1.Yourself Or Someone Like You
(Matchbox Twenty)

Track Listings-
1. real world
2. long day
3. 3am
4. push
5. girl like that
6. back 2 good
7. damn
8. argue
9. kody
10. busted
11. shame
12. hang

Matchbox Twenty or “Matchbox 20” as they were known when this album was produced, can be described only with three simple phrases – masters of music, kings of compilations, and lords of Lyrics. A band as you have probably guessed I hold in very high regard. Soft Rock with a melodic feel, lyrical content that shocks and amazes. Possibly one of the most definitive bands of our time, and yet a band with little recognition. Matchbox Twenty, I salute you!

2. Affirmation
(Savage Garden)

Track Listings…
1. Affirmation
2. Hold Me
3. I Knew I Loved You
4. The Best Thing
5. Crash and Burn
6. Chained to You
7. The Animal Song
8. The Lover After Me
9. Two Beds and a Coffee Machine
10. You Can Still Be Free
11. Gunning Down Romance
12. I Don't Know You Anymore

And so I am brought on to another genius band, Savage Garden. Mr Darren Hayes and Mr Daniel Jones’s outstanding work is second to none, an album with charisma and style, an album we all should own. Unfortunately Savage Garden, like Matchbox Twenty have had little recognition, although similar work is now being recognised with Darren Hayes’s solo album “Spin”. Affirmation, following their debut album had to be good; it had to be flawless if it was to be as good as there first. What good would it do the band to release a real let down, after the enormous build up the fans had been given. Part of the key to this albums chart topping success was the huge gap between the release of this and there first. Fans of the band were left desperate for something new, and so of course when the opportunity arose to get something new, Savage Garden fans invaded record shops everywhere.

3. Chef Aid
(South Park)

Track Listings…
South Park Theme – Primus
Nowhere to Run – DMX
Chocolate Salty Balls (P.S. I Love You)
Brad Logan – Rancid
Kenny's Dead - Master P
Simultaneous
Will They Die 4 You? - Lil' Kim
Hot Lava - Perry Farrell
Bubblegoose - Wyclef Jean
No Substitute
Wake up Wendy - Elton John
Horny
Huboon Stomp - Devo
Love Gravy - Rick James
Feel Like Makin' Love
Rainbow – Ween
Tonight Is Right for Love - Meat Loaf
It's a Rockin' World - D.J.Bonebrake
Mephisto and Kevin - Primus
Mentally Dull [Think Tank Remix] – Vitro

Hummmm, Ever so slightly heavier that the first two albums I picked, but piss funny none the less. My favourite track has to be “Mentally Dull” It is absolutely hilarious, it is a remix of all things South Park, and with lyrics like “Your one f**ked up little piggy” and “Dumbass, what a retard, bitch, Oy! screw you too” how on earth can you not love it. It’s a cleverly intertwined look that includes every character, even down to the very last member of the cast. Not particularly worth buying, but definitely worth a listen if you can get it for free.

4. International Superhits
(Greenday)

Track Listings…
1. Maria
2. Poprocks & Coke
3. Longview
4. Welcome To Paradise
5. Basket Case
6. When I Come Around
7. She
8. J.A.R. (Jason Andrew Relva)
9. Geek Stink Breath
10. Brain Stew
11. Jaded
12. Walking Contradiction
13. Stuck With Me
14. Hitchin' A Ride
15. Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)
16. Redundant
17. Nice Guys Finish Last
18. Minority
19. Warning
20. Waiting
21. Macy's Day Parade

A sensational “Greatest Hits” album, well its about time, twelve years on from the release of the original Greenday album it was about time we got the greatest hits. Despite my general distaste for Greatest hits albums (being of the opinion that if you have the other albums, why should we buy an album full of repeats?!) never the less as a one of intervention it has made for a very successful decision. An album of mixed tastes, even if your not a fan of Greenday, there is bout to be something you like on here, the music sounds like a compilation rather than an artists own, and yet that unique Greenday style is upheld without. I take my hat of to ya, can’t fault it.

5. Savage Garden
(Savage Garden)

Track Listings…
To The Moon & Back
I Want You
Truly Madly Deeply
Tears of pearls
Universe
Carry On Dancing
Violet
Break Me Shake Me
A Thousand Words
Promises
Santa Monica

They say that the original is always the best, and this is entirely true of this one, although I have placed the second album “Affirmation” in a higher position than this one, I do value what this one has to give. With three Number one singles and being of the platinum variety I had to include this, who could forget that love hit “Truly Madly Deeply”. My personal favourite is definitely “I want you” I listen to it so often that I no the words of by heart, and myself being something of a performer have dubbed it to be a favourite on the Karaoke. Like MB20, Savage Gardens music is very soft and melodic, and nothing is more apparent than that point on this album. The album seems to be full of various experiments and different ways of using music to make it set a mood. A very Clever album, one for the history books me thinks.

6. Mad Season
(Matchbox Twenty)

Track Listings…
1. angry
2. black & white people
3. crutch
4. last beautiful girl
5. if you're gone
6. mad season
7. rest stop
8. the burn
9. bent
10. bed of lies
11. leave
12. stop
13. you won't be mine

The Second in the Matchbox Twenty Trilogy, another intuitive dose of Matchbox Twenty. A unique album that makes for some interesting interpretations. In spite of its seemingly grotesque and impervious outlook on life, this couldn’t be a more wrong assumption. Its about love, life and relationships, be they good, bad or boring. Between family, or between lovers. This album truly has something for everyone, a highly recommended pick this one, and with the new album due for release on November the 9th, this couldn’t be a better time to start your Matchbox Twenty Collection.

7. Running with Scissors
(Weird Al Yankovic)

Track Listings…
1. The Saga Begins
2. My Baby's In Love With Eddie Vedder
3. Pretty Fly For A Rabbi
4. The Weird Al Show Theme
5. Jerry Springer
6. Germs
7. Polka Power!
8. Your Horoscope For Today
9. It's All About The Pentiums
10. Truck Drivin' Song
11. Grapefruit Diet
12. Albuquerque

Al’s Parodies make for some unbelievable music, for those of you who have no idea who this is and think I am going on about a German Porn Star, just stop and listen. Al is a lyrasist that takes existing songs and plays with the lyrics to make parodies that make your stomach cringe at the thought of all the laughter you are about to face. His parody videos are not only hilarious but also very true to the form of the real videos. Examples include “I’m Fat” (parody of Michael Jackson’s “I’m Bad”) and “Smells like Nirvana (Parody of Nirvana’s “Smells like teen spirit”) Yes this guy has done it all, bill Clinton has never sounded so good as within “Bimbo Number 5”. Al in all a very Funny album with some very funny parallels. A definite Must have.

8. Tenacious D
(Tenacious D)

Track Listings…
1.Keilbasa
2. One Note Song
3. Tribute
4. Wonderboy
5. Hard F***ing
6. F*** Her Gently
7. Explosivo
8. Dio
9. Inward Singing
10. Kyle Quit The Band
11. The Road
12. C**k Pushups
13. Lee
14. Friendship Test
15. Friendship
16. Karate Schnitzel
17. Karate
18. Rock Your Socks
19. Drive-Thru
20. Double Team
21. City Hall

A band that has become very big since the lead singer had a leading role in the film “Shallow Hal” Jack Black is absolutely brilliant in this album, and along with his trusty guitarist the will change rock history. Unfortunately there claim to have played the best song in the world seems to have failed miserably as they cant remember it, so we are left with a song most of you will have heard, “Tribute” Frequently seen on the music Channels of Sky (Channel 440 upwards). Again a very funny album with some very crude meanings. Never the less great for drunken sessions with your mates.

9. Take of Your Pants and Jacket
(Blink 182)

Track Listings…
1 : Anthem Part II
2 : Online Songs
3 : First Date
4 : Happy Holidays You Bas-tard
5 : Story Of a Lonely Guy
6 : The Rock Show
7 : Stay Together For The Kids
8 : Roller Coaster
9 : Reckless Abandon
10 : Every Time I Look For You
11 : Give Me One Good Reason 12 : Shut Up
13 : Please Take Me Home. And:
14 : What Went Wrong
15 : Time To Break Up
16 : F**k A Dog

OR INSTEAD OF 14, 15 AND 16 ABOVE, YOU WILL HAVE…

14 : What Went Wrong
15 : Grandpa Is An Ass-hole OR
16 : Time To Break Up

With such hype generated from “Enema of the state” something good was going to have to be produced, and so here we are presented with “Take of your pants and jacket”. Now may I just point something out – the title of the album, until just recently I had just noticed that “jacket” has a double meaning, whilst innocently it can mean remove your jacket, and yet to someone as perverse as me it could mean – Take of your pants, and Jack It. You see what I mean? I was quite impressed with that one. Back to the point, the band themselves are of more of a very very soft Punk genre, as opposed to anything heavy. Nothing to serious, and yet nothing to ridiculous, just a happy medium. Oh, and may I just clarify that Blink 182 have NOT split, they were merely taking time out to concentrate on Box Car Racer, I can say that the Next Blink 182 album is close to finished and a release date is not far away.

10. Nevermind
(Nirvana)

Track Listings…
1.Smells Like Teen Spirit
2.In Bloom
3.Come as you are
4.Breed
5.Lithium
6.Polly
7.Territorial Pissings
8.Drain You
9.Lounge Act
10.Stay Away
11.On A Plain
12.Something in The Way

A slightly more disturbed musical basis underlying this one, after the death of the lead singer (suicide might I add) the band became every popular very quickly, and as opposed to being very adult and not for a young audience, Nirvana’s popularity with adults sunk and grew with preteens. The term “Mosher” is of a high association with this band, and unlike most of the fans, I happen to like this album because there are some good tracks on it, as opposed to liking the bands image and not the music. A common mistake nowadays.

Well, now I must leave, and retire to the depths of my musical taste, I strange concoction of bands I know, from Savage Garden to Nirvana, journey I’m sure none of you will ever travel again.

Cheers for listening,

©Desolate Cash.