One of the biggest problems I have with modern music is the lack of continuity within a single album. I understand that not every song will fit perfectly in line with the others, but there is a terrible tendency to release an album that is essentially just a bunch of tracks thrown together because they "might" sell well individually. The main cause of this is the fact that we've now started using digital formats and people don't choose to buy a full album, so we tend to market with the mentality of selling a single and not the whole album. This however leads me to my second issue, which is the pure lack of intelligent lyrics, both because of the push for faster releases, and frankly, because the majority of people born within the last 30 years have decided that intelligence is an underrated concept. In no particular order, these are my personal top 10 modern rock storytellers and/or "intelligent bands", based on lyric quality and continuation within an album.
1. HURT: This band is spectacular for several reasons. They address many issues that other bands would be afraid to even touch, and take those which have been dealt with and take them that one step further. Their lyrics are intelligent and insightful, begging us to ask questions and think more about what we do in life. While their singles are fantastic on their own, but when listened to in conjunction with one another, you know that it's a hurt album because each successive release feels like a gradually evolving continuation of the last. Hurt - How We End Up Alone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UG2KJ4t7wos
2. Poets Of The Fall: Oh Finland, how I love you... POTF are one of those bands that truly understand music. They don't feel the need to swear every other word and even their harder tracks are filled with true beauty and emotion. They have started getting a little more coverage here in America over the last couple of years, in part because of their alter ego in the Alan Wake game "Old Gods of Asgard". No matter what name is used though you're guaranteed a fantastic set of tracks. POTF - Carnival Of Rust: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMrbMPSMmzs&ob=av2n
3. Coheed And Cambria: I believe more than any other band on this list C&C fit the storyteller label. Every album released by the band is a continuation of a story created by their lead singer, Claudio Sanchez. The world he created has become one of the most involved worlds ever to touch music, including a series of comics and novels, as well as a side project (The Prize Fighter Inferno) which expands the story even more. Some people are bothered by Claudio's vocals as they are a bit higher than most, but that's also what makes for a very unique sound that has made them stand out. C&C - Welcome Home: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0H3RlaQVrM&ob=av2n
4. Tool: If you haven't heard them before, it's past time. Tool is one of the most unusual bands to grace the music industry with their presence, and is constantly redefining the way we look at music. Many of their releases come across fairly dark, but still draw you in nonetheless. Tool - Wings for Marie Part 1/ 10,000 Days (Wings part 2): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jty_JUFfn3Y
5. A Perfect Circle: Often considered the second half of Tool, APC is vocalist Maynard Keenan's side band that does in fact seem to expand on a lot of Tool's music. It also seems to be a bit more "mainstream-friendly" than most of Tool's music, at least so far as the general sound goes, so you're more likely to hear APC than Tool on the radio. APC - Passive: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-FtUY0m24c
6. Right Away, Great Captain: Andy Hull, better known for his band Manchester Orchestra, has created a very interesting storyline for RAGW, which focuses on a 17th century sailor coming to terms with all the things that are happening in his life. Just as with Coheed and Cambria, each album RAGW releases are just a small part in a much larger story being continued in every album. RAGW: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd3gQEdhwSE
7. Blue October: Justin Furstenfeld is bi-polar, and there is no shame in this. While admitting he's made some mistakes in his life, he has singlehandedly given insight into mental disabilities, and everything else in his personal life over the years, using Blue October as an outlet for understanding and education on such subjects as the disease itself and watching a family fall apart. There is a great strength in his ability to project his emotions into everything he does, and it givs the listener a much needed opportunity to think about more than themselves. Blue October - The Feel Again (Stay): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpeRI_dTsZU
8. Incubus: These guys can be a bit odd at times, but they make fantastic music, and have been doing so for years. Odds are good you've heard several of their songs if you listen to any rock stations. What makes them so interesting is their ability to go from a song with a high instrumental complexity to something with barely anything in it and still come across with an equally impressive track. Incubus - Love Hurts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy-S2WrX-8o&ob=av2n
9. The Script: The majority of songs the band releases are either love songs, or break up songs, which when continually used together tend to irritate me, yet with The Script it doesn't bother me. Their lyrics are easy for most people to identify with , but don't become dumbed down to achieve this. The Script - Nothing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMihKmoYfe8&ob=av2e
10. I'm actually going to leave this one empty. Not because I can't think of another band, but because I'd like to hear who you guys think fits this category. Post your bands below in the comments section.
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