Songs About Jane – Maroon 5
This album has historically been one of my biggest influences on my style. Before Adam Levine was a household name reality TV star, he was the front man of the band who released the best dance rock album since old Aerosmith.
Cheers – Obie Trice
In my opinion, the real talent in the Shady/Aftermath legacy may be Obie Trice. This is a rare album these days in that you can press play and sit back without having to worry about disliking a single song.
Everything is Borrowed – The Streets
The Streets, to many new-comers can be an acquired taste. Mike Skinner’s thick accent (to our perspective) can sometimes over shadow the absolute brilliance in his lyrics and style. I was hooked when I first heard the song “Dry Your Eyes”, a couple of albums later came what I consider to be a modern day masterpiece. At the risk of sounding douchey, listen to the words.
Ill Manors – Plan B
Plan B is just one of those bizarre Sammy David Jr. type talents who seems to excel at anything creative. His music is fantastic, and so is the movie to which this selection is a soundtrack. If you like Tarantino, Guy Ritchie and the Wire, you’ll like his movie and hopefully, you’ll check out his awesome music too.
Tonight, Not Again – Jason Mraz
Another one of my massive influences was, at one point, Jason Mraz. This particular live album displays his wide array of talents, from his incredible vocal range, to his ability to heat up a fast track.
Love – The Beatles
Hard to call anything Beatles underrated. Well, I’m going to do that here because this isn’t an actual Beatles album. This is alchemy done by George Martin and his son for the Cirque de Soleil show by the same name. With layers of songs on top of sections of other songs, flowing from one to another much like Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. This album is one of my favorites to turn on and shut down and I consider it to be the best recording of all time.