OUR FAVORITE THINGS: 3 Underrated Albums I Wish Everyone Loved
[Welcome to Our Favorite Things, a series featuring—you guessed it!—our favorite things. From books to brands to tunes to film, these are all things we at Windrose want to shout from the rooftops about.]
I’m not the most widely educated music fan (I dunno what the kids are listening to these days, soz), but when I love an album, I LOVE AN ALBUM, taking upon myself the role of that album’s unpaid hypeman. Below are three underrated (from my perspective) albums that I wish everyone in the entire world had the same intense emotional connection with that I have. Think about it: if everyone loved these albums, you would never again panic over conversation topics with strangers at dinner parties, because you could just discuss your mutual love for these three albums. Light conversation problems solved!
1. Wilder Mind // Mumford & Sons
Among my friends whom I share similar music tastes with, I’ve been given a general thumbs down on this album. “I like the others ones better,” they’ve said. Aside from one stranger who chimed in with his love for the album at an LA brunch spot (bless him!), I’ve yet to find anyone who has the same heart for this album that I do. WHY?! It’s brilliant, as anything Mumford & Sons touches with their musical fingers usually is. So what if it’s not their traditional folk-inspired sound? “Tompkins Square Park” … “Believe” … “The Wolf” … “Wilder Mind” … “Snake Eyes” … “Ditmas” … “Hot Gates” … (Basically the whole album)... How could you listen to these songs and not develop a deep appreciation for this album?!
2. Twelvefour // Paper Kites
People aren’t necessarily hatin’ on this album, but most people I know aren’t familiar with this band (except for my music forward friend Lane who introduced me to The Paper Kites). I saw them open for Passenger at the Ryman last Saturday and I haven’t been this excited for an opener since Ed Sheeran opened for Snow Patrol in the days of yore when he wasn’t selling out arenas. As much as I argued otherwise to my brother previously, I’ve had a come-to-Jesus moment and realized this: I like music reminiscent of the 80s. “I like reverb” as I recently announced to aforementioned music forward friend Lane. And this album has all the sounds that I love and I can’t listen to the album without having ALL THE FEELINGS. It's the perfect album for driving through valleys walled in by snow-capped peaks and contemplating the entirety of your life choices. Please listen to “Electric Indigo” and “Revelator Eyes” and try not to have a breakdown over the level of emotional perfection these songs encompass.
3. Four // One Direction
Look, look, look, before you immediately close your tab in outrage because I dare mention One Direction, hear me out on this one. This album is the album that converted me from a One Direction skeptic to a girl willing to purchase a plane ticket to see them in Boston. Why? Well, first off, because it’s just straight-up the perfect menu choice for when you’re looking for some light pop fare. And also, because the lyrics—contrary to 93% of One Direction songs—are not half bad; there’s a level of substance to some of the songs (see: “Spaces” and “Fool’s Gold”). It’s like the songwriters actually spent more than five minutes writing the song and challenged themselves to not choose from the same seven cliches like they ordinarily do. Anyways, if you think One Direction is campy and not worth your time, I invite you to give this album at least one listen. One! That’s all I’m asking!
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I’m not the most widely educated music fan (I dunno what the kids are listening to these days, soz), but when I love an album, I LOVE AN ALBUM, taking upon myself the role of that album’s unpaid hypeman. Below are three underrated (from my perspective) albums that I wish everyone in the entire world had the same intense emotional connection with that I have.