LoathsomePete

I think Spiderland is one of those albums that you can't go into expecting it to sound similar to the albums that it's inspired over the years. When I first listened to it I wasn't that enthralled by it, but after I gave it a second spin with headphones while laying down something just kind of clicked with me and I was hanging on McMahan's every word and really getting caught up in the narrative. It seems like you've already made up your mind on the album but again, this list isn't necessarily a list of the "101 best albums according to me", just 101 albums that I really like.

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101 Albums That May Not Change Your Life, But I Really Like And You Might Too

LoathsomePete

It’s quite easy to look at the album art, the artist’s name, the album title, and a few of the song titles and come to the conclusion that this is nothing more than your typical indie band who focus on self-depreciation in order to come off as different from their Pitchfork Media baby counterparts who happily lap up the praises those sites give out. Well you’re not exactly wrong to think that, the album is definitely an album that focuses on self-depreciation and the anxieties in life, however it’s executed in a manner where it actually seems genuine, like listening to that friend who is always beating up on himself, but doing it in such a way that you’re convinced he’s not going to kill himself or become a serial killer. In fact the song “Overreacting” touches on the thoughts of suicide and how life doesn’t always need to be taken so seriously, that by choosing to kill yourself you are being misguided by minor failures and that nobody is perfect.

I was introduced to Brad Sucks sometime in mid 2007 from a friend of an ex girlfriend of mine who had actually gotten into the film school I was denied access to. He had created a music video for “Making Me Nervous” which he entered into a contest to be used as an official music video. While the video failed to make it that far, it did prompt me to further investigate this musician and I was quite happy to learn that he is from Canada. I found the CD online, grabbed it and just sucked it up like a sponge. Every song on the album minus the second one seemed to relate to me in a very compelling way. Even the album title, I Don’t Know What I’m Doing was a recurring thought as I toiled away at work while attempting to keep food in my stomach and a roof over my head. It is quite rare for someone who was that young at the time (19 if I’m not mistaken) to really find an album that truly speaks to them and that they can really relate to without feeling melodramatic.

It’s unfortunate that Brad Sucks has never really taken off, even in Canada he is still a relatively unknown artist, perhaps it’s the less than flattering band name. Strip away the band name and there really is some catchy indie rock tunes with a great mix of acoustic, electronic, and distorted effects to make it seem grander than on first look. Brad Sucks is one of the few bands that have really taken advantage of the Free Culture movement and releases music for free on his website following the Jonathan Coulton method of letting fans choose their price. Brad also waives the rights to his songs so they essentially become public domain which garnishes him a lot of free publicity from fan made music videos, remixes, and blogs.

Perhaps the most ironic thing about the album is that the perceived faults actually help strengthen the album when taken into consideration. It’s incredibly short and none of the songs feel fully fleshed out, but at the same time the album doesn’t outstay its welcome and is something than can grab a listener’s attention for the full 40 minutes, ensuring that the song messages will likely be absorbed. Brad definitely takes his vocals from Beck, almost to the point where they could be indistinguishable for someone not totally familiar with Beck’s music, however if you enjoy Beck’s vocals then there’s a very good chance you’ll enjoy Brad’s.

Brad Sucks holds a very special place in my heart and while I don’t expect everyone to enjoy his music, I have to say that I’m a pretty big fan of his. It’s not often that albums really speak to me on a personal level but when they do it’s a very special thing because it almost makes you feel like the album was written especially for you. You may like it, you may not. If you’re a fan of indie rock and in particular Beck, then it definitely raises the odds.

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101 Albums That May Not Change Your Life, But I Really Like And You Might Too

Fruitonica

I like the idea of Loveless being the music of sleep deprivation, the combination of soaring melodies and numbing heaviness fits so perfectly with being incredibly tired and out of it.

LoathsomePete

If there's one thing geeks almost unanimously love it is the writing of influential horror author H.P. Lovecraft. So large was this man's following that the Call of Cthulhu Role-playing game was one of the first non-fantasy based RPG's to be released on the open market. Not only that but in 1977 admirers of his work pooled their money together to buy him a proper tombstone because his financial state after his death prohibited him from the assumed luxury of having a tombstone. Lovecraft's influence can be found in nearly ever modern day horror author, or just about any horror movie which focuses on the psychological aspects beyond the ostentatious use of blood and gore. Finally his influence has leaked into the music scene, and given birth to one of my favorite bands that nobody knows about.

The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets are a Vancouver based punk band focusing on the work of H.P. Lovecraft, specifically the Cthulhu mythos. They are known for their elaborate costumes and quirky lyrics, often which can only truly be appreciated by fans of Lovecraft's work. However that does not mean that you must be a fan of Lovecraft in order to enjoy the band, it just means you probably won't get some of the in-jokes. Perhaps the most notable aspect of the band is that they're incredibly non-offensive and fun, which is where Shadow Out of Tim shines. Every song on the album is fun to sing along to, to listen intently to the lyrics and try to interpret what the song is about, or trying to decipher which story the song is about if you're a fan of Lovecraft's work. Regardless of whether or not you're a raving Lovecraft lunatic (like me), or just a casual listener, Shadow Out of Tim is an album guaranteed to make you smile at least once.

Despite all the positive features of the album, it is by no means perfect. It is perhaps the most inconsistent with it's subject matter than previous albums, some songs only vaguely touching on Lovecraftian themes. While the band is allowed to experiment and sing about other subjects, defining yourself as a Lovecraftian punk band kind of implies that Lovecraft's work would be exactly what the songs were about, not the god awful antagonists from Land of the Lost ("Sleestak & Yeti"). The last three songs on the album kind of seem like filler, like they were added just to extend the length of the album without really adding much to it as a whole, but play terrifically on their own.

Shadow Out of Tim is the most accessible in terms of song structure, each song playing with a catchy rhythm that can entice people unfamiliar with the subject matter. While many hold their 2002 album Spaceship Zero as their magnum opus, that album was very much designed for a niche audience of geeky role-players (the album was based on an actual RPG written by the singer and guitar player). If you're looking for a fun and relatively friendly album to play in the car with grandma I cannot recommend this album enough, from songs about being a marine biologist to trying to return to a normal life after a stint in an insane asylum, I cannot recommend this album enough, who knows, it may even turn you into a fan of HP Lovecraft.

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101 Albums That May Not Change Your Life, But I Really Like And You Might Too

hip hop bunny hop

Argh, My Bloody Valentine are a band I do not like. I here praise for them by sources I generally consider worthwhile, but the vocals are effeminate to the point of being annoying and the songs just seem to meander around like the elderly at a shopping center. And the vocals. Did they ever get rid of the girl and get a male vocalist for later albums?

LoathsomePete

Not to get all bitchy but I've done three entries since my review of Loveless that I'm just dying for some feedback or opinions on.

Also to answer your question, there was no later studio album.

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101 Albums That May Not Change Your Life, But I Really Like And You Might Too

clutnuckle

I've always been pretty interested in hearing Brad Sucks (because my name is Brad and I got VERY offended). I think I'll do it now, great writing.

Landon

I've looked up a few of the song from that Darkest of the Hillside Thickets album and youtube, really enjoyed them all, looking for the album now........

jackhammer

I couldn't get into Angles at first but with each listen I got into it more and more and it's unique enough to not borrow from a lot of American hip Hop and make it's own sound although they are both from Essex which is not far from London and Scroobius Pip raps in the regional dialect of the area which is a little similar to a broad London accent.

Their second album came out in march which i'm going to hunt down right now.

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TheCunningStunt

Brad Sucks, you said you felt like it offered something different, where as you may assume it's just a regular Indie band because of the band name/album art, I'm afraid I have to disagree with you there. I didn't like it, I just thought it was similar to most other Indie bands I've heard. I've liked the majority of what you've written thus far though, I'll look forward to your next entry

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