Illmatic is easily the best rap record ever recorded. The production was handled mostly by Large Professor and DJ premier with a few tracks produced by other producers such as Q-Tip. All the beats are very New York, dark and grimey in nature but also soulful. The lyrics are of the highest quality considering this is Nas we are talking about. Most of them are narratives of street life and while sometimes bleak they don't cease to be somewhat uplifting as well. Nas's flow is pretty legendary so there isnt much to be said for that.
Standout tracks: NY State of Mind, Halftime and The World is Yours.
If you enjoy this check out B.I.G, AZ, Main Source and Kool G Rap.
The Broadway's Broken Star is the best pop punk album ever created. Period. Sorry D4. Sorry Screeching Weasel. When it comes to the instruments and the way they are played it is all pretty standard punk fare. What sets this album apart are two things: songwriting and lyrics. The songs are sometimes unusually long hitting 3 minutes + on a lot of the songs which for a punk band is pretty hard to do. The songs never get boring and they all sound different to an extent while still retaining that signature Broadways sound. Lyrically the album deals with socio-political issues, topics covered include the nature of thanksgiving and the burden that our material possessions put on us. The Broadways also have an X-factor which I can't put my finger on but make them so emotionally powerful. In Brendan Kelly's voice I hear a sense of urgency like everything he is saying he truly feels. That is what takes this album from just good to amazing.
Standout tracks: I Hear Things Are Just As Bad..., Everything I Ever Wanted to Know.... and Fuck You Larry Koesche.
If you enjoy this check out Fifteen, Jawbreaker and the Lawrence Arms.
Get it Away is one of the most ferocious recordings ever. Everything about this album is just mean and fucking pissed off. Springa, the vocalist is a madman, he sounds like he recorded this in a straightjacket bouncing off the walls at an asylum. The band also added a second guitarist for this album and it definitely shows. SSD was pretty famous for being hardline edge and that is what most of the lyrics deal with and although I am not edge I definitely hate all those smokers and drinkers when I listen to this album. The biggest drawback is that this album ends way too soon. At 7 tracks (one being a Buzzcocks cover) it clocks in at just over 11 minutes. Get this album!
Standout tracks: ALL SEVEN
If you enjoy this check out Jerry's Kids, DYS and the F.U.'s
The last album is Nebraska by Springsteen. Nebraska is a unique album in the Springsteen catalog being one of only three straight folk albums. This is by far the best folk album he recorded and in my opinion his best album period. The only instruments used are his voice, an acoustic guitar, electric guitar on one song and a harmonica. The lyrics tell stories about blue collar workers, most of the time they are bleak and depressing. The somber tone of the album is present throughout, with only a slight amount of optimism in the final track. I recommend this to anyone who is a fan of country, blues or just straight up folk.
Standout tracks: Atlantic City, Reason to Believe and Highway Patrolman.
If you enjoy this check out more Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt.
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