops. On this album the band is playing chaotic hardcore/metalcore with the technical precision of bands like Converge, Coalesce and Dillinger Escape Plan. Good stuff for those of you into heavier music. On Cave In's next album Jupiter, they completely changed things up and made an alternative rock album, which today is regarded as "space rock". On this album they take after the band Failure, but I also feel like people into Mars Volta, Thrice, and I know my girlfriend will disagree with this, but Incubus, might be into this album. When it came out a publisher wrote that it was like an "emo metal Radiohead". Laughable description but interesting none the less. Not sure which album I like better, since they sound like completely different bands, but both seem to stand the test of time. Enjoy.

Cave In - "Until Your Heart Stops"

 download.

Cave In - "Jupiter"

 

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Your lips close to my lips

Sitting here studying for my last final, which is tomorrow, and the music of choice tonight is Depeche Mode. So here is their most successful album, 1990's Violator. I feel that this album is a good place to start for those who haven't really listened to them. Black Celebration and Music For the Masses are also favorites of mine, so check those out too in case I never post them. For fans of electronic pop, dance, synth, post punk, etc. Also this is one of my favorite album covers of all time.

Depeche Mode - "Violator"

 

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Tiptoe down to the lonely places

Another no brainer. This album redefined what it meant to be heavy and loud and in my opinion completely changed indie music. I feel like so many bands just try to rip off things that MBV have already done. They are from Ireland and they are the most infamous shoegaze band of all time. I've read that they were so loud at concerts that people would throw up. Not sure if theres truth in that, but I wouldn't mind finding out for myself. Anyone into Shoegaze, Psychedelia, or even punk should (or probably already do) have this album. Here it is. Warning: this album is a beast.
  

My Bloody Valentine - "Loveless"

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I'll always be true to you

I can't believe I haven't posted this yet. My favorite Morrissey album. Every song is classic. If you haven't heard, why don't you find out for yourself.

 Morrissey - "Vauxhall And I"

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