Reviews (page 7 of 8)
-never heard of this band or album -love a female lead singer tho -kinda cool guy vibe going on over here -idk, this album doesn’t feel that special compared to other punk rock -like its cool! but not super interesting to me -its not bad, but i wouldn’t listen again -also there isn’t one or more songs that really stand out to me among them, they kinda blend in -i do like everyones singing voices tho
Trevlig punk
Solid punk!
Helt schwäg
Kinda derivative of other better bands but still a good spin
Yeah, one knows (as everyone does) that they were great live. But they’re not live anymore and while one has liked some cuts over the years, this feels more tired than energizing or even hard-edged today, for as fresh and authentic it may have seemed all those years ago. On the plus side, bass bounces in quality fashion. The excess of grit undercuts the tunefulness.
Okay
I guess, after so many albums, I have to realize that punk music really isn't for me. 2/5
I prefer Los Angeles but these first 2 albums are both really good even if nothing else afterwards lived up to them. Such a fun mix of punk, rockabilly and more.
7/10. Short and sweet
Mediocre punk. 5/10
Good
3.6 - Clever, though sometimes obscure lyrics add an air of mystery to songs like “Adult Books” and I do often love the chemistry between Exene and John Doe. Their loud vocals give this a very different take on punk that’s worth a listen. There are, however, moments when it sounds like these two are trying to shout over each other. Maybe that’s just a symptom of marriage?
Interesting but not my vibe.
a whole lot more entertaining than I usually find these types of albums. keeps the punk ethos without sounding like shit. best tracks: adult books, year 1, some other time
Good punk jams, can’t say I know much about X or their influence but this was fun. 6/10
9/10 super wild, super fun really love this one
Seems like it may be important to punk history, but didn't connect with me. Their harmonies didn't really go together. Fun enough, but didn't wow me.
the most generic rock ever
Between 1981 and 1984, X released 4 albums - an album a year. My favorite is their 4th one, "More Fun In The New World." (This is probably due to me seeing them for the first time...and three times on that album). In total, I've probably seen them about 10 time and they are still pretty great live...albeit older. It was great to listen to this one again and remind myself why I fell in love with the band. When we had a wild night, a friend used to say, "Last night everything broke." - A line from "We're Desperate" the best song here. (Not to be confused with the Australian bad of the same name, who formed about the same time or the Japanese band, who were force to change their name to X Japan).
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
I didn’t actively listen to this too much. I have to say, I’m not too into early punk. I make an exception for DK, but even then it took a lot for me to get my head around their stuff. In any case, “Wild Gift” by X is a decent listen. I can hear how this album was ahead of its time. For the most part, it’s not really my thing, but I did particularly love the song “White Girl”
Some good songs but not really my thing. Some blondie sounding influence
For a very, very brief moment there I thought this was an X Japan album. Boy was I wrong. Bog early punk. Nothing of any interest whatsoever. Guitarist is ok. Anyone interested should listen to "Good Time Boys" by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers - it samples X, and that one song is better than this whole album. 2/5.
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
Enjoy a bit of playful punk-rock every now and then. Nothing transcendent here beyond some great vocal chemistry. Personally prefer music in this style that is a bit rougher and louder, but again, good fun. Fave track: Universal Corner
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
Hmmm, I get this. It's OK. It has some nice moments and it's listenable certainly. It's quite clever in places. But it doesn't sound groundbreaking to me - even when I try and put it in context. Maybe it's the California in it. Maybe I just prefer my punk to be a bit more London, Derry, Dunfermline or New York based? Keep on going back between 3 and 4, But 4 means I commit to listening to it again and I'm not sure I want to do that. So it's probably a 3 - but a solid 3.5.
The album sounds the The Strokes with a bit more uptempo composition. Nothing outstanding stood out, but unique for 1981. 3/5
This was a pretty poor album. It felt like it was made in a garage with good equipment. The lyrics seemed like they were written by a teenager, but not one with artistic ability. I could not find much if anything about this album that I’d revisit. Usually I can tolerate most albums with a normal structure but this was pushing it. 2.9/10
Starts off as punk-rock, but then morphs into some sort of country-rock. Not impressed.
3 stars only for White Girl.
I like the raw energy, but the recording is so bad it's hard to hear anything and what I was able to hear wasn't anything novel.
Talking heads ish. Liked first three tracks. Investigate further.
Good, I liked a lot of it, I liked the feel of it too
Simpatico e allegro, ma niente di più.
:))
Flavours of inspiration from Talking Heads and for The Pixies. Enjoyed it, decent.
This album is short enough that it played through almost twice before I noticed, so alright
Fuck if I don't love music like this. Never knew about X before but now I need more!
Growing up in LA & its 80-90s punk/alternative scene, this is a foundational band for me… they have an edge, an urgency, (“We’re Desperate, get used to it!” Amirite?!) to them, unlike some of the middling bands on the list that sold way more records (Steely Dan, Coldplay, Boston), the sort of edge Rock ‘n’ roll always was supposed to have going back to Chuck Berry (who’s obviously an influence on Billy Zoom) & Little Richard (influenced Exene & to a lesser degree John Doe)… plus as Anthony Kiedis once said John Doe’s “voice is made of gold…” Whenever I listen to X I think about “Decline of Western Civilization”’s performances by the band, or where they’re drunk & Exene gives herself a homemade tattoo… those other bands above would never do those things… nor would they make music like this.
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 heard of these but it's really good and catchy. It sounds an awful lot like the Violent Femmes which is a big positive
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.
Was good to listen to as background noise, would probably listen again, but don’t thini I would seek it out.
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.
Enjoyable.
Enjoyed it!
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.
This is one of the greatest punk albums of all time. X takes the raw edge of punk and much like the Clash, brings in more thoughtful arrangements to create a form of punk that is more musically literate despite its destructive and deconstructive elements. This album is clearly influenced by hard rock, 50s rock, and emergent post-punk. The hallmarks of where punk inspired music was headed are all still here, increased musicality, acrobatic bass, incorporation of different genres etc.
A rambunctious, overtly melodic, aptly wild and at times varied American post-punk from one of L.A.'s great punk bands. Favorites: The Once Over Twice, We're Desperate, Adult Books, Universal Corner, I'm Coming Over, In This House That I Call Home, White Girl, Beyond and Back, When Our Love Passed out on the Couch.
Som ritmos interesantes en algunos puntos, pero el tipo de musica no deja que ee aprecien al 100%. Me precio un disco normalito que no da mas que para un 6 de 10
Nije los Angeles
they're awsome
Land
It was very one note. I liked the one note though
J'ai bien aimé le style. C'est a petite dose et c'est très rafraichissant comme punk rock. Une belle découverte. 4.5
Not memorable but I fe white girl
never listened to this before. Love some good punk. Very nice album
I don't know what to think of this album. It just goes in so many different directions that I just can't grasp it. I do like it, but it's hard to listen to top to bottom.
classic post-modern album
Good early punk sound. Both vocalists play off of each other well and keep the album sounding fresh when some of the riffs and songs otherwise sound similar.
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'
Enjoyed this. Not every song struck my fancy, but "Adult Books" really stood out. Good energy and I like the vocal tandem.
Eh — just not my kind of punk. Nothing that stuck in my head, nothing that made me wanna punch something, nothing that blew me away musically.
Pretty good rawk from some LA punks. 3 stars.
Punk-rock. Está bien. Un 4.
Como rock indie. Bien.
Leuke punk, prima!
Wimpy backing to annoying vocals. This is about as punk as Celine Dion but her voice is marginally better. I'm starting to hit skip. Just not in the mood for weeny punk pretenders. Just because you said "Fuck" doesn't make you punk. I've heard this compared with the debuts from Siouxsee or Clash. Fair cop. Their debut albums sucked but they got much better. This is the third album from X. They obviously weren't improving.
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
The real challenge is to find 1001 ways to call a music album boring
unremarkable in every aspect
I always feel like I’m not schooled enough in what makes good punk good, but this just felt a bit unremarkable to me.
this was, frankly, boring. i’m not very interested in another 80s rock-pop-punk thing with uninteresting lyrics. it gets a 2 because it’s listenable, but really didn’t make an impression.
Didn’t know this my punk is British Two voices are good Moves to David Byrne places … I’d listen to early Talking Heads The straighter rock and roll lines jump out and feel slightly naff … But enjoyable A bit
Nice and smooth Ramones-like punk rock from 1981 that clearly draws influences from rockabilly, B52's and Roy Orbison ("Adult Books"). And it's clear that the band, on the other hand, also influenced bands that came later. Listen to songs like "We're Desperate" and "I'm Coming Over" and you clearly hear where the Pixies come from. And even though this is really up my alley, it just doesn't click for me.
Moeilijk plaatje, ik wil 't begrijpen, maar het is gewoon niet vol te houden.
Nogmaals, ik heb een hekel aan punk. En die zanglijnen zijn echt niet om aan te horen
Gedateerde punk. Het begint ook al een beetje dubieus te ruiken. Naar natte hond.
Als ik dit gemaakt had, zou ik niet trots zijn.
Not the wildest thing I've ever heard, I'd say too restrained for my liking, but still good fun. Singers were a bit amateurish sounding even for punk. 3 savagely wrapped presents out of 5 🎁🎁🎁
A cool album of riffs, retro sounding, but with the energy and attitude of punk. Not a bad listen. Perhaps the most odd thing is that the band are conservative-punks.
Another Punk album, although this one atleast stands out due to the fact it has a female singer. That makes the album better however the lack of standout songs means that this stays at 3 stars
A fun punk record, nothing too exciting but a good time
fajnie było usłyszeć kobietę
Super fun slice of punk 'n roll
It's fun, but it doesn't strike me as particularly special. Probably would listen to it again if someone suggested it.
The songs with the male vocals were so much better than those with the female vocals.
If someone asked me to guess the year this album was released, I wouldn’t have said 1981. It’s not quite my style, but the production is CRISP.
Not my style.
1981 Punk Rock John Doe – bajo, voz Exene – voz Billy Zoom – guitarra D.J. Bonebrake – percusión Side one "The Once Over Twice" – 2:31 "We're Desperate" – 2:00 "Adult Books" – 3:19 "Universal Corner" – 4:33 "I'm Coming Over" – 1:14 "It's Who You Know" – 2:17 Side two "In This House That I Call Home" – 3:34 "Some Other Time" – 2:17 "White Girl" – 3:27 "Beyond and Back" – 2:49 "Back 2 the Base" – 1:33 "When Our Love Passed Out on the Couch" – 1:57 "Year 1" – 1:18
It's not even Punk as it's far too clean around the edges and perhaps 5-6 years too late. There are bands that did this far better in New York, London and Manchester so I fail to see what makes this so special. It's not horrible to listen to, just bland and uninspiring.
Punk-rock. Está bien. Un 4.
Ok, liked track 2. Bit basic sounding like recorded in someone’s garage. Not my thing but had interesting moments
Sounds like a lot of good bands (Love, talking heads, Siouxsie) while also being kinda forgettable
3,5
So so...
I think I like X. Let's see -- yep, rollicking sarcastic fun. Actually, doesn't quite hold up, even through the very short run time. Good but not uniformly great. Definitely fun. 3.5 stars
I can't take this
Punk envolvente que garante um tempo de animação.
Really enjoyed
Cool stuff
Interesting punk album that incorporates a lot of different genres in it.
Repeat lyric, repeat lyric louder, loud guitar, make lyrics muffle voices unintelligibly, profit
Not a bad punk album but not really my thing.
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
Usually a fan of quick and dirty, ramshackle guitar-driven LPs like this one but it's just not hitting for me. Think the mix is a bit too timid for the instrumentation and the songs a tad one-note to really stick.
A delightfully polymorphic punk album that leans more towards the cerebral/art-house vibe.
Pretty average rock music. Doesn't seem like anything super special or anything that should be in this book/list
It’s a little punky, a bit grindy and sort of rock revivalist, but for all those reasons, it’s lost a little bite and energy.
Good riffs, good vocals, good punk: very interesting album.
Did not care for this one
good punk
This is amazing! Had never heard it before, but instant fan. It's so believable, it's so straight ahead in some ways but with a punk soul and elements of many other genres. Sounds so fresh and original.
Has alot going for it, particularly when they go hard, but I think it gets bogged down when they do the old timey thing. Do love the male female vocal mix though.
I like the style but beyond that is was just okay. Competent punk but nothing stood out.
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.
x - wild gift (1981) notes: - post punk band with shared lead vocals - really like the artwork! - i like the album “los angeles” by x but i’d never gone deeper in their discography fav - were desperate - i like the energy and dissonant guitar in the chorus least fav - year 1 - i like the vocals but the rest of the song didn’t match to me to me los angeles does everything this album does but better
Who put all this yeehaw into my punk rock. Get that shit out and put more soul into those vocals. I've heard gospel with more edge than this.
Punk, but the band has skill.
Punk, not my cup of tea but it has potential
it's a punk rock album.
The only noteworthy part of this album is the riff from White Girl. Other than that it drags through samey mediocre melodies and riffs, but not in an overtly offensive way.
I don't know much about punk, but I enjoyed this album
Best American rock band from the first half of the 80s when they made five 5* albums. Probably their LA album is even a bit better but it is always a hard choice. Wild Gift contains songs like Adult Books and Universal Corner etc.
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
very cool
Well done punk from early Nee Wave era.
Cet album s'écoute assez calmement même si tout au long du projet, notre oreille nous suggère que quelque chose ne tourne pas rond. En voici l'explication : il a été produit par l'ignoble Ray Manzarek.
Ray Manzarek avait un peu disparu de la circulation, mais reviens aujourd'hui prouver qu'il est l'ennemi numéro 1 du générateur.
Punky
Surprisingly good but nothing I was crazy about
Cover art 3/5
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.
It’s fine, but nothing that hasn’t been done better or less juvenilely.
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.
Punk's not really my jam but this wasn't a horrible listen - I'd give it 3.5 if I could. Fave track - "The Once Over Twice", maybe, or "In This House That I Call Home"
I'd never heard of this band before... I wish I had! I loved this. Short and catchy which satisfies that craving I have. Will be exploring the rest of their discography based on this.
I have not heard of "X" before, but I'm interested to find out what they are about. So far nothing jumps out as hey I really like this sound, but it's inoffensive and is decent. May check it out again but overall meh its alright.
Never quite understood the appeal X had on the early LA punk scene (along with the one it had on rock critics such as Christgau and the likes). Guess you had to be there at the time to get what's special about them. They're a more-than-decent act *objectively speaking*, but to me their overall sound and aesthetics are still too tame for bona fide punk--and not nearly intense enough compared to what was done in that genre at the time--while their melodies and unimaginative chord changes often lack the inventivity and/or catchiness that's required for more regular (indie-)rock bands. It's sort of a lose-lose situation for me. I suspect those 50s rockabilly influences, so endearing to X's fans, are also to blame here. They make the whole thing sound as a very derivative exercise, even though you never feel that the latter was at least *fun* to play (like it was for The Cramps or The B-52s). Or maybe Ray Manzarek's somewhat bland and linear production is at fault here. An ex-Door producing punk albums is an idea that has always sounded a little suspicious to my ears. I swear that I didn't know about that when I explored X's back catalogue and listened to that string of records he produced for them, always finding the whole thing a little too generic for me. But I have a sneaking suspicion he was not the best choice for the band... I have to say that X is far from being a ridiculous band, however. And browsing through their early discography, it's easy to see why singling out this particular record (along with the debut released before it) is a no-brainer. There are some nice cuts on "Wild Gift" ("White Girl", "We're Desperate", "In This House That I Call Home", "When our Love Passed Out on The Couch"), even if there's nothing in it that relatively similar acts such as The B-52s and The Violent Femmes haven't said more convincingly. One of the assets of this album is clearly the charming vocal harmonies between Exene and John Doe--"perfectly imperfect", as someone *perfectly* stated in this group. For some listeners, 80% of what makes an album good is related to the vocal performances (and they *are* very good here). My own percentage is certainly lower than that. Conversely, it might be higher than other listeners when it comes to songwriting, catchy melodies, instrumentation, arrangements, production and intensity. Those "gifts" can be "wild", too. Even for punk rock. Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 852 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory: 81 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 37 (including this one) Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 31
Didn’t mind this but also don’t remember much about it. Middle of the road punk with no standout songs or melodies.
The was a group that is new to me. At just over 30 minutes it has the perfect album running time. Some of the riffs strangely reminded me of Sigue Sigue Sputnik. It's a little low on melody, but it makes up for this on attitude.
Need to give this a better listen, but liked what I heard.
The singing right off the bat completely threw off my interpretation and mood toward the rest of the album because it was so bad. The music was alright but it wasn’t redeeming.
Not a fan of "punk" really at all, but I have fleeting memories of seeing this band late at night on MTV as a kid and thinking they were more than punk - I'd definitely stand by that.... although if anything the vocals are the "punk" aspect which are ... not good... So the positive: I really dig the music on almost all of this. But.... yeesh. The dry dual out-of-tune vocals bring it all down for me. e.g. "Universal Corner" would have been better simply as an instrumental - gave me a little very early Pretenders vibe just from the guitar. The opening/main riff on "It's Who You Know" almost has a raw Iron Maiden feel. Love these. Eh it's kinda frustrating. Yeah - the music is cool but it sounds like a decent university band - I'm trying to justify a lot of parts but overall it rarely lifts itself above a fairly-well-polished demo; not just in terms of sound but performance - I wouldn't want anything modern/Pro Tools/perfectly aligned/on the beat but even slightly better musicianship would have taken this a lot further for me. 5/10 2 stars.
Ok some punk fine… The album opens with the once over twice it’s a good song, I can’t deny the instrumentation being great. Her vocals are unique but not really my kinda thing to be fair. We’re desperate is again very good but both of them some of the worst singing vocals ever. But it’s fun and punk music usually has sloppy singers. Adult books actually surprised me it’s a slower song but really well made everything fits perfectly here. The backing vocals from the female singer are dreadful but the rest of Universal corner is very good. I’m coming over is nasty brutish and short rubbish vocals though. Ending side one is it’s who you know a good song but I don’t get how this was a good song to end the first half of the album. Starting side 2 is in this house that I call come it’s okay I don’t find it all to special (as side 2 track one should be) but still a song I guess. I guess some other time has her best singing but still poor singing great instrumentation and lyrics. Like white girl it has this awesome bass line but i’am stuck thinking about how she can’t sing too much to really care. Beyond and back sounds like a 50’s rock song, nice to see them stray away from full on punk for once. Then we end on 3 songs all being just over a minute ( Back 2 the base, When our love passed on the couch and Year 1) the first two sound exactly the same then year 1 is some clapping stadium mini song. If they replaced the female vocalist I would’ve actually really dug this shit but no just no.
Pretty good.
early punk is right.
I enjoyed that punky country sound from the early 80’s.
Suena muy moderno a pesar de ya tener más de 40 años.
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!
This album didn't really do too much for me. It had some moments where I found the music and lyrics to be fun, but I felt like so many of the songs being on the shorter end didn't allow me to sit into their melodies and chord progressions enough.
Wow - this is great early punk. Tuneful, solid 2 attack vocals, decent melody, great instrumentation.
Punkzinho e pa
Was never a big fan of X in my punk days, maybe its the way the guy sings
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 really enjoyed this album - it feels like a perfect segue between rock from the previous two decades and the two to come. You can hear rockabilly sounds like Elvis (who they likely were inspired by) and post-punk / alternative sounds like Sonic Youth too (who they likely inspired) plus some of their contemporaries like the Sex Pistols. Lots of different sounds really; this is not one-dimensional punk. Highlights were the Once over Twice (more brooding Ramones), We're Desperate (like frenetic Talking Heads), Adult Books (my favorite - Elvis meets the Velvet Underground meets Marty Robbins), Universal Corner (can't put my finger on it, but feels ahead of it's time), It's Who You Know (Motorhead with more depth), White Girl (Sonic Youth meets the Velvet Underground), and Beyond and Back (Dead Kennedys meet Elvis Costello).
Kind of happy that this album was only 33 minutes. Maybe if I was more into punk I would have found this exciting but apart from a few moments where I thought that the riff wasn't bad it was as dull as dish water.
Some Other Time is a cool song. pretty bland punk sound.
I checked to see if X's much more notable debut album Los Angeles is in the list and it is not, so do yourself a favor and good listen to that right now. X makes generally good punk. By 1981 we would start to see hardcore punk take over so for X to stick to what they know is a safe call. X's style of punk is more rooted rockabilly sound, which allows them to standout. They excel most when the songs are fast and driving, full of energy. Wild Gift is a good showing from X but I find it more underwhelming than not.
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.
A real bare bones garage band type feel to this...At one point it started to wear me down and then the last few tracks White Girl, When Oour Love Passed Out on the Couch and Year 1 got me back in.
Fun, punk album
This album didn’t make a great first impression but it grew on me after a while. Still not great and not good canvassing music but oh well
white girl and tals
I enjoyed this while I listened, but it didn't really seem to have anything particularly memorable
Not memorable punk
Honestly couldn't stand both of the vocalists which made the experience frustrating as there is decent guitar and bass going on here. White Girl was probably the best song on here. At least it was short I guess.
Nice proto punk guitar.
Punk rock nordamericà de primer nivell. No arriba a ser tan memorable com el seu primer disc, l'anterior 'Los Angeles', però no baixen gaire el llistó. Temes ràpids, precisos i tot i que no compte amb singles que destaquin és un bon i consistent treball
Not really my jam. Kinda rocker punk vibe.
Not really my cuppa, but it's pretty catchy. Not bad.
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.
I prefer Los Angeles, but this a great album too.
Great stuff.
Pretty good. Prefer Los Angeles. 6-7/10
3-, not bad punk album but kinda repeatable
It's alright. Nothing special. None of the songs left a lasting impression.
Not bad. 2/5
I knew nothing of X before this came up, and what a pleasant surprise. Lively, brash punk - will be returning for more listens
Listened to on 3/2/22 3.5/5 Favorite song: Back 2 The Base Great - very big hair 80s party vibes
3/2/22 I’m torn because I like the composition and the sound of the album as a whole, but I hate their lyrics. I think the songs are stupid and a bit too repetitive. Feels like the B-52s but more chaotic. Overall not bad, but won’t listen to this again. Based off the lyrics I’m leaving towards a 2, but it would probably be 2.5 if I could. Favorite song: When our love passed out…
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).
I loved the awesome guitar sound (and playing) plus the driving up-tempo arrangements made some great music but I hated some of the singing, the female was particularly grating. Score is in the middle somewhere but I feel can't rate it 3 because I have enjoyed other 3/5 albums so much more than this.
Thoroughly enjoyable. The female vocal is better than the male
Pretty pants.
Unexpected fun
Rockabilly. Sigh.
Hadn't heard of X. Enjoyed it, pretty good.
Pretty good.
Pleasantly surprised to see this here. Very underrated.
"Wild Gift" is the musical equivalent of being woken in the middle of the night by two cats having sex outside your bedroom window. There's a lot of confusion and some truly horrible noise going on and you just want it to stop. I generally give punk and punk-adjacent music a pass where vocals are concerned but, in no key are these vocals hitting actual harmonies. They're just wailing. Which is a shame because the lyrics are legitimately poetic and the backing music is pretty decent. The wailing, though. Dang.
Kim Gordon vibes Wipers vibes Really good
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?
I dig it
Solid punk, I guess. Not exactly for me.
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It is a punk rock album. It is good. I did not know any of the songs.
The first album I've got where I had genuinely NEVER heard of them before. Grungy and crunchy and surprisingly enjoyable.
Great garage
If it was released between 77-80 it would have been more interesting, but it wasn't so it's just some generic punk by numbers. Not bad to listen to, just uninteresting.
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.
Better than Rumours by Fleetwood Mac.
It sounds like a band trying to leave behind the '77 punk sound of Los Angeles (which is fine) but not really hitting on anything new of note. Punk was splintering in a million different directions by 1981, this probably wasn't one of the more exciting ones.
Spunky. 5/10
Didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did! As with all punk it's best enjoyed in small doses
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.
12/07/2021 Today's Album: "Wild Gift" by X - The Once over Twice is very strange and I honestly don't really like it. It drags on and repeats this sorta off sounding chorus. There's a cool solo in this song but it doesn't really redeem the shitty rest of the song. The next song is even more annoying and droning. The instrumentals in Adult Books are less annoying but they still don't really sound good or pay off in any way. Im going to stop reviewing this track by track and just suffice to say, this album sounds awful. It's very droney and samey throughout each song and the vocalists always sound off pitch and stuttery. Actual garbage 80s art rock Score: 1/10 painful to listen to Highlights: N/A
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.
I get it, it's classic post-punk or pre-snark retro-rock. Just not highly enthused about it. I've started a lot of my reviews with, "I get it...," then offering that it's just not my bag. I think this makes me a poor music critic since my commentary tends to be related to my mood at the time rather than the broader space-time continuum of these records. This one just pales in comparison to the harder punk-rockabilly of The Raveonettes "Aly Walk With Me." That one never fails to get me to going.
Not my style. Not terrible
I don't think I've heard of X before and all of the tracks on Wild Gift were new to me. Based on the music I'm guessing this album falls into the punk category and feels well rooted in the 80s. (Another sign that this is punk is that there are only 3 of 16 tracks that are longer than 3 minutes.) I got through this album, but I did not enjoy listening. None of the tracks sparked my curiosity.
woman vocal is making this album bad
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
1981! Really? Wow. Straight into the favourite albums list.
3rd song in, strong start so far but wont seek out
very lorelai/jess punk rock style but i think i'm too young to really feel it
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.
Yay more (post)punk! Couple decent tracks.
I’d like to hear more John Doe and less Exene Cervenka. 2.75.
A million years ago (1994) I was in Seattle for 9 days at the same time Bumbershoot was on. It was $9 per day although if you wanted to see X and Sunny Day Real Estate, neither of who I knew, it was a separate $10 ticket. So obviously I didn't go to see them and instead saw Penn & Teller be amazing doing loads of slight of hand in a small theatre and Richard Thompson (with Danny Thompson on double bass) basically playing on the pavement for $9. And some random stuff I've long since forgotten about although I do have a t-shirt in a bin bag in my parent's attic in the UK. Anyway, I moved to Australia and there's a completely different band called X who I'd never heard of either. I've seen the Australian X and they were pretty good. The US band are a bit punk-by-numbers years after this type of punk was in fashion everywhere else. It doesn't even really have memorable songs/hooks/melodies etc and is all a bit plodding 4/4. It feels a lot longer than its 32 minutes, never a good sign when about half the songs are less than 2 minutes.
I was only familiar with the Australian band of the same name. This one rocks nuts much harder though.
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
Has some interesting parts...I enjoy the more rockabilly side of things. I didn't remember X having that type of sound. Overall the early 80s punk sound isn't my favorite...prefer more post punk. 2.5/5
decent punk album. doesn't blow my socks off but don't hate it either. sounds pretty much like what I'd expect an early 80s punk album to sound like.
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.
Not my thing but better than expected
Pretty alright. I didn’t hate listening to it. Nothing to write home about though.
I was a big fan of "Los Angeles" when it came out, but "Wild Gift" never made an impression on me...it feels somewhat lifeless in comparison. It's like "Los Angeles" but toned down and cleaned up for the non-punk masses. "Last night everything broke" is a great line, though!
Alright. A little edgy and all of the songs sound the same
It was fine. The first two tracks rock then it gets a bit middle of the road after that.
Love it. Reminds me of Minutemen. Need to get it on vinyl.
No… this hasn’t got anger to be punk, nor does it have the tunes to be anything else. Sorry X
This album is tight. It's full of ramshackle, energetic rockers from one of the most unique bands in music. X's punk bona fides are on full display, sweetened with a rockabilly undertone and a hint of a twang, which would become more pronounced on future albums. Billy Zoom's guitars burn brilliantly. D.J. Bonebrake's drums set an urgent pace that propels everything forward without distracting from the true stars of this show, John and Exene. The chaotic harmonies of John Doe and Exene Cervenka are imperfectly perfect. They're languid and messy and totally endearing. Their lyrics are incredibly poetic, blurring the gritty with the romantic. They sing about the dysfunctional side of life and of love, and you can feel it. Fave Songs: The Once Over Twice, Adult Books, In This House That I Call Home, I'm Coming Over
Got a Pat Benatar meets the Ramones vibe. Never heard of this band, but they can rock! This is definitely punk, but a little more refined. Ramones is really a good comparison. I also love just the fast-rock 2-minute jam and done tracks. Adult Books sounds so much like a Talking Heads song, I have to know if they collaborated or were just fans. Boom: from John Doe: "But he cites his live introduction to punk rock, a gig by the Talking Heads early in their career, which took place at New York City’s CBGB, appropriately enough, as a true life-changing event. “Their music was an elixir,” he recalls. “It filled the space and affected everybody who was there. The band played Psycho Killer, and at the end, David Byrne took off his guitar and just walked out the door. I thought to myself, This could be his last performance." Clearly an influence there. This was pretty good. They carved out a style and it mostly works. I don't know how memorable it was, but I think I would listen to some of this again, and i can see how it can get its hooks into you. Definitely an album about having fun - no bummers in here.
Primera noticia. Ser influyente pero desconocidos. Rock muy garajero, cercano al punk. Empieza bien pero poco más. Si estás escuchando todos los discos de esta lista hay que darle una oída pero poco más. Me gustó "It's who you know".
Certainly the best thing I've heard from John Doe. I think I last heard X over 40 years ago - this has aged well.
A bit energetic
well, this is another one that was over too soon. i knew about X, of course, being a punkity-rock kid back in the day - but they were a little before my time, and i didn't really come to them until later. i love the aggressive attack on the guitar, the almost brutal uncaring in exene's voice...just great punk rock.
"4th Of July" by X is one of my all time favorite songs. I got into it after hearing it used at the end of an episode of The Sopranos. It's from the latter stage of X's career, and it's one of only a handful of their songs not written by John Doe and Exene Cervenka. There's really nothing here that resembles "4th of July" (but you should listen to it, 4th Of July is a 5). It's still a great listen. I don't necessarily side with all of the critics who seemingly fell all over themselves to over praise it back when it was initially released. But 1981 was a bizarre year all around.
Neat punk album. Fairly high quality production, a bit more polished than your traditional punk. Not all the tracks were winners.
Their vocals are horable to listen to, the instrumental sections are pretty good, saves it from being a 1. Punk was a mistake
Enjoyable for what it is, and can see the influence it had on later bands, but doesn't stand out as much anymore
3/5 okeyish
Can't tell why this one is here. Sounds like most rock albums and didn't blow me away. It's good punk, but I wouldn't say I needed to hear it before I died.
Awesome!
Nice garage rock album. I like the raw production and the combined vocals of the female and male singer.
Not bad but punk is not my thing 3*
Yeah ok. Raucous.
yep it’s a punk album
80. Tudo isto não é uma fábula. A quantidade gigantesca de dados que ELES têm armazenados sobre nós pode efetivamente impacto muito reais na nossa vida, na nossa saúde... No acesso a produtos financeiros, no acesso a produtos de seguro que é um dos casos... Pá, que é mais conhecido. Todos estes dados podem efetivamente virar-se contra nós, man. Eu posso saber que uma pessoa cuja mãe tenha tido cancro do pulmão, que fume e que tem um conjunto de atividades na sua vida XYZ*##%, com muita probabilidade se tiver uma doença oncológica, amanhã lhe pegar aquele tratamento, aquele tratamento não vai ser eficaz em 70% das dos casos. Faz sentido que nós possamos tomar essas decisões sobre as pessoas? Na minha perspetiva não faz. Mas é nesse caminho que nós estamos. É deste tipo de situações que nós estamos a falar, meu. MotA: When Our Love Passed out on the Couch "I just heard the sad song by another band sung. By another man he gave me the once over twice"
Classic punk, some great works in there.
Decent early punk, good vocal harmonies between the male and female lead. Songwriting was pretty straightforward but catchy.
I thought this one was aight. Didn't jump out at me though!
Kinda punk, kinda ok, kinda whatever
Seems good. I need more listens. Solid 3/5.
Yes, this is marginally better than Germ Free Adolescents. Sadly, that isn't a huge compliment. Heard it described as punkabilly, pretty accurate. Not so much for me. The only uses I could potentially see are: -I have half an hour to get ready for a fancy dinner after waking up, blast this in the loudspeakers while preparing and stressing out about what to wear. -Having to wake up the lazy, potentially hung-over participants at a summer camp.
Great band. Great album. Fringe, outspoken leadership may soon change band name to Twitter.
hell yeah punk rock cool influences as well
Some nice vocal harmonies, some of the chord progressions were a bit interesting. I can't stand the blues rock elements on the album. It feels plastic and tiresome. During the two last songs I was just looking forward to this album ending
I have to give it to them for the cohesive performance, sounds like a band playing together live instead of multiple takes on-top of one another.
Not bad. I liked Adult Books and White Girl.
I loved this. It was my first time hearing of this band. What a find!
Niet mijn ding. Ik ken de band niet en dat wil ik graag zo houden.
Meh. Didn’t make an impression
1
Solid punk album. Good sound, songs are happily 3 minutes. Songs are happily 75 seconds. Good melodies, fun listen.
Too much rock for my taste, but was some great riffs there!
Kind of generic and nothing special.
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.
Me gusta que sea una mezcla de punk con rockabilly, no me gusta, no me copa que se escuche como temas que sobraban de los 70.
I mean... punk... 2/5
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.
Maybe it’s the pop-punk loving side of me, but I really enjoyed this album, especially the first and last tracks sung by the female vocalist. I liked the blend of 50s rock with the driving pace of punk. This is the more palatable version of what The Cramps were trying to achieve. I waffled between 3 and 4 stars and ended at 4 because I want to look up more music by X.
There are some solid, rocking songs on here. I’m iffy on the vocals. Some tracks they are good while on other tracks not so much. I’m more in favor of the music.
Pretty good
The longest 32 minute album I've ever heard. Mediocre punk/indie pop lacking in tunes or interesting songs. I like the dueting of the two singers and that's what saves it from 1 star.
Boring
Sounds a lot like Auntie Christ. Pretty enjoyable, would listen again.