The Rewind Button is a group blogging project instigated by Rachel Tynan. As part of her New Year’s Resolutions for 2012, she set out to listen to Rolling Stone’s top 50 albums of all time. Rebecca Stevenson thought it would be fun if a group of bloggers listened to the same albums at the same time, then posted their reactions. The Rewind Button is the group of bloggers who are going through the Top 40 and posting about a new album every Thursday. This is album is 8/40. 

YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! 

I liked this album. A lot. I’d listen to it again. And again. AND AGAIN!

Here’s why.

Growing up in suburban Calgary in the early 1990’s I spent a lot of time in garages listening to friend’s and boyfriend’s create songs on their guitars. On weekends I would go to community centres for All Ages gigs to see bands, any band. I didn’t care. I just wanted to be around musicians, punk rockers, hardcore kids, emo kids and kids with zines. Why? Because I lived in suburban Calgary where everyone looked the same, talked the same and obeyed their conservative parents. 

I liked being an outsider and listening to strange music was one of the easiest ways to do this. 

But here’s the thing, I was never much of a punk. Okay, I had a zine (like a blog but on paper that you sold for $1). But aside from putting my voice out there and dressing weird I never fully committed to punk rock. I listened to music created by people who listened to real punk rock. 

Rewinding London Calling this week was my punk rock awakening. Sure, I’d heard songs before, but I never sat down to listen to them. What blew me away was the textures of ska (Rudie Can’t Fail), reggae (The Guns of Brixton), surf-rock (Brand New Cadillac), and even pop (most of the songs) that are weaved throughout this album. It’s so much more than punk rock. 

Yes, it’s political, it’s personal, and you can dance to it. At least I did.

When the album was over, I was sad. And it’s a double album! 19 whole tracks. Ok, punk length tracks; the shortest being 1:48, longest 5:33. But still, this album left me wanting more. It made me want to rewind my youth and put this album in my 13 year old grunge rock hands and say “This! Listen to this before you buy that Green Day album.”

Album Highlights: London Calling, Rudie Can’t Fail, Train In Vain.

Other Rewind Button Reviews: (Updated throughout the day)

 Music Quest

Betty Livin’

The Clash