Wild Gift

A case where X doesn’t mark the spot. No buried treasure here. Move on. The mix of punk n rockabilly makes it sound like a Hee Haw Sex Pistols or rather Hee Haw Sucks Pistols because it sucks. If I got this CD as a gift it would make a ‘wild regift’ for someone or some drain or gutter that I drop it down.

Slip it in with a greased finger shit man I dig it out and I’m glad you like the sliding in there and the fact you can get it wet

Moest er toch ff inkomen. Naar het einde toe wel enkele zeer goede songs. "Some older time" & "White Girl" waren overtuigend

X was toch nooit de ‘13 in een dozijn’ punkband. Dit album klinkt oenig steeds fris

Fine

It was alright I guess. A generous 3.

Generally tiresome. (If their previous album was on the list, that would be a 4)

A punk-ish album with a female vocalist. Comes in at like a total of 32 minutes. Short and sweet

Always liked X and Exene Cervenka.

This band has serious punk chops.

Love a female singer

eh, boring

As an enormous fan of X’s debut album (Los Angeles), I was thrilled when this one popped up. I love how much love X shows to the past. Some old school rock n roll updated for post punk. Excellent.

As of now this album has an average rating of 3. Seems right to me.

Not at all what I expected looking at the cover. It's garage surf-punk with male/female vocal pairings. Reminiscent of Talking Heads and Roxy Music in places just not as accomplished. Nothing really stands out on any of the tracks.

Nothing stands out about this, but it's a fine album

Not for me. But mercifully quick! For that alone, 2 stars.

Mid as hell, early punk isn't my taste. 2 stars firm, it was listenable.

Damn, yet more tepid punk. Utterly forgettable.

I thought it could be a 4 star album, but it loses momentum for me.

I like this album. Good and solid, with enough variation to keep it interesting. However, none of the songs make me fall in love with the album

Nice punk sound that’s not too heavy on the low end, so it stays energetic. I really like the length of these punk albums as well, gets its point across without a bunch of wasted time, and really easy to listen several times through. 4/5

My second experience with X is just as good as my first was. That one being "Los Angeles". This album is a nice follow up, that keeps the punk flowing, but adds a little something more that I can't quite put my finger on. It sounds slightly, just slightly, more mature in a way. Is that a good thing or a bad thing when it comes to punk rock?

It was fine! Fun but a bit samey.

Short, sharp, rocky punk. Loved the first two tracks, a generally good album, hadn't heard any of it before. 6/10

Good 80s LA punk. I can definitely hear the influence it had on some of the early 90s west coast punk scene. Also love female-fronted punk bands too. “White Girl” and “When Our Love Passed Out On The Couch” were probably my favorite songs, but there’s a lot to like on the whole album.

I really liked this one! Maybe my favourite punk album from the list so far. Excellent instrumentals and song progression, good singing, it manages to be less messy whilst holding true to a punk aesthetic.

First time listen.

Some good energy there but I could only listen to this in small doses. 2.5/5

Rapid and sometimes interesting but I don’t know if it was me, my mood, or the music but it never seemed to develop into anything lasting that I could grab onto, so it hasn’t stayed with me.

Some pretty solid early punk music. I liked the rockabilly influences here.

Don’t think I’ve ever listened to these guys before. Really enjoyed this style of punk with other genres mixed in

No notes

Yeah, I can see why this has exactly a 3/5 on this site, and I'd be inclined to agree.

Fun, bouncy, and packed with great guitars. By the end I felt slightly shaken, but halfway through I was ready to put a safety pin through my ear. Punk mission accomplished.

This is not what I expected. Very listenable.

I enjoyed this album. Short, sharp early 80s punk. Would listen again

Dude, this album kicks ass! I'm really loving the energy and the woman's voice. How would it have been to be a teenager in the early 80s hehe. 5 stars. Nausea came on after the album ended. That's a great track! except the organ lol sounds silly. Kinda reminded me of The Muffs from the 90s. RIP Kim Shattuck :/

Could just never get with X

This was enjoyable. It’s punk but accessible. I wouldn’t reach for it again but I’m glad I heard it

Really good, gets boring in the later half

I can't get over how bad the cover is for a US punk band. But the songs are alright tbf. I doubt I'll be coming back to it much but there is a decent range in the tracks and they are well written enough.

Nothing about this was good. The real gift was when it ended

Ehhh I can't do this

Great sound, but the singing duo wasn't amazing

This was a fun punk album. I didn’t pay much attention to the lyrics, but the vocals were solid, and the instruments were upbeat and on point. 4/5.

Despite this absolutely not usually being my thing, I’d already added it to my saved albums after my last unsuccessful attempt to get through the 2018 edition of 1,001 Albums. That said, I never once returned to it, so I was worried I’d relisten and think I’d been too generous previously. But no, this is just a really competent punk album that’s more nuanced than standard punk fare. It’s short, but every song inclusion feels warranted. Great stuff, even if I still don’t absolutely love it as a personal favourite I’ll return to without prompting.

listened to the debut by these folks too at some point. just mid. nothing to latch on to. i like punk but there's no salt here

I'm very happy I got this kind of album today. This is everything I love and nothing in particular but fun and catchy at the same time. Mostly it's punk of course, but not the braindead kind I also enjoy at times, and yet all the sounds they use here like rockabilly, surf rock, country, and what else works great to create a sort of proto-pop-punk record bands like Green Day and Blink-182 would become commercial superstars from playing. Not perfect by any means though, would have loved if it broke more punk molds by being a bit longer, and it didn't necessarily have me dancing or immersed me in another way however I did still save it to my album favorites list.

Still like their stuff after all these years.

Not a fan of the vocals. Otherwise it struts.

Punk + singing out of tune with each other = no please

fun!

Really good punk rock. White Girl is the best of a great bunch

this is a great album, i didn't really get into X until 'more fun in the new world' dropped, and never went back and checked out the older stuff, so I'd only heard a few tracks before

X are one of my punk rock blind spots, although I do know some songs off Los Angeles. For starters, X very much have an identity of their own; even for punk their music is minimalistic, simple guitars, immediate songs, et cetera, which I know sounds standard for punk, but they approach songs with a little more respect for rockabilly than their peers. I wouldn't say this is country punk, but it does live in the band's DNA that is super unique. But there is a real attention to detail and pacing that makes Wild Gift special. These simple songs are decked out with all sorts of flourishes, most notably, the band's approach to harmony, which is *very* distinct. It's obvious they know what they are doing, but there is something ever so slightly sour between the vocalists that adds tons to the impact and character of their music. Also, from what I caught of the lyrics, they are doing really cool stuff here, with a little more focus on poetry than your average punk band. But the last thing I want to really point out is the negative space. The mix is so uncluttered and dry, and there is something understatedly precise about the playing, and it makes Wild Gift feel particularly tense and patient. I will say that I don't personally mind my punk going a little off the rails, but this just isn't what X is, and they are really rewarded with an incredibly strong sense of identity and a collection of really great songs.

Что здесь примечательного? Почему именно эта группа? Лёгкий панк без особого таланта в музыке.

Punk rock plus Americana

This was boring. It's Punk, a genre I don't particularly love, but it's also really same-y throughout. 'White Girl' was a great track, but I really don't think there's anything else to write about it. It has some catchier tracks, however, if I was wanting Punk music of high-quality, I would look elsewhere. Ray Manzarek produced it as well, what a fall-off! From playing keyboard in one of the greatest bands of all-time to producing a weak Punk album!

This was ok. Some of it was fun, fast punk. Some of it was a little too aggressive for my liking.

A pretty fun album to listen to. combining punk and rockabilly together and doesn't overstay its welcome throughout its 32 minute runtime. The vocalists sound half a sleep though and the playing sounds very amateurish ,but I guess that is intentional. There is no need for complexity here, just banging a few instruments and mumble the lyrics out and you got yourself a pretty entertaining punk record.

4/10 - when I saw punk, I thought this would be another awful album but it's surprisngly not harcore and is quite pleasant to listen to

New to me. I enjoyed this a lot and will definitely listen again.

It’s not quite a 1 star but it’s close to…

Never heard of the band or the album before but quite enjoyed it - reminded me a little of Blondie but rougher around the edges. Somewhere between a 2 or a 3 overall.

Too polite for me, although that being said I have no idea how it took me 56 years of stumbling through life before I became aware of this… Just about 2 stars for “I’m Coming Over”. Tom.

Fun

Loved it

(4/7) good stuff, reminds me of Ramones

divertido. os vocais femininos são um toque especial

X are one of those bands that I hear and think I should listen to more of this and promptly forget to. I’ll forget to listen to them again but I enjoyed this. Rockabilly meets punk with a huge splash of new wave pop energy. Adult books has multiple hooks and is definitely a top 5 song about pornography. It’s definably LA and has the same sleaze and energy of the city

It’s ok, but nothing special.

This is something I would have liked more when I was younger. It was ok, but not great.

rockabilly punk! pretty cool stuff. wish the recording quality was a bit better. 3.5

enjoyed this! not necessarily something i would listen to again, but if i had to i wouldn't complain.

Good album, but not too much.

Average pop punk probably missing the boat by about 3 to 4 years. Pleasant listen but nothing to set the pulse racing

I quite enjoy this punk rock vibe for the 80s I reccomend to people who like a more modern Beatles or ? And the mysterians

It's pretty incredible, this album. Sound incredibly fresh, energetic. Bizarre and catchy. The vocals are great, the instrumentation aswell. Songs are short and super punching. Just everything you want from a punk album. I'll be coming back to this one, I'm sure. It's not a 5, but pretty close

a fun-ish album to listen to, albeit at times a tad annoying to my ears. 2.75?

Una mierda de album olvidable 0

Some good rock here and there, but the vocals rubbed me the wrong way.

Endorsed by John Frusciante by using a random clip in one of their songs?... Ok... Interesting. Sounds like punk music where they actually know some interesting chord progressions. The sound mixing is a little rough and the vocals are that atonal yell at times but there is that energetic skater punk vibe here. And if you listen closely there's hints to what the pixies will become.

Went into this completely blind. It's interesting.

Good tunes

Bit too rough and ready for me. 2.5

Interesting. Reminded me of other artists.

Like Blondie on amphetamines in parts and fierce punk in others- I think this might be my favourite punk discovery on this list so far.

No idea why this is on here. I zoned out immediately.

One of the most boring albums on this list yet

This is the current frontrunner for shortest artist name in 1001albumsgenerator - excited to see if this encourages anyone to go even shorter. I think I like X except I hate their 50s rock'n'roll guitar and I kinda hate her voice and I think all their lyrics are dumb. They seem like they're cool. When she's singing lead and he harmonizes over her in the chorus it's really good.

A: Skulle kunna göra en gröt av alla "rockiga-åttiotals-bland-mjeh-album" som smakar gröt (men bland sådan). Denhär faller för det mesta dit. Gillade låtnamnen och uppskattar faktumet att dom har en kvinnlig solist, tyvärr också en manlig så den glädjen var kortvarig. Gillar starkt artistens namn. 2/5 *-score skulle bli typ låg B eller hög-mid C D: Kändes som att den försökte springa mot alla riktningar samtidigt. Ganska goofy men blev oklart vad den försökte göra. Gillar visionen och förstår nog vad den gör här. Ogillar starkt artistens namn. 2/5

3.4

Don’t think I have ever actually listened to an X album. It’s always been tracks on mixtapes and then tracks on playlists. I was expecting it to be in my groove. And the album delivered. I honestly need to listen again. But off a first listen: 4 Boolean: true

I have never heard this album but was surprised how unpunkish it was compared to other bands like Black Flag or the Ramones.

This was ok. Not terrible. Not sure how to rate it. It’s fine.

SLOP (i liked this more bust still didn't listen carefully)

It comes straight with the message right off the bat and sticks with it to the end. Excellent, really excellent punk, noted country and americana vibes at times as an undertone within.

don't know if this is my favorite x album, but it's probably my favorite x album

These guys sort of sound familiar, think they had a track in one of the old Tony Hawk games. Anyway, this isn't your ordinary punk rock. More rockabilly based and less rugged than "regular" punk. An interesting step in punk's history and evolution, that's for sure.

This was a lot of fun, very 80s.

Панкуха!!! Ура!

This was better than I'd anticipated. A good old school punk sound, lo-fi quality like it's supposed to be. Pretty fun to listen to. 4/5

Ahh… Punk rock.

Had never heard this. Not my normal listening but it was not bad

Pretty annoying music. Can't get through it

Another early 80's punk band... listenable and fun. Pioneering for it's day and solidly different from the Clash. 3+

Pretty good. Although it’s in a weird spot where it feels like it earned a 4 from me, but I don’t know if I’ll revisit this album.

X is terrific! Their first four albums give many a band a run for their money.

I wanted to like this more than I did. But it was pretty run of the mill.

Muscular, sturdy as fuck punk rock. Full of enough classic rock-and-roll influence to maintain a lot of melodicism and groove. Both Exene and John Doe give perfect vocal performances for these songs, and have great singing chemistry. One of the best new-to-me punk records I’ve listened to since starting this project. Feels like a less precious version of that Cramps record.

wouldn’t necessarily listen again but didn’t hate it

Love pretty much everything I've heard from them. This one is no exception. It's on my regular rotation.

It's fine.

A solid opening release showing promise and potential. A ez listening album with a variety of musical genres.

80S US punk rock. Rock with country and blues elements.

Meh, I like punk, but this is not my type of punk.

Okay.

13 songs. 32 minutes. Hell yeah! Punk tinged with Surf Music, Rockabilly, even a touch of Country and then distilled into a heady mix of L.A. ferocity. Back 2 the Base and When our Love Passed out on the Couch are punk gems. Year 1 is 1minute and 18 seconds of pure punk pleasure.

Fire❤️

Never heard of X before, so this is another exciting En terre inconnue in music. Right away on "The Once over Twice" I was surprised by the garage rock guitar sound, then even more surprised by the female vocal lead chiming in with the punky-sounding lyrics. I have been getting a few of these bunched up recently. From the first track to "We're Desperate" there was a bleed effect; sounded like one long continuous track that, honestly, left me worried for the rest of the album. "Adult Books" broke this expectation beachy guitars and male lead vocals. The rest of the song was quite enjoyable too, with some more interesting sections of guitars and dual vocals. There are some genuinely fun or interesting guitars, drumming and vocals here, but there is also a lot of fluff too. With so much of it souping together for me, I will simply list my favourite tracks going forward: "Universal Corner", "It's Who You Know", "White Girl", "When Our Love Passed out on the Couch". Overall a super solid album, but nothing special for me.

another instantly forgettable album. .who is picking this shit ?????

I saw this band in Hartford in the 80’s. A great visual band, with Exene thrashing around, speed guitarist Billy Zoom standing still even during fiery solos. John Doe had a reasonable acting career, in films like Road House and The Bodyguard. Decently tuneful punk rock.

The songs I liked, I liked quite a bit, but they veer in some directions I don’t care for (like rockabilly) for me to put this up with other classic punk. A 2.5 inflated because hearing the band makes me think of Jon Moxley even though that song isn’t on here.

Meget fedt punk album? man kan tydligt høre det er punk i hvert fald og at kvinden er mega sej. Det er manden sikkert også. Det har åbenbart snert at cowpunk altså forløber for det. Det var der man begyndte at bruge roots, country og western. Det er angiveligt ikke så politisk punk, men kommenterer mere på everyday life som alkohol, sex, desperation fattigdom og mennesker. guitaristen bruger korte riffs fremfor store og tunge. Der er små soloer og det er sådan nogle surfagtige udbrud. Det er meget fedt hvordan der er to stemmer og at de er meget forskellige, det giver sådan en lidt sjov dynamik. Sangerinden er åbenbart poet og skrev mange tekster selv, og så opfordrede ham den anden til at hun skulle synge dem selv. Synes albummet var super, men har ikke så meget mere at kommentere på. I starten var jeg sådan fuuuuck det er svært at gå i gang med den her liste, jeg vil bare gerne lytte til noget jeg selv vælger. Men jeg blev heldigvis (som for det meste) påmindet om at det sjove er at lytte til noget nyt man ikke rigtig ved hvad man skal forvente af til at starte med. Udover det minder viben mig lidt om siouxie and the banshees af en eller anden årsag?? Selvom det langt fra føltes ligeså mørkt. Udover det er genren rockabilly som blander country og blues med korte skarpe guitarfigurer. Føles som: at komme hjem klokken fire om morgenen til en varm, beskidt lejlighed i Los Angeles, mens to mennesker skændes i køkkenet, en gammel rockabillyplade spiller for hurtigt, og solen allerede er ved at stå op udenfor. Adjektiver: desperat, romantisk, skarp, rodet, rastløs.

went very hard, great taste of early 80s punk. 4/5

Дикие ребята и девчата

Gritty punk but mediocre

Between 2 and 3 but i think it's deserving of more so going 3. I think im just a little burnt out on this style. A couple of songs were cool and create the sense of forward momentum, made me wonder if thats why blues is so popular. Sounds like a train or something, like you're going somewhere. Track I'm thinking of is Beyond and Back. Need to think about that some more.

What a joy. Great fun, great energy. I particularly like how there is a variety in the music on the album. Delighted to find something new that I like - and the fact that it's a little bit different from my normal tunes. I ended up giving it at a repeat listen and continued to be filled with joy. I can't deny giving it 5 stars, a real achievement for an album I hadn't hear before

Not one of their better albums. They need to stick to a lane. The rockabilly just did not do it for me

Honestly thought this was going to be a poor punk album, but ended up really enjoying it. Much more in the vein of late 80s alt rock. Singer sounds like early PJ Harvey on a few tracks.

Energic punk rockabilly. The sound like a duo, but are four people. Simple but effective in small doses.

🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑 (rounded up because I was still feeling it) So many aspects of this feel like something I like, something I should like—hell, they even sound like a lot of bands I do like—but I can't nail down what the difference really is, or even what the soundalikes are. Somehow there was energy and not feeling, which killed any momentum for me despite some decently driving guitars. Was bobbing my head to a lot of it but I didn't feel the need to save any. Very cusp. 1: Bad | 2: Okay, No Desire to Revisit | 3: Good, Conditionally (OR Inconsistent Mix of Qualities) | 4: Great (OR Technically amazing but missing the sauce emotionally) | 5: Amazing

This reminded me of others I've heard... the B-52s a little, Heart a little, I don't know what else... but it was milder and not as good as any of those others. I find this vocal style extremely grating and that strongly influences my rating.

I am completely unfamiliar with this band and album, so I went in fresh to this album. It's a fun punk-adjacent sound, and it was an enjoyable listen, even if I think this one won't stick with me much. Favorite track: "In This House That I Call Home"

Good album.

Oh, I fucking LOVED this.

I had never heard of x before, let alone their music. I must say I liked it, he list has come through again. It's catchy and varied in just the right ways. It feels like a very raw, personal album.

Groupe inconnu. Rock/punk plutôt réussi, pas très original mais que je pourrais écouter de nouveau. =>3/5

If they were my friends I would go to their gigs and buy their CD. But they are not my friends so I will probably never listen to this again.

Cute punk! Listen to this while doing some chores and that really worked!

Nah this one is just all over the place and has that classic white noise rock feel

One of the legendary punk bands that you can barely call punk. Los Angeles is a classic album, this one gave me a lot less.

I mean a bit of a lesser version of the Clash. Fun!

What a treat.

503/1089 - Horrid pitchy vocals for both of them. Way too clean and clear sounding for punk leaving it quite limp. Boring and repetitive instrumentals. It's like if Elvis and Sonic Youth combined. Terrible.

idk how to feel about it; felt it kinda repetitive but i think i’d grow fond of it if i listened to it actively and with the lyrics

In and out within a shave and shower I respect that.

This wasn't great but it wasn't bad either. Kind of one note but their voices were good and there were some great guitar moments. I feel like I've been kind of harsh on punk stuff in this list in general, idk.

A sort of unsung release from the LA punk heyday. There's some softer moments here and there but the lyrics never give up their biting wit and general dissatisfaction with the world surrounding them at the time. I suppose this album serves very well as a time capsule of the time and place it was recorded in. That said, X have definitely put out better albums than this (it's even sandwiched between 2 of them in their catalogue!) and, compared to the fiery debut, Los Angeles, this one feels like it's just tending the fire until they're inspired again; in other words, this is the sophmore slump in X's catalogue. Nevertheless, John Doe and Exene play off each other really well as one's strengths covers for the other's shortcomings. There's a couple of gems hidden in the blends-together tracklist as well, namely "Universal Corner" and "In this House That I Call Come" which, to my ears, both sound very southwest US for some reason.) All in all a fine release but I'm unsure why it would have to be included on a list of the most essential albums ever.

This started and I thought "ah yes. This is a bit of me" even though I had not heard it before. I'm afraid it wasn't really a bit of me, I couldn't find the heart in it. It's like Punk mixed with the beach boys, which sounds fun but ends up not being poppy enough or edgy enough.

Post punk smorgasbord. An array of some tangible influences that manifest themselves as sincere hommages

Favourite Songs: Adult Books Universal Corner

Not great. Not terrible.

I enjoyed Wild Gift more than I expected, although some of the songs felt a little too similar to each other. White Girl was easily my favorite track. Its raw energy and slightly unsettling atmosphere occasionally reminded me of Nirvana.

I'm familiar with X but never listened to an album before. That was a mistake. They're lumped in the “punk” bucket but the biggest influence I hear here is…Jefferson Airplane. Exene and John Doe are channeling Marty and Grace big time on a bunch of these tracks, and it works very well. Excellent diverse collection of songs that range far and wide stylistically. An album that restores my faith in this undertaking

Honestly really liked this.

This was my first listen to "X." Despite hearing about them for years and their influence on the LA punk rock scene. This is well done. I enjoy the music which is punk in a way but is also pretty straight forward "rock" whatever that means.

Where has this been all my life? I mean, I guess it’s been around — it came out six months before I was born. But I hadn’t heard it before. I’m glad I listened.

I don’t dislike this but it hasn’t made much of an impression. The most interesting thing about them is that the singer used to be married to Viggo Mortensen. Who would have e thought it?

Me gustó.

Punk sound, its ok, not missing anything.

Not really for me. Some good moments, but not my scene overall

I actually really enjoyed this. Upbeat and punky! I listened twice!

Really good punk. It keeps the same energy that most punk bands are good at, but the actual songwriting isn’t sacrificed for that, like it is in so much punk. Awesome album that I’ll definitely be revisiting.

Pretty weak album overall. 2/5

rock ne

Why have I never heard of X?! This was such a fun romp through post-punk & California new wave. It's polished (as much as this genre of music can be) and is varied enough to be interesting at every track.

Habilt

En typisk lyssning som inte stod ut varken positivt eller negativt.

Jomen bra vibe!

I get their influence on punk, and with that it is worth the listen. It's not my favorite album but it definitely has moments in there, White Girl being the one I recognize. The Once over Twice is another one that stands out. The rest I need to feel more rebellious to rate any higher

W/ the Ramones as the innovators, fifties rock 'n' roll was always the chief influence on American punk, but X takes that rockabilly element to another level on Wild Gift, i.e., this is about the strangest but most sensible 'prom' record you're liable to hear. 'Landlord, landlord, landlord / Cleaning up the mess.' The politics are certainly there, & X gives Gang of Four a run for its money as the radical post-punk group of the eighties, but the 'statements' don't encumber, they only enhance. Mostly tho, the thirteen tracks making up this album are simply great songs, the brief gems you'd get in the fifties or on a Ramones thing, but w/ less redundancy & schtickiness than the five Forest Hills natives, as much as I am a devotee to the Queens outfit. A gift.

This album was pretty fun to listen to, good energy.

Good album. It's fun. It's punk. However, I don't think this is really that special. It's a solid 3-star albums. Favourite tracks: "Adult Books", "White Girl", "Beyond and Back",

Only managed one play through, it started doing my head in. On another day I may have enjoyed this

Bezveze album, ne znam šta drugo komentirati. 2/5, 4/10

Pop-punk, good energy, albeit relatively unmemorable. I definitely preferred the female vocalist, just to give those songs a bit more of a pop feel. The rest felt more paint-by-numbers I think. I've listed White Girl as my fave, even though I've a strong hunch it might be quite irritating, because I was singing it for some time afterwards.

It didn’t really make a even a slight dent on my mind

Punk goes Pop the 1980s version

I really liked this. It was like punk rock meets country, which isn't something I thought I needed to hear, but I'm glad I did. I liked the vocals. I thought that all the styles they brought in meant the album stayed really varied. Fav song: In This House That I Call Home Least fav: We're Desperate

Nice album cover but really feel this was a forgettable one I could have happily died before hearing . Specific rating - 3.5 Fav song - the once over twice Least fav- year 1

I love the way she sings, I think it suits the music so well. It's a short and sweet album with a great energy level. And I love the album cover. Favourite song: The Once over Twice Least: White Girl

One of my favorite Punk bands. They hit my radar around ‘81 during college, and I fell hard from the get! Took my girl, now wife, to see them at the Rainbow in Denver in ‘83, and she was quite terrified. I kept her towards the back, as the crowd was spirited. The opening group apparently were not impressing the lads in the pit, and were soon chased off stage in a hail of spit. X came out and crushed it! I loved that they’re still touring these days, and I’ve seen them, along with Doe solo shows, on numerous occasions over the years. But that first show was special. My wife now likes to brag about it to her friends, but at the, she was horrified. This is a great album, and I’ve owned it since the 80’s. Not my favorite in their collection, but a good sample of their early work. Yep, God Bless X!

I listened to both the debut album by X and this one, and I think their first, "Los Angeles," is more varied, has a few stronger songs, and is better, all around. However, this is still a very good album. I just wasn't blown away or particularly pulled into it in a strong way. I'd give it a 3.5, but I'll round up to 4, as I do recognize the influence and significance at the time. I'm just surprised people hold this in higher regard than their first album.

"Los Angeles" and "Under the Big Black Sun" are better though.

Solid fun, but I can't say anything even remotely distinct about it. Not my genre I suppose, but not boring. Just that I didn't engage with it I guess.

They rocked on this album for about 19 seconds - I never liked X

I didn't know what this was going in, but suspected it was punk. Those suspicions proved to be correct. Lots of different sounds and genres are explored within, but the grating vocals drag it down. And anything Country related or adjacent is almost always a no no. White Girl is good, rest is forgettable.

I’ve listened to this one a couple times over at this point. Maybe I’m getting fatigued having what feels like 4 albums in this genre/space in a week span. I love the raw energy here. Straight ripping with your boys in the garage vibes. I can see the bites from Ramones, Televsion & more. But as with a lot of these punk albums, nothing really STICKS with me right off the rip. Exene Cervanka is bad ass though. She’s the real stand out here. Something about women vocalists on punk is so rock n roll to me. Idk. I’m gonna take some more time with this record and the genre, I’m sure my rating will change over time.

Punk rock is awesome and this is no exception the difference here being a female vocalist which obviously paved the way for Paramore. Don’t let the guy sing imo it doesn’t feel as punchy. This reminds me of Joan Jett as well but I find the instrumental is a little boring on this. Bro WHITE GIRL IS CRAZY LOL lyrics wise. It gets to a point where everything sounds very similar there’s a lot of rock and roll elements here Beyond and Back having a rock and roll riff to it. The good thing about this is that the songs never to overstay their welcome which is awesome restraint these songs could continue and ruin the fast pace and jumpy vibe they have. I just hear joy division in the singers voice too. This feels like a good example of what punk was like outside of the mainstream really. The edge is not lost it just feels a bit samey. It kinda all starts the same. SURF ROCK that’s what it sounds like I have been trying remember. YEAR 1 is what unlocked that vibe for me. All in all this is a fun listen with good songs that is perfectly fine and good.

punk rock greatness

Really enjoyed parts of this. A solid post-punk offering akin to contemporaries like The Gun Club and The Ramones. The whole piece felt a bit thin to me, but I never would have listened if not for this project, and glad I did before I died! 6/10

X's debut album, Los Angeles, is one of my all time favorite punk albums. This album was a slight letdown compared to that one, but it's still very good. They're known for blending punk's attitude and raw style with rockabilly arrangements, and here they lean more into the rockabilly side of their sound than on Los Angeles, which is unfortunately not my cup of tea. That being said, everything that makes this band great is still present on the more punk leaning tracks. Their lyrics and playing, while still raw and unrefined, are a bit more professionally done than other punk bands of their time. The key to X's appeal is the interplay between vocalists John Doe and Exene Cervenka, and their chemistry here is excellent. Like I said earlier, still good, but I think they've done better.

not bad not bad

Not that much in the mood for another punk rock album a few days after I had another one generated. These aren't that special but shoutout Ray Manzarak producing this.

3.5

I can hear later stuff that must've been included by this when I listen to this album but ultimately, I find this kind of punk rock really boring. Several songs had catchy elements but the instrumentation and production choices are really a style I don't get a lot out of.

I'll need more time with it

I mean, it’s punk rock again. Some fun songs on here but it gets hella repetitive. I liked this more than I would’ve thought, the vocals and instrumentals weren’t as all over the place as some other punk albums.

punkzinho maroto

Gosto mais do que lasanha

segundo álbum dos cara e ninguém arranjou um microfone decente?

Pretty decent, but X has better stuff

Fun and catchy album. Not anything particularly special but still good. A very ethical 3/5 punk album.

Someone on here compared this band to The Clash, these are miles away! It’s not bad but a bit samey and one tone.

hoot!

Kinda punk like.

This must have been what all the other kids who were into "alternative" music were listening to while I was in high school. I guess I was more into the new wave to have discovered this then. If I had my life may have been different, or I would have just tuned it out?

3.8/5 Favorite Songs: The Once over Twice Universal Corner Its Who You Know Beyond and Back

More heavy rock... Yawn

When I saw “Wild Gift” as the X album I was a bit surprised as I am more familiar with “Los Angeles” and “Under the Big Black Sun.” I thought those two were seen as the “classics” for X. Who knows maybe all three will end up on this list, but I wholeheartedly support including “Wild Gift.” The songs seem tighter and more varied than my memory of other X records. (I reserve the right to change my opinion with relisten of the two albums above.) The classic X combination of punk-a-billy mixed with the Exene and John Doe combo voices stands out on “White Girl”, “Once Over Twice” and my favorite track “In This House I Call Home.” They have the familiarity of the best duet teams, which helps their short story observations stand out. The unexpected small touches raised the bar for the album. Even a straight rockabilly tune “Beyond and Back” gets pushed forward due to D.J. Bonebrake’s drumming. The same holds true for straight ahead punk smashers like “We’re Desperate.” Better still was the Talking Heads rhythms and Byrne style vocals that opened “Adult Books” that caught me off guard almost as much as the pure heavy metal riffs in “Adult Bookstore.” I will bet that John Doe and Exene’s singing comes up short for many people. It requires multiple listens to get used to the shouting, not quite perfect pitch shouting. They are not a pleasing sound to my ears, or stereotypically “fun”, but like the rest of the groups they fit the songs. For supposed punks, X knew how to compose, play and record great tunes.

Easy punk rock listen. Perfect length. Some songs blended together for better or worse, making it hard to differentiate between tracks. Made it cohesive but also made it a tad too much of the same. I'll say I enjoyed every song, but "White Girl" because the lyrics were clunky and odd to me on that one. Can't pick one out of the lineup as a favorite.

Not for me. Only 32 mins but felt like it dragged

I love Punk Rock but never got into X

realmente no entiendo porq hay tantos álbumes under de rock/punk en este top 1001. Es increíble. No tolero el género. Sin embargo no está mal, pero ya estoy quemado de este tipo de música. De principio a fin parece la misma canción.

2 Stars (5/15)

Was kinda interesting in the beginning, after that it just became bland. Their female singer reminds me a bit of Gloria Gaynor for some reason.

4/25 Sounds just as generic as any other punk album. Nothing special

This was pretty great! I loved the energy in this album, it helped me push through a workout.

Pretty great, could hear bits of some slightly more modern bands in this one from 1981

More entertaining than a lot of the punk albums on this list already but still not really doing that much for me. Does make me want to maybe come back to this one which a lot of the previous ones haven’t 3.5

Me irrito un pozo, aunque tambien tenia algo que me gustaba. Nose raro el sentimiento

Really great!

Not a bad post punk album, made me dive into their back catalogue as they are a new one to me.

Nothing here really raises to the level of catchiness and incisiveness of the Sex Pistols but it's not an unbearable listen.

LA punk is so overrated. It doesn’t hold a candle to the hardcore scene in DC.

Forgettable punk. I had to strain my brain to remember if I listened to this album already or not. I did, but it wasn’t memorable.

When I was sixteen, my friend Tricia would tell her mom she had to go study at the library (?) and she'd drive into Hollywood with her friend Matt to see X at the Whisky-a-go-go and the Roxy. I regret I was never able to sneak away with them (to see X; I snuck off to see other bands). Solid indy band. (I still remember Exene's hair and makeup. Fabulous.)

Well, I made it through, but it's not anything that I really needed to hear.

first listen like the energy

X are so lucky this album picks up quickly, because the first third of this album always has me questioning why I even liked them in the first place.

Punk z damskim wokalem zawsze będzie miał specjalne miejsce w moim sercu. A ten jest naprawdę porządny, duety są udane a brak harmonii nie razi w uszy. Porządna płyta 6.5/10 równana w górę.

I’m no fan of punk. I don’t wanna listen to any more.

Fun, twangy surf punk rock. It's ok, there's no hooks or anything that's going to pull me back to listen to it again. Utterly forgettable. My Rating: 3/5

I feel like I’ve seen this band at least a hundred times at a hundred smoky clubs though I’ve never heard a note of their music before. They have all the energy and rawness of a decent garage band sort of like an unwashed, punkier B-52’s. Not my favorite but I appreciate the most and DIY attitude hangs on the music liken your favorite pair of jeans.

Sort of a punk album that doesn’t grate on my soul too much.

I can see why this punk album was well received. It was good. They should've been bigger than the B-52's.....better voices.

Decent punk album, not going to change your life, but not going to ruin it either.

My rating 3.0

Always a fan of these types of punk albums, and ‘Wild Gift’ is no exception. This one really leans into rockabilly and blues for inspiration, but it’s still punk at its core. It’s urgent and energetic, and the songs are short and direct without ever feeling disposable. There’s a real energy here that still sounds fresh many years later.

Good punk album. Enjoyed it!

Pretty fun. Nothing spectacular but fundamentally solid jams.

I liked the occasional rock and blues twists.

Surprisingly lowkey for a punk album, and an apparently highly influential one at that. Not bad, but not great. Always appreciate a shorter runtime. Top tracks: Adult Books, Universal Corner, White Girl

Sounds good.

surprised me after the first few songs

I really enjoyed this. A fun mix of punk and rock n roll with some very catchy songs. The double vocals are really cool too.

Yes 😀

It was better than I was expecting.

Punk that I enjoyed? Holy shit this is insane.

A perfect 3. 3/5

It's ok, not really alternative, more rock.

Pretty good album!

Yeh not bad!

Rock and blues-driven punk rock? Count me in for this! Fun album.

found this to be pretty boring

I'd never heard any of these songs, or even this band, but I'm a sucker for some good punk!! 3.5 rounded up

Kind of repetitive

Jamais écouté avant. Du punk cérébral, nourri d'influence rockabilly, voire carrément country, sans perdre en énergie ou en agressivité. Ça fonctionne très bien, en particulier les harmonies bancales entre les deux chanteurs, qui donnent un vrai cachet. Top : Universal Corner Flop : In This House That I Call Home

I'd never listen to X before. Really loved this album. Can never have enough rockabilly.

Sounds a bit crude, but that’s the appeal.

Pretty decent, but a bit forgettable. Their first album is great, their later albums are a little more upbeat but also lose their edge in doing so. The singing gets a bit weary to me. They do really create their own niche and that's admirable enough, many bands sounds similar but none really sound quite like them.

Not my thing but pretty good!

Although completely random in order, this is a tough response to the Pretenders and fails greatly on every comparative measure. I had great hopes for the first five seconds and then was let down by repetitive bass work and difficult to swallow vocals.

Overall the instrumental music is decent enough but the vocals are horrendous, repetitive, off-pitch, and completely unenjoyable.

I enjoyed this

Proto pixies? Dare I say pop punk? It’s very good, I have no complaints. This is a direct line to what I listen to daily. Thanks list, thanks X the band.

Ikke overrasket over at de er fra Californien. Cool album!

Lækker lille plade! Tror aldrig jeg har hørt en X plade før, det var vist på tide

Good energy!

This album is kinda weird, but I get it. It's a little different that anything else you hear, feels like a transitional album existing only between genres. It's not even close to amazing, and the mix is pretty dull all considered. But it did keep me entertained regardless. There is something about it that I felt was worth the time. 3.2/5

Les 4 premiers albums de X sont sur ma playlist de voyage L.A.

Short and sweet, bourré d'énergie raw. ́Paul a beaucoup aimé et a twerké en masse.

Excellent punk, parmi les meilleurs qu’on a eu à date.

Pretty good.

It really feels like they know only one riff because every song on this is almost identical. Doesn't help that they're paired with some of the cringiest lyrics I've heard. A 13 year old can write better than this.

Love this band. Love this album.

Cool vibe old school post punk

- Pretty tough to listen to - Just noisy, screechy, not my cup of tea

Un disco fácilmente catalogable como punk rock pero que es mucho más que eso. Pinceladas de rock and roll, rockabilly, country, pero sin perder la esencia de lo que debe ser una buena canción punk. A mí personalmente me ha sorprendido muy gratamente. Mucho para disfrutar en la poco más de media hora que dura el álbum. Aunque hay temazos directos y contundentes, a mí me ha enganchado especialmente ese “Adult Book” en el que parece que el mismo Roy Orbison está cantando en las estrofas. Casi sobresaliente.

Never listened. Expectations: None - Verdict: Good - Ok this has some energy. Adult Books feels very Talking Heads inspired, with some Patti Smith in there as well, it's all very CBGB. A few more tracks in and I definitely hear a more aggressive take on some similar twitchy, punky rock. I like this take on twin lead vocalists. This songs overall are good not great I would say. Some are definite highlights though, When Our Love Passed Out On The Couch is great, as is In This House That I Call Come.

Nice

Wasnt bad at all, but nowhere near any grunge bands a little later. Or hardcore punk bands also a little later. Fun tracks, just a little weak. Solid 3

Energetic American punk, another band I never heard of, which is kind of the point of this, pretty good though, short and snappy, no frills.

Da hani viel z wenig ufpasst. Sicher ned schlecht. Aber lose dunnis ned nomal. 2 gschänkte pferd is muul luege

Rockt zimli. Am ne live konzert wahrschindli es 4i. Aber spsch eher zu nervöös. Wild three gifts

X's brand of evolved punk shines on Wild Gift - nothing getting too raucous or angry but still plenty of attitude and edge. The rockabilly and blues influences prop the songs up above the simplistic down and dirty blasts of SoCal contemporaries, as does the more poetic nature of the lyrics. You still get hard-worn characters living in the songs, but a bit more is left to interpretation. I also think the playing, especially Zoom's guitar, jumps out among the scene at the time.

Have heard of X but never listened to X. Not my thing but can tell it’s talented.

Had not listened to the album. Had heard of X and listened to some of the songs. Catchy punk rock infused with other styles. I enjoyed the switching singers and change of style between songs. 1 song added to playlist

X are a cool band aren’t they? This album was good, it was fun, it was punk, jumpy, rocking, and I liked it for those reasons. Saying that, not much of it really stuck in my mind. I prefer their stuff of Los Angeles (although perhaps that’s a Tony Hawks bias). All in all, a solid punk(?) album. With an album cover that looks like it should be on a more modern hip hop album. 3.0/5.0 Best song: In This House That I Call Home

X are good, but I do feel like if you've heard one X song you've heard them all. I did enjoy this album and think their voices work so well together they have got a very cool sound, but its a very repetitive sound

Quite fun, but not that good

Surprisingly good!

What is it with all those punk bands, where the vocals are just bad? Kudos for the guitar riffs though

Completely new to me, and potentially an exciting discovery, as I like the genre, it's from my era, and I'm always happy to hear about punk women who are still rocking aged 70. I really wanted to like it, but, despite some great opening riffs, I didn't get into many of the songs. I did like some of the creative chord progressions. It peaked somewhere around the middle, for me. Faves: Universal Corner, I'm Coming Over, Some Other Time.

I always had an infinity for this sound so I’m already biased af here. But it wasn’t that spectacular like I’ve heard it done before so I l think this album is getting “punished” because of it. So not a bad album just not spectacular.

I haven't read about this yet, but I am assuming it is the entrance into lady led punk.

Number: 79 Date: 03/22/2026 Artist: X Album: Wild Gift Year: 1981 Genre: Punkabilly Rating: 3 Notes: Before: I don't know this album. I am very familiar with one of their other works though, "More Fun In The New World". I listened to that one a lot back in the day, had it one vinyl. They have a unique sound but a lot of their songs sound pretty much same. Now when I listen to them it get's a little tiresome after a few songs. During: Starting off with "The Once Over Twice", I'm thinking this sounds a lot like one of their songs on "More Fun In The New World". 4 The Once Over Twice 2 We're Desperate 2 Adult Books 3 Universal Corner 3 I'm Coming Over 2 It's Who You Know 3 In This House That I Call Home 2 Some Other Time 4 White Girl 4 Beyond And Back 2 Back 2 The Base 3 When Our Love Passed Out On The Couch 3 Year 1 ----------------------------------------------------- 2.9 WEIGHTED AVERAGE (accounts for song lengths) After: 3 my personal rating 3 suitability for this list 2 impact ----------------------------------------------- 2.7 composite rating