Unrest

When I moved away from Cincinnati in the summer of 2006, I had to put my collection of CDs and LPs into storage at my parents' houses. I loaded up my computer and iPod with as much stuff as it could hold, sealed the lids, and stuck the bins into the basement. They've sat there ever since -- I barely remember what I even have. I won't get rid of any of them, not unless my situation is dire, but it's funny to think about how something that was such a big part of my life (collecting and buying music) fell by the wayside. Now I don't even keep up, other than reading Pitchfork every couple of days or stopping in Reckless or Shake It! whenever I'm close by.

I really got into Unrest, a DC post-hardcore/pop/punk band, right before I moved away. When I first moved to Athens, I would listen to nothing but Unrest as I'd ride up and down the hills in the afternoon after class. They always sounded so lonely to me, desperate. Considering that they made these songs in their 20's and 30's, Unrest was really good at channeling the dire situation of being a teenager. "Perfect Teeth" is one of my favorite albums ever, the song "Cath Carroll" one of my favorite songs. It's the sound of caffeine-medicated loneliness, traced with a crush.