The La's - The La's (1990)

First and only release by this upbeat Liverpool-based pop/alt rock band, most people think of them as a one-hit-wonder (the hit being "There She Goes", yeah, this is that band), but as far as I'm concerned this is an essential album for anyone who enjoys catchy hooks and memorable melodies (which is everyone, you pretentious fucks)

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John Frusciante - To Record Only Water for Ten Days (2001)

This is Frusciante's third album, which was released when he started to kick his drug habit and incorporate a lot of electronic and synth-based elements into his unique brand of psychedelic alt rock

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Mixtape: (Couldn't Pretend to Be) Alive

A little tape I made for the start of summer. It's a bit more angsty in a couple of places than it probably should be, but still a fun thing to drive around to. Expect to see a lot more of these in the next few months, and for them to be even more upbeat than this one. Happy summer everyone!

Title: (Couldn't Pretend to Be) Alive
Length: 1:00:33
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1. The Clash - "Lost in the Supermarket"
2. LCD Soundsystem - "North American Scum"
3. The Matches - "Eryn Smith"
4. Seagull Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her - "Angel"
5. Blind Melon - "I Wonder"
6. Max Richter - "H in New England"
7. MC Lars - "Rapgirl"
8. The Ecstasy of Saint Theresa - "What's"
9. Acoustic Ladyland - "Iggy"
10. At the Drive-In - "Schaffino"
11. Motion City Soundtrack - "Attractive Today"
12. Porcupine Tree - "Trains"
13. Whole Wheat Bread - "Bombs Away"
14. Skipping Girl Vinegar - "One Chance"
15. Jimmy Eat World - "Thinking, That's All"
16. Snowing - "Important Things (Specter Magic)"
17. mc chris - "arulapragasam"
18. Softlightes - "The Microwave Song"

Deep Puddle Dynamics - The Taste of Rain...Why Kneel (1999)

One-off hip-hop collab between a bunch of anticon dudes (Sole, Dose One, and Alias) and Slug (from Atmosphere), really moody and abstract stuff, highly recommended for anyone with even the slightest interest in hip-hop

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The Incredible Moses Leroy - The Incredible Moses Leroy Become the Soft.Lightes (2003)

Oh contemplative midnight albums full of infectiously mellow indie pop, how I love you

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Goldfish Don't Bounce - The Space Between (2005)

Totally chilled out and laid back ska, almost like a lounge band. If the Cranberries made ska punk music, this is what I imagine they'd sound like

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Off With Their Heads - From the Bottom (2008)

Most recent album from this four-piece pop-punk/hardcore group, I think it's much better than Hospitals (not to dis that album), and this is excellent music for when you want to give the world the big 'fuck you' that it probably deserves (and have fun doing it)

This is the 100th post on WTT, how the time flies

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Previous Posts:
Hospitals

Off With Their Heads - Hospitals (2006)

Another pop-punk band out of Minneapolis, with some serious hardcore vibes

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The Go! Team - Proof of Youth (2007)

I'm not very good at describing music that's as ridiculous as this, but last.fm calls them a "mixture of action theme songs, cheerleader chants, noise-pop guitars and early hip-hop, with a hint of ’70s funk", so make of that what you will

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Motion City Soundtrack

Alrighty. I didn't really plan on doing an artist feature post for these dudes, but I uploaded all their albums last night and I decided to post them all at once. They're just a tiny bit more successful than the artists who have actually asked me to post their music on the blog, so clearly this post isn't sponsored by the band or label (if you're an Epitaph rep and you're reading this, please don't sue me, that wouldn't be cool).

Motion City Soundtrack is currently a five-piece pop-punk/powerpop band out of Minneapolis. In my experience, a lot of people seem to write these guys off as "just another emo rock band" or whatever, but they really are a cut above most of the other bands they get associated with. And more importantly than any of that, they're a lot of fun, and at the end of the day, isn't that what matters? If you're looking for a starting place, I would probably recommend Commit This to Memory, but all three albums are great.

By the way, if you haven't noticed, I've been posting a lot of pop-punk and such lately. That's because it's summer, which means I actually stop being a mopey asshole for a few months. Get used to it.

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I Am the Movie

Commit This to Memory

Even If it Kills Me

Passion Pit - Chunk of Change (2008)

Debut release from these Cambridge electro-rockers, it's equally mellow and danceable, and let's just say there's a damn good reason you've been hearing so much about these dudes in the last few months based on nothing more than this six-track EP

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!!! - !!! (2001)

The first album from this Cali dance-punk group doesn't really compare to their more recent work, but it's not a BAD release by any means, and I uploaded it by request since it's impossible to search for (I guess their, uhh, unique name at least serves a purpose, although that doesn't make it any less obnoxious)

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The Jesus Lizard - Blue (1998)

Last (?) release by the recently-reunited titans of noise rock, if you've never listened to them, this is as good a place as any to start

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Snapcase - Progression Through Unlearning (1997)

Hardcore band out of Buffalo, they kinda hint at metalcore but not so much as to be obnoxious

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Whole Wheat Bread - Hearts of Hoodlums (2009)

This three-piece band combines pop-punk, hardcore, and crunk rap, and even though they still have some growing up to do, I promise they're way better than that genre description makes them sound, also if you get a chance to see them live, do it, because they put on a great show

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