X: Under The Big Black Sun (1982)

X's 1980 debut Los Angeles is one of the definitive American punk albums; but while retaining the punk energy and vestiges, their third album is just flat out rock and roll, and the one I most frequently turn to for a quick pick-me-up.  (Not dissimilar from the Clash's progression from their 1977 debut to London Calling two years later.)  While the band's first two albums are great, with each member's skills shining right off the bat, I've always found Big Black Sun to be where they move from impressive to just crazy great.  John Doe and Exene Cervenka are compelling vocalists in their own right, but when they exchange and harmonize their vox, the album just takes off.  Billy Zoom confirms he's one of rock's greatest guitarists, pairing his classic rockabilly riffs with punk urgency; and Doe and DJ Bonebrake's rhythm section is unbelievably tight.

But what makes the album really work is the quality of the songs, with a handful of tracks that would be classic rock standards in a just universe.  The title track is my personal favorite, a relentlessly catchy guitar riff and a passionate Exene vocal performance.  Nearly as great is the opener, "The Hungry Wolf," where Bonebrake gets to shine; and the retro-sounding "Blue Spark," with that killer bassline and Doe & Exene's interlocked vocals.  "Motel Room In My Bed" and "Because I Do" harken back to the earlier albums with their frenetic energy, but with a cleaner, poppier sound; "Come Back To Me" is a surprisingly earnest take on "A Summer Place" and its 50s-styled doo-wop vibe, while "Dancing With Tears In My Eyes" similarly conjures a retro surf feel with a pleasantly authentic performance.

All in all, one of the truly great rock and roll albums of the post-punk/new wave era, the sort of thing which would have been omnipresent at the time if the radio programmers of the era had been less afraid of anything with an edge.

Here's a video for "The Hungry Wolf":
Here's a live take on the title track from just a few years back, and damn, I wish I could find the sort of inner peace Billy Zoom conveys when he plays guitar!
And here's a live "Blue Spark" from back in the day (after a long intro):


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