Runaways, “Queens of Noise” (Cherry Red, 20xx; original release 1977)Second LP doesn’t have quite the immediacy of the first, but there are even more classic songs, and a nice, increasingly heavy edge. Oh yeah, this was one of the most crucial bands of the time, teen bubblegum nihilism filtered through anvil-fisted glitter/Stooges hard-rock stomp. The […]
Sado-Nation, “Future Past, Present, Tense” (Grand Theft Audio, 2005; original released in the early 1980s)Absolutely ferocious punk turning into hardcore from Portland, with alternating guy/gal vocals riding on anthemic song structures and huge, serrated chunks of blow-the-walls-out-of-the-club guitar.Try 3, 4, 9, 13, 15, 16, 17, 257/26/12
Veruca Salt, “American Thighs” (Minty Fresh/DGC 1994)Great, underrated Chicago band, sometimes compared to the Breeders, but more like a cross between the Go Gos (effervescent female harmonies, twistily delicious song structures, streamlinee punkish propulsion) and Big Black (machine-tooled rhythmic impact, shattering guitar (RUNCH).Try 1, 3, 5, 7, 91/23/14
Savage Amused, “Savage Amused” (Mind Cure, 2012; original release 1985)Harecore from Pittsburgh, unusually distinctive for the genre’s mid-‘80s lull. Lots of weird high-speed twists and turns, bits of Misfits and metal floating around, and some nice fuckup-anthems.Try A/1, A/4, B/17/29/14
Scraping Foetus Off The Wheel, “Hole” (Thirsty Ear, 1995; original release 1984)Weirdest/wildest/arguably best album from this industrial/swampabilly/noise/big-band/funk/everything-but-the-kitchen-sink colossus. Words fail me. Be prepared to have your mind twisted like saltwater taffy.Try 1, 4, 7, 10.1/13/13
Scraping Foetus Off The Wheel, “Nail” (Some Bizarre Self-Immolation, 1985)“Hole” is more eclectic, but this is the most coherent and epic outing from Lydia Lunch’s ex, Mr. Jim Foetus (a. k. a. Clint Ruin/Foetus All-Nude Revue/You’ve Got Foetus On Your Breath/Foetus Über Frisco/etc. etc.). The singular sound of Foetus—informed by funk, big band, industrial, post-punk, […]
Screaming Trees, “Dust” (Epic, 1996)Last LP from this pioneering Pacific Northwest group, whose exploration so fthe nexus between Beatlesque psych-pop and Sabbath-style sludge-blues were an acknowledged influenced on Mr. Cobain. “Dust” is at once their clearest, most assured work and their most desolate and soul-stirred.Try 3, 511/10/16
The Sea-ders, “The Sea-ders” (Lion Productions, 2010; original recording 1966-7)Mid-‘60s British Invasion-inflected pop from Lebanon, but incorporating Middle Eastern instrumentation and tonalities. Leans more toward the pop end of the spectrum song-wise, but it actuall rocks pretty hard at times, and is definitely commanding of attention.Try 2, 54/4/11
The Seekers, “Georgy Girl” (Capitol, 1966)These guys-‘n’-gal essentially filled the gap between the Mamas and the Papas and elevator music, so they’re not really an ultra-crucial component of their era, but the title track is: genuinely gorgeous, waftingly rhapsodic folk-pop confection (and the title track to a cool Brit ‘60s flick with Lynn Redgrave as […]
Ty Segall and White Fence, “Hair” (Drag City, 2012)I’ve enjoyed all of Segall’s work that I’ve heard, but this is what I’ve been waiting for from him. The psych flourishes first heard on “Melted” burst out of these grooves in a wave of sonic abandon. The music evolves out of garage-punk into a contemporary psychedelia […]