So why is X’s Los Angeles on this best 1,000 albums ever thing?
X’s unique sound – melodic punk rock sitting at the edges of punk, new-wave, and rockabilly – and Los Angeles’ time (1980) and place (LA, naturally) make me think about the SoCal scene of the era.
Legendary underground punk and hardcore bands such as Bad Religion, the Germs, the Minutemen, and Black Flag were forming in the region, and here comes X with that unique sound that was perhaps just a few ticks more accessible to mainstream music fans versus those other acts.
Part of the reason for that, I’d wager, is due to the iconic keyboardist from The Doors, Ray Manzarek, taking on producing duties on Los Angeles (in addition to three other X albums).
And indeed, X honors Ray and The Doors by covering “Soul Kitchen,” which is one of the best songs on Los Angeles. It’s fitting of course that “Soul Kitchen” is a deeply SoCal song, written as it was by Jim Morrison about a restaurant called Olivia’s in Venice Beach.
In X’s hands, “Soul Kitchen” becomes an up-tempo punk rock celebration, and we also get a full dose of the band’s unusual and fantastic vocal harmonies.
The best song on the album is the title track, “Los Angeles.” In revisiting it, I’m reminded that it – and the album as a whole – sounds incredibly fresh and somehow timeless. Certainly it’s fully different and distinct than the other punk and hardcore bands of the era.
In addition to what I note above, I’d add that part of what makes X stand out from the pack is how good their vocal performances are, fronted by Exene Cervenka and John Doe (who also plays bass).
“Your Phone’s Off The Hook, But You’re Not” is one of the single greatest song titles of all time. And thankfully, the song holds up admirably to that high bar. This is classic punk rock with fantastic vocal harmonies.
“Nausea” is a driving rocker, and dig those keyboards that remind you a little of the producer’s heyday.
On a final note, Rolling Stone has Los Angeles at #320 on its greatest 500 albums list, and as you can see here I have it at #317 of the best 1,000 albums ever.
So close together, what can it mean?
It means that it’s good.
Check out X and Los Angeles if you haven’t in a while.
Pop culture stuff that has something to do with X’s Los Angeles
I think I’ve mentioned this before, but it’s worth relaying again how good the book Our Band Could Be Your Life, by Michael Azerrad, is. Each chapter covers an indie/underground rock band from the 1980s, and includes extensive coverage of the Minutemen and Black Flag.
And for even more on those bands, check out the Minutemen’s Double Nickels on the Dime (#723 of best 1,000 albums ever), and Black Flag’s Damaged(#620).
Some stats & info about X – Los Angeles
- What kind of musical stylings does this album represent? Punk Rock, SoCal Bands, College Rock, New Wave, Rock Music
- Rolling Stone’s greatest 500 albums ranking – #320
- All Music’s rating – 5 out of 5 stars
- When was Los Angeles released? 1980
- My ranking, the one you’re reading right now – #317 out of 1,000
X’s Los Angeles on Spotify
A lyrical snippet from X’s Los Angeles that’s evocative of the album in some way, maybe
You don’t have to answer me, you don’t have to call me back. Your phone’s off the hook, but you’re not.
What does the “best 1,000 albums ever” mean and why are you doing this?
Yeah, I know it’s audacious, a little crazy (okay, maybe a lot cray cray), bordering on criminal nerdery.
But here’s what it’s NOT: a definitive list of the Greatest Albums of All-Time. This is 100% my own personal super biased, incredibly subjective review of what my top 1,000 albums are, ranked in painstaking order over the course of doing research for nearly a year, Rob from High Fidelity style. Find out more about why I embarked on a best 1,000 albums ever project.