“French Restaurant”, Lydia Loveless

This way: French Restaurant

Lydia Loveless is an American alternative country singer-songwriter from Columbus, Ohio. Her music combines pop music, classic country, honky tonk, and punk rock.

Her family is musical: Loveless' father was a pastor, drummer, and later country-western bar owner for a time. She and her sisters played several instruments. Loveless took piano lessons, then began trying to play the guitar at 12.

In 2012, signed with Bloodshot and determined to make a more raw and edgier album, she released Indestructible Machine with songs that feature themes of frustration with her hometown, drinking, depression, and a humorous song about being stalked by a man who referred to himself as Steve Earle but was not in fact the singer of Copperhead Road. Loveless recorded the album with many live takes and a minimum of overdubs at Grove City, Ohio’s Sonic Lounge recording studio with engineer Joe Viers. Spin characterized the record as standing out "for its utter lack of bullshit", with "roaring vocals, in her narrators' lived-in-bars recklessness, and in her overall inability to mince words." 

[Spotify] French Restaurant

“Twenty-Five-Forty-One”, Grant Hart

This way: Twenty-Five-Forty-One

Is this the greatest break-up song of all time? It could be, band break-up, but nonetheless. Grant Hart (March 18, 1961 – September 13, 2017) was an American musician, best known as the drummer and co-songwriter for the punk rock band Hüsker Dü. After the band's breakup in 1988, he released his first solo album Intolerance before forming the alternative rock trio Nova Mob, where he moved to vocals and guitar. His solo career became his main focus after the dissolution of Nova Mob in 1997.

As the co-songwriter of Hüsker Dü, Hart's songs (such as "The Girl Who Lives on Heaven Hill" and "Turn on the News") received praise from critics and contemporaries. His vocal style, in contrast to that of Hüsker Dü bandmate Bob Mould, had a more measured and melodic delivery. His choice of lyrical themes, which ranged from teenage alienation in "Standing by the Sea" and the depiction of a murder in "Diane," to playful story-telling in "Books About UFOs," helped to expand the subject matter of hardcore punk.

Hart died on September 13, 2017, of complications from liver cancer and hepatitis C. 

[Spotify] Twenty-Five-Forty-One

“2wice”, Mission of Burma

This way: 2wice

Mission of Burma was an American post-punk band from Boston, Massachusetts. The group formed in 1979 with Roger Miller on guitar, Clint Conley on bass, Peter Prescott on drums, and Martin Swope contributing audiotape manipulation and acting as the band’s sound engineer. In this initial lineup, Miller, Conley, and Prescott all shared singing and songwriting duties.

In their early years the band's recordings were all released on the small Boston-based record label Ace of Hearts. Despite their initial success in the growing independent music circuit, Mission of Burma disbanded in 1983 due to Miller's development of tinnitus caused by the loud volume of the band's live performances. In its original lineup, the band released only two singles, an EP, and one LP, titled Vs. 

Mission of Burma reformed in 2002, with Bob Weston replacing Swope. The band released four more albums—ONoffON, The Obliterati, The Sound the Speed the Light, and Unsound—before splitting up in June 2020. This track from Obliterati.

[Spotify] 2wice

“The King”, Anjimile

This way: The King

Wow, what the heck is this? Brain says, sounds unknown . . . . Anjimile Chithambo, better known under the mononym Anjimile, is an American folk musician from Boston, Massachusetts. Anjimile was born in 1993 and raised in Dallas before eventually moving to Boston. Growing up, they[a] started playing guitar at 11, and sang in choirs starting in the fifth grade and continuing until college. Their early musical influence came through listening to their dad's Oliver Mtukudzi albums in the car, and early Sufjan Stevens. Later influences were getting sober and connecting with their Black Malawian roots. Anjimile identified as a lesbian for 10 years, before coming out as trans. They self-describe as "queer/trans/boy king" and use both they/them and he/him pronouns.  

[Spotify] The King

“Baby Drugs”, Tristen

This way: Baby Drugs

Tristen is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She has released five albums: Teardrops and Lollipops (2008), Charlatans at the Garden Gate (2011), C A V E S (2013), Sneaker Waves (2017), and Aquatic Flowers (2021). She also performed as a member of Jenny Lewis's live band in 2015.

After graduating from De Paul University in 2007, where she studied relational group and organizational theories of communication, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee to immerse herself in its music scene. 

Tristen's first EP was an independent release, a collection of lo-fi demos titled Teardrops and Lollipops that was completed in 2008. She recorded the homemade EP in her Nashville apartment, burning the CD's herself and packaging them in unique, hand-sewn felt sleeves to sell at her shows. 

[Spotify] Baby Drugs

“Rebellious Jukebox”, The Fall-Live at the Witch Trials—NPA

This way: Rebellious Jukebox

Near Perfect Album

Live at the Witch Trials is the debut studio album by the Fall. It was released on 16 March 1979 through record label Step-Forward. It is not, despite its title, a live album and was recorded in a studio in a single day and mixed by producer Bob Sargeant.

The album was recorded at Camden Sound Suite on 15 December 1978 and mixed by producer Bob Sargeant on the 16th. The group had been booked into the studio for five days but Mark E. Smith had fallen ill and cancelled the first three days.

Some of the songs date from earlier incarnations of the group and feature writing credits from former members Tony Friel and Una Baines. Lyrical subject matter includes a tirade against the music industry ("Music Scene"), low-quality jobs ("Industrial Estate") and drugs ("No Xmas for John Quays", "Like to Blow", "Frightened", "Underground Medecin"). "Frightened" was described by Dave McCullough in Sounds as "a breathtaking, ominously culminating monster of a song". "Rebellious Jukebox" was described by Pitchfork as "one of the first self-aware Fall anthems", with the title viewed as [summing] up The Fall's stance against prevailing trends. Mark E. Smith, the band leader, died in 2018.They have released over 31 albums, is that enough?

[Spotify] Rebellious Jukebox

[Spotify, album] Live at the Witch Trials 

“When I Fall”, Steve Earle

This way: When I Fall

Here's a great one With Sister Stacey Earle sharing vocal duties. Transcendental Blues is the ninth studio album by Steve Earle, released in 2000. The album was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Contemporary Folk Album category.  

[Spotify] When I Fall

“Isn’t It Grand, Boys”, Clancy Bros + Tommy Makem

This way: Isn’t It Grand, Boys

This song really changed my outlook on life and perhaps math. Isn't It Grand Boys is a 1966 studio album by the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. It was the Irish folk group's seventh album for Columbia Records and their tenth album over all. Tommy Makem wrote the liner notes.

New York Times music critic, Robert Shelton, praised the album for its sound quality and presence. About the singing, he noted: "The ensemble efforts have just enough polish to show a firm professionalism, and just enough rough edges to retain a native folk quality." He singled out the songs "Nancy Whisky," "Isn't It Grand Boys," and "Westering Ho" for their "hearty virility."

[Spotify] Isn’t It Grand, Boys

“Rusty”, Le Volume Courbe

This way: Rusty

Le Volume Courbe (French for "The volume curve") is a band by French-born, London-based singer/songwriter/producer, Charlotte Marionneau/Charlotte Courbe. "Le Volume Courbe" was a name of a sculpture by a friend of Marionneau's, Marcel Marionneau, a French sculptor living in the region of Vendée (France). In 2001, Le Volume Courbe released the "Harmony/Papillon De Nuit" 7" on Alan McGee’s Poptones record label. In 2005, Marionneau recorded her debut album I Killed My Best Friend. The album was first released on Honest Jon's and was then picked up by Astralwerks in the U.S in 2006. 

In 2007, Le Volume Courbe released "Freight Train/The House" 7", a collaboration with the band Primal Scream on the label Trouble Records. "Freight Train" was used on the soundtrack of the Channel 4 TV drama Skins.

[Spotify] Rusty

“Stumbling Still”, Nation of Language

This way: Stumbling Still

New record from my fav band of the last few years. Love the sounds and songwritin'. Nation of Language is an American indie pop band that formed in Brooklyn, New York, in 2016. The group consists of Ian Richard Devaney (lead vocals, guitar, synthesizer, percussion), Aidan Noell (synthesizer, backing vocals), and Alex MacKay (bass guitar). Michael Sue-Poi was the bassist prior to the band's 2022 tour.

Devaney and Sue-Poi were both members of the Static Jacks, but the band became inactive after the release of their second album Devaney was inspired to start a new project after hearing "Electricity" by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark in his father's car, a track he listened to in his childhood. What started out as Devaney "fooling around" on a keyboard later evolved into Nation of Language, with the addition of Devaney's partner Noell and former Static Jacks bandmate Sue-Poi.

The band released a number of singles from 2016 through to 2019, before releasing their debut album Introduction, Presence in May 2020.

Since 2018, Devaney has also been the lead vocalist for Machinegum, a side project created by the Strokes' drummer, Fabrizio Moretti. Moretti provided the drumming on the Nation of Language tracks "Indignities" and "Sacred Tongue". Former Static Jacks member Nick Brennan also drums on the track "Automobile".

[Spotify] Stumbling Still

“Emergency”, Dee Dee King

This way: Emergency

It’s really quite terrible over all. But Dee Dee can write a song. Here is the gem of the whole lot. Standing in the Spotlight is the first solo studio album by Dee Dee Ramone released in 1989, under the rap moniker Dee Dee King. The album is sometimes considered to be one of the biggest failures in recording history.

Musically, the songs vary from old school hip hop and doo-wop (e.g., "Mashed Potato Time", "Commotion In The Ocean") to rock and roll (e.g., "Baby Doll") and punk rock (e.g., "Poor Little Rich Girl", "The Crusher"). In an article for The Village Voice in 2014, Chaz Kangas wrote that the album "sound less like a rap record and more like a Ramones album that has rapping on it".

[Spotify] Emergency

“Almost”, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark—NPA

This way: Almost

Near Perfect Album

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark is the debut studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 22 February 1980 by Dindisc. Recorded at the group's Liverpool studio, it showcased their minimal synth-pop style and peaked at number 27 on the UK Albums Chart. "Electricity" and "Red Frame/White Light" were released as singles; a re-recorded version of "Messages" provided OMD with their first hit in the UK, reaching number 13. 

Much of the album's content centres around war themes, with OMD exploring "the lengths to which people would go in a situation beyond the norm". A sleeper hit, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark met with favourable reviews and became a seminal record of its era. The band expressed dissatisfaction with their production efforts on the album, although frontman Andy McCluskey later came to appreciate its naivety. It was remastered and re-released in 2003 with six bonus tracks, including the single version of “Messages”.  

[Spotify] Almost

[Spotify, album] Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark 

“Beeswing”, Richard Thompson

This way: Beeswing

The story you can tell with 42 words. Damn this guy is a master of it. I’ve heard this song a hundred times and still the chills. 

"But maybe that's just the price you pay

For the chains you refuse"

[Spotify] Beeswing

“That Time”, Regina Spektor

This way: That Time

Regina Spektor Russian–born American singer, songwriter, and pianist. After self-releasing her first three records and gaining popularity in New York City's independent music scenes, particularly the anti-folk scene centered on New York City's East Village, Spektor signed with Sire Records in 2004 resulting in greater mainstream recognition. After giving her third album a major label re-release, Sire released Spektor's fourth album, Begin to Hope, which achieved a Gold certification by the RIAA. Her following two albums, Far and What We Saw from the Cheap Seats, each debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200.

Mayor Bill de Blasio proclaimed June 11, 2019, Regina Spektor Day in New York City. Spektor was also inducted into the Bronx Walk of Fame on May 18, 2019, by Borough President Rubén Díaz Jr. This from 2006. 

[Spotify] That Time

[Charming Live] That Time

“Western Union”, The Five Americans

This way: Western Union

Should this really exist? The live shot asks the unanswerable question: What do I do with my face when I'm not singing? Still, it is pop perfection. Five Americans was a 1960s American rock band, most famous for their song "Western Union", which reached number five in the U.S. Billboard chart and was their only single to chart in the Top 20. In Canada, they had three in the Top 20.

The Mutineers formed in Durant, Oklahoma (Southeastern State College) in 1962. The band members crossed paths at the university, and began performing a repertoire of Bo Diddley and Duane Eddy standards within the campus. In 1963, the band recorded their debut single, "Jackin' Around", in Dallas, Texas, an instrumental which received extensive airplay in their college. The British Invasion influenced The Mutineers to include Beatles numbers to their repertoire, a change in outfitting, and a slight emphasis to vocals. However, their most impactful acquisition was their utilization of the Vox Continental electronic organ, a later highlight of the group's sound. While in Dallas, the band achieved prominence playing as a frequent attraction in a venue called The Pirate's Nook. There they came to the attention of Abnak Records, whose president John Abdnor took the group under his wing. Shortly thereafter, the band identified themselves as the Five Americans. 

[Spotify] Western Union

“Sideways in Reverse”, Mark Lanegan

This way: Sideways in Reverse

This album kills it. Mark William Lanegan (November 25, 1964 – February 22, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter, and poet. First becoming prominent as the lead singer for the early grunge band Screaming Trees, he was also known as a member of Queens of the Stone Age and The Gutter Twins. He released 12 solo studio albums, as well as three collaboration albums with Isobel Campbell and two with Duke Garwood. He was known for his baritone voice, which was described as being "as scratchy as a three-day beard yet as supple and pliable as moccasin leather" and has been compared to Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, and Nick Cave. 

Lanegan began his musical career in 1984 with Screaming Trees, with whom he released seven studio albums and five EPs before their disbandment in 2000. During his time with the band, he also started a solo career and released his first solo studio album, The Winding Sheet, in 1990. He subsequently released a further 10 solo albums, which received critical recognition but only moderate commercial success. Following the end of Screaming Trees, he became a frequent collaborator of Queens of the Stone Age, and was a full-time member between 2001 and 2005 during the Songs for the Deaf and Lullabies to Paralyze eras.

Lanegan struggled with addiction to drugs and alcohol throughout his life, but had been sober for over a decade at the time of his death. Encouraged by his friend Anthony Bourdain, he released the memoir Sing Backwards and Weep in 2020. He followed this up in 2021 with the memoir Devil in a Coma, which focused on his near-death experience with COVID-19. He and his wife Shelley Brien left the U.S. in 2020 and settled in the Irish town of Killarney, where he died two years later at the age of 57. No cause of death was revealed.

[Spotify] Sideways in Reverse

“Point Of It All”, Amanda Palmer

This way: Point Of It All

No One can stare at a wall as well as you my baby doll. Amanda Palmer (born April 30, 1976) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and performance artist who is the lead vocalist, pianist, and lyricist of the duo The Dresden Dolls. She performs as a solo artist and was also a member of the duo Evelyn Evelyn, and the lead singer and songwriter of Amanda Palmer and the Grand Theft Orchestra. She has gained a cult fanbase throughout her career, and was one of the first musical artists to popularise the use of crowdfunding websites. 

In July 2007, Palmer played three sold-out shows (in Boston, Hoboken, and NYC) in a new "with band" format. Her backing band was Boston alternative rock group Aberdeen City, who also opened along with Dixie Dirt. In August 2007, Palmer traveled to perform in the Spiegeltent and other venues at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland, and also performed on BBC Two's The Edinburgh Show. She collaborated with Australian theater company The Danger Ensemble; both again appeared at the Spiegeltent in Melbourne and at other venues around Australia in December 2007. This track from 2008.

[Spotify] Point Of It All

“Holidays in the Sun”, Sex Pistols-Nevermind the Bullocks—NPA

 This way: Holidays in the Sun

Near Perfect Album

Some perfect is more perfect than other perfects. These guys really did not miss a step musically from the first recorded notes. The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they were one of the most culturally influential acts in popular music.

The Sex Pistols' first line-up consisted of vocalist Johnny Rotten (born John Lydon), guitarist Steve Jones, drummer Paul Cook, and bassist Glen Matlock, with Matlock replaced by Sid Vicious (born John Simon Ritchie) in early 1977. Under the management of Malcolm McLaren, they generated widespread media controversies bringing them to the attention of the mainstream British press. They swore live on-air during a December 1976 television interview, while the lyrics of their May 1977 single "God Save the Queen" described the monarchy as a "fascist regime", instantly popularizing punk rock in the UK. "God Save the Queen" was banned by the BBC and nearly every independent radio station in Britain, making it the most censored records in British history.

Their only album, Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols (1977) was a UK number one and is regarded as seminal in the development of punk rock. In January 1978, at the final gig of a difficult and media-hyped tour of the US, Rotten announced the band's break-up live on stage. Over the next few months, the three remaining members recorded songs for McLaren's film of the Sex Pistols' story, The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle. Vicious died of a heroin overdose in February 1979 following his arrest for the alleged murder of his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen. Rotten, Jones, Cook and Matlock reunited for a successful tour in 1996. Further one-off performances and short tours followed over the next decade. 

The Sex Pistols have been recognised as a highly influential band. On 24 February 2006, the Sex Pistols—the four original members plus Vicious—were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, although they refused to attend the ceremony, calling the museum "a piss stain".

[Spotify] Holidays in the Sun

[Spotify, album] Nevermind the Bullocks 

“Crossed that Line”, Ratboys

This way: Crossed that Line

Ratboys are an American indie rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 2010 by Julia Steiner and Dave Sagan. The band consists of Julia Steiner (guitar, vocals), Dave Sagan (guitar), Marcus Nuccio (drums) and Sean Neumann (bass, vocals).

Founded by songwriters Julia Steiner and Dave Sagan during their time studying at Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, the band relocated back to Sagan's hometown of Chicago in 2015 and released its debut album AOID that same year on Topshelf Records. Neumann joined the band as full-time member in 2016 and Nuccio joined shortly thereafter in 2017. The band released its second album, GN, in 2017 and began gaining notoriety while touring with other rising acts like PUP, Soccer Mommy, Diet Cig, Wild Pink, and more. Rolling Stone named GN one of the “15 Great Albums You Probably Didn’t Hear in 2017,” while Uproxx rock critic Steven Hyden named the album one of the best albums of the year. 

[Spotify] Crossed that Line

“Rudderless”, Lemonheads

This way: Rudderless

Here is one of the greatest songs ever. The Lemonheads are an American alternative rock band formed in Boston in 1986 by Evan Dando, Ben Deily, and Jesse Peretz. Dando has remained the band's only constant member. After their initial punk-influenced releases and tours as an independent/college rock band in the late 1980s, the Lemonheads' popularity with a mass audience grew in 1992 with the major label album It's a Shame about Ray, which was produced, engineered, and mixed by The Robb Brothers (Bruce Robb, Dee, and Joe). This was followed by a cover of Simon and Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson", which eventually became one of the band's most successful singles. The Lemonheads were active until 1997 before going on hiatus, but reformed with a new lineup in 2005 and released The Lemonheads the following year. The band released its latest album, Varshons 2, in February 2019. 

[Spotify] Rudderless

“Irish Goodbye”, Margaret Glaspy

This way: Irish Goodbye

Margaret Glaspy is an American singer and songwriter based in New York City. She began playing and living in New York at 21 years old and is currently signed with ATO Records. Her debut full length album, Emotions and Math, was self-produced and received critical acclaim, while her subsequent records have followed suit, from her EP Born Yesterday to her second full length Devotion. 

Glaspy was born in Sacramento on January 22, 1989, and grew up in Red Bluff, California. She took up the fiddle in third grade and began playing guitar and trombone in high school. At sixteen, she decided to focus exclusively on the guitar. Glaspy began her solo career by releasing an EP in July 2012 titled Homeschool. She signed to ATO Records in 2015 and in January 2016, released a 7-inch EP, which included "You and I" and "Somebody to Anybody". These songs were later included on the 2016 album Emotions and Math.

Glaspy released her second full-length album on March 27, 2020, titled Devotion. Glaspy release her third full-length album on August 18, 2023, titled "Echo The Diamond".

[Spotify] Irish Goodbye

“Death Valley '69”, Sonic Youth

This way: Death Valley '69

This one peeled the paint off the ceiling. “Death Valley ‘69” is a song by American alternative rock band Sonic Youth and featuring Lydia Lunch. The song was written and sung by Thurston Moore and fellow New York musician Lunch, and recorded by Martin Bisi in 1984. A demo version of the song was released in December 1984 on Iridescence Records. A re-recorded version was released in EP format with different artwork in June 1985; this version was featured on their second studio album, Bad Moon Rising.  

[Spotify] Death Valley '69

“Staring at the Rude Boys”, The Ruts

This way: Staring at the Rude Boys

The Ruts (later known as Ruts DC) are an English reggae-influenced punk rock band, notable for the 1979 UK top 10 hit single "Babylon's Burning", and an earlier single "In a Rut", which was not a hit but was highly regarded and regularly played by BBC Radio 1 disc jockey John Peel. The band's newfound success was cut short by the death of lead singer Malcolm Owen from a heroin overdose in 1980. Despite this the band continued under a different musical style as Ruts D.C. until 1983 when they disbanded, the band later reformed in 2007.d, George Gibson and the late Lee Sexton and Art Rosenbaum.

[Spotify] Staring at the Rude Boys

“Neighborhood Threat"”, Iggy Pop-Lust for Life—NPA

This way: Neighborhood Threat

Near Perfect Album

Lust for Life is the second solo studio album by American musician Iggy Pop, released on September 9, 1977, through RCA Records. It was his second collaboration with English musician and friend David Bowie after The Idiot, released in March the same year. Shortly after Bowie released his own album Low in January, Pop went on a tour to support The Idiot with Bowie as his keyboardist. At the tour's conclusion, Pop and Bowie regrouped in Berlin to record the former's next solo album.  

Lust for Life was recorded at Hansa Studio by the Wall in West Berlin from May to June 1977, with production being handled by Bowie, Pop, and engineer Colin Thurston. The touring band of Pop, Bowie, guitarist Ricky Gardiner, and brothers Tony Fox and Hunt Sales on bass and drums, respectively, comprised the primary lineup for the album. After The Idiot was mostly composed by Bowie, Pop was adamant about having more control over Lust for Life, often composing his own arrangements, including for "Sixteen". This resulted in a hard rock and proto-punk sound more akin to his older style with the band the Stooges. Pop would use Bowie's arrangements for some songs, including the well-known title track.

Critically, Lust for Life was well-received, with many praising Pop's energetic performance throughout and his greater role compared to The Idiot; the former would later be regarded as one of his best works and has appeared on several best album lists. It also marked Pop and Bowie's final collaboration until the mid-1980s. 

[Spotify] Neighborhood Threat

[Spotify, album] Lust for Life 

“I Don’t Mind”, Buzzcocks

This way: I Don’t Mind

"I Don't Mind" is the third single by punk rock band Buzzcocks, released in 1978. It charted at number 55 in the UK Singles Chart. Backed with "autonomy", both songs appear on the Buzzcocks' debut album, Another Music in a Different Kitchen. Buzzcocks are an English punk rock band formed in Bolton, England in 1976 by singer-songwriter-guitarist Pete Shelley and singer-songwriter Howard Devoto. They are regarded as a seminal influence on the Manchester music scene,[citation needed] the independent record label movement, punk rock, power pop, and pop punk. They achieved commercial success with singles that fused pop craftsmanship with rapid-fire punk energy.  

[Spotify] I Don’t Mind

“Homicide”, 999

This way: Homicide

999 are an English punk rock band, formed in London in December 1976. From 1976 to 1985, their line-up consisted of Nick Cash (vocals, guitar), Guy Days (lead guitar), Jon Watson (bass guitar) and Pablo LaBritain (drums). LaBritain was temporarily replaced in 1980 by drummer Paul Edward (aka 'Ed Case') while he recovered from a motor accident. Bassist Jon Watson left the band in 1985 and was replaced by Danny Palmer, who was succeeded by Arturo Bassick in 1991. 

Between 1978 and 2007, 999 released fourteen singles and twelve studio albums. Five of the singles released by 999 between 1978 and 1981 charted within the Top 75 in the UK Singles Chart, with one further single released by 999 in 1978, "Homicide", charting within the Top 40. In addition, as a result of extensive touring in the United States in the early 1980s, the band's third and fourth studio albums, The Biggest Prize in Sport and Concrete, each charted on the U.S. Billboard 200.

Despite having formed in 1976, 999 have only experienced two permanent changes to their original line-up and have continued to record and play live, leading AllMusic to describe them as "one of the longest-lived groups of the punk era".

[Spotify] Homicide

“Ruins”, Lost Girls

This way: Ruins

This is a terrible name for a band, you can't find the band, there are too many things that are close enough. Jenny Hval (born 11 July 1980) is a Norwegian singer-songwriter, record producer, and novelist. She has released eight solo albums, two under the alias Rockettothesky and six under her own name. But can I be sure? Good songs though . . . .

[Spotify] Ruins   

“Body Bag”, Effigies, RIP John Kezdy

This way: Body Bag

Some great Chicago Punk rock. And another in the Punk becomes Lawyer continuing saga. The Effigies were an American punk band from Chicago. The band played its first show in 1980 and was active initially for approximately a decade, undergoing multiple personnel changes with frontman John Kezdy the only constant, before disbanding in 1990. The band released 5 albums and several EPs, most on the record label they founded in 1981, Ruthless Records, which was distributed by Enigma. Later albums were on the Fever Records and Roadkill Records labels. They toured the U.S. and Canada and played notable venues, including CBGB, Maxwell's, First Avenue, Mabuhay Gardens, Paycheck's (Detroit), Exit (Chicago) and The Rathskeller, among others. They also received a significant amount of national airplay on college radio at a time when it was the only medium for alternative music. 

[Spotify] Body Bag

“International Pop Overthrow”, Material Issue

This way: International Pop Overthrow

Material Issue was an American power pop trio from Chicago, Illinois. The band's trademark is pop songs with themes of love and heartbreak. A number of their song titles used women's first names.

Material Issue was formed in 1985, led by frontman Jim Ellison, who played guitar, sang lead vocals, and wrote most of the band's songs. Ellison met bassist Ted Ansani while both were attending Columbia College Chicago in 1986. Drummer Mike Zelenko was found through an ad in the Illinois Entertainer later that year.

In 1987, Material Issue released an eponymous EP on their own label, Big Block. The label operated out of Ellison's bedroom at his parents' home in Addison, Illinois, and was named for the big block engines of the 1970s muscle cars Ellison loved. In 1988, their song "Sixteen Tambourines" appeared on CMJ New Music Report's compilation and their music was described by CMJ as a "hooky brand of high-powered psycho-pop". In 1989, Material Issue released the single "Renee Remains The Same", which received heavy airplay around Chicago. 

Material Issue continued touring, selling out venues throughout the upper Midwest. Throughout the remainder of 1995 and into 1996, Material Issue recorded a set of new songs with the intention of shopping them to a new label. However, Ellison died by suicide on June 20, 1996 by carbon monoxide poisoning in his garage. A note was found by police, the contents of which were not released publicly. The recordings from 1995 and 1996 were released posthumously on Telecommando Americano in 1997 by Rykodisc as the final Material Issue release, along with the band's six-song debut EP from 1987 as a bonus. 

[Spotify] International Pop Overthrow

“Metal Beat”, John Foxx-Metamatic—NPA

This way: Metal Beat

Near Perfect Album 

Metamatic is the debut solo album by John Foxx, released in 1980. It was his first solo project following his split with Ultravox the previous year. A departure from the mix of synthesizers and conventional rock instrumentation on that band's work, Metamatic was purely electronic in sound. The name 'Metamatic' comes from a painting machine by kinetic artist Jean Tinguely, first exhibited at the Paris Biennial in 1959.

Metamatic was recorded at Pathway Studios, a small eight-track studio in Islington, and was engineered by Gareth Jones. Foxx's electronic equipment included an ARP Odyssey, an Elka 'String Machine' and a Roland CR-78 drum machine. Several of the synth parts were played by John Wesley-Barker.

The album was heavily influenced by the writings of J. G. Ballard. Six of the tracks referenced automobiles or motorways, most obviously "Underpass" and "No-One Driving". (Foxx re-worked the former track as "Overpass" on the live Subterranean Omnidelic Exotour in 1998). The song "He's a Liquid" was influenced by a still from a Japanese horror film depicting a suit draped across a chair in such a way as to suggest that the wearer had liquified; Foxx's lyrics also alluded to the 'fluidity' of human relationships. The final track, "Touch and Go", included psychedelic aspects.

Although Foxx had performed "He's a Liquid" and "Touch and Go" live with Ultravox before leaving the band in 1979, the band was not credited for them on Metamatic. When Ultravox adapted the tune from "Touch and Go" for the song "Mr. X" on Vienna (1980), their first album following Foxx's departure, Foxx was not credited.

[Spotify] Metal Beat

[Spotify, album] Metamatic 

[album] Metamatic 

“Boys Don’t Cry”, The Cure

This way: Boys Don’t Cry

This album, seriously. This LP hit hard back in those days. For some reason the England to USA record releasing is jumbled for The Cure. Some super smart record executive surmises the LP cover and song list must be jiggered to fly across the pond, ok, whatever. This is the one I had. And it is glorious. So many good songs, and the pop element in with the grit. Of course the stellar song writing as always. . . . .  

[Spotify] Boys Don’t Cry

“The Future‘s So Bright (I Gotta Wear Shades)”, Timbuk 3

This way: The Future’s So Bright

Timbuk 3 as an American rock band which released six original studio albums between 1986 and 1995. They are best known for their Top 20 single "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades". The band's music has been featured on more than 20 compilation and soundtrack albums.

Timbuk 3 was formed in 1984 in Madison, Wisconsin, by the husband-and-wife team of Pat MacDonald (acoustic, electric, bass and MIDI guitars, harmonica, vocals, drum programming) and Barbara Kooyman (electric guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin, violin, rhythm programming, vocals). In 1991 Wally Ingram (drums) and Courtney Audain (bass) joined the duo. 

[Spotify] The Future’s So Bright

“This Heat”, Deeper

This way: This Heat

Deeper is a band based in Chicago, Illinois and consists of Shiraz Bhatti, Nic Gohl, Drew McBride and Kevin Fairbairn. This band has two Mike Nesmiths, which will always set them apart. 

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“Love is the Law”, The Suburbs

This way: Love is the Law

Wholly New Wave Batman! Wow, double wow. Every New Wave hair on my body is standing on end. 

The Suburbs are an alternative punk rock/new wave band from Minneapolis, Minnesota that was popular in the late 1970s and 1980s. The band frequently headlined at Minneapolis's most influential music clubs, including Jay's Longhorn Bar and First Avenue. 

The Suburbs were formed in the western suburbs of Minneapolis in November 1977 following introductions by Chris Osgood of the Suicide Commandos. Following live performances, they released The Suburbs on the Twin/Tone label (the label's first release) in early 1978. The record was a nine-song 7-inch red vinyl EP. The band also saw two songs, "Urban Guerrillas" and "Ailerons O.K.", included on the compilation Big Hits of Mid-America, Volume Three. Guitarist Bruce C. Allen did the art direction for the compilation. 

After building a following playing basement parties, the Suburbs had their first major success at influential Minneapolis punk/New Wave nexus Jay's Longhorn Bar; drummer Hugo Klaers said that after getting regular gigs at the venue, "we went from nobodies to this super popular band. It was just crazy. The Longhorn shows were always packed." One notable audience member at the Suburbs' shows was Bruce Springsteen, then on tour supporting his album The River, who was so impressed with the band that he nearly joined them on stage for an encore. The band's popularity increased during the early to mid-1980s, and during this time, their new wave dance sound, eclectic lyrics, and stage presence gained a following that broke out of the Midwest and reached both coasts. In 1980 Twin/Tone released their first full-length LP, In Combo.

[Spotify] Love is the Law

“(Knife in the) Marathon”, Breaking Circus

This way: (Knife in the) Marathon

Breaking Circus was a punk band from the 1980s, based in Chicago and later Minneapolis, founded by guitarist and vocalist Steve Björklund.

Björklund had played guitar and sang for Chicago punk band Strike Under after a short stint in the group Terminal Beach, Breaking Circus was his next project, originally with bassist Bruce Lange and a Roland TR-606 drum machine. Breaking Circus signed to Homestead Records for their first release, The Very Long Fuse EP (1985), featuring the song "Marathon", which has been cited as "stuck in several thousand heads" and a "college-radio favorite"

In 1986, Björklund moved to Minneapolis and began working with Rifle Sport bassist Pete "Flour" Conway and drummer/guitarist Todd Trainer. In 1986 the band released a song, Driving the Dynamite Truck on the Twin/Tone compilation Big Hits of Mid-America Volume Four, with a slightly different lineup having Tony Pucci of Man Sized Action in the drummer's chair. Homestead Records released the band's The Ice Machine LP with the album's credits appearing as a Monopoly-style drinking game insert.

Guitarist Phil Harder filled out the band for a national tour before Breaking Circus returned home to record another LP that was to feature four songs by Björklund, four by Conway, and four by Trainer. When the band arrived in the studio, they received word from Homestead that the label would only pay for six of the twelve songs that they had originally planned to record. All four of Björklund's songs and one by each of the other members were recorded and released as the EP Smokers' Paradise in 1987. The band broke up in 1988.  

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