X - "LOS ANGELES" (1980)
Sensacional disco de estréia desta lenda do art-punk, o grande X, grupo nascido influenciado pelo furor da cena punk de Nova York da segunda metade dos 70. Chefiada pelo bizarro casal de vocalistas Exene Cervenka & John Doe e pelo guitarrista Billy Zoom, mestre nos licks de rockabilly tocados em velocidade punky e volume ensurdecedor, o X nos presenteou com um espetáculo de raw power com este "Los Angeles", um dos grandes debuts de uma banda punk americana em toda a história do estilo. Os caras tiveram a honra de ter o tecladista do Doors, Ray Manzareck, comandando a produção desse álbum, no qual o grupo de Jim Morrison é homenageado com uma cover quase hardcore de "Soul Kitchen". (Conta a lenda que Ray se interessou pela banda ao ler uma matéria de jornal que tinha como manchete essa ótima descrição pro X: "IT SOUNDS LIKE MURDER.") Passamos a palavra a um tal de BillyZoom, usuário do RateYourMusic, que escreveu uma ótima resenha do disco, da qual selecionamos alguns trechos notáveis:
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"...the lyrics are vague and poetic, in stark contrast to the then simmering L.A. hardcore scene filled with bands who did nothing more then rant and rage. The music is tight and furious, the playing spot on and clean, all elements balanced and equal. (...) Something you may not think of as punk until albums like this and The Clash's "London Calling", to name just a couple, came along and began to change what punk was and what it could be by using punk itself to break down musical barriers and musical stereotypes. Only unlike The Clash who "experimented" with music and were influenced by funk, jazz, reggae, etc... X simply came to the table raw and spit it out. Which makes for a very spontaneous musical experience, to say the least.
Not that this is eclectic stuff or arty by any stretch of the imagination. The straight forward and literal title cut is no less then a raging slab of punk rock anger that rants at everything from jews to blacks to mexicans to gays from the perspective of a young woman fed up and out of luck in the City Of Angels. And the hard hitting "The Unheard Music" sounds like either a heavy metal dirge or a long lost Doors tune depending on who you ask.
(...) This is all great stuff, as the songwriting is keen, musicianship sharp and precise, and certainly it's performed with the verve and attitude required. (...) "...very much the X of past, present, and future at this early stage with its perfectly intertwined harmonies, rockabilly inspired guitar, steady beat, and fast and furious pace.
Wrap it all up and you get not just a punk rock classic for the ages, but also a fairly standard rock n roll album that perhaps even a child of the '60's can embrace. Punk rock for the "classic rock" enthusiast? Maybe? Or maybe simply good, rebellious rock n roll waiting for a tired and stale mainstream to catch up. Whatever you call it its undeniably vital, undeniably intense, and undeniably, earth shakingly powerful. And with this group that would continue to be the case for three more classic albums and beyond, as you can catch this band perform even today, better then ever. (...) X's Los Angeles is a classic album of rock n roll inspiration for all the right reasons and none of the wrong ones. Dedicated, hard, committed, and performed with great heart, it was simply the first shot fired from one of rocks great bands of the last 25 years. Their best shot? Maybe not. But as with many great battles won and lost, even punk rock battles, X proves with this album its often the first shot that matters most."
(...) This is all great stuff, as the songwriting is keen, musicianship sharp and precise, and certainly it's performed with the verve and attitude required. (...) "...very much the X of past, present, and future at this early stage with its perfectly intertwined harmonies, rockabilly inspired guitar, steady beat, and fast and furious pace.
Wrap it all up and you get not just a punk rock classic for the ages, but also a fairly standard rock n roll album that perhaps even a child of the '60's can embrace. Punk rock for the "classic rock" enthusiast? Maybe? Or maybe simply good, rebellious rock n roll waiting for a tired and stale mainstream to catch up. Whatever you call it its undeniably vital, undeniably intense, and undeniably, earth shakingly powerful. And with this group that would continue to be the case for three more classic albums and beyond, as you can catch this band perform even today, better then ever. (...) X's Los Angeles is a classic album of rock n roll inspiration for all the right reasons and none of the wrong ones. Dedicated, hard, committed, and performed with great heart, it was simply the first shot fired from one of rocks great bands of the last 25 years. Their best shot? Maybe not. But as with many great battles won and lost, even punk rock battles, X proves with this album its often the first shot that matters most."
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