Many critics place this at the top of 80s albums. If you're only sampling it, go for "White Girl", a tremendous song about sexual jealousy and envy of a rival, and any one of "The Once Over Twice", "In This House That I Call Come", or "Beyond And Back". "Year One" is also a great song, though too short to waste a credit on if you're trying to decide whether you should get the album.
In 1981, nobody knew what the heck to think. Elvis, Sid Vicious, and John Lennon were all dead. The West Coast punk scene was on fire. We were all still trying to digest, "London Calling." Then along came X's second record, and for a moment, there was some clarity. Yeah, "White Girl." We all had one of those at that time and knew what that meant...
a classic from one of Americas great rock bands
Sorry, I don't have the receipt so you can't take it back.
kids - download this immediately, i had this record when i was 15... that's when you need to hear X !!!
It took me a number of commutes in the car back around '83 with my roommate in California before I began appreciating X. They were a little hard to listen to at first because they were so different. Now I include them on my "desert island" selections. This is a great album. Start with "In This House That I Call Home". Listen to it a few times. Let it rest. You'll find it worming its way through your brain. You'll be back to download the rest in no time.
To call X Punk is doing them a bit of disservice. They were way more intelligent lyrically than most of the first wave of punk bands documented by Slash records. Billy Zooms rockabilly style totally enthralled me and I learned how to play every song on this album. There were few bands doing the dual vocal complimentary thing like John Doe and Exene Cervenka. This band was at their peak on this and Under The Big Black Sun. Just absolutely great lyrics. "I threw my bracelets like gravel, move to Alabama, I drunk some more scotch instead, then I died" " let's not talk about bombs and destruction or the brain impulses of severed limbs". Gosh, I can go on and on. A personal fave of mine.
Finally, heaven is a place on the earth! A safe haven for Paul Westerburg and Fat Joe to chug beers; a land where Big L and Richard Hell can slam dance in peace. The ultimate beloved punk and hip-hop party anthems for the club or the shower - here's a hefty serving of Bangers & Thrash! more »
