Young Writers Society

I reckon that I will go against my own rules and name a few of my favourite albums..

1))Mylo Xyloto-Coldplay(2011):
An album that was sorely underrated in my opinion. Coldplay ventured into risky territory with this album, and received criticism for it. But in my opinion, Mylo Xyloto is a cascade of seamlessly crafted electronic rock and pop elements. The album goes from strength to strength, and emotion to emotion. Listening to this bright and colourful piece of artistry, you feel joy, hope, sadness, inspiration, serenity, and it's the album that I think of whenever someone moans about how deathly boring Coldplay are. I can always come back to it, and never get tired of it!

Favourite song: Don't Let It Break Your Heart, (Not Paradise for once .)

2)I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful, yet so unaware of it -The 1975 (2016)
This one is fairly recent, and The 1975 are a band that I have discovered fairly recently, yet listening to this, I can't comprehend why I hadn't heard of them before! I like it when you sleep has such an intelligence and excitement to it. Matt Healy's lyrics are quirky and unique, and the band couldn't care less about the status quo of modern pop music. Synthesizers, guitars, drums, processed vocals, and unprocessed vocals blend together in a masterpiece of electronic pop.

Favourite song: The Ballad of Me and My Brain

3)Settle-Disclosure(2014):
Disclosure are a duo that I believe will eventually reach the legendary status of Daft Punk. Their talent is unbelievable, and this certainly shines through on Settle, a sexy ,pulse pounding, fist pumping, compilation of classic dance music tracks, Settle Settle allowed Disclosure to break onto the mainstream scene, while bringing back classic 90s house music. Don't forget, without Disclosure, it would be unlikely there'd be Sam Smith, Aluna George, Jamie Woon, etc.
Favourite song: F for You

This is actually quite the thought-provoking topic for me, actually! I'll go ahead and jump right into some of my favorite albums of the 21st century, in no particular order, since I like them for different reasons. Since I like them all for different reasons, it's hard to pick an absolute one. I appreciate a hip-hop album in a different way than I would a folk album.

Illnois by Sufjan Stevens

This is one of the albums that I consider to be perfect or near-perfect. This album is so large, coming at you like an orchestra, and it's an hour long. I don't listen to this album too often, but I love Sufjan Stevens' music and how beautiful it is. The whole thing is large in scope and you have to admire it. It's arguably his largest work and the most that he's developed as a singer/songwriter.

Everything Goes Numb by Streetlight Manifesto

This is another album that I always found to feel complete. It's the debut album of Streetlight Manifesto, and it starts out how a typical ska album would, but it gets better. The guitar work on the album isn't as spectacular as the horns are, as it's rather basic, and I doubt you'd like this album if you're not into them? Because they're there and in your face. The lyrics are strong on this piece and there's a similar tone throughout, making it a great album.

Sound of Silver by LCD Soundsystem

I actually had to give this album a re-listen to talk about it, because I haven't heard it in awhile. I love the ending song on the album, although it gives off a different tone from the rest of the album, which is often considered to be dance-punk and containing a lot of electronic elements. It most certainly is a great electronic dance album that fans of the genre should listen to. There's not really a weak link in the album, nothing that really holds it down.

Teens of Denial by Car Seat Headrest

This is one of my favorite albums that came out somewhat recently--only last year. It's my favorite album from Car Seat Headrest that they've come out thus far, but Twin Fantasy is not too far behind. Their sound on this one is clearer, and it's an upgrade from sounding like it was recorded in the basement (one of the aspects that riddled the previous albums in a way). It's apart of the Lo-fi sound, which I don't mind, but overall, I liked the sound and atmosphere of this album.

Kid A by Radiohead

I'm not the biggest on Radiohead, but I would definitely suggest this as one of the best albums of the 21st century. The sound and atmosphere that it sets up is great, though I don't listen to it often because I'm just not into the band a whole bunch, as there is a line from my own favorites and what I find to be the strongest albums.

Joy, Departed by Sorority Noise

This is a rather recent listen for me, since I only really delved into them this year. I'm a big fan of this album and the songs on it. It's not as full-circle or considered to be perfect, but their sound in this album is still distinct for the pop-punk genre, which I enjoy about them. I hope they do continue this on You're Not As _____ You Think, though I do understand them experimenting. The lyrics and emotional weight on this album is strong, and the songs don't get old easy, at least for me.

That's it for my list! Of course, my opinions can change and opinions aren't an objective thing, so that means different people will like and enjoy different things, whether it be for similar or different reasoning.

Most certainly Welcome To The Night Sky by Wintersleep.

They're lyrically brilliant and melancholy, and their flair for band unity for all movement keeps me enthralled at all stages of the album. The highlight is hands-down Dead Letter & The Infinite Yes, where the self-referencing power of the writing fires strongest. It's emotional and personal and it lets you know that someone out there has felt the badbrains and that you're not alone.

I've loved a lot of albums, but no album has ever touched me quite like Lovestrong by my dear Christina Perri <3 <3

I remember first hearing "Jar of Hearts" off of that album in February of 2011 when I was in a really tough season of my life. I listened to that song on repeat daily and would cry and cry because I didn't know how to tell people I was suffering and I didn't know how else to get my feelings out. I remember the day Lovestrong came out because I was looking forward to it, and I remember sitting at my desk at college, alone, headphones in, while each song hit me one after the other. I have never connected with an album more and I truly felt that she had written every single song about me and for me to help me get through this tough season. That album became an anthem of sorts for me and I used it to find inner strength and self love. I used to write the word "Lovestrong" or "<3 cp" on my arm in purple pen on days I was feeling particularly sad and alone as a reminder to be lovestrong and to remember everything I'd learned from Christina Perri (because she also had this incredible blog that I read every single word of).

Lovestrong, and Christina Perri completely changed my life in 2011. This was the catalyst for my metamorphosis and therefore, this album will always be my favorite and will always hold a very special place in my heart. Christina Perri is one of my role models and my favorite singer. I've seen her live three times, I've met her twice, and I've cried every single time.

<3

@Carlito <3 you got to meet her twice - that's so cool!

My favorite is absolutely So Beautiful or So What by Paul Simon. I'm an old soul when it comes to music, so there aren't many modern albums I can choose a favorite from. But that album. That album is beautiful. So beautiful. When I was "exclusively" a Simon & Garfunkel fan and was just breaching some of the former's early solo works, I didn't think I'd like his newer stuff because he's, well... old. Boy, was I wrong. It's now probably in my top five favorite albums ever.

An easy second would be Stranger to Stranger, also by Mr. Simon, a brilliant collection of witty lyrics, unique topics, and fantastic sound. I saw him last year on his tour for that album and cried profusely before he even came out on stage and his band (the tightest band I ever did hear) was just doing an intro. It was so amazinggg ;-;

Yay! This thread sounds fun!

Blood Visions by Jay Reatard will possibly always be my favorite album of all time. It's a thirty minute garage/power pop concept album about Jay murdering his girlfriend (yikes), but it does so much more than tell a story. It brings insight to his depression and his tendency to be too hard on himself, which is something I strongly relate to. Nightmares is one of the best break-up songs of all time, Turning Blue is killer, and has one of the coolest album closers in Waiting For Something

It's one of the first albums I ever related to. That doesn't mean I want to kill my girlfriend, but it showed me that sometimes its alright to be sad.

Gerard Way's mad vocals ranging from mellow to violent, laced with dark lyrics and a perfect harmony between every pair of instruments playing in the background. Oh yes. I feasted on every single track of The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance back in high school and it's still stuck somewhere between my throat and my lungs.