The Century So Far in Music Part III

The Best Albums of 2010 through 2014

Here’s the third part of this journey through favorite albums of the century (so far). Buckle up, this is a big one. There are 27 albums on this list.

27. White Crosses - Against Me!

This is the June 2010 follow up to New Wave which was on the last list. Like its predecessor, it was produced by the legendary producer Butch Vig. It reached #34 on the US Billboard 200 and contains one of their most popular songs (as far as I can tell) “I Was a Teenage Anarchist.” It also includes “High Pressure Low” and “Rapid Decompression” which are also great songs.

26. Heart Beats Pacific - Banner Pilot

Banner Pilot is a punk band that was based out of Minneapolis. They are a band that I had heard of but never really got into until over the course of the last couple of years. This one is their 3rd studio album and their 2nd on the Fat Wreck Chords label. It was released in October 2011. In addition to a lot of great songs (like the opener “Alchemy”) it includes my favorite Banner Pilot song “Spanish Reds.”

25. Til Midnight - Chuck Ragan

The first entry on this list by Hot Water Music singer/guitarist Chuck Ragan, this 4th solo album by the artist was released in March 2014 by SideOneDummy Records. It includes quite a few guest vocalists such as Dave Hause, Chad Price, and Jon Snodgrass. Some of my favorite songs from this release include the opener “Something May Catch Fire,” “Not Typical,” and “Vagabond".”

24. This Addiction - Alkaline Trio

This 7th studio album by the Chicago punk trio was released by Epitaph Records (and their own label Heart & Skull) in February 2010. It debuted on the US Billboard 200 at #11 and hit #1 on the US Alternative chart, the US Independent Albums chart, and the US Rock Albums chart. Favorites from this one are the title track, “Dorothy,” “Draculina,” and “Dine Dine My Darling.”

23. Report - The Copyrights

This was the Carbondale, Illinois-based pop punk band’s 6th studio album and their last on the Red Scare Industries label before jumping over to Fat Wreck Chords. It was released in August 2014. I first saw this band when they opened for Dogwood at a venue called The Conservatory (which no longer exists) in Oklahoma City. I was immediately drawn to them. They are definitely worth checking out if you never have.

22. The Beauty Between - RVIVR

RVIVR is a band based out of Olympia, WA that started in 2008 after the breakup of the band Latterman. I’m not sure if the band actually exists or not. The Beauty Between was released in March 2013 and is the band’s 2nd (and to date final) full length album. It was originally released by Dead Broke Rekerds but has been re-released by other labels such as Don Giovanni Records. Great batch of tunes including “LMD,” “Wrong Way/One Way,” “Paper Thin,” “Ocean Song,” and “Spider Song.”

21. Exister - Hot Water Music

I like this band quite a bit. However, strangely, although I like a lot of their songs, this album is the only one that stands out to me. I got into this band very late and it might be because this is the first album that I heard from them after having gotten into them. Who knows. It was released in May 2012 by Rise Records and was recorded, like a lot of great albums, at the Blasting Room in Ft. Collins, Colorado. This was also their first album to be released in 8 years, following 2004s The New What Next. It includes songs such as “Paid in Full,” “Pledge Wore Thin,” “State of Grace,” “Drag My Body,” and “Take No Prisoners.”

20. Endgame - Rise Against

This is my favorite album from the Chicago punk band. It is the follow up to the album Appeal to Reason which you saw on the last post. This one was released in March 2011 by DGC/Interscope. Like its predecessor, it is heavy on social and political commentary. Also like its predecessor, it was recorded at The Blasting Room and produced by Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore. It peaked at #2 on the US Billboard 200 but hit #1 on several charts such as the US Top Hard Rock Albums chart, Us Top Rock Albums chart, and the UK Rock and Metal Albums chart. It contains what is still one of my favorite songs by the band, the opening track “Architects.” Other favorites of mine from the album include “Help Is On the Way,” “Make It Stop,” “Satellite,” “Survivor Guilt,” and “This Is Letting Go.”

19. American Slang - The Gaslight Anthem

The first of a couple of albums that will appear on this list by this New Jersey based rock band. This one is the band’s 3rd album and was released by SideOneDummy Records in June 2010. I got to see this band live in Dallas at Riot Fest when it was still a traveling tour. I remember being disappointed that their set was too short. This one hit #16 on the US Billboard 200. This band is influenced by artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, and The Clash and this album is rooted in those influences.

18. In Desolation - Off With Their Heads

Another band that will appear on this list twice is the Minneapolis based Off With Their Heads. I had never heard of this band prior to seeing them live at the aforementioned Conservatory venue. They were touring for another album that you will see later. I don’t remember who they were opening for. Teenage Bottlerocket? Masked Intruder? Meh, I can’t remember. But I remember thinking that this band was absolutely great. This album is their 2nd full length album and was released in June 2010 on Epitaph Records.

17. Titles - Red City Radio

This album by the Oklahoma City based punk band was their 2nd full length album (after quite a few EPs) and was released in October 2013 by Paper + Plastick Records. I’ve seen this band quite a few times live. I’m pretty sure that they have disbanded now though. My favorite songs from it are “Two Notes Shy of an Octave,” “Show Me On the Doll Where the Music Touched You,” “Joy Comes With the Morning,” “and “A Joke With No Words.”

16. Everything Will Be Alright in the End - Weezer

From what I have heard from other people, this 9th studio album by the band’s is not a favorite but, for me, it is my favorite after their self-titled debut “blue” album. Despite what I have heard from people I have talked to about it, it actually did well critically and commercially. It is the only album of theirs that was released on the Republic label and it was released in October 2014. It is also the only album other than blue and green to be produced by Ric Ocasek. It is a departure from the albums that it follows (Raditude and Hurley) musically in that it moves away from the electronic experimentation and returns to the sound of the earlier albums. It reached #5 on the US Billboard 200 and #2 on the US Top Rock Albums chart. The first single from the album, “Back to the Shack,” is not one of my favorites from the album but my favorites include “Lonely Girl,” “The British Are Coming,” “Da Vinci,” “Cleopatra,” and “Foolish Father.”

15. Rented World - The Menzingers

This band appears on my top 100 quite a few times. This one is the band’s 4th studio album and was released in April 2014 by Epitaph Records. It includes one of their most popular tunes (I think) in “I Don’t Wanna Be an Asshole Anymore.” There are a lot of good tunes on this one such as “Bad Things,” “In Remission,” “Nothing Feels Good Anymore,” “Transient Love,” and one of my favorite tunes from the band “Where Your Heartache Exists.”

14. Metropole - The Lawrence Arms

My favorite album from the Chicago band. It was released in January 2014 by Epitaph. It is the 6th full length album from the band. My favorite TLA songs “Beautiful Things” and “Never Fade Away” are from this album. It also contains the songs “Seventeener,” “The YMCA Down the Street From the Clinic,” and “Chilean District.” TLA is another one band that I got into quite late in life. In fact, I think this is the first album that I heard from them. Even then, I wasn’t a big fan and didn’t really get into this until much later.

13. M.I. - Masked Intruder

This Madison, Wisconsin based pop punk band is just pure fun to listen to. I’ve seen them a few times live and they put on a fun show as well. M.I. was their 2nd studio album and was released by Fat Wreck Chords in May 2014.

12. Hang - Lagwagon

And here is another punk band that I got into late. While I had heard of them and heard them a long time ago, like back in the early/mid 90s, I was never a big fan until several years ago. Now I am a huge fan. This album contains the song that, for whatever reason, really got me into the band. That song was “The Cog in the Machine.” The album was released in October 2014 by Fat Wreck Chords. Some other favorite songs of mine from the album include “Drag,” “Obsolte Absolute,” and “Poison in the Well.”

11. Leave a Light On - 7 Seconds

Released in May 2014 by Rise Records, it is the last album released by the band. I’ve been into this band since the late 80s, after hearing Walk Together Rock Together. I saw them at Riot Fest in 2022. Even though I really love that album, it is safe to say that, at least for me, this is my favorite 7 Seconds album. It is a great representation of their entire career. Besides the title track, which is great, it also includes greats such as “Slogan on a Shirt,” “I Have Faith in You,” “My Aim Is You,” and “Exceptional.”

10. In the Throes - John Moreland

This Tulsa based Americana/folk rock artist is one hell of a song writer and no album solidifies that more than this album. It is his 2nd “solo” studio album, or perhaps his 5th? Confused? Well, his first 3 albums were with his backing bands (either Black Gold Band or Dust Bowl Souls). Shit. I just realized that the album Endless Oklahoma Sky should have ended up on this list. Son of a bitch. Oh well, too late to fix it now. Shit happens. Anyway, In The Throes was released in June 2013. Some of my favorites from this one include “Nobody Gives a Damn About Songs Anymore,” “Blacklist,” “3:59,” “Break My Heart Sweetly,” “Oh Julia,” and “Blues & Kudzu.”

9. Devour - Dave Hause

Another solo artist for the list. How did I get into this guy again? I don’t remember how I heard about him. Probably from Dave. Anyway, this is not the first album that I heard from him. That was probably 2011s Resolutions. This one, released by Rise Records in October 2013, is his 2nd LP. I knew I was going to like this album when the lead off single “We Could Be Kings” was released in July of that year. I’ve seen this guy live a few times and would absolutely see him again. Some of my favorite songs from Devour are “Damascus,” “The Great Depression,” the aforementioned single, “Autism Vaccine Blues,” and “Benediction.”

8. On the Impossible Past - The Menzingers

Another entry from this Pennsylvania outfit, this one was their 3rd studio album and was released in February 2012 by Epitaph. It was their first released by the label. The songs “Good Things,” “Ava House,” “Mexican Guitars,” “The Obituaries,” “Burn After Writing,” and my favorite song by the band, “Casey” are from this album.

7. Handwritten - The Gaslight Anthem

The New Jersey boys return. This was the follow up to the aforementioned American Slang from #19. This was their major label debut, released by Mercury Records in July 2012. It reached #3 on the US Billboard 200 and #1 on the US Top Rock Albums chart. Here’s a list of some of my favorites from the album: “45,” “Mulholland Drive,” “Biloxi Parish,” “National Anthem,” and the title track.

6. Masked Intruder - Masked Intruder

The band’s debut album was released in August 2012 by Red Scare Industries. It contains the fan favorite song (for good reason) “Heart Shaped Guitar” as well as some other favorites such as “25 to Life,” “I Don’t Wanna Be Alone Tonight,” and “Why Don’t You Love Me In Real Life.”

5. This Is Only a Test - Smoking Popes

It is safe to say that I’m a big fan of this band. It is the 2nd LP to be released after their reunion and was released in March 2011 by Asian Man Records. It is a concept album. I wrote a review of this album back in July of that year for my Wordpress blog.

4. Tape Deck Heart - Frank Turner

Another entry by a solo artist. You will see this guy on the list again. This one was released in April 2013 by Xtra Mile Recordings. It is the 5th LP by this English singer-songwriter. According to the artist, it was written after a very bitter breakup and deals a lot with loss and relationships. It reached #52 on the US Billboard 200 and #2 on the UK Albums chart. Some of my favorites from the album include “Plain Sailing Weather,” “The Fisher King Blues,” “Polaroid Picture,” “Four Simple Words,” “The Way I Tend To Be,” and “Recovery.”

3. Home - Off With Their Heads

This is the album that they were touring for when I saw them live. This is an incredible piece of work. It was released in March 2013 by Epitaph and was recorded at The Blasting Room by Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore. My favorite songs include “Start Walking,” “Shirts,” “Nightlife,” “Focus On Your Own Family,” and “Altar Boy.”

2. The Methadones - The Methadones

Technically, this is a compilation album so it shouldn’t even be included on this list but damnit, it’s my list and I’m including it! It does include newly recorded songs so it is technically only a partial compilation album in that it also includes 6 songs from a split with The Copyrights that was released in June 2008 as well as some singles that are out of print. It was released by Asian Man Records in November 2010. My favorites include “Murmurs in the Dark,” “Gary Glitter,” “Easter Island,” “On The Clock,” “3-2-1,” “Arial,” “April Rain,” and “Self Destruct.”

1. 7 Degrees of Stephen Egerton - Stephen Egerton

This album by the Descendents/ALL guitarist was released in May 2010 by Paper + Plastick. It is a project where the guitar player wrote a bunch of songs and had his friends come in and sing on them. It includes the vocal stylings of artists such as John Moreland, Milo Aukerman, Scott Reynolds, Jon Snodgrass, Chad Price, Tim McIlrath, and Joey Cape, among others. This is such a great album on so many levels. The songs on it are great of course. I also have a sentimental attachment to this album. When Stephen did a 2 city tour in support of the album, he visited Oklahoma City’s aforementioned Conservatory venue. It was at this show that I married my current wife. It was preplanned through Stephen and I that he would stop the show at a certain point, bring Mandy and I up on stage and perform the ceremony. After which, Scott Reynolds toasted everybody with shots of Jameson. Great show. Great memories. Great times. Great album.

That’s Stephen himself in the first frame and Jon Snodgrass lurking in the back of the 2nd frame.

Anyway, that’s it for 2010 through 2014. Stay tuned for more. I still have 2015-2019 and 2020-2024 to go.