The Top 31 of 2007 - #19

Cale's Pick

Eisley: Combinations
Released: August 14, 2007

"Wow. This is sad. How awful." That's essentially what I thought the first time I heard Combinations. I was like a little kid who pushes away his mother's casserole at the dinner table because he says he doesn't like it, when in reality it's just different. This was not Eisley. This was a bastardization of Eisley, sure, but not Eisley. Then, as is the case more than I'd like it to be, I had to review the album and actually listen to it. What I found was that this was Eisley, only a more mature group. Gone are the playful lyrics about fairies and pieces of paper. The DuPree sisters actually sing about real things this time, like (wait for it....) relationships. And while it may be a bit jarring at first, it quickly embeds itself into your mind to where you're forced to listen to it whether you want to or not. If you're like me, you'll wind up wanting to. Because as different as Combinations may sound, it is still very good, and very enchanting. It didn't get the attention it should have when it released (which was very close to The New Pornographers, Rilo Kiley, and M.I.A., after all), but that doesn't make it any less of an album. If you get the chance, give Combinations an open mind and a listen. You won't regret it.

For that one night when I couldn't fall asleep because I had the chorus to "Come Clean" stuck in my head, I'll go ahead and give Eisley the #19 spot on my list.

The Top 31 Songs of 2007 - #19

"The Men Who Live Upstairs" by The Most Serene Republic, from the album, Populations.

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Jill's PickFall Out Boy: Infinity on High

Released: February 6, 2007

So, um, yeah. My choices in music so very rarely ever (ever) embarrass me, but this one does. I can't help it.

Fall Out Boy. You read that correctly. Fall Out Boy. Hey, no one is more surprised than I am. It's funny how these things happen because you say to yourself, yeah, there's no way I could ever be a fan of ... and then it happens one morning at 5:45 a.m. when you're watching videos the one time of day MTV actually shows them. The song is kind of catchy and the video is cute. Hey, it's chimps after all, directing a video within a video. Pete Wentz is really skinny for a man in scary way and that normal looking blonde guy is the lead singer? Really? When does he ever get talked about, you wonder when you watch said video for the 900th time in a week and find yourself liking it. So you add the song to your iPod and you're in someone's car and they're playing the cd and you say out loud "Hey, this isn't so bad." (Which nets you a slam of brakes and a "REALLY?") (Because it's that surprising I would like Fall Out Boy.)

That's how it happened.

I wouldn't label Fall Out Boy Punk Rock or even Rock. Alternative maybe. They're kind of easily interchangeable between Rock and Alternative, but Punk is taking it WAY too far. I'm attracted to their very long, goofy song titles and the fact that they are smart alacks who really love themselves and are happy to tell you about it. There's appeal to that kind of bravado (sometimes) (this time) even if there's really nothing that sets Fall Out Boy apart from other...generic...bands.

Let's call it a guilty pleasure and leave it at that.

My favorite: "Thnks Fr Th Mmrs" (which maybe could be amusing to me because I had a relationship end via text message once.)

Songs you should at least give a listen to should you find yourself subjected to this particular Fall Out Boy album:
--"Golden "
--"Thnks Fr Th Mmrs "
--"You're Crashing But Your No Wave "
--"Don't You Know Who I Think I Am? "