come sit next to me, pour yourself some tea.

My first time abroad, at the age of 15, I found myself in a record shop, somewhere in California. It was where I purchased my first truly great album. To this day it is still my favourite.

Growing up with the old-school illegal file-sharing Napster, I was already heavily in to Nirvana, owning their whole catalogue thanks to those lovely crooked file sharers. Needless to say, Courtney love got my money eventually as I grew to an age of greater responsibility and enough finances to afford the authentic plastic discs for myself.

I've always believed in paying for music if you enjoy it...eventually.

Weezer's Blue Album, born to the world in 1994; a year in music often noted for what was lost to then to what was gained. Whilst on the other side of the Atlantic a young band called Oasis were gaining momentum, their favourite American band, Weezer, were also creeping in to the ear canals of what was to be known as the post-grunge listernership.

Weezer's Blue Album has been, and always will be, my favourite 43 minutes of music. The perfect way to spend three quarters of an hour. Go on, do it now. There's no doubt this record would not exist if Nirvana or The Beach Boys had never happened. But far from anything derivative, the Blue album packs 10 tracks that are impossible to put above any other. Surf melodies meet sweeping crescendos, and memorable lines such "I'm going surfing cos I don't like your face" on the surf-punk spectacle 'Surf Wax America'. My Name is Jonas, the best way to start an album since Smells Like Teen Spirit? Only In Dreams, the best way to end an album...ever. Try it.