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03.15.2006 10:03 AM EST
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Teddy Geiger: Underaged Listening
The "For You I Will" singer shares his fave albums and explains why he can't sing along with Dashboard Confessional.
by C. Bottomley
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(Photo: Courtesy of Sony Records)
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"My brain's not working," Teddy Geiger says while trying to recall songs from Weezer's first album. You can forgive the singer for spacing out. The
last year's been a blur, what with him going from playing songs in his basement to becoming a TV star and a voice you hear every hour on Top 40 radio. The reason for his rapid rise is clear on once you hear his debut hit, "Confidence (For You I Will)." The Rochester-raised teen has a husky delivery reminiscent of John Mayer and a lyrical wisdom that goes beyond his years. As anybody who saw him on the recently cancelled show Love Monkey will add, he's kind of easy on the eye, too. Geiger took time out from putting the finishing touches on his debut CD Underage Thinking (due March 21) to talk about his five favorite albums... once he got his brain into gear.
Ben Folds -- Whatever and Ever Amen
It was the first actual CD I ever bought. It's the coolest sounding record that I've ever heard. The way the drums, bass and everything elese fits together is great - especially on "The Battle of Who Could Care Less." I love the drum fills on that song. That's the epitome of the album. Ben Folds's playing is really ballsy. He actually didn't even learn piano until he was in college, which is weird. There are so many Ben songs where I have no idea what he's talking about. I always try to think about it and I just actually never pinpoint it. There's always, like, five options -- it could be this, this or this...
Weezer -- Weezer (Blue Album)
My cousin had a cassette of the CD. I'd come home from school, put the tape in while I was doing my homework, and listen to it when I wasn't doing anything, and then listen to the tape while I was going to bed. It got pretty worn out eventually. That's why I went out and bought [Ben Folds'] Whatever and Ever Amen, so I had something else to listen to! Weezer's guitar riffs are just awesome. I go back and listen to the album now and just love it because it reminds me of being in fourth and sixth grade, which was a good time. After listening to it for a while, I tried to start a band. In fourth grade that never ends up being a very successful idea. You have your guitar but you can't really play it that well yet. Your best friend is playing a guitar case with two spoons. Then there's some other kid and you have to make him some sort of instrument, so you're like, All right, you're going to play this box with a string in it.
Phantom Planet -- Phantom Planet is Missing
I didn't discover them through The O.C. Their second album The Guest was actually the first I ever heard of them. Then I got their debut, Phantom Planet is Missing and actually loved them way more. I find it insanely hooky. Phantom Planet is Missing is less produced. It just feels earthier. It feels more like it's... I don't know how to describe it. It feels more of a creation than The Guest. Now that I'm actually talking about it, I realize the sound of an album is big with me. This disc has almost a kind of garage band-slash-Queen sound. I tried to get that kind of sound on my demos, but it just kind of bad.
Dashboard Confessional -- A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar
I always felt like they were awesome and the melodies are ridiculous. But that album takes all the other albums and adds the extra element that was missing. I think it was actually the bass! That helps a lot. One person and an acoustic guitar can send shivers down my spine, but I'm always like, "Wow, what would this sound like as a whole band?" My favorite song is "Morning Calls" because I like the melody. But I don't know if I actually identify with Chris Carrabba's lyrics specifically. I can't really sing it for you. I've tried to sing Dashboard before; it doesn't work. He has a really unique voice and it's just higher than mine. I have to go into this really weird falsetto, and I end up always trying to sound like him. And me trying to sound like him doesn't work either.
Flaming Lips -- Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
I discovered this album when I was flying. There was a thing on the plane where you could listen to albums. I went to the alternative section and I saw The Flaming Lips. I used to like "She Don't Use Jelly," so I was like, All right. I ended up listening to it and loved it. My favorite song is "One More Robot/Sympathy 3000-21" It starts off with this weird organ thing and then the bass comes in and it's like buuum-buh-buum-buh-buuh-buuuhm buuum-buh-buum-buh-buuh-buuuhm. It's really loud. Why does Wayne Coyne cover himself in blood? I don't know what that is all about. I'm not that into it. I don't think I'd ever cover myself in blood. I think the craziest thing I've ever done onstage is sing a song. That's as crazy as I get right now.
 
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