Wild Gift

This one was pretty fun. I'd never heard of X before, I'll have to look into them more.

American punk rock group - early 80s. Co female/male lead vocals. Cool sound, sounds a bit similar to the B-52s 3.5

This is cool. The rockabilly influences much more pronounced than say - the cramps, and the singing and lyrics are far and away better than the rest of the LA crew who were just yelling about depression and aggression. I only know this cause I just watched the decline of western civilizaiton on Prime. Anyway, some real poetryand harmony to be had.

I’m not going to get on my soapbox today; this is a great punk rock record.

Really enjoyed this. The punky, Blondie-esque tone of much of the album is a big plus. Some tracks are less punk, but more Rockabilly. I'd rather they kept up the punkiness throughout, but this is still a great album. I'd rather listen to them doing rockabilly than listen to an embarrassingly poor imitation of punk such as The Fall produced.

good LA punk. Warum habe ich so eine gute Album streak momentan?

Hadn’t listened to this band before or known they covered “Wild Thing” for the movie Major League. I like the dissonant harmonies.

I’d honestly never heard of X, but I really really enjoyed this.

would be ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ if they had stuck with the production from the first record but i think they got scared

Enjoyed this record. I love songs with male and female voices in them. It’s said that I think something like this wouldn’t see the light of day in current times. Rough vocals and not tightest playing all would have be autotuned and you’d lose the soul of what makes this record great.

A fun pop-punk album! Kind of a unique mix of sounds/styles here, and I think it worked. Good energy, albeit a little more on the polished side than the raw side. I especially liked the female vocalist.

You know what, this was a lot of fun. I liked the rockabilly influence. Sometimes you want some radio friendly rocking

Loved this album! The punk vibes were fantastic and reminded me a bit of Sweet.

This is an extremely fun record that was clearly very influential on subsequent post-punk.

Really fun!

Yep. Your whole fucking life might be a wreck, but you are able to make (and enjoy) music. Wild gift? Wild ride. Punk can often be just as fun as snarling and to me this as fun as it gets. The psychobilly aesthetic is perfect Zoom and Doe. Exene and Doe somehow get off the couch.

I wouldn’t call this punk - I could hear so many styles and kept thinking they were more like the B-52s. Fun!!

I think X may be my favorite punk band. I love their harmonies, lyrics, and gift for melodies. The energy is high but the songs are more varied than you find on most punk albums. (Honestly, they may be the least punk of the punk bands, which may be why I love them so much. I bought this as a two-fer (with their debut Los Angeles), so until today, I wasn't sure which songs were on which album. And although I love this one, I think it's the weakest of their first four albums. Still, it's at least a 4. Unfortunately, this is the only X album on this list. I would have chosen Los Angeles or Under the Big Black Sun.

Another band I had never heard of before. I was halfway through the first listen through before it started to click for me. It got better with each listen. Punk with a wide array of styles thrown into the mix.

Quite enjoyed this one! Feels like they have a very unique style.

Killer amalgam of punk, blues, rockabilly, and more. Wish more of the 80's sounded like this. 4/5

x marks the spot

It's not a 5 for me, Los Angeles would probably score that but this is a VERY enjoyable album.

A feel good punk rock album! Liked this one a lot!

woah! enjoyed it

Fun stuff! Flying back today and this gave me the adventurous spirit

Fun LA punk. Swift half hour of just classic early west coast punk.

I saw X around 20 years ago and it was around 20 years after this album…still put on a good show, and I still like this era of punk. The 80s really were a fertile ground for interesting music. Love the guitar work here and vocal harmonies.

Der er meget godt gemt her i. Sjovt lyt med god energi, og en kort spillelængde.

I enjoyed this! I have found that I like a lot of the punk rock albums from the 80s that are on this list. They really know how not to waste my time and keep the energy up. I didn't think this was particularly original punk rock music, but it was fun!

Wild punk!

Loved this. Proto pop punk fun

Fun, lots of short and sweet tracks. I love what the California beach-rock bass lines bring to the simplicity of punk rock.

Went to the Beyond and Back listening to this. May have to do it again Some Other Time.

I've heard of X before as an influential punk act, more specifically, the songs off their debut album, Los Angeles. Much like that album, Wild Gift is a solid punk album with some rockabilly styling and pleasant vocal harmonies courtesy of John Doe and Exene. Just about every track stands out on its own, particularly in the middle with cuts like "In This House I Call Home", "White Girl", and especially "Beyond and Back" with how uptempo it gets. It would have been nice if Los Angeles were included on the list, but if you had to pick one album from X, I'm cool with Wild Gift. Check it out. Update 1/6/2026: I decided to return to Wild Gift in the hopes of figuring out why I couldn't consider this album great or exceptional. What I realized is that, for as much as the musicianship on this record is stellar, and the vocal chemistry between John Doe and Exene is superb, the overall rockabilly meets punk styling felt a tad homogenous. Halfway through listening, it started to feel like the tracks blended with each other. It's still a fun listen at the end of the day, though.

Very Ramonesque type of punk!

One of those bands I had heard of but never listened to before this project. This the second album on the list. Good stuff.

Solid punk album. Liked the blending of male and female co lead singers. Brings a different vibe to the normal punk scene. Critics really liked it and I can see why. Enjoyed it.

Punk, lady fronted

It was good. I liked it. It was nice and punky.

4.0

This is how I'd imagine the B-52's if they discovered other emotions and let the women sing more

A great solid and succinct punk record. X has always felt a bit underrated to me. Happy they are on this list.

I think it's a good starting punk record. Not much more I can say

New one on me, and a pleasant surprise at that

Really enjoyable

Really good. Unexpected

A little Ramones, a little Blondie with harmonies. Punk and New Wave undergirds it all, but there's interesting variation - a little rockabilly, one sounds a little Goth. Solid guitar Riffs and tight rhythm section. Favorites: The Once Over Twice, Adult Books, In This House That I Call Home, and White Girl.

Thunderous, propulsive, proper punk aggro rock.

Another band that I should’ve listened to before now. They do not disappoint. It’s amazing to me the breadth of punk as it disseminated like a lovely greasy film across the late 70s and early 80s, twisting all other music forms into its nihilistic groove. I caught lots of B-52-esque energy in this - might be the gender duo harmonies. I’m getting closer to my beloved beehives. You could have given me 75 guesses and I would never have pegged X as hailing from LA - even if this was their debut album. I like being kept guessing.

I'd heard a couple of their songs way back in the early 80s and I remember liking their music but never pursuing it beyond that. Listening to this album for the first time for most if not all the songs on it, I am even more drawn to their work. They are really good! Lots of energy with a bit of a punk-esque edge to it but highly skilled and very well executed. It's a fun album. Nice!

There was something very fun about this album. It was a very good listen.

The singer and some songs sound so much like Johnathan Richman. That's neither here nor there, but the music is solid, dig this album.

Great fun, not too one note, note too tone deaf, super.

I liked much it quite of it very much and some of it just much.

Really good punk album. I got a pretty good amount of enjoyment out of this, and it’s really good at what it does.

I'd heard of X, never listened before. This was quite fun though, solid punk music with rock and roll overtones. I'll be coming back to this at some point.

Fun American surf punk

Rating: 8/10 Best songs: We’re desperate, I’m coming over, It’s who you know, In this house that I call home, When our love passed out on the couch

This one was a nice surprise! I'd never listened to X and I quite enjoyed it. I really love a bit of pop punk and punk. I love that the music is not polished and is even a bit off key at times - it has such a good energy! I also love the sound of the female and male voices paired together! I'll be listening to more X (not into the name though)

Road trip mumble rock. These singers don't enunciate at all. Stand-out: In This House That I Call Home

Pretty good punk. 5 for style, 3 for composition.

Solid early punk album, very tight and well produced and played. Vocals were awesome, finally a female vocalist in the mix! Solid 4/5 punks rocked.

This kind of album just appeals to me, y'know?

Simply built songs. Lyrics important to the aesthetic. Speed. The sense that anyone can make a song, an album, be in a band. Punk brought a new aesthetic to music.

Vif, énergique et jouissif comme l'éclair

Like it and definitely worth a listen and repeat listening. Lively and entertaining. Good guitar riffs/songs with good timing of bass and drums to match. Vocals grab you. Never heard of them before but a good suggestion. Bit punk combined with indie. Made me think of Maximo Park. Three stars feels a bit mean but not quite four stars for me. A good three stars.

Early punk. good stuff, but over too soon.

A more eclectic version of The Ramones, X has all the downstroke chugga chugga chugga distorted guitar, but mixes it up with more direct influences from surf, rockabilly, and funk for a slightly less teenage sound that straddles the vintage punk/post punk styles. Seeds of pop-punk and emo here as well as hardcore - fast riffs, (top notch) active melodic bass, catchy singing and even some harmonies. Favorites: Adult Books, In this house, Universal Corner, White Girl

I had never heard of X before this morning. After a couple of listens I’m under the opinion that Wild gift is a punk rock gem. The album is full of energy, passion, and originality, thanks to the distinctive vocals of Exene Cervenka and the rockabilly-inspired guitar of Billy Zoom. The songs are catchy, fast, and diverse, exploring themes of love, desperation, and rebellion. Some of the Punk Purists might argue that this is not punk, but I think it’s a refreshing and innovative take on the genre that expands its boundaries and possibilities. This is one of those albums that I will listen to over and over again, and I give it a solid 4 out of 5 stars.

i like the cover art and assumed it was an indie band from the early 2000s. like that i can hear a woman, gonna read up on them. love albums that aren’t too long as well… it was good and cool and really 90s grungy and punk feeling, short and to the point; i liked it.

It's not bad, but I don't think I'll be listening to this very often in the future

Punktastic

Only vaguely heard of this band before, and never listened to them. This was pretty good stuff, punky and fun.

fun up beat and all around great mixing. was not what I was expecting but I enjoyed it. just fun punk.

Previous Familiarity: Relatively low. Heard "We're Desperate" and "Adult Books" on a the great 70's punk compilation "No Thanks". Post-Punk found it's legs here. This album from 1981 is a foundation for so many post-punk groups that came to life in the 2000's and 2010's. The spoken/yelled lyrics, tag-teamed by 2 charismatic vocalists, makes each song an interesting listen. The guitar works is outstanding as well. Angular when it needs to be and beefy when the time is right. Not sure why it took me so long to explore this album. Glad it was on this list!

It's like really weird rockabilly, but with a Blondie sheen on it. OK, less of a Blondie sheen, actually---like some of these are very Blondie, but some of these are like less-sophisticated versions of Siouxsie and the Banshees, and I find that interesting. It has a sloppy polish to it that puts it closer to the blues records that influenced rock and roll versus the garage bands that ended up influencing punk. It's so interesting.

Love it. Need to learn more about them.

I really liked this. It was consistent without being repetitive. Liking punk is something I didn't expect to come out of listening to all these albums, but it has really driven home that I vastly prefer punchy, fast-paced music. "I'm Coming Over" was my favourite track and I'll be saving it to my highlights playlist!

Great punk rock from the ‘80s.

Thoughts before listening: X is a band that has been on my radar since I was a high schooler listening to punk rock, but I pretty much only paid attention to the first album until recently (I love the first album). I have heard this album and it is very good, so I am excited to give it another listen. Review: I love X's sound. The rockabilly inspirations, the male/female vocals, and the fact that they have a very polished sound for a punk band at a time when most bands in that scene still valued sloppiness over everything else. In that regard X were one of the biggest influences on much of the 90s punk I would later be obsessed with not to mention bands like Rev Horton Heat who would mirror their fusion of punk rock with rockabilly sounds. Wild Gift is great even if it doesn't have quite the same legendary status of their first album Los Angeles. If anything there is even more of an approachable poppiness to their sound on here. The best songs are The Once Over Twice, We're Desperate, and White Girl, all of which are getting added to the playlist. This is a 4-star album.

Never heard of this band but it's a great punk rock album!

Quite good

This felt like a combination of Blondie and Cyndi Lauper. Very 80's very fun.

4.5

Really like the minor-key wailing vibe of "Adult Books," more interesting than the straight-ahead punk of the first two tracks. Giving this 4 stars because I like the weirdness of the harmonies

It was alright. Not a huge fan of her voice.

In plain words, this album felt cool. I don't have a ton of experience with punk music, but there's enough variance here among what the quintessential high-energy songs to keep me entertained the whole time. Not much bad I can say here in all honesty, just good, cool music. Highlight: Adult Books Lowlight: n/a Surprise Hit: When Our Love Passed out on the Couch

Was like Fleetwood Mac meets grunge. By no means was it bad, just not my jam.

Pretty good. Third time around for me, (3 & 3) Standouts: Once Over Twice, Adult Books, 4/5

It's tricky to pinpoint what makes this X outing so satisfying. The style's aged well: A 2020s album with the same sound would have to try hard to be bad. The chord progressions are fundamental; No one in the rhythm section showboating. Teaming up on the vocals is, at least, distinctive. Thirteen tracks in this gift is so consistent in bluster that it doesn't have to be mindblowing.

This kicks ass. Never heard before but will be listening again

A fun experience to listen to. There are no real standout tracks here but the punk rock elements are strong throughout while mastering the decade split in styles between the 70s and the 90s. No song overstays it's welcome and the album is so diverse in sound that you're never board during a listen. 7/10

Ooooo its the Violent Females. Adult Books was a jam even it was a little repetitive and went on a bit too long. They really could have used better mics and it would have made these songs 100% better. I like punk because they get to point, they scream at you for a minute n a half and leave abruptly. In this house that i call home has a smooth bassline. Female singer sounds like one of the chicks from the B52s. I enjoyed the dueting punk style of the two lead singers, their vocal styles complemented each other. A few of these songs sounded a bit similar and could have used something to set them apart from each other. The songs themselves were a bit repetitive but don’t overstay their welcome, so it works out. Still a pretty solid album that makes me want to listen to The Violent Femmes. 7/10

Weirdly quite similar to the last album generated (Rid of Me). Not quite as notably amazing sound but still great, and much more palatable lyrics. Favourite song Some Other Time, which I liked enough to download.

I really enjoyed this. Fun punk rock jams that really grabbed my attention. Lots of standout songs on this record. Very well done.

For an early 80s album, you can hear a lot of 90s alt-rock and pop punk in here Favourite tracks: We’re Desperate, Adult Books, In This House…, White Girl, Beyond and Back

This was fun!

This was really good. I was aware of X before, but hadn’t really listened. This seems ahead of its time. Would have sounded contemporary in late 80s early 90s.

Wild indeed. Sleazy, but melodic.

I feel like I've been getting a lot of punk/postpunk from this era lately. It's not a bad thing, I've really liked getting more familiar with the development of the punk genre, but at the same time I was getting a bit weary of the genre before listening to this album. I liked this album. The dual male/female vocalists adds a lot of versatility to the band. There are some sonic parallels between this band and the Pixies, which is really cool from such and early album. I think it's possible that I would have liked this album more if my ears were fresh, but it's still really good in my opinion 4/5

Good original sound. I never heard this album before, but its a good precursor and original muse for the punk-pop of the late 80s. 4/5

"Wild Gift" by X is a punk rock classic that exudes energy and raw passion. Released in 1981, it's an album that encapsulates the spirit of the early Los Angeles punk scene. Tracks like "We're Desperate" and "White Girl" showcase the band's unique blend of punk, rockabilly, and poetic lyricism. The album's production is unpolished, which enhances its gritty and rebellious charm. Exene Cervenka and John Doe's vocal interplay adds depth and dimension to the songs, and Billy Zoom's distinctive guitar work gives the album its signature sound. "Wild Gift" is a testament to X's songwriting prowess and their ability to inject social commentary into their music without sacrificing the raw energy of punk. While it might not have received the same mainstream recognition as some of their peers, it remains a cult classic and an essential album for anyone exploring the roots of punk rock. With its rebellious spirit and infectious melodies, "Wild Gift" deserves its place in the pantheon of punk rock greats.

I knew this band back in the day and still have one of their albums in my vinyl cellar. MG likely introduced me to them. I really enjoyed their style, energy and attitude back in the day. It would probably be harder to like if I were listening to them for the first time in 2023 and my rating is for old times' sake.

They have boundless energy in a Ramones-meets-B52s kinda way, and I did just say, (in the Gun Club review a few days ago) that X was my favourite LA post-punk band. I think their song writing improved over the next few years, but the punk purists who rate this album highly would argue that its raw and gritty spirit make it more of a must-have LP.

Honky-tonk punk! What’s not to like?

What a wild gift this w as. Really grew on you as you got used to shrill monotone female vocals. The music here is multilayered and interesting.

I really like the sound that this blend of genres has and the energy of the music! My only complaint is the songs are kind of similar but I'd go back to this again

Enjoyed it.

This one hit me at just the right time, in just the right way. It's giving Punk, Rockabilly, and Bluesy. Loved it.

4/5

This is the first album of this challenge where I hadn't even heard of the band. This hits with an immediate gratifying vibe of straight forward punk rock. It sticks to and holds that vibe pretty consistently for the half hour of the album, with a few surprises in there like adult books, which gives some much needed variety to the album. It's not very original, but it's good at what it does. The two vocalists set it apart a bit, and occasionally you can hear some influences not usually found in the genre, but mostly it felt like straight forward punk rock to me. I've saved this to my 1001 albums playlist, thought I'm in two minds about how much I would enjoy returning to an album like this. I think I will, it was a fun listen and I'm glad to be introduced to it. 7/10

Nice and punchy, kind of B52 vibes

Kinda derivative of other better bands but still a good spin

7/10. Short and sweet

It came out on my birthday so that's pretty slay. overall it's pretty cool and different. I don't listen to punk rock much but I enjoyed this one!

Wow! I wish I'd heard this album earlier

A good punk album - but like many good punk albums - they need time to know if you really love them - and since I’m very late to the ‘X’ party I still am on the fence. Had a good time listening it though at face value.

Solid, fun punk record. Nothing particularly special about it, just dug the vibe. Fav Track: In this house that I call come 3.5/5

Honestly, a great punk record - fun and punchy, really inviting character and chemistry behind both lead vocalists, and some of that Californian beachy sound cut in underneath some of the tracks was a pleasant addition. Some weird and off the wall lyrics as well which are funny and make for a more interesting listen each spin. Really glad to have come across this one. Fave track: We're Desperate

Talking heads ish. Liked first three tracks. Investigate further.

Good, I liked a lot of it, I liked the feel of it too

Raw, wild, and fun. These songs contain fast and simple repetitive riffs and lyrics that reflect classic punk spirit. Songs vary in length randomly, with many being under 2 minutes while their longest goes to 4.5. And with completely different styles, some melodic and some abrasive, some reference other genres like rockabilly or country, it's always a surprise to hear what the next track will sound like. Of particular note is the vibrato of our two vocals which produce an unsettling and chaotic effect.

Never even heard of them before but liked the album. Songs I Already Knew: None Songs I Really Liked: The Once Over Twice, Universal Corner, It's Who You Know, In This House That I Call Home, Some Other Time, Beyond and Back

It’s pretty bold to just name your band X. You’ve got to respect bravado like that. I hadn’t heard of X before being generated this album today. Apple Music tells me they are an 80’s rock band which feels like a safe bet for my tastes. Songs I already knew: None Favourites: Adult Books, It’s Who You Know I enjoyed this album a lot. It was mainly punk music, with a pinch of rockabilly thrown in at times. Adult Books had a melodic rocky feel to it which I enjoyed a lot. The mix of male and female lead vocals sound great together and keep it fresh when they switch it up track by track. There is plenty of attitude and angst to be found here, and it’s an easy album to recommend for fans of punk rock.

Did not know anything about X going in, so I wasn't expecting a female voice to come out, nor was I expecting to enjoy the album this much. Now I'm a fan.

Punk rock

"What about a vocalist?" "You've already had one." "Well, we've had one, yes. But what about the second vocalist?"

Something about femme Punk vocalists really just hits harder for me. Great record.

J'ai bien aimé le style. C'est a petite dose et c'est très rafraichissant comme punk rock. Une belle découverte. 4.5

never listened to this before. Love some good punk. Very nice album

classic post-modern album

Ideal album for me, thanks.

Billy Zoom is a cool name, and he plays some cool guitar. A very successful fusion of rockabilly and New Wave, resulting in very listenable greaser punk. Highlight: 'Universal Corner'

Punk-rock. Está bien. Un 4.

Leuke punk, prima!

Not heard of this band at all before, really enjoyed this

Buen disco de punk-rock no muy cañero de cuando se empezó a popularizar el punk un poco más comercial. Buenas melodías y divertido de escuchar

Good punk

fajnie było usłyszeć kobietę

Super fun slice of punk 'n roll

Punk-rock. Está bien. Un 4.

3,5

Punk envolvente que garante um tempo de animação.

Really enjoyed

The name of the band it's interesting and this album is interesting too. The punk style in this album is great and even if the voices weren't that great, it's part of the punk, no need to beautify the music when you only need to express something. Even if the album is so good, it needs something to be perfect

Good riffs, good vocals, good punk: very interesting album.

A previously unheard and undiscovered punk rock delight! I can hear their influence on so many of my favourite acts. A gift indeed.

This was easily the nicest surprise for me so far. Had no knowledge of this band and was blown away since the start. I have to say I very much preffer the lady vocals.

I don't know much about punk, but I enjoyed this album

Nice raw sound

I **almost** didn’t listen to Wild Gift before voting and reviewing because I already know i love X and this album. BUT- i actually took the time to listen to it a couple of times through before writing this. This week is shite at work and today i came home, cranked this album and lay on the floor letting the unpolished guitars and raw vocals melt that crap away. Perfect 80’s American punk album- a touch of rockabilly, just enough scream and right amount of thrash, be still my beating heart. Not my fave X album- regardless stellar showing.

This album sounds like it’s years ahead of its time

Well done punk from early Nee Wave era.

I'm inclined to categorize this as Ramones-style punk. Less raw, more polished than, say, the Sex Pistols, and their has the late '50s-early '60s rock vibe that the Ramones' often has. Depending on the song, the lead vocals might be handled by Exene (whose banshee-like wailing is unmistakable) or John Doe (or even both), and they make for a good combo, giving their music more versatility than the average band. But the standout aspect of their music is Billy Zoom's quick, clean, and precise guitar playing. Personally, I'd have liked to hear him get a little more time in the spotlight, but the results are pure rock n roll whether he gets it or not. Standout tracks include "Universal Corner," "Some Other Time," and "Beyond and Back" (which has a pleasing rockabilly flavor to it), but the entire album's solid. I could happily listen to the entire album without skipping a track. I wouldn't go so far as to give it 5 stars, but 4.5 feels right.

My original notes got erased, but my synopsis is this band fkn rocks. I'll be listening to more of X.

I was aware of a small number of songs by X, so I definitely wasn't going in blind here. I knew what to expect, and loved what I got. I always meant to go back through some of their catalogue, as most of what I was familiar with was from the Los Angeles album. Very much enjoyed this one.

Oh this is so great what a fun vibe. The opening track is great and probably In This House That I Call Home are the highlights but the whole album has such great energy.

Need to give this a better listen, but liked what I heard.

Pretty good.

Fun, playful punk. I hear a lot of The Clash and some B-52’s in their sound. But there’s also some country rock in here too. The male singer adds an interesting tone to some of these songs. I got a kick out of the Roy Orbison affectation he puts on for “Adults Books.” And “In This House That I Call Home” has a little of that Orbison drama but mixed with punk riffs. The lyrics are sharp and funny too (“Back 2 the Base” is a wild one!) which makes the songs worth paying closer attention to. I’m definitely going to want to spin this one a few more times.

This short and sweet little album with a really fun surf rock kinda punky sound is just what I wanted to hear on this summer morning. The male/female playful vocals remind me of the B52's in a lot of ways. I dig it!

Wow - this is great early punk. Tuneful, solid 2 attack vocals, decent melody, great instrumentation.

Punk with roots rock undertones

Real good punk / new wave feel to it. The male vocalist has a bit of a David Byrne vibe in his voice (not a bad thing, mind you). Universal Corner feels a bit lke "Shape Of Things To Come." Its nice to finally hear the whole song RHCP sampled for their song "Good Tine Boys." Now there's one song off the samples I don't know as of yet. Anyway, back to X. Even with it being punk, there's still a bit of variation, which is good. Nice short punk album, I really dug it.

I generally like X, haven’t gone back before More Fun in the New World in years. I enjoyed this. It makes me want to go back to listen to Los Angeles.

Really cool pop-punk album. I’d heard Los Angeles before and though it was ok, but honestly I think this one’s better. Also still can’t believe they’re produced by Ray Manzarak

It was way better than I expected it to be, by far. I actually liked a lot of it.

Great stuff.

I knew nothing of X before this came up, and what a pleasant surprise. Lively, brash punk - will be returning for more listens

short, concise punk record. Not bad at all

Punk rock. Energetic. Fast paced and fun. Would listen to again (and check out more by this band).

Thoroughly enjoyable. The female vocal is better than the male

Unexpected fun

I just don't know if I knew far less about music than I thought, or this 'challenge' goes out of it's way to pick more obscure bands. But these guys shouldn't be - early 80's raw punk tinged rock - so why aren't 'X' as big as they should be?

Great garage

The wildest gift I ever received was for my 13th birthday. My siblings had all clubbed together to get me the severed penis of our old scout master. I loved it. I would play with it all the time. Every night before bed I would kiss it goodnight and then fuck the shit out of myself until my anus resembled a bloody casserole.

Now, I adore 70s punk and post-punk. I consider them together to be the greatest genre of music. However, I'd never sought to listen to X before, for no reason other than I've always been more compelled towards UK acts of the period. I decided to set the evening aside to listen to both this and their earlier Los Angeles, and I found a rather pleasant straddling of punk and new wave, with Wild Gift the more embraceable. I'd have to say it lacks the knockout blow of a 5-starrer, but it's plenty rocking and sardonic, and there are worse ways of spending an evening.

Was a bit slow to start but once it got going it was a really fun listen. Still sounds fresh. The cover of the album had me expecting something more contemporary so it was a real surprise.

Some real good older Riot Girl punk music. Reminds me of Blondie. Never heard of X before but I really like this.

Pretty good punk

Some heavy Pixies, Talking Heads and B-52's vibes from 1981. Post-punk new wave soundtrack to a student house party in a movie, any movie.

Very West Coast punk album, another new band from this list that I've never heard before so had no idea what to expect. I liked it, great energy, wailing guitars, has a rockabilly vibe. Would listen to this again. Short, punchy, and I like that the vocalists switch it up, each leading their own songs and some with both harmonizing. Fun album.

A great rock record

Promisingly rapid start! Punky with a 50's rock and roll feel, makes me think of the Rezillos a bit. Four tracks in, I really like this and feel I missed out not knowing this album before! In short, this is really bloody good. I still love The Rezillos more for this fun, 50s inflected punk (I'm naturally going to identify more with Scottish sci fi geeks than a cool LA band), but this is definitely going back on at some point.

Love it. Reminds me of Minutemen. Need to get it on vinyl.

yep it’s a punk album

hell yeah punk rock cool influences as well

Tan punk californiano. Amo. Flema tiene un tema que se llama 'Surfeando En El Riachuelo' que es todo lo que está bien y me hizo acordar, musicalmente, al primer tema del disco. Me remontó a eso automáticamente cosa que amo profundamente. 13 temones muy fáciles de escuchar y, por sobre todo, muy geniales. The Once Over Twice y Year 1 son los temas que más me gustaron. Lo escucharía mil veces más. 9/10 ludomatics.

Classic punk. I loved the way there were male and female vocals on most tracks. Really well done and catchy.

Exhibit A on why not to look at the Wikipedia page before listening to the album. Apparently the female lead, Exene Cervenka, has gotten into conspiracy theories in recent years, including mass shooting hoaxes. But once I listened, I was pleasantly surprised and mostly didn't think about what I had learned about them. I had also read that their brand of early-80s punk was tinged with rockabilly, and I could definitely hear that in the songs. Sonically I thought they were pretty great - I liked the sped-up rockabilly/surf rock style, and usually enjoyed the paired lead vocals. I wasn't as big a fan of the lyrics, though.

very cool

nice 80s punk

love this like probably not enough to listen to it again but maybe who knows when i'm feeling Punky

Some great punk rock.

Opgewekte muziek. Misschien wat eentonig, maar omdat het zo tof is, kunnen we dat door de vingers zien.

Certainly not everyone's cup of tea but fantastic classic punk in my opinion.

Pretty, pretty good

What a great album. One of my favorites so far. Brings back great memories

rock out brooklyn basement style!

I'm digging this record. Good punk, lots of fun to listen to

Not bad

Bounces between Ramones style bouncy punk to leaning slightly more hardcore. I'd say it's a proto-pop-punk record. Lot of fun, and the dual vocalists definitely help break it up here and there. Favorite tracks: "Universal Corner", "Back 2 the Base"

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

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

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.

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.

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.

Дикие ребята и девчата

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.

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

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"

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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",

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.

Punk goes Pop the 1980s version

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’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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

first listen like the energy

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.

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

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

surprised me after the first few songs

It was better than I was expecting.

Punk that I enjoyed? Holy shit this is insane.

A perfect 3. 3/5

Pretty good album!

Yeh not bad!

Kind of repetitive

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!

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

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

Cool vibe old school post punk

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.

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

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

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

I really can't see the exceptionality of this album. Very standard post-punk power pop.

A fine punk album, but not really much more. It is a pretty pleasant listen, but it lacks the highlights to really earn the higher marks. 3/5

Was pretty good fun

White Girl is a great song and I enjoyed the album it was a fun listen. Wouldn't say I'd listen to it again, but I can see its influence on later bands. Some songs remind me of The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster. 3 stars. Not bad, but not one I'll listen to again.

Decent 80s new wave punk. Liked the dual vocals.

Liked what i heard.

2 3조아

sounds like a precursor to alternative 80s, 90s grunge. I reckon it'd be a great nostalgia album for people who were teens at the time. never heard of them. And there's nothing familiar or unique either about this to my ears, I may be missing something because there's a Wikipedia article saying they're an important punk band. But important to whom you may ask? They top 500 albums on Rolling Stone magazine. So I repeat. this album is important to whom?

Ramones and Talking Heads moments. A fun pop punk album.

First encounter with this. It's not bad. It's not particularly great either.

It came, it went and it sounded nice

Punk rock and poetry. Most punk I've experienced is really lacking on the lyricism. Not this album. Although, in classic punk rock style, its often a challenge to actually hear the lyrics.

I just didn’t enjoy this sadly. The vocal style just wasn’t for me and I sadly found some of this just somewhat bland. There were a couple of interesting tracks but overall, just not for me.

I actually liked this! It was punk without being too sloppy! It was a good listen, but my one criticism is that I found the songs kind of rolled into each other without much distinction between them.