Wild Gift

Not bad not bad

Pretty neat

At least it's short! Got on my nerves by the end. Pretty basic

Вообще не впечатлило. Обычный ранний панк, да еще и без агрессии, чето тренькает слегка да и все, с невероятно нестройным пением

Decent, like the style and feel. Doesn’t move me past mid rating though.

A really cool inclusion from an often overlooked band. More than just a punk rock band, X achieved success with their lyrical content as well as incorporating country and rockabilly into their driving songs. All wrapped up with their signature lead vocal trade-offs and harmonies. Getting to see them live a few times only solidified my love of these guys. And while I’m more a fan of their Los Angeles and More Fun In The New World albums this one still ranks up there. Even cooler to see the original four members still out there touring today.

I liked how raw and unpolished this was. Tough to pull off and still sound good. 3.25

Nice surprise and going on the list of bands I need to give more time in the rotation. Dig the mixture of musical styles like rockabilly into their punk sensibilities. 2.75/5

This was ok, but not really sure why on the list. Though shockingly not British.

Had its ups and downs

This is another album where I like the musical sound they got going for them but my goodness the vocals are just painful. It is kinda short though so that's nice

dive bar punk. not a fan of vocals, but music was ok.

Perfectly fine pop punk, with some genre experimentation. Overall though, just not really speaking to me.

Not a fan of the LA punk scene. some of this was decidedly rockabilly.

Solid punk album. Wild Gift captures that raw, early 80s energy perfectly and fits 13 tracks into a tight 34-minute runtime, which I’ll always give credit for. The songs hit quick and hard without overstaying their welcome. It kind of reminds me of something The Stooges would have done—gritty, stripped-down, and right on that line between late 70s punk and the post-punk sound that came just before hardcore took over. There’s a looseness to it that feels authentic and fun, even if nothing completely blew me away. Overall, Wild Gift is a solid listen. It’s fast, sharp, and captures a moment in punk’s evolution that still feels alive today.

sounds like an messy dive bar in LA. a bit of romantic grime. Let’s call it sweaty punk.

One of the greatest punk bands of all time, combining the attitude and energy of punk but mixing it with musicianship, songwriting, and classic rock 'n roll influences. One can debate whether "Wild Gift" or their debut album "Los Angeles" is the more inspired choice (perhaps they are both on this list?), but that's quibbling. This is a great rock album and one of the best punk records of all time.

I’ve tried to get into punk… I like some, Ramones, Psychedelic Furs and The Stranglers. But I just can’t get into this album. To me, it’s lacking something. I don’t know if I’m expecting too much. But it just doesn’t seem as punchy and in your face as I’d expect a punk record to be. Probably won’t be listening to this one again, two out of five for me. Standout track - Adult Books

Can't dig this one

Love X but they really wrote just a handful of songs that are really good and the rest feel a bit filler. I think Los Angeles is a better album but this one is not bad. There are really only two great songs on the album and the rest are ok.

Not my style. 2/5

Took a couple listens to warm up to it

Not for me 1/5

X is fine. They have a specific sound. They're fun. I grew up listening to them. Anyway. As a grumpy adult, I liked this album less and less as it progressed. It's the same thing over and over again. I'm tired.

Love X. Definitely a bigger fan of their less punky stuff but so unique and Billy zoom is an absolute axe slinger on guitar

Weirdly reminds me of FG… only complaint is it’s a tad repetitive

Low fi, low effort, entertaining but not unique enough to stand out. It has rockabilly moments that kinda predate the Brian Setzer 1990s era which was neat. But it doesn't stray far from the norm of post punk new wave. Its all in all good. Just derivative.

Fav: Universal Corner Least Fav: We’re Desperate I don’t really know why I like this, I just do

It’s hard to be impressed at this point. 2.5 stars.

The instrumental bits were awesome and I liked the sound of those a lot, but I did not like the singers voice... it was harsh. This music was not made for me but I don't think it was unenjoyable just not entirely.

This is a really fun album. I especially like the use of dual vocalists. I think Los Angeles is a better album by them, but this is great in its own right. Favorite songs were The Once Over Twice, Adult Books, It’s Who You Know, Beyond and Back, and Year 1

Not horrible, but a hard listen. Didn't like the vocals at all

Vibes were good, very rock & roll and I liked the female vocal lead. Initial listen I think 2 but would probably grow on me to a 3 if I continued a few more reps

Braced myself for typical punk, so was pleasantly surprised to hear something more pleasing to my ears. At points reminded me of the Vaselines a bit.

Like the Pixies if every song sounded the same

I seem to like X like I like Black Flag: a 7” amount rather than an LP amount.

Eh. Love the singer but nothing I would remember after first listen.

Not a bad listen. Nothing wowed me, though.

Good early 80s punk

I feel like in another life I would have appreciated it more. The dingy bar back room punk gig vibe is a sound I'm peripherally familiar with but never been massively drawn to. That said there's a couple of very replayable chewns on here. The basslines do tickle the guitar hero in me.

Punk rock meets country. I respect it but can't completely get around it. Whistling reminds me I desperately need to practice for the '25/26 festive season. Favourite lyrics include: "stumbling over tombstone shoes", "I play too hard when I ought to go to sleep", "shut up and smoke", "Presley sucked on doggie dicks", quality stuff. X was formed by a man called John Doe... take from that what you will.

It's very clean punk. Nothing offensive, but, that almost makes it offensive??

A good punk album, with some unexpected rockabilly sounds. Simple, but played well, and the dual vocals are actually decent (for a Punk band). It's a 4/5 for me

Never heard of them but this was really solid, energetic guitar pop

B-52’s plus the runaways I feel like I should like this more than I do. Don’t envision myself returning.

Always enjoyed X. This was fun.

This was a fun album. Like a deranged, feral B-52’s. It’s not fully punk as I hear like rockabilly and other elements but it comes across as in your face. They must’ve had some fun live shows. Very cool.

I think I would have liked this if I listened to it as a kid. I thought the album cover was the most interesting thing about it.

They sound like the Violent Femmes with slightly less catchy guitar hooks but an actual female vocalist. So it’s either those reasons or a coin toss that I have heard of one, but not the other.

This male and female vocal duo really works, the way they play off each other. They make me want to keep hitting repeat.

4+++ but not *quite* a 5. I love it.

Likes it much more than most punk. Fun and a bit more talented than your average punk band. 3.5*

Ikke hørt før, men slett ikke verst!

Well another punk album. I can tell the diversity of ideas in this one, but still... it's not my cup of tea. How many punk rock albuns are there in the list? 3/5

Going into this, I hadn’t heard of Wild Gift or the band X, and based solely on the album cover I wasn’t expecting much. I was pleasantly surprised by just how cool this record sounds. At its core, Wild Gift is punk rock, but X mix in country, blues, R&B, and even touches of rockabilly to create something distinctive. The alternating male and female vocals work brilliantly and give the album a fresh, dynamic edge. The opener, “The Once Over Twice,” sets the pace perfectly — fast, energetic, and full of sharp riffs and memorable lyrics. From there the album stays varied and engaging, full of strong melodies and attitude. I ended up spinning it two or three times in a row today, which says it all: this is a thoroughly enjoyable, easy-to-love record. Favourite track: “The White Girl” and “The Once Over Twice.” Least favourite track: Honestly, every song earns its place here. Album artwork: I really like the cover, though it doesn’t exactly scream punk..

This seems like a band I would enjoy much more live.

Great guitar playing. Now I know where Ron Gallo got his influence

Not my favorite X album (Los Angles gets the nod there), but Wild Gift has some of my favorite songs of theirs, including the amazing 1-2-3 punch of Once Over Twice, We're Desperate and Adult Books. I'll never stop loving the dual vocals of John and Exene, Billy's amazing guitar and DJ's rock steady drumming. A high point for punk rock.

Fun, like a cross with punk and the B-52s. Lead to a really fun infinite play on Apple Music - Dead Kennedys and the Buzzcocks and whatnot

I felt like I should like this more than I did, but ultimately it kind of all sounded the same. Still, it wasn’t bad.

Rockabilly punk not for me.

- never heard of this group before today, but the rockabilly style meshes extremely well with punk tempos and vocals - still, the female singer's favorite note must be A because she hangs out there a lot (and I mean a lot). I think I probably would have enjoyed this more if her vocals were absent - I wouldn't listen to this in my free time or include any song in a playlist to come back to, but I see why it was included in this list

i like how fast paced it is

Its aight. The energy was good at the start but just became ok after. Favourite Song: Universal Corner

its good. kinda weird at times but i enjoyed it

Never heard of them before but enjoyed this

This was really good, this list is introducing me to a lot of eccentric punk, maybe I'm ready to give the B-52s another go. Thought this was British for some reason but listening again they definitely have American accents though I think they might be putting an English twang on. Not enough clear standout tracks for a 5 but will definitely listen again.

The antithesis of what I enjoy. Shouty singing, noisy guitars, no particular themes... and so on. Screaming, "In this place that I call home" over and over doesn't really get me going. I didn't enjoy the harmonies, I didn't enjoy the guitars. Sorry X, just not for me. I don't think I'm alternative enough. Give me some Barry Manilow, please. When will he be on the list?

Enjoyed this, nice and short songs, punky, and female vocalist. Goes a long way for me! Agree with Jamie, it sounds British, like the buzzcocks or similar, maybe they were fans. 4

Fun listen, although the vocals did get annoying at times and some of the songs sounded the same.

Love the rockabilly, love the dual vocals.

I enjoyed this. It's like an alternative version of Blondie, but for the cool kids.

Fun album and well done. 3.5/5.0: Very Good

reading about this album i expected to like it a lot more than i did. sadly it did not live up to expectations thought id still take it over the majority of albums on here

no thanks.

I thought this was fine. I still don't really get X, this was a little too low-energy for me, though I did like the vocals and the punky rockabilly energy. It just didn't really click with me, but it definitely wasn't bad.

Super cool, silly Rockabilly energy. A lot of genre bending tracks that fit in that punk aesthetic, but don't restrain themselves from adding some instrumental flare. Lots of track playlist saves. Imagining a live show would be intensely fun

Hell yea

Very Joan Jett adjacent music

It's a short album, nothing to write home about imo. But I think their sound of a classic rock paired with punky vocals is kind of cool.

This album is pretty solid, it’s so close to getting a four, but I don’t think I can quite get it there. It’s pretty enjoyable, I like some of it, but it doesn’t quite stand with me like some of the other punk classic albums have.

I'm not a punk fan, but I do think this is the best punk album on this list so far. It feels like proper punk rock. Both vocalists have great voices that blend well and they create some really interesting harmonies. I particularly like Exene's voice and the tracks she sings. The songs I enjoyed the most were The Once Over Twice, Some Other Time, and When Our Love Passed out on the Couch. 7/10.

Fun ride

I like the bluesy rock meets punk. But I can’t stand her voice.

Never heard of this band before. Really liked this.

Fun!!

01) The Once Over Twice - 6,5 02) We're Desperate - 6,0 03) Adult Books - 5,5 04) Universal Corner - 6,5 05) I'm Coming Over - 6,0 06) It's Who You Know - 5,5 07) In This House That I Call Home - 6,5 08) Some Other Time - 6,0 09) White Girl - 6,5 10) Beyond and Back - 5,5 11) Back 2 the Base - 5,5 12) When Our Love Passed Out on the Couch - 5,5 13) Year 1 - 5,5 TOTAL: 5,92 (59/100) Current ranking: 527/655

Shit

Another banger alert by X, much better than the xx. Super polished punk music that actually sounds like music, and all the songs are catchy.

Good energy, but I'm finding many of the tracks sound similar and their simplicity makes them blend together

Later into lunch we tuned into Wild Gift. Callie still plugging along with her quesadillas and started to make them dance on the high chair tray to the music. Incredible punk album. I’m happy that I got to experience this at least once before I die. Hopefully many more times in my future.

Very cool album. The vocals made it hard for me to fully get into the album

6.8/10 I enjoyed my listen through, pretty good, was thrown off with Exenes vocals at times with the off key, randomness, but at times I thought it worked well. The guitar, bass, and drums were tight. Year 1 was a favorite on the album.

Not my cuppa...

Wild Gift is undoubtedly energetic and historically important, but for me the intensity gets lost in an expression that becomes whiny and grating over time. The off-kilter vocal interplay and constant nervous tension make the album more stressful than engaging, and even the short song lengths fail to create real variation. An album you can acknowledge for its significance, but one that doesn’t connect musically. 2/5

Usually enjoy this kind of music but felt a lot of the songs didn't have that bite so felt a bit flat for me

3 - ok but i prefer Punk to be a little more hardcore

Não sei muito sobre essa banda, mas aquilo que conheço, eu gosto. E não foi diferente com este álbum. Tudo aqui é bem simples, mas qualquer pessoa que tenha tentado a mão com arte no geral sabe o quão difícil é acertar no simples, e fazer o simples ser agradável. Todos os músicos aqui me agradam bastante, especialmente a vocalista. É tudo muito bom. Só não dou 5 estrelas pro disco porque algumas faixas não me pegaram totalmente. Em alguns momentos do álbum, a banda opta por um estilo mais Rockabilly. É interessante ver um grupo punk expandindo seus horizontes dessa maneira, mas não foi totalmente do meu agrado. Enfim, disco curto e sólido, não há muito o que dizer. 4/5

rockabilly, country, punk, all gathered together in a joyful rocking bundle of fun

70’s soft rock. eh.

I really wanted to like this, but I found it mediocre.

Wxld

i like

6/10

Very fun, fast paced and actually varied punk album and genuinely one of the best albums I’ve heard from this list, it’s definitely inspired by Ramones but in my opinion is better than their work as it feels a lot more varied and not too one note like a lot of punk albums seem to fall into sometimes. This also feels very pixies to an extent which i like. The rockabilly vibes also give this album a unique sound along with the old style rock. I guess my only complaint is sometimes the vocal mix gets a bit fuzzy when the vocals get a bit loud but maybe that’s part of the sound. In summary, great riffs, great vocals from both of them and really great energy throughout along with a nice variety between songs. Favourites: almost all bar a few like the first 2, white girl and the penultimate one (just personal preference really). Overall, 8/10.

This sounded incredibly bad, like it was recorded on a toaster or something. The composition was extremely uninspiring as well. Maybe a bit harsh but didn't like this one bit.

I’ll take band names that wouldn’t work today due to search engines please! Despite the name and the quite horrible album cover the music was ok. Felt like pretty generic pop punk in the style of the Ramones. It was a nice short listen but not much grabbed me. The mixing was sometimes not the best but other than that it didn’t really leave a lasting impression.

Never heard of this before listening to it. What have we got here? First impressions are some female-led punk, with country overtones. After listening on full, this is overall some nice punky stuff. I'm most strongly reminded of the Ramones. Enjoyed this.

Not a good album. Not even a decent X-Mas album.

This was great, very fun punky album.

Brought me back. Fun album.

Ummmmmm no. I’m not feeling this. It’s very raw sounding. I take no meaning out of these songs nor do I generate any internal feelings from listening to it. That’s the point isn’t it? Having an album that is considered great mean something to you? This sounds like kid friendly punk. Choice cut: universal corner

This has bounce, hook, lovely chugging guitars, and sharp song, calling back to power pop and forward to the sardonic vibes of riot grrl, a fellow traveller, companionable, but just doesn’t lift me out of my seat. A lot of punk leaves me this way, wondering what this baroness I sense in the delivery. It’s not the production: for some reason, this made me think of Sonic’s Rendezvous Band, who exist almost entirely as a bunch of scratchy bootlegs, but possess a volcanic soul that this lacks.

Well, well - an US "punk" band that I actually liked; likely as they are not as "hardcore" (i.e., monotonous) as some others. All songs are tuneful and to the point, much like an American Buzzcocks. I found time to listen to their debut "Los Angeles" as well, equally good.

Nope…

Fantastic album. Some absolute classics

A band I wasn’t aware of. Cracking bit of punk with such me folk and country chucked into the mix.

Postpunk. Guitar and instrument sounds way better. Nice melodies good harmonies. Cleaner. Also fusion of punk and rock ‘n’ roll.

Influential, alt-country? It's who you know White girl

The Once Over Twice - 4/5 We're Desperate - 2/5 Adult Books - 4/5 Universal Corner - 5/5 I'm Coming Over - no rating It's Who You Know - 3/5 In This House That I Call Home - 3/5 Some Other Time - 5/5 White Girl - 5/5 Beyond and Back - 5/5 Back 2 the Base - 3/5 When Our Love Passed Out on the Couch - 5/5 Year 1 - no rating Average score: 4/5 this is not the kind of punk i'm used to. sounds like they're going for more of a Ramones-like vibe i guess. i'm not crazy about the vocals on some moments, but i found this fine overall. in fact, i noticed a significant bump in their performance from track 8 onward whether i like this group or not is still inconclusive. maybe i'll like their other albums better?

Rockin and boppin and protopunk and a little twangy. Some catchiness. Nice discovery for me!

My first time hearing of X. The album was pretty good- definitely punk with some rough elements but still catchy and melodic enough for me to enjoy. Overall- good album

Felt like soft punk rock, okay but would not listen again

An interesting US take on punk. The twin male/female vocals are a nice touch, as is the slightly bluegrass type influence. This could easily fit alongside the cramps or dead Kennedys. It lacked a standout single - no God Save The Queen or California Uber Alles - but was a decent listen. A strong 3.

Solid album. I was never a huge X fan but this deserves a 3.5.

Dull

Fun rock album. Never heard of these guys before, but this was some entertaining music.

definitely a bit punky but i especially like the more rockabilly moments on here. i just wish i liked the middle part of the album more. sometimes the album does feel a bit samey, but i don't think it's valid to complain about repetitiveness when an album is a half hour long. it does never get boring. but i do wish i liked it more. it feels like it has all the parts of an album i would love, but i just wasn't thrilled with a lot of the songs. i could see it as an album that would grow on me though

X is such an interesting band. Rockabilly, punk, great harmonies and vocals? Sign me up. I'm getting more and more confused as I get deeper into the list why the author chose certain albums over others. "Los Angeles" should have been here instead. Weird. Good album, but nowhere close to as good as "Los Angeles", do yourself a favor and listen to THAT. 3.19/5 stars.

Blind album and artist. Kinda boring lackluster punk album but still sounded decent i guess?

I know Eddie Vedder loves this band, but it all sounds the same to me.

While bands like the Sex Pistols, Clash, and The Ramones were the poster children of Punk music, X was defining the sound. This album sounds like it could've been produced today. 4/5

Lite punkrock fast lite åt rockabilly-hållet typ. Ganska bra, men inte så spännande

Too arrhythmic for my tastes

3.0 Middle of the road initial wave of punk/alternative. No strong feelings either way. There have been a lot of other worse similar acts on here is the one redeeming feature. Not something I'd want to hear again though to be honest.

O álbum é bastante divertido, com letras espertas e tem uma mulher dividindo o vocal numa banda punk dos anos 80. Super positivo. Gostei da energia do álbum, um punk mais leve e bastante gostoso de ouvir. disco que você coloca em uma tarde em casa para se divertir.

Not bad at all. I enjoyed listening to the album

This was fine. Hadn't heard of X before, but it's not bad punk music. Could see myself checking out some of their other stuff. 4/5

Bissi Punk mäßiger Pop-Rock. Finde ich gar nicht so schlecht.

There's nothing rock about this album, it's pure punk! And punk gold at that. A little new, a little throw back and lots of fun!

This was in interesting one. Definitely sounds later than its time. I'm not sure if it warrants a 5, but it's a solid 3-4. I'll sleep on it before I rate.

Not for me.

American punk makes British punk makes American punk makes more.

do you remember when X used to be cool?

Fun to listen to, with a different kind of punk vibe. Still, it didn’t feel particularly memorable for me.

Fun album

3.5

This is a fun album. Really catchy. I don't know how much of these guys I need but it would be worth a check later I think. I like We're Desperate and Adult Books. 3/5 stars.

A fun punk album for sure. I enjoyed the duet singing at times.

While the album may have expanded the garage/ punk ethos even further into rockabilly/root, the album's vocals feel like they were tacked on as an afterthought. It is as if the instrumentals were recorded in a nice studio, and the vocals were recorded by two people shouting at a cheap boombox. It makes for an unimpressive vibe. If Robert Chirstgau and Pitchfork worship an album, you can bet your bottom dollar that its probably hipster shite. This album doesn't seem essential or vital to me at all. I'm convinced that if this band had formed anywhere other than Los Angeles then it would have gone nowhere. The only track I've ever found enjoyable from them was their cover of The Troggs' "Wild Thing". One of the most boring garage / punk albums I've heard from the late 70s to the early 80s. The 80s were perhaps the best decade of music ever, but you wouldn't know it based upon the terrible selections this list makes.

2/5

It’s probably great if you like this sub genre of punk

LA Punk! I've heard of X for years but never sat down with any of their stuff. The male-female lead vocals work really well. The guitar player REALLY wants to be in a rockabilly band. Which works- the great punk riffs are there, but he throws in rockabilly licks quite often and gives the songs a different flavor. I can't pretend to know what they lyrics mean, since I can't focus in on the vocals well enough to hear what they're saying. John Doe has a great scream and a really good voice. An excellent rock voice! And Exene has a perfect, disaffected, insouciant punk delivery. "Universal Corner" is the standout for me. What a riff. It rocks, it rips, it has crazy harmonies, it'll take you to prom in the 1950s. FOUR STARS.

4.5/10

Incorporating different elements helped keep my interest, rather than being a straightforward punk album. I liked the female vocals too, they add something different. The male vocals work well when harmonising but were a bit bland on their own, fine but unremarkable This is good but it didn't stick with me that much after a couple of listens. 3.5 Highlights: In This House That I Call Come, We're Desperate

DNF

Very interesting record, but one that I enjoyed. Elements of surf rock, punk, alternative. It has a good vibe throughout and is easy to listen to and keep on in the background. The music is enjoyable and I would listen to this again.

Alright, so I just stumbled onto X's Wild Gift, and man, what a band! Can't believe I never heard of them before this. This album is seriously cool. 5 stars, easily. I listened to the whole thing, and I'm totally digging it. It's got this raw energy that just hits right. And seeing that Doors keyboardist, Ray Manzarek, was the producer? That's just cool. Didn't expect that, but it totally works. I'm already looking to add this one to my vinyl collection – it feels like the kind of record that just sounds better on wax. Plus, I'm now on the hunt for their first album too. From start to finish, it's a great listen. Definitely a cool find, and I'm glad I finally checked them out.

Instrumentaal prima, ik kan alleen niet wennen aan de zangers.. Zowel de man als de vrouw.. het is niet best. Ook weinig divers door het album heen. 2 reten.

Ok wow. I was only familiar with their one single “Los Angeles” (which is probably the greatest punk song of all time IMO). So I was blown away by this album. I had no idea that they had such a stacked catalog of music. This even led me to discover not only their debut album which contains the song I love by them so much, but I also discovered a lot of their other albums in’s that I really enjoyed as well. So not only was this album great on its own but it’s also a great gateway to their other music.

Very cool but not enough to get truly truly excited

Good Sharp fast straight to the point

Liked it... rockabilly / punk with a hint of Donnie and Marie.

I wouldn’t return it but I probably wouldn’t use it either.

Really fun. One of my favorites of the California punk/post-punk wave. Love Punkabilly so this was easy to fall in love with Rating: 4.6

They combine a lot of the genres I like into one. Excellent band and enjoyable music. Just couldn't get anything to jump out at me. Solid 4/5

Took a few listens but pretty decent. 7/10

🛻

I found this one unbelievably dull. It wasn’t bad but absolutely nothing stood out to me.

Fun listen.

3.4 - It didnt wow me, but i did like it

Didn't like this much. 2.5/5

Kind of a punkier Blondie with a mediocre female vocalist. Fun listen but nothing really stood out.

New to me, which is surprising since I like the style. Will be adding them to the rotation when the mood hits.

Not mad, pretty decent

Aint my style

p478. 1981. 1 star. Average garage band with average songs. There are zero reasons why this should be considered essential listening. On the plus side, it's short.

⭐️.5/5 Just not really a 80s/90s pop punk fan. Don’t like the whiny voices and all the beats sound the same to me. Not my genre.

Really loved this album! Didn’t know the band at all but combines a lot of elements I really dig.

ok I guess for 1981

++: The Once Over Twice, I'm Coming Over, In This House I Call Home, Some Other Time, White Girl, Year 1 +: We're Desperate, It's Who You Know, Back 2 the Base +-: Adult Books, Universal Corner, Beyond and Back, When Our Love Passed Out on the Couch 7,6/10

nix für mich

Fun, highly competent, very unserious punk. The stuff that doesn't work doesn't last very long, but neither does the stuff that does work. More of a 3.5!

Good instrumentation, sloppy vocals making up moderately impressive Punk Rock.

I don't think I've heard of them before. Interesting sound very late 70's garage sound. Not bad so far. They are definitely influenced by the Ramones. I swear I've heard some lyrics before. I'll bet someone covered them. It's a pretty good album for its time. Got some really fun US punk in there. I have a feeling I'll be adding it to my rotation. I want to listen again and see how it holds up to repeat listens.

Great album from an early punk band I never knew of. Glad I heard this.

Kunnon mölinää punk meiningeissä

Cool!

Good Punkrock Album. Already knew the song We're desperate but as the Pennywise Version (with the same female singer as here)

I’m a simple man - I get served a punk album, and I’m likely to be happy. This was proven true again today.

I can see the influence it has had for sure

Didn’t know this band but I liked it will listen to more.

nunca julgue um livro pela capa mais uma vez fui seco achando que ia ser uma bosta e foi bem ok

ROCK! bem besta e rapidinho. é catchy tbm, tudo que o punk precisa pra ser bom, gostei bastante!!

Just meh

Excellent. Always great to listen to X.

I only knew X from Los Angeles' title track. This is very much in the same vein. Considering this came out in the early 80s and was so heavily aped, I can see how this would be a landmark recording. The punk blues parts are brilliant, I'm less sure of my enjoyment of the lyrical content. Those harmonies are best described as hypnotic, again I'm not sure if that's good or bad! I've playlisted a few tracks - so it gets a positive score.

How did I miss this band?? They’re awesome, on between punk and REM. Great lively album 4

So maybe I don't like punk music as much as I thought I might. This album is entertaining enough. Reminds of Violent Femmes in spots; Talking Heads (David Byrne) in others. I listened 5-6 times so it's not like I didn't try. Several songs are catchy enough - The Once Over Twice, Adult Books, Beyond and Back - but ultimately not enough to go into regular rotation. 3/5

Solid punk album. Surprised this one and not Los Angeles, but both are good.

Love me some LA punk. However, Los Angeles is the better X album in every way, IMO.

I haven't knowingly listened to X since the late 80’s. I had a girlfriend that loved them and she played Los Angeles for me. As a metal kid it didn't have those razor sharp riffs that I wanted, so I was just ok with it. 35 years later this is exactly the type of fuck you punk attitude that I want going into my Friday. I really dig the doubled vocals. And all the songs kick ass and don't go on too long. I hope I can keep this type of energy at work all day.

MUITO BOM

Something about this is just not my thing. It’s great punk, the harmonies are fun, the tracks are simple and short and aggressive… check, check, and check. But for whatever reason X doesn’t usually land for me. Not sure why.

I sadly don’t have a shred of the punk gene in me. It bores and frustrates my brain. The rockabilly parts? Music is symmetry in here, but the loops are not closing, lyrics are not rhyming even though you’d really like them to, and it might be the point but it’s all so..unsatisfactory? Unfulfilled? Annoying! I’m annoyed! 😒 I want to rewrite every single song so it makes more musical sense. Ugh.😤

X was always a little outside my rotation. They have some terrific songs, but I never made them a regular listen. Maybe it’s the production, maybe it’s because Exene and John can’t really sing. But they’re punks who really broke out of the men-only club. The songs I like aren’t on this album. Anyway, I give cookie jars about a B.

A record filled with in-your-face anthems with a base of 80's punk and some innovative sounds that clearly was an inspiration for 90's punk/grunge bands. I can see the influence this record had while still acknowledging it's still a little too raw for my taste. I'm glad this list introduced it to me, even though I most likely will not revisit.

Minulla on aamurituaali, joka minun täytyy jakaa. Kutsun sitä "Terminaattoriksi". Ensin kyykistyin suihkussa klassisessa "alaston terminaattori ajassa" -asennossa. Silmät suljettuina kyykistyin siihen hetkeksi visualisoiden joko Arnoldia tai toisen elokuvan tyyppiä (en kolmannen elokuvan naista, koska se oli surkea) ja alan hyräillä Terminaattori-tunnuslaulua. Sitten nousen hitaasti seisomaan ja avaan silmäni. Se auttaa minua jatkamaan päivääni tunteettomana kyborgi-kovana. Ainoa ongelma on, jos suihkuverho tarttuu terminaattorijalkaani. Se pilaa fantasian. Tämä albumi muistuttaa minua eeppisestä Terminaattori-elokuvasta!! im coming over

- unaufgeregt, aber dadurch meist recht entspannt - mal wieder hat kein Track wirklich hervorgestochen 2/5

Rockin, punky tunes

ok

Ekki gefið þeim mikinn gaum. Þetta steinliggur ekki en hrátt og skemmtilegir gítartónar. Meira, endilega hreint. 3,5.

It's hard to rank albums that such a huge part of my teenage music awakening. For me it is unquestionable that it's necessary listening. That being said I can totally get why some would not be into it.

Better than Coldplay

Pleasantly surprised by a band I hadn't heard before! May have to listen to more of them!

Listened to this album recently as part of my 2025 resolution to listen to at least one new album per week. Wrote the following note for it on my spreadsheet: "Not as good as the other two albums of theirs I've heard, but love their sound and hate that I missed them live." Previously listened to 2 songs (Adult Books; White Girl) Favorite Song: Adult Books

What a surprise! I thought I didn't like this record because it's no Los Angeles - an arguably perfect punk record - but its not trying to be. They discovered hard rock melody and complicated grown-up feelings left behind in the practice space and are excited to share them.

X was one of the first punk rock bands I discovered, thanks to a friend I made in fifth grade who had just moved from SoCal and introduced me to his older brothers' record collection, and I love them to this day. They combine raw aggression with highly adept musicality, an appreciation of American roots music, dark poetic lyrics and tight songwriting chops, and they might be the only punk band that does vocal harmonies. This album is a visceral tour of the seedy underbelly of early-80s Los Angeles. Highlights include "Adult Books," "White Girl," "Universal Corner" (that riff is so good) and "Beyond and Back."

One of the punk lps from my high school years that I can still listen to and enjoy. Solid.

We went from Dylan who can barely figure out how to make a song under 7 minute long to a band that decides to never overstay their welcome and rarely goes over 3 minutes. A nice contrast. I know 'Los Angeles'--their previous album (I think)...but I have never listened to this one. It's great! Fun! And doesn't feel it's age at all. I can see a band releasing this today. I assume Amyl and the Sniffers are fans of this group.

Highly underrated post punk

1981 Los Angeles. Punk Rock !

Finally, a breath of fresh air! This album was a real surprise—I wasn’t familiar with the band before, but after hearing *Universal Corner*, I’ll definitely be exploring more of their work. Their sound sits somewhere between the B-52’s and the Ramones. Considering they’re from California, and knowing that The Dead Kennedys—who were far more hardcore—emerged from the same region and era, I can imagine this band might have been caught in the middle of the “real punks vs. surf punks” divide. But regardless, I really love this album. *I’m Coming Over* is a standout—absolutely beautiful. At first, I was leaning toward a 4 out of 5, but that may change. Actually, scratch that—this is a 5. If *Some Other Time* could help pull me out of a depressive state, then this album is more than just music—it’s a remedy for anything that drags you down.

Harmless

It was... fine. Could do with better singing but it is punk lol

Æ trodde ikke æ kom til å like det, men det va mye mer gøy enn forventa! Det føles litt som forløperen til Bratmobile og den gjengen der, en mer gøyal tidlig Sleater-Kinney, og ikke så sint som man kunne tro. Livsbejaende, på mange vis.

Always a good listen, I love X

No idea what this is but the first 10 seconds are promising. I love this cover too?? It's fun! Right up my alley! Not sure it's doing anything I've never heard before but I'd have guessed it was later than 1981 so maybe it was at the time? Appreciate the split vocals. White Girl is a standout. I can hear free bird but also the crunchy guitars are almost 90s? Interesting. Yeah the further into this im getting the more im appreciating it. Beyond and Back could have come out today.

LA had a punk scene that included a lot of acts that drew inspiration from 50s rock and early country acts. Some drew a straighter line than others, but this scene gave us The Gun Club, The Stray Cats, Charlie Sexton, The Long Ryders, and X. There was the rockabilly sound that The Stray Cats really popularized and the hellbilly controlled chaos of The Gun Club. Many more drew their "look" from Elvis, Eddie Cochrane, et al. X was right in the middle of that, and you can hear the train-engine chugging in their rhythms. Wild Gift to me sounds like an extension of their debut, "Los Angeles," but I love both these albums. This is a snapshot of a moment, when American punk drew from Americana--punk as a return to form for rock and roll that had lost its way into wanky solos and stadium rock. The whole album, all 40 minutes of it, is a short, sharp shock.

Girl punk! Not what I was expecting from an LA punk band called X. LA band so the Doors influence makes sense. This is like punk lite but not pop punk. I bet the Pixies and Dinosaur Jr. love this band. It all sounds good, but it does also all sound the same. The girl singing is better than the guy.

i'm the exact age that i SHOULD love this record... in fact, i actually knew guys who were in bands playing this type of stuff that exact year... unfortunately... instead of being in L.A. like these cats... or Manchester, like the Hacienda roster... my buddies were in Tampa... lol... The B-52's, from Atlanta, did this kind of thing before this... this is a bit harder than them...

Good but I don't like punk music genre

More interesting than I expected

That was fun! Great use of the two vocalists.

Nice punk'ish rock!

This is far from my favorite X album. Hopefully this isn't the only X album on the list...

The rockabilly-meets-punk thing starts out very fresh and fun, but after about 7 tracks of it, you start to realise it's not quite *that* fun after all.

Not for me

This was fine

Impressively managed to make 32 minutes feel like a long album.

After 2 listens all I can say is meh 🤷‍♂️

Short and absolutely fine.

Not as immediately grabbing as their debut, but still a very solid, classic X album. I really like this band and their level of versatility.

Adult Books // 2.5/5

Sounded like a pretty ordinary example of the genre to me.

So-so

The mixture of rockabilly and punk was pretty interesting. It’s just too bad that the harmonies were not great. I have heard most of these songs a long time ago and I liked them but, I really don’t like them anymore. Maybe my musical tastes have changed over the years.

Short and good album, pretty unique punk rock with rockabilly and other influences. My issue with the album was that the production sounded too stripped down and basic to me, I read that it was produced by Ray Manzarek, which was a surprise.

Great album art! Pretty good album!

Not as good as Los Angeles but still pretty barnstorming

Okay Musik für im Hintergrund laufen lassen

Fun, dusty garage-punk - though not all that memorable

Energinen ja hyvä! Oon kuullut näiltä aikaisemmin vaan debyytin. Hyvää punkkia ei kai siinä muuta 3/5

Kerrankin ei tylsä rock-levy kasarilta! Mukavasti genrejen välissä. 4/5

I have never heard of them and that is unfortunate because this was fun and surprisingly deep for a punk album.

Not as good as Los Angeles but sure this is enjoyable

I really like X

I was somewhat familiar with X's hooky, witty approach to punk rock (by way of rockabilly and the blues) from their debut album, Los Angeles; Wild Gift, their sophomore effort, is largely in the same vein. both albums were produced by Ray Manzarek, which is an oddly good fit considering how often X will veer just a little bit towards sounding like The Doors. John Doe and Exene Cervenka have such great vocal chemistry, and that's the main thing that keeps me engaged. it also helps that X has a much more keen ear for unique instrumental arrangements and sharp melodies compared to a lot of their competition at this time! light 8/10.

Blends into the rest of the 80s punk music.

Pretty good old-school rock. Good singing and you get a good feel for the time it was made. Not an everyday listen for me though.

Really not for me, a mixture of the B52s, blondie and the sex pistols.

This is pretty great alt rock, hard to believe this is from the early 80s. Like some of my other favorite albums from this list, the alt/ underground scene in 1978-1982 is some of my favorite stuff. This is feels like a precursor to decades of music and I like it a lot more than the grungier stuff that developed later in the decade. My favorites are probably We're Desperate and In This House That I Call Home. The songs do all have a similar structure and tone, which can get repetative, but then again this album is only like 33 mins so thats pretty forgivable.

Ok. Really dig this the more I listen. LA Punk!

Fast-paced, high energy Kinda soulless though.. 2

Cool surprise! 3.4.

Not as good as Los Angeles, but a damn fine album. Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5

One of the, if not the most, important punk gifts to the 80s and the world.

X has such a unique punk sound provided by their duel vocalists that nobody else really sounds like. I like songs on other albums by them much better than what's here but it's still a great album

It's quite good, but it's not wowing me. You can hear plenty of influence on later bands. It's got a good amount of energy, but the mix is just a bit murky. At time of writing this album sits on a perfect 3/5 and I'm not going to rock that boat.

Not bas but I found it much more less exciting than Los Angeles. Where’s the punk?

Punk rock. X? More like Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

This band sounds good but they lack having actual great songs. It was ultra samey and nothing is there to hook.

Hell yes. I have never heard of this band or this album. But I love me some 80's punk. This album absolutely delivers oh my god. This is just such a fun time. High energy, variation in sound from song to song (some going straight punk, others veering into new wave and post-punk), and awesome riffs that are just fun to listen to. My one major criticism, and I hate to level any, concerns the vocals. They aren't recorded very well, aren't easy to understand, and frankly aren't amazing. I know punk isn't always concerned about anybody doing anything super well, so I can forgive it for that. But it did get kind of old when I really couldn't understand much of anything being said. Overall though, I love albums like this for a few reasons. For one, I'd never heard of them before and loved it. That's kind of the point of this project. But also, early punk is just such a fun period because there was so much experimentation. X definitely went for it here, and killed it. Five stars. Standout Tracks: The Once over Twice, Adult Books, Universal Corner, It's Who You Know, In This House That I Call Home, Beyond and Back

not as annoying as other punk bands but still not that good.

Sometimes I feel like I'm too generous with giving out 3s to albums, because I come across underwhelming albums and usually give it a 3 if I'm not a fan, but then I hear albums like Wild Gift and realize that I do know the difference between a 2 and a 3.

Listened before?: No, never This music is mostly just passing me by, feels very background-y. This might be one I need to listen to a few times through to really hear. Could really barely get through this. It's completely fine, even enjoyable in places. I think I'm just not in the mood for punk this morning.

This was cool. Some really interesting moments. I was very pleasantly surprised.

Lisää punkkia, ei ihan post punkkia kuten aikaisempi levy, mutta ei kauhea parannus. Vaikka onkin parempaa ja kappaleet on monipuolisempia, niin jos äsköinen oli 2- niin tämä on ehkä 2+. Tällä bändillä on se Los Angeles kappale, mikä oli American Wastelandissa. Parhaat: When Our Love Passed out on the Couch, Adult Books

At times, interesting. At times.

i don't listen to X enough and i dont know why. this is so good.

Punk... but still could've been worse

So much fun. Punkified rock n roll. Or punk with a lot of rock n roll in it. My kind of music. I'd prefered a little better produced, but it feels garagey, so that's okay. 4/5

Good not great

4/10/25. First time giving X a try, no-frills punk rock and straight to the point. Decent album but just okay to my ears.

È un po' rock. Mi piace la commistura delle due voci. Però non totalmente il mio mood.

So much energy in this one. All the attitude of punk, complete with melody and great riffs. Not a band I’d given any attention to before but with be sure to in the future.

A wonderful chunk of US punk with nods to Blondie , the Fleshtones , The Stooges and Talking Heads. Why have I never heard this band before?

Another surprise! Sort of a proto-pop punk sound. I was sad when it ended so fast.

3/5

If your in to punk I'm sure you could enjoy this but can't say I was blown away 2.5*

Well, the album went like this. I'd never heard of the band or the album before. I don't think I missed anything either. The global rating of the reviews seems appropriate to me. 3/5

Not bad for early punk. It's just really not for me. I have a really hard time finding early punk menacing or aggressive in any way. Also, I don't think the guy should be singing in this record. That chick has a cool voice so maybe just let her do all the vocals?

Wasn’t familiar with this band before but a great album

This was a fun album, but I group I was not familiar with. This was a great version of Punk that was still raw, gritty, but still music and didn't just focus on dissonance. I really enjoyed the song In this House I Call Home. My only criticism is the female vocalist, she doesn't have a huge musical range which makes her kind of sound flat and not convey the emotions of the music the best. She was pretty good in Some Other Time and Beyond and Back, but if she just let go a little in some of the other songs I think she would have been amazing.

His singing sounds like the groaning ghost of David Byrne and she sounds like a faded Courtney Love but I don't mind it. Favorites: Once Over Twice, I'm Coming Over (cuz it makes me think of Red Rover), Some Other Time, When Our Love Passed Out on the Couch (a tragic night of overdoing it). I like the music in White Girl but I don't understand why we are bringing race into this. I looked up the lyrics and I'm just more confused. I'm 3.5 with this album but after a few listens, I like the vibe enough to give it a 4. It's punk rock with a touch of rockabilly.

The vocal interplay between female and male here is awesome. The songs are good, and the production sounds of its early 80’s time. So yes, I like this quite a bit.

They remind me of a Pixies/Blondie mashup, but a little more rock focused and messier. Definitely a departure from most vibes that come out of the 80s so they feel pretty unique for that era. I like when they change their sound up a bit in Adult Books and Beyond and Back. Overall cool sounds, but the lo-fi vocals and general lack of catchy hooks gets a little tiresome by the end.

Fine. Nothing wrong with this, apart from how under-produced it is. I don't dislike it, but I won't return.

Liked this. Borderline 3 but listened to it twice and it grew on me. 80s US punk and hardcore is a bit of a blind spot for me.

Ok