Over the course of my twenty-odd years on this planet, I've been exposed to countless albums and musicians whose music has shaped and transformed my perception of the world and the people inhabiting it. While this list is in no way complete, the albums that follow have been filed in my brain as remarkably memorable--they remind me of important phases in my life, helped me describe and define my opinions of the world, taught me how to cope with trauma, and just make me groove when I'm feeling stagnant.

"The White Stripes" by The White Stripes

Just like many weird art kids, I went through a heavy White Stripes phase in my early teens. Jack White's screechy guitar and weirdly melodic voice mixed with Meg's rhythmic attitude appealed to my teen angst. If you're ever in a place of restlessness or need an album to bob your head and tap your fingers to, put this record on and enjoy jamming out.

Notable tracks: "The Big Three Killed My Baby," "Sugar Never Tasted So Good," and "Cannon."

"Violent Femmes"

This album was one of the first LPs I ever spent money on. My freshmen year of college was a haze of bad decisions and apathetic rebellion, and I like to think of this album as a soundtrack to that part of my life. The hormone-driven lyrics don't really question sexuality, rather this collection of songs accepts all aspects of sex in excess mixed with the inevitable self-hatred and shame that comes with self-medication.

Notable tracks: "Kiss Off," "Please Do Not Go," and "Gimme The Car."

"Fever to Tell" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

I'm convinced Karen O is an alien creation of perpetual performance art. Putting my theory aside, this is a fun album that focuses its relentless energy on new-age postmodern dance rock.

Notable Tracks: "Pin," "Maps," and "Y Control."

"You Forgot it in People" by Broken Social Scene

When I first listened to this album, I realized that music doesn't have to be conventional in order to be pretty. Soft melodies and experimental use of pop-rock instrumentation are what this album perfects. The lyrics are graphic, but that doesn't mean they're necessarily crass. This album defines what it means to be human. It's an organized mess of feelings.

Notable tracks: "KC Accidental," "Looks Just Like The Sun," and "Anthems For A Seventeen Year Old Girl."

"OK Computer" by Radiohead

I don't care how whiny Thom Yorke comes off to certain, jaded wannabe music critics: he's a genius in my eyes. This entire album explains the heartbreak, madness, and disillusionment that comes with growing up in a broken, consumer-obsessed world. This album's purpose is to shadow you while you deal with bouts of isolation and depressing epiphanies about humanity. You'll come out of it feeling the final stage of grief: acceptance.

Notable tracks: "Subterranean Homesick Alien," "Exit Music (For a Film)," and "No Surprises."

"Help" by Thee Oh Sees

Thee Oh Sees (though recently, they've decided to drop 'Thee') released this album back in 2009 and it's been one of my favorite albums to revisit during summer vacations. The echoing and distorted vocals paired with the violent guitars and crashing drums just make for a good, distracting music experience.

Notable tracks: "Ruby Go Home," "The Turn Around," and "I Can't Get No"

"Girlpool" by Girlpool

Cleo and Harmony are two bad ass musicians. While this is technically an EP, it was the first collection of songs I had heard from the duo and it resonated with my experiences with womanhood and the sexism that comes along with being a woman. When you're feeling frustrated and silenced because of your gender or sexuality, these songs encapsulate those feelings and listening to them is like an intense cathartic purge.

Notable tracks: "Plants And Worms," "Slutmouth," and "American Beauty"

"Weird Little Birthday" by Happyness

This London-based band has somehow created a nostalgic ode to the 90s indie rock scene. The nonsensical, beautiful lyrics will hit you where it hurts. One of my closest friends introduced me to this band and I will forever be grateful. The songs reflect on the (for lack of a better word) weirdness of being a human- lyrically and instrumentally.

Notable tracks: "Baby Jesus (Jelly Boy)," "Great Minds Think Alike, All Brains Taste The Same," and "Montreal Rock Band Somewhere"

"The Lonesome Crowded West" by Modest Mouse

Isaac Brock is one of my favorite vocalists and songwriters. While "Good News" was the album that gave them the commercial success that they very much deserve, this album's themes of colonialism, privacy, and nihilism are intense, dark, and captivating.

Notable tracks: "Jesus Christ Was an Only Child," "Cowboy Dan," and "Out of Gas"

"Led Zeppelin"

They're one of the most iconic rock bands to ever exist and this album explains why. Robert Plant's voice and Jimmy Page's guitar skills can't be beaten. In order to understand yourself and attempt to be more self-aware, you have to understand your childhood and early influences. This was one of the first rock albums I listened to, and it reminds me of traveling around the country with my brother as we accepted our new identity as children of divorce.

Notable tracks: "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You," "Dazed and Confused," and "Black Mountain Side"