Pat's top 5

Well I'm the other half of this disaster. They call me Patty aka P Gal aka Static Stork, and here's my top 5. This was thrown together rather quickly, and I haven't written anything in a long time so I apologize for the bumbling awkwardness.

Rudimentary Peni - Death Church

Starting off my first post with an anarcho-punk great, as well. While it was extremely difficult to pick one album by the incredible RP, I have to say Death Church perfectly embodies everything I love about this band. Though none of these guys are incredible musicians, Blinko and co. manage to create an incredibly unique and interesting punk album. Death Church is spastic, but still very tight and cohesive, and silly while still maintaining a sinister, dark (almost goth rockish) tinge. Nick Blinko's lyrics are some of the best, as well, with a heavy confrontational nature and his signature schizo-wit and sarcasm. One of my favorites.

Disco Inferno - DI Go Pop

One band very worthy of the "post" in post-punk, this album occupies a large place in my heart. Disco Inferno draws few comparions with their contemporaries, and their magnum opus "DI Go Pop" is a monster of an album. DI crafted a lush, complex album, all while virtually abandoning the guitar-based traditions of the time. With heavy elements of psychedelia, this is - as Myke says - what Animal Collective should have been, only two decades earlier. This has been one of my favorite albums since tenth grade, and a piece of music that I am always coming back to.

Unwound - Entire Discography

Though if I chose one release, Repition would probably be my favorite. It's such a hard choice too, as few bands undergo as much musical growth and change as Unwound. Each album is almost entirely different from the last, but yet each still familiar. Incredible musicianship as well, though Justin, Vern, and Sara manage to still maintain a sort-of punky simplicity. Great music for a rainy, overcast day, even if the melancholy is only in your head. Since I discovered this band I don't think I've gone a day without listening to them. Seriously.

Antioch Arrow- Gems of Masochism

This may seem like an odd choice, as so many hate on this record. However, Gems is by far away my favorite release from Antioch Arrow, and probably my favorite of the whole old-school emo scene. This is also the album, along with Bauhaus' Into the Flat Field, that got me into Goth, so of course this album is one of my favorites. Even just the idea of combining post-hardcore and goth rock is so interesting, it secures their awesomeness on its own. However, they also have the incredible talent to back it up! Definitely an incredibly eye-opening album for me.

Jeromes Dream - Completed 1997-2001

This last place on the list was an incredibly tough decision, I had so many artists I wanted to put here, and really no way to pick from any of them. Though I don't know if I expressed the diversity I wished to with this list, or in the end if it really accurately represents my tastes. However, I have plenty more room to post whatever the hell I want so I guess it doesn't matter. Anyways, onto Jeromes Dream. I picked this record as it is one of the noisiest, most chaotic, and seething with more emotion than almost any other band in the whole emo realm. This band achieves a level of technicality, and heaviness (musically and emotionally) while also establishing an incredibly raw atmosphere. And its just 3 kids practicing in their parents basement! I can relate to this band very highly, even though I've grown out of the whole skramz thing for the most part, as no other band so accurately depicts frustration, angst, anxiety, depression, and all the other shitty parts of being a teenager. Even if their lyrics are impossible to understand, that's not the important part. The music and the ideas behind the band say all you will ever need to know. And the singer doesn't use a microphone! Holy Shit!

Honorable mentions: A shit ton of black metal tapes, Kevin Drumm, Kieth Rowe, John Wiese, ?NNCK, Brotzmann, Corsano, Slint, Flying Luttenbachers, Kayo Dot, The Mob, Realicide, Dog-Faced Hermans, This Heat, Pg. 99, Flux of Pink Indians, Meat Puppets, Cold Wave, No Wave, New Wave, and all other general madness.