[Editor's note: Joe Mickeliunas is the guitarist and vocalist in Omaha band Back When. These are his picks for his top 10 favorite albums of all time.]
Nebraska albums:
Domestica by Cursive
This album hit me at the right time and blew me away. It came out the year I graduated from high school and I listened to it non-stop that summer. I knew it was a personal album for the band, and it became one for me, too. It reflected many changes that were happening in my life and became a very influential album in the way I think about music and how I write music.
Danse Macabre by The Faint
The most non-Omaha sounding band in Omaha. This album has inspired countless sweaty dance parties since its release. It was fun and dark, and that's what set it apart from everything else in Omaha.
Lifted or The Story Is In The Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground by Bright Eyes
I feel this is where Conor Oberst hit his stride. Just a fantastic album from start to end.
Out of the Flats by Fromanhole
A really unique band. I miss seeing them play. They put just as much into their concepts surrounding their songs and art as they did the complex music they created. True art-rock.
Old Blood by Mayday
The song "Captain" kills me every time. Absolutely love this record.
National albums:
Panda Park by 90 Day Men
Musically, it may be one of the most complicated albums I've ever experienced. It has so many moments that make me rewind and listen again. Panda Park is hypnotic, sexy, and over the top. This record makes me wish I had never stopped taking piano lessons.
Diary by Sunny Day Real Estate
The first time I heard this band I was pretty "punk rock," and said that this was the band I would start listening to if I became suicidal. After that first time, though, I couldn't get the melodies out of my head and I wanted to explore this band. I fell in love with the guitar work and complexity of the rhythm section once I bought this record. Haven't stopped listening since.
The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails
This album was the gateway for me. It was everything a 12-year-old shouldn't listen to. It was beautiful and full of rage. Trent Reznor was able to take loud, buzzing guitars and distorted drums and interweave beautiful piano parts or vocal harmonies seamlessly. Seeing them for the first time at the Civic Auditorium in 1995 changed my perception of live music and the energy it could express.
You'd Prefer an Astronaut by Hum
Arguably, the album I've listened to most in my life. Hum's sound was huge. The effects-laden guitars sound like they're from outer space and the drums feel like they're being hit as hard as drums can be hit. This album is nearly 18 years old and still sounds fresh to me. I've seen them twice in the past several years at reunion shows, and the songs still sound as massive as they did the first time I heard them. I can't help but get goosebumps every time the coda in "I'd Like Your Hair Long" kicks in.
Being There by Wilco
I heard this album a little late. It had been out nearly eight years before I gave it a shot. A friend of mine couldn't believe I had never heard them and made me borrow the record. I decided to put it on while I did some homework. Two songs in and I completely stopped doing anything else but listening. I was mesmerized by Jeff Tweedy's voice and the instrumentation. Some songs were extremely simple and others had so many layers that it took a few listens to hear everything there.
[Editor's note: Chris Kelley is the bass player in Omaha band Back When. These are his picks for his top six favorite albums of all time.]
Nebraska Albums:
Such Blinding Stars For Starving Eyes (1997) by Cursive
From the very first line of this record I was hooked. When it came out, I was going through a lot with my family. Whenever I needed to escape, I'd put this record on, sing along and lose myself. The raw emotion of Tim Kasher's writing was so new to me and helped me through some of the most difficult days of my life.
The Uneventful Vacation (1997) by Commander Venus
When I picked up a Saddle Creek sampler in 1998, I heard Commander Venus for the first time. I quickly went out and bought the record. It is dark, depressing, fun and uplifting all at the same time. I still love this record.
Fevers and Mirrors (2000) by Bright Eyes
I had been a big fan of Bright Eyes since Letting Off The Happiness. With Fevers and Mirrors, Conor started to shape this into something very special and unique not only to Omaha, but on a national level. This picks up perfectly from the 1999 EP Every Day and Every Night.
National Albums:
Times of Grace (1999) by Neurosis
Before I heard this record, I thought I had an understanding of what heavy music might be. I had no idea. From the second the opening track "Suspended in Light" started playing I was intrigued. Not knowing what to expect next, the opening chords of "The Doorway" began and everything changed. The powerful, thunderous rhythm section mixed with haunting keyboards and distorted guitars carries this record to a place I didn't know existed. This set a precedent on heavy music for me that has not been matched since.
4AM Friday (1996) by Avail
Many years ago I received this record from my cousin for Christmas. At the time, I listened to nothing but Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Alice In Chains. Then, five gentlemen from Richmond, Va., changed my life forever. I had no idea music like this existed. This record was the reason I wanted to pick up an instrument and play music with my friends. If it were not for my cousin and this amazing record, I would never have fallen in love with writing and performing music.
Drums Not Dead (2006) by Liars
I had heard Liars before this record and enjoyed what I heard. I was looking forward to the release of this record, but didn't realize the impact it would have on me. From the haunting, effects ladend guitar followed by the first strike of the drum, this record grabs you and never lets go. The effects on the drums and the falcetto vocals add very unique and interesting elements to the record. From start to finish, this is a beautifully crafted record and one of my favorites of the last 10 years.