X | ||
| Allmusic Biography : X were far from the first punk rock band in Los Angeles, and they werent the first to achieve some level of nationwide recognition, but in a very real way, they were the ones who put the L.A. punk scene on the map. X were the first L.A. punk band to be taken seriously by the rock press on both coasts, and at a time when many wondered how punk could thrive in the land of all that was mellow, X played music that was as raw, passionate, and powerful as anything coming out of New York, London, or any other major city. Xs melding of punks speed and ferocity with the sounds of rockabilly, blues, country, and other roots music styles would prove to be wildly influential in the years that followed, as were the off-kilter harmonies of John Doe and Exene Cervenka. Their first two independently released albums were critical favorites and sold remarkably well by small label standards, helping establish Slash Records as a major independent label. And while they never enjoyed the commercial breakthrough that many believed was their due, X were massively popular in their home town and could successfully headline large outdoor venues like the Greek Theater, proving there was an audience for punk in the City of the Angels. X was formed by bassist, vocalist, and songwriter John Doe (born John Nommensen Duchac), who moved to Los Angeles in 1976. Born and raised in Baltimore, where hed played in a number of forgotten bar bands, Doe had discovered punk rock after hearing Patti Smiths Horses and was eager to form a band in his new home town. Through a newspaper ad, Doe met Billy Zoom (born Ty Kindell), a gifted guitarist originally from Savannah, IL who had been playing rockabilly, blues, and R&B; in L.A. for years, and had backed Gene Vincent during the rockabilly icons last shows. Like Doe, Zoom had discovered the Ramones and wanted to play music that was fast, loud, and honest, and they began jamming together. Shortly before meeting Zoom, Doe had met Exene Cervenka (aka Christine Cervenkova) who, like Doe, had recently arrived in Los Angeles (in her case from Tampa, FL) and was interested in poetry. Doe and Cervenka were attending the same poetry workshop, and bonded over their shared tastes in literature. Doe and Cervenka started dating, and when he read one of her pieces and thought it had the makings of a good song, he asked her permission to sing it in the band he was forming with Zoom. Cervenka said shed prefer to sing it herself, and before long, she was rehearsing with Doe and Zoom, with her enthusiasm compensating for her lack of musical experience. Naming themselves X, the new band went through a handful of drummers after making their debut at a house party in 1977; their original drummer was a guy named Mick Basher, and reportedly, K.K. Barrett of the Screamers and Nicky Beat of the Weirdos sat in with them on occasion, but when Doe saw the Eyes performing at The Masque, L.A.s first punk club, he saw their drummer was just what he and Zoom had been looking for: someone whose style was smart but simple, and who hit a big snare drum really hard. That drummer was D.J. Bonebrake, and he played his first gig with X in February 1978. It didnt take long for X to make a name for themselves on the L.A. punk scene, and later the same year, the group recorded their first single, "Adult Books" b/w "Were Desperate," released by the seminal West Coast punk label Dangerhouse Records. The single sold well, and Xs song "Los Angeles" appeared on the labels sampler LP Yes L.A., but the band was unhappy with Dangerhouses business practices, and opted to record their first full-length album for Slash Records, an offshoot of the key L.A. punk ‘zine. X had also won a valuable ally in Ray Manzarek, former keyboard player with the Doors; Manzarek was impressed with Xs bold music and literate songs, as well as their open admiration of his former group (they had taken to covering "Soul Kitchen" on-stage). Manzarek played keys at a few X gigs and offered to produce their first album. Recorded on a slim budget of $10,000, Los Angeles was released in April 1980, and immediately received rave reviews from punk fanzines and the big-league music press; it was an immediate success in the bands home town, and as word spread nationwide, the album sold over 50,000 copies, an impressive sum for an independent punk album. Along with steady touring, fans outside of California were seeing X thanks to the documentary The Decline of Western Civilization, which focused on the L.A. punk community and gave the group a healthy amount of admiring screen time. 1980 also marked the year Doe and Cervenka became man and wife, with their relationship informing the lyrics to many of their songs. Xs second album, Wild Gift, appeared in May 1981, a few months after the release of their single "White Girl." Also produced by Ray Manzarek, the critical reception for Wild Gift was just as enthusiastic as it was for Los Angeles; sales also matched those of the debut, and before long, X were not just L.A.s most popular punk band, but one of the towns biggest bands period, and became the first unsigned rock band to headline L.A.s Greek Theater. Major labels finally came calling, and X signed a deal with Elektra Records, who released Under the Big Black Sun in July 1982. Manzarek once again produced, and while the bigger recording budget resulted in a fuller sound, the groups approach was essentially the same, and while critics and fans were once again impressed with Xs passionate music and street-level lyrics, radio still wasnt ready for them, and the album failed to sell significantly better than Los Angeles or Wild Gift, despite plenty of touring and occasional television appearances. The same fate befell 1983s More Fun in the New World, as the band continued to sit at the top of the heap in L.A. without making significant headway elsewhere. In 1984, Doe, Cervenka, and Bonebrake released an album by their acoustic side project the Knitters, while X recorded a bombastic cover of the Troggs "Wild Thing" which appeared on the soundtrack of the film Major League. The "Wild Thing" single was produced by Michael Wagener, who had worked with heavy metal bands such as Mötley Crüe and Dokken; Wagener returned to produce Xs next album, 1984s Aint Love Grand, and while one tune from the album, "Burning House of Love," earned steady MTV airplay, the albums more polished sound didnt favor the band, and both critics and fans were disappointed while radio programmers and mainstream audiences paid little attention. Disappointed with the bands failure to break through to a mass audience, Billy Zoom left X in 1985, and the divorce of Doe and Cervenka, who had wed in 1980, didnt help relations in the group. Dave Alvin, guitarist with the Blasters and a collaborator in the Knitters, was recruited to join the band, and while he was an ideal fit for X, by the time they completed the recording of 1987s See How We Are, he was offered a record deal as a solo act and opted to leave. Tony Gilkyson, formerly with Lone Justice, took part in the recording of See How We Are and became Xs lead guitarist after the album was released. While the album was a strong piece of work, sales were disappointing, and after releasing Live at the Whisky A Go-Go in 1988, X quietly broke up. After the bands breakup, Doe launched a solo career with the album Meet John Doe in 1990, and also pursued a career as an actor, appearing in a number of notable film and television projects. Exene Cervenka released her first solo LP, Old Wives Tales, in 1989, and recorded both acoustic and rock music as a solo artist and with the bands the Original Sinners and Auntie Christ; Cervenka also wrote and published poetry, created visual art, and acted in the film Salvation, where she met actor Viggo Mortensen, whom she married in 1987 and divorced in 1997. Billy Zoom stayed out of the public eye, primarily working in his own shop fixing and modifying guitar amplifiers, while D.J. Bonebrake stayed busy working with a wide variety of musicians and playing with a pair of jazz combos, the Bonebrake Syncopators and Orchestra Superstring. In 1993, after the success of Nirvanas Nevermind had opened up radio to more adventurous sounds, X reunited with Tony Gilkyson on guitar and recorded the album Hey Zeus! Reaction to the album was polite but not enthusiastic, and after the release of 1995s Unclogged, a live album drawn from a series of acoustic shows, the group once again retired. In 1998, to the surprise of many, the classic X lineup of Doe, Cervenka, Zoom, and Bonebrake reunited for a handful of shows in Los Angeles. The reunion shows were rapturously received by both fans and critics, and the band has staged periodic reunion tours ever since. A late-2004 stand at the Los Angeles House of Blues resulted in the live CD and DVD Live in Los Angeles, and X continue to perform despite Cervenkas announcement in 2009 that she had been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 14 Title: Los Angeles Released: 1980-04 Tracks: 14 Duration: 39:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Your Phone’s Off the Hook, but You’re Not (02:25) 2 Johny Hit and Run Paulene (02:50) 3 Soul Kitchen (02:25) 4 Nausea (03:40) 5 Sugarlight (02:28) 6 Los Angeles (02:25) 7 Sex and Dying in High Society (02:15) 8 The Unheard Music (04:49) 9 The World’s a Mess; It’s in My Kiss (04:43) 10 I’m Coming Over (demo) (01:24) 11 Adult Books (Dangerhouse rough mix) (03:21) 12 Delta 88 (demo) (01:28) 13 Cyrano De Berger’s Back (rehearsal) (03:01) 14 Los Angeles (Dangerhouse version) (02:14) |
| Los Angeles : Allmusic album Review : By the late 70s, punk rock and hardcore were infiltrating the Los Angeles music scene. Such bands as Black Flag, the Germs, and, especially, X were the leaders of the pack, prompting an avalanche of copycat bands and eventually signing record contracts themselves. Xs debut, Los Angeles, is considered by many to be one of punks all-time finest recordings, and with good reason. Most punk bands used their musical inability to create their own style, but X actually consisted of some truly gifted musicians, including rockabilly guitarist Billy Zoom, bassist John Doe, and frontwoman Exene Cervenka, who, with Doe, penned poetic lyrics and perfected sweet yet biting vocal harmonies. Los Angeles is prime X, offering such all-time classics as the venomous "Your Phones Off the Hook, but Youre Not," a tale of date rape called "Johnny Hit and Run Paulene," and two of their best anthems (and enduring concert favorites), "Nausea" and the title track. While they were tagged as a punk rock act from the get-go (many felt that this eventually proved a hindrance), X are not easily categorized. Although they utilize elements of punks frenzy and electricity, they also add country, ballads, and rockabilly to the mix. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 14 Title: Wild Gift Released: 1981-05 Tracks: 13 Duration: 32:57 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Once Over Twice (02:30) 2 We’re Desperate (02:00) 3 Adult Books (03:19) 4 Universal Corner (04:33) 5 I’m Coming Over (01:14) 6 It’s Who You Know (02:16) 7 In This House That I Call Home (03:40) 8 Some Other Time (02:17) 9 White Girl (03:27) 10 Beyond and Back (02:49) 11 Back 2 the Base (01:35) 12 When Our Love Passed Out on the Couch (01:57) 13 Year 1 (01:17) |
| Wild Gift : Allmusic album Review : For Xs second release, 1981s Wild Gift, the quartet followed the same path they had taken a year earlier on their debut, Los Angeles, creating another batch of timeless compositions that merged the energy of punk rock with other musical styles. Former Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek reprised his role as producer on what would turn out to be Xs last independent release before signing to Elektra. Included are such eventual punk standards as "Were Desperate," the melodic hookfest "White Girl" (sampled years later by the Red Hot Chili Peppers in their song "Good Time Boys"), and "Beyond and Back." Other highlights include the 50s-prom feel of "Adult Books," the punk-pop composition "In This House That I Call Home," and the rapid "Back 2 the Base." While it may be a shade less exceptional than its predecessor, Wild Gift is nonetheless a classic effort. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 14 Title: Under the Big Black Sun Released: 1982-07 Tracks: 11 Duration: 34:05 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The Hungry Wolf (03:47) 2 Motel Room in My Bed (02:41) 3 Riding With Mary (03:39) 4 Come Back to Me (03:45) 5 Under the Big Black Sun (03:25) 6 Because I Do (02:23) 7 Blue Spark (02:08) 8 Dancing With Tears in My Eyes (02:14) 9 Real Child of Hell (02:59) 10 How I (Learned My Lesson) (02:15) 11 The Have Nots (04:43) |
| Under the Big Black Sun : Allmusic album Review : Xs first album issued on a major label, 1982s Under the Big Black Sun, is arguably their finest record. All 11 songs are exceptional, from both a performance and compositional point of view. Ray Manzareks production is more akin to hard rock bands than their earlier punk works, but the songs still pack quite a punch. Before the recording of the album, singer Exene Cervenkas sister was killed by a drunk driver, and the band decided to work out their grief in the music, as evidenced by two of the albums best tracks: the melodic "Riding With Mary" and the vintage 50s sound of "Come Back to Me." The highlights dont stop there, however; also included are the Led Zeppelin-esque "The Hungry Wolf" (an early video favorite of MTV), the accelerating "Motel Room in My Bed," the rocker "Blue Spark," the spacious title track, and the album closer "The Have Nots." Again, Cervenka and John Doe supply some great vocal harmonies (perhaps the only punk band to ever do so), while Billy Zoom shows off great rockabilly chops throughout. Under the Big Black Sun is one of the quintessential rock records from the 80s. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 14 Title: More Fun in the New World Released: 1983-09 Tracks: 17 Duration: 58:54 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The New World (03:27) 2 Were Having Much More Fun (03:08) 3 True Love (02:14) 4 Poor Girl (02:53) 5 Make the Music Go Bang (03:05) 6 Breathless (02:18) 7 I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts (04:15) 8 Devil Doll (03:07) 9 Painting the Town Blue (03:20) 10 Hot House (02:58) 11 Drunk in My Past (02:53) 12 I See Red (03:01) 13 True Love, Part 2 (05:16) 14 Poor Girl (demo/remix) (02:58) 15 True Love, Part 2 (demo/remix) (04:56) 16 Devil Doll (demo/remix) (03:12) 17 I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts (demo/remix) (05:45) |
| More Fun in the New World : Allmusic album Review : Coming off their 1982 masterpiece Under the Big Black Sun, X offered their follow-up More Fun in the New World one year later. While its predecessor won the band a slew of new fans, it didnt serve as the major breakthrough that it so deservedly should have. Rightfully, they didnt fool with their already winning formula; they issued another solid set of songs produced, again, by Ray Manzarek. The anthemic album opener "The New World" is still powerful years later, as is the absolutely beautiful ballad "I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts," which perfectly captures the paranoid feeling of Reagans America in the 80s. X achieved new rough and rocking heights with the vicious "Devil Doll," "Painting the Town Blue," and "Make the Music Go Bang," while returning once again to their retro 50s roots with "Poor Girl." More Fun in the New World would prove to be Manzareks final production credit with X, who would hook up with renowned heavy metal veteran Michael Wagener for their next release two years later, Aint Love Grand! | ||
 | Album: 5 of 14 Title: Ain’t Love Grand Released: 1985-07 Tracks: 11 Duration: 42:25 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Burning House of Love (03:55) 2 Love Shack (03:06) 3 My Soul Cries Your Name (03:38) 4 My Goodness (04:36) 5 Around My Heart (04:44) 6 What’s Wrong With Me… (03:45) 7 All or Nothing (03:09) 8 Watch the Sun Go Down (03:50) 9 I’ll Stand Up for You (04:04) 10 Little Honey (03:45) 11 Supercharged (03:47) |
 | Album: 6 of 14 Title: See How We Are Released: 1987 Tracks: 11 Duration: 37:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Im Lost (02:56) 2 You (03:30) 3 4th of July (04:00) 4 In the Time It Takes (03:10) 5 Anyone Can Fill Your Shoes (02:47) 6 See How We Are (03:47) 7 Left & Right (02:58) 8 When It Rains… (04:29) 9 Holiday Story (03:36) 10 Surprise Surprise (02:53) 11 Cyrano de Berger’s Back (03:33) |
| See How We Are : Allmusic album Review : Xs 1987 release See How We Are saw the band hook up with new guitarist Tony Gilkyson, who replaced original member Billy Zoom. Since the two guitarists had a similar style (punk and rockabilly), Gilkyson fit in quite well. Instead of returning to their previous producer Michael Wagener, the group enlisted the help of newcomer Alvin Clark, who merges the punk sound of Xs earlier work with Wageners glossy approach. Included as the title track is one of Xs all-time best ballads -- proof of how beautiful and affecting John Doe and Exene Cervenkas vocal harmonies can be. Also featured are the anthemic rocker "4th of July" (written by ex-Blasters and sometimes X fill-in guitarist Dave Alvin), and the standouts "In the Time It Takes," "Im Lost," and "Surprise Surprise." Although they were still penning fine tunes and giving great concerts (as evidenced by the 1988 live set Live at the Whiskey a Go-Go), X would take several years off after wrapping up the tour for See How We Are, not issuing a new studio album until 1993. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 14 Title: Live at the Whisky A Go-Go on the Fabulous Sunset Strip Released: 1988 Tracks: 24 Duration: 1:22:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Los Angeles (02:55) 2 House I Call Home (03:35) 3 The New World (03:02) 4 Around My Heart (04:19) 5 Surprise Surprise (02:46) 6 Because I Do (02:25) 7 Burning House of Love (04:23) 8 My Goodness (04:06) 9 Blue Spark (02:13) 10 The Once Over Twice (02:35) 11 In The Time It Takes (02:54) 12 Devil Doll (04:30) 1 Hungry Wolf (03:52) 2 Just Another Perfect Day (live, 1987) (04:31) 3 Unheard Music (04:10) 4 Riding with Mary (03:44) 5 The World’s a Mess (03:36) 6 True Love (02:29) 7 White Girl (03:50) 8 Skin Deep Town (03:19) 9 So Long (03:58) 10 The Call of the Wreckin’ Ball (04:36) 11 Year 1 (01:16) 12 Johny Hit & Run Pauline (03:35) |
 | Album: 8 of 14 Title: Los Angeles / Wild Gift Released: 1988 Tracks: 22 Duration: 1:00:36 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Your Phone’s Off the Hook, but You’re Not (02:25) 2 Johny Hit and Run Paulene (02:50) 3 Soul Kitchen (02:25) 4 Nausea (03:40) 5 Sugarlight (02:24) 6 Los Angeles (02:25) 7 Sex and Dying in High Society (02:15) 8 The Unheard Music (04:49) 9 The Worlds a Mess, Its in My Kiss (04:30) 10 The Once Over Twice (02:30) 11 We’re Desperate (02:00) 12 Adult Books (03:19) 13 Universal Corner (04:33) 14 I’m Coming Over (01:14) 15 It’s Who You Know (02:16) 16 In This House That I Call Home (03:34) 17 Some Other Time (02:17) 18 White Girl (03:27) 19 Beyond and Back (02:49) 20 Back 2 the Base (01:33) 21 When Our Love Passed Out on the Couch (01:57) 22 Year 1 (01:17) |
| Los Angeles / Wild Gift : Allmusic album Review : Since Xs first two classic releases -- 1980s Los Angeles and 1981s Wild Gift -- were relatively short albums, and since they were also released independently, both were combined as a CD reissue in 1988. Los Angeles/Wild Gift presents 22 tracks of indispensable X. Recorded just as the L.A. punk scene was gaining worldwide attention, you can hear the excitement in the bands inspired playing and fine songwriting. Numerous highlights are included, such as "Johnny Hit and Run Pauline," "Nausea," "Los Angeles," "Were Desperate," "White Girl," and "Beyond and Back." While the quartets sound would expand even further on such future releases as Under the Big Black Sun and Aint Love Grand! (touching upon hard rock, to be exact), Los Angeles/Wild Gift contains Xs most straightforward compositions. It is an essential purchase for fans of punk, and for admirers of fine rock & roll in general. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 14 Title: Hey Zeus! Released: 1993-06-08 Tracks: 11 Duration: 45:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Someone’s Watching (04:49) 2 Big Blue House (04:04) 3 Clean Like Tomorrow (03:57) 4 New Life (03:24) 5 Country at War (04:15) 6 Arms for Hostages (03:37) 7 Into the Light (03:56) 8 Lettuce and Vodka (05:07) 9 Everybody (03:32) 10 Baby You Lied (03:18) 11 Drawn in the Dark (05:54) |
 | Album: 10 of 14 Title: Unclogged Released: 1996-01-02 Tracks: 13 Duration: 51:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 White Girl (04:02) 2 Because I Do (03:05) 3 Lying in the Road (03:34) 4 Unheard Music (03:39) 5 I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts (04:50) 6 Burning House of Love (03:51) 7 The Stage (04:17) 8 See How We Are (04:49) 9 True Love (02:23) 10 The Have Nots (04:21) 11 The Worlds a Mess; Its in My Kiss (04:43) 12 I See Red (03:31) 13 Whats Wrong With Me (04:11) |
| Unclogged : Allmusic album Review : Perhaps referring to the staid forum known as contemporary "unplugged music," or their own aging arteries, Unclogged successfully reprises Xs finest work in an electro-acoustic live set. No worse for the wear, John Doe and Exene Cervenka are in perfect voice, while Tony Gilkyson and D.J. Bonebrake play the songs they played a million times with the renewed spirit of a band that can finally relax and rest on its laurels. If there was ever anything to prove -- that X was a supreme live band or that Doe and Cervenka were two of the most talented songwriters to come out of punk -- this is the evidence. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 14 Title: Beyond and Back: The X Anthology Released: 1997-10-28 Tracks: 47 Duration: 2:18:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Los Angeles (02:25) 2 The Worlds a Mess; Its in My Kiss (03:53) 3 Yr Ignition (02:57) 4 Year One (01:17) 5 Hungry Wolf (03:49) 6 Were Desperate (02:00) 7 Beyond & Back (02:45) 8 Back 2 the Base (01:30) 9 Blue Spark (02:12) 10 Some Other Time (02:22) 11 Sex and Dying in High Society (02:17) 12 Motel Room in My Bed (02:41) 13 Heater (02:32) 14 The Once over Twice (02:53) 15 Because I Do (02:24) 16 In This House That I Call Home (03:34) 17 Soul Kitchen (02:33) 18 Universal Corner (04:09) 19 Delta 88 (01:25) 20 Real Child of Hell (02:59) 21 Im Coming Over (01:21) 22 White Girl (03:27) 23 Nausea (03:05) 24 Johny Hit and Run Paulene (02:57) 25 Your Phone’s Off the Hook, but You’re Not (02:25) 26 Riding with Mary (03:59) 27 Nausea (Spoken Word - End of Show Recording) (01:59) 1 The New World (03:37) 2 Breathless (02:16) 3 Poor Girl (02:53) 4 Whats Wrong with Me (03:44) 5 How I (Learned My Lesson) (02:20) 6 The Have Nots (04:45) 7 Someone Like You (03:04) 8 The Stage (03:57) 9 See How We Are (03:31) 10 Surprise Surprise (02:53) 11 4th of July (03:18) 12 Arms For Hostages/Country at War (01:53) 13 Wild Thing (03:31) 14 Burning House of Love (03:43) 15 Devil Doll (03:13) 16 True Love (02:14) 17 Call of the Wreckin Ball (02:56) 18 In The Time It Takes (03:07) 19 I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts (05:37) 20 Hungry Wolf (instrumental) (03:47) |
 | Album: 12 of 14 Title: The Best: Make the Music Go Bang! Released: 2004-07-27 Tracks: 46 Duration: 2:38:05 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Adult Books (03:14) 2 Were Desperate (02:03) 3 Los Angeles (02:24) 4 Your Phones Off the Hook, but Youre Not (02:25) 5 Johny Hit and Run Paulene (02:50) 6 Soul Kitchen (02:25) 7 The Worlds a Mess; Its in My Kiss (04:28) 8 The Unheard Music (04:45) 9 White Girl (single mix) (03:29) 10 The Once Over Twice (02:31) 11 Universal Corner (04:33) 12 Some Other Time (02:17) 13 In This House That I Call Home (03:33) 14 Beyond and Back (live, 1980) (02:41) 15 Riding With Mary (single version) (03:12) 16 The Hungry Wolf (03:47) 17 Motel Room in My Bed (02:41) 18 Blue Spark (02:08) 19 The Have Nots (04:46) 20 Under the Big Black Sun (03:24) 21 The New World (03:25) 22 Breathless (02:19) 23 Were Having Much More Fun (03:08) 24 True Love (02:15) 25 I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts (04:15) 1 Wild Thing (7" single edit) (03:33) 2 Poor Girl (02:53) 3 The Call of the Wreckin Ball (02:57) 4 Someone Like You (02:42) 5 What’s Wrong With Me… (03:45) 6 Burning House of Love (03:55) 7 My Goodness (04:36) 8 4th of July (04:06) 9 You (03:30) 10 When It Rains... (04:33) 11 Surprise Surprise (02:53) 12 Im Lost (02:57) 13 See How We Are (03:49) 14 Skin Deep Town (live, 1987) (03:19) 15 Around My Heart (live, 1987) (04:26) 16 Just Another Perfect Day (live, 1987) (04:31) 17 Devil Doll (live, 1987) (04:39) 18 Big Blue House (04:05) 19 Clean Like Tomorrow (03:57) 20 Country at War (04:15) 21 New Life (03:24) |
| The Best: Make the Music Go Bang! : Allmusic album Review : There are generally two schools of thought on assembling a career-spanning anthology of a musician of consequence -- you can compile a fan-oriented set that loads up all manner of rare and unreleased tracks alongside the acts better-known material, or go for an album designed for newcomers and dabblers that presents an efficient one-stop overview of their best work. Since X, arguably the best band to emerge from L.A.s punk scene (no small statement given how good many of their contemporaries were), have already spawned a truly inspired fan-friendly double-disc compilation, Beyond & Back: The X Anthology, The Best: Make the Music Go Bang reasonably goes in the opposite direction. Boasting no unreleased material (though a few cuts are hard to come by these days), this two-disc package instead offers a healthy representation of Xs seven studio albums and their 1988 live set (though oddly, the 1995 semi-acoustic disc Unclogged doesnt make the cut). Compiled by bassist, vocalist, and songwriter John Doe, The Best: Make the Music Go Bang just skims the high points from Xs catalog, but oh what high points they are -- disc one culls the gems from the bands first four albums (Los Angeles, Wild Gift, Under the Big Black Sun, and More Fun in the New World), and its a stunning reminder of why this band was so important, with Billy Zooms roots-thrash guitar lines, John Doe and D.J. Bonebrakes precise but furious rhythms, and the hot and sour harmonies of Doe and Exene Cervenka sounding as potent today as they did in 1980. Disc two covers the more underappreciated Aint Love Grand, See How We Are, and Hey Zeus!, as well as the live set Live at the Whisky a Go-Go on the Fabulous Sunset Strip and the sole album from Doe, Cervenka, and Bonebrakes country-leaning side project, the Knitters. While its not hard to understand why these albums have never been as popular with the groups fans, the selections here make a good case for the continued strength of the bands work, especially on the post-Zoom See How We Are, and if youre willing to listen past the obnoxious over-production of the Aint Love Grand cuts, youll discover that the songs are great and Doe and Cervenka are in excellent voice. At over two and a half hours, The Best: Make the Music Go Bang is an intensive introduction to this band whose bulk might scare off casual observers, and loyal fans will already have nearly everything here (beyond some rare single sides). But if you want a thorough tutorial in a truly remarkable band and a solid dose of quality listening, this more than fills the order, and anyone who hasnt heard X is advised to give this a spin as soon (and as loud) as possible. | ||
 | Album: 13 of 14 Title: Live in Los Angeles Released: 2005-05-10 Tracks: 21 Duration: 1:04:13 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Your Phones Off the Hook, but Youre Not (02:47) 2 In This House That I Call Home (03:41) 3 Were Desperate (02:24) 4 Beyond and Back (03:00) 5 White Girl (04:07) 6 The Unheard Music (04:13) 7 Los Angeles (03:18) 8 True Love (02:15) 9 Im Coming Over (01:24) 10 Blue Spark (02:47) 11 The New World (03:05) 12 Nausea (04:17) 13 Johny Hit and Run Paulene (03:09) 14 Motel Room in My Bed (02:39) 15 Its Who You Know (02:58) 16 Because I Do (02:25) 17 Devil Doll (03:50) 18 The Hungry Wolf (02:57) 19 Year 1 (01:26) 20 The Worlds a Mess; Its in My Kiss (04:19) 21 Soul Kitchen (03:03) |
| Live in Los Angeles : Allmusic album Review : In the first few years of the 21st century, it seemed as if all the bands that earned great reps but didnt make any money back in the 1980s and 90s were staging reunion tours, hoping to draw some of the cash and approval they didnt find back in the day. X were ahead of the curve on this notion; while they ruled Los Angeles for a few years in the 1980s, they never quite broke nationally, but in 1998 the classic X lineup of John Doe, Exene Cervenka, Billy Zoom, and D.J. Bonebrake got back together for some hometown shows, and theyve been periodically taking the act out of mothballs ever since. Anyone who saw X in the 1980s can tell you they were simply one of the very best bands to come out of the American punk scene, and their reunion gigs have proven theyre still in full command of their very impressive faculties. Live in Los Angeles was recorded during a pair of gigs at the Los Angeles House of Blues in the fall of 2004, and while John Doe jokes in passing that the years are advancing upon him and his bandmates, the truth is that, on much of this album, youd be hard-pressed to guess if this was recorded in 2004 or 1984, and thats a high compliment. Zooms punkabilly guitar leads are as sharp and bruising as ever, Doe and Bonebrake remain a potent and muscular rhythm section, and if theres still a high chaos factor in Doe and Cervenkas harmonies, they sound passionate and reckless, and no real fan would want them any other way. There are no new songs here, and the arrangements dont differ in a substantial way from the studio recordings of these tunes, but this does offer up a fine quality live recording of Xs best lineup, something listeners didnt get the first time around, and while the cynical might suggest that this is the product of a band playing the punk version of the oldies circuit, if X are performing with this much skill and fury, you cant say the fans arent getting great value for their money. Big, loud, dangerous fun. | ||
 | Album: 14 of 14 Title: Live in Latin America Released: 2018-04 Tracks: 18 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Your Phone’s Off the Hook (but You’re Not) (?) 2 Johnny Hit & Run Paulene (?) 3 Soul Kitchen (?) 4 White Girl (?) 5 Some Other Time (?) 6 Nausea (?) 7 It’s Who You Know (?) 8 We’re Desperate (?) 9 The Hungry Wolf (?) 10 Los Angeles (?) 11 Blue Spark (?) 12 Once Over Twice (?) 13 The World’s a Mess (It’s in My Kiss) (?) 14 Sugarlight (?) 15 The Unheard Music (?) 16 Year 1 (?) 17 Because I Do (?) 18 Devil Doll (?) |