binguli says: Green on Red : Green on red (maybe it's not even that obscure)
Are you thinking of that EP from '82? I absolutely adore that early psychedelic phase of Green on Red. That EP and Gravity Talks are just flawless albums—no skips at all. If I recall correctly, they recently reissued that EP alongside Gas Food Lodgning from '85, which feels a bit odd to me because that '85 record is such a masterpiece from their country era featuring Chuck Prophet—back when Cacavas switched from keys to the acoustic piano (before Cacavas left and the band moved over to Mercury and eventually drifted apart). Still, it’s great that it finally surfaced, though personally, I think it would have made more sense to pair Gravity Talks with that first EP.
Unfortunately, you're right to say it still feels like a "lost" discography, mostly because Green on Red never quite received the legendary status they deserved. The fact that they have any kind of following here is really thanks to the groundwork laid by folks like Z. Simica in Belgrade and J. Siftar in Chicago...
I wouldn't say Pingvinima belongs in the pantheon of all-time great lost albums, but since we’re discussing them—they were absolutely massive back in the summer of '83 thanks to that maxi single. It wasn't exactly common for a format like that to be released in the States back then, but they managed it, and suddenly every post-new wave disco hipster across the country was hunting down copies, especially after getting some serious airplay from Hit Mesec TV Belgrade. Then came Muzika za mlade u zima in '84, their first LP featuring that new mega-hit, a catchy little techno-pop track called moj devojka. There was this really nicely executed synthesized piano on that track playing the melody in a sort of quasi-50s style—pretty slick, actually. The rest of the record, though, suffered from some questionable choices—for instance, that cover of the Bay City Rollers song "No, I'm Not Your Hero." They released one more LP the following year, Striptiz, which flopped pretty quickly, leading to the band breaking up shortly after.
I actually have all three records on vinyl. I'll digitize them to MP3 once I get around to it—and if you guys keep badgering me, I might just move them up the priority list.
None of these albums were ever officially released on CD, at least not before the year 2000 (if you trust the Janjatovicevoj encyclopedia). There is a comeback album called Stereo from '95 that I don't know much about, but my guess is it probably isn't anything special.
Martinez - excellent. You can actually pick up those Tav Falco Panther Burns albums over at Soulsick, so if you're looking for them—definitely give it a shot. I remember grabbing this Brandos record for maybe two or three bucks back when my local record shop was still open for business—it’s honestly such a great listen. Their take on Strychnina is top-tier. I still need to hunt down Blood on The Saddle, though. By the way, pretty much everything released on New Rosa is fantastic... You can find the full list of releases right here: http://www.limbos.org/newrose/newrose.htm It covers all their stuff.
Hey Douglas Robinson12, you're always preaching about Rank and File, but you never actually tell me if you've checked out Cowboy Nation yet—they’re basically what those Kinman guys would sound like today if they went through a darker, moodier phase. For me, they are easily the strongest pick in that whole "No Depression" or alt-country scene. Honestly, they’re far more engaging and soulful than any of those "next big thing" singer-songwriters, those suddenly enlightened Texas outlaws, anyone trying to mimic Uncle Tupelo, or just some other NPR-style cowboy. All three albums they've put out so far are truly exceptional, though I'd say the first one might be their best. Their latest, Cowboy a go go, feels the most similar to Sundown of the bunch. But man, that debut is just full of brilliant moments—it all builds up to Big Train, which they originally released as a limited edition electronic version called Blackbird (and mind you, I'm not even an electronics fan!) before Mike Watt eventually took the song and did his own thing on Bullhog or Tugboat. You can check them out at their site here: www.cowboynation.com.
You mean Jack Lee. He’s a fascinating character—someone who churned out a string of absolute hits before just vanishing in '81 (or so the word goes over at AMG).
Well, since Douglas Robinson12 gave us such a great introduction to Chordse, I figured I’d jump in and add my two cents about these guys, who clearly drew a lot of inspiration from The Jam:
The Steppes - s/t (Mystic Records 1984 in the USA) David Bratac and John Fallon, hailing from Ireland, dropped this mini-album back in 1984. Musically, they were blending the vibes of Paul Weller and John Lennon—you can even catch traces of Robyn Hitchcock’s influence during those more cynical moments, much like Young Johnny Jones. There’s a psychedelic edge to it too, which really starts to peak around the era of their Stewdio album (which, honestly, is the only other one I’ve managed to track down). All in all, there is a massive amount of pure fun packed into these 8 tracks. It was an era where rockers didn't feel the need to bloat their albums just to fill space; instead, they focused on having something meaningful to say—even if it was brief, as long as it was good. That sweet, raw studio sound feels like an early precursor to the lo-fi era, and despite the obviously shoestring budget and gear, they squeezed every ounce of joy out of it. Just pure, unadulterated fun.
I’ve been listening to We Became Snakes lately—it’s honestly such a stunning blend of jazz and rock, but they manage to pull it off without feeling suffocating. It's like Joe Baiza is the John Coltrane of the guitar here; well, actually, Nels Cline fits that description better, but Joe is right there on his heels. I suppose it isn't even surprising that Jo Watt was brought in to fill Nelsa's shoes during those Engine Room shows. While the live album Past Lives is highly regarded by most, I’ve never quite connected with it myself. As for Paganicons, their first EP is an absolute knockout. AMG is totally misrepresenting things—these guys recorded their debut on SST Records back in '81, and it was a massive leap away from the hardcore sound that was absolutely dominating the American underground scene at the time.
Kevin Chavez3 said:Oh, right—another album just popped into my head: "Fast Women & Slow Horses" by Dr. Feelgood (one of those bands I absolutely adore).
Honestly, that whole British pub rock scene was nothing short of phenomenal. You had Bees make Honey, Ducks Deluxe, Brinsley Schwartz...
Douglas Robinson12 said:Rank & File: Sundown (1982).
Sundown... not Sunburn, though I have to admit—that would be a killer title for an album! Douglas Robinson12—honestly, do I even need to say it? I am absolutely floored by your post.
Those are some stellar records, Steven Hernandez9—though honestly, finding everything on CD nowadays isn't exactly a walk in the park, even if it is possible. For instance, Fervor’s early work and their debut are actually bundled together on a single disc called "Both Sides of the Line." Personally, I still prefer having them on vinyl. If you track down that EMI release of Fervor, it’s actually a bit more widespread than that first independent run, and it even includes Dylan's "Absolutely Sweet Maria" as a bonus track.
It’s a similar story with Sag Advice and Heartland; you can find their stuff combined on one CD these days. It’s still a bit of a hunt, but doable. And we shouldn't overlook that first self-titled album from the band either.
Speaking of Blacky, there is another massive, overlooked gem from that era: Barefoot Rock with Ranier & Das Combo.
And man, that collaboration between Tom Waits and Gayleov is just pure genius—it stands out as one of my absolute favorites, and easily one of hers as well.
Dogstar - Spiral Jetty (Absolute a go go 1988) If you find yourself gravitating toward the Dream Syndicate’s *Days of Wine and Roses*, you really need to give this record a spin. While I think the rest of the Dream Syndicate's discography is brilliant in its own right—though, let's be honest, nothing quite hits like *Days of Wine and Roses*—this release by Dogstar feels like a worthy successor to that specific atmosphere and ethos. It arrived right at that pivot point when the "new stoner" movement was gaining serious momentum—you know, right after those early Dinosaur Jr. records dropped and while members of Black Flag were openly paying homage to Black Sabbath, but just before grunge took over everything. To me, this record serves as one of those crucial links connecting the 80s stoner scene to the grunge era. The dramatic structure is fantastic, almost prefiguring the postmodern standards we consider "modern" today. It wraps up with a really exciting cover of War's "Low Rider." Just a small heads-up: the release date listed on AMG is actually incorrect.
Empire - Expensive Sound (Chrysalis Records 1981?) This is a total cult classic, recorded by Derwood and Laff after Billy Idol and Tony James went their separate ways to pursue solo paths. For the longest time, this was an incredibly rare piece of vinyl; so many people—including some pretty heavy-hitting rockers—actually made their own bootlegs because Chrysalis Records simply didn't know how to handle the distribution. It’s a powerhouse rock album, too—full of these subtle, poetic lyrics paired with a sharp, heavy sound that is honestly tough to pin down with a single comparison. You could maybe draw a line to Mission of Burma, but even that doesn't quite capture it. There's a lot of variety here—ranging from those unfulfilled college radio gems like "Hot Seat" to more visionary tracks like the title song, "Expensive Sound." All told, it doesn't even sound like an early 80s production; if anything, it sounds like something from '95.
Any Trouble - Where Are All the Nice Girls? (Stiff Records 1980) Cody and I have already covered this one in his selection of the best albums of the eighties, so I won't bore you by repeating myself.
These are stellar picks, man! Out of those three, Attitude is easily my favorite. As for the others being overlooked—I think it’s mostly because they haven't landed on any major CDs yet—but please, correct me if I'm wrong there. I'd love to hear your reasoning behind the choices.
By the way, on the Attitude record, the brass section actually featured Pigbag—who also released that incredibly cool standalone album, Dr. Heckle and Mr. Jive.
First, I’ll just list my top three picks—I might dive into the reasoning behind them some other time. Please, share yours:
Dogstar - Spiral Jetty (Absolute a go go) Empire - Expensive Sound (Chrysalis Records, maybe 1981? I can't quite recall the exact year) Any Trouble - Where are All The Nica Girls? (Stiff Records, 1980)
Honestly, even if there aren't any fancy bonus tracks—even if he just dumps all the standard releases onto two LPs with subpar cover art but solid sound quality—I don't care. I just need him to put it out. At the end of the day, it’s better to release an album than to betray a friend.
So, here is what my personal list of the 100 greatest albums of all time looks like...
MOJO: THE 100 GREATEST ALBUMS EVER MADE - August 1995 edition
The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds Van Morrison - Astral Weeks The Beatles - Revolver The Rolling Stones - Exile On Main Street Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited
Marvin Gaye - What's Going On The Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed Bob Dylan - Blond on Blond The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground and Nico Patti Smith - Horses Love - Forever Changes Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced? Steely Dan - Countdown to Ecstasy Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland The Band - The Band The Stooges - Fun House Television - Marquee Moon Joni Mitchell - Blue The Beatles - The Beatles Stevie Wonder - Innervisions David Bowie - Station to Station The Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bollocks The Clash - London Calling The Beatles - Abbey Road David Bowie - Hunky Dory The Rolling Stones - Beggars Banquet The Beatles - Rubber Soul Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band - Trout Mask Replica David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust The Doors - The Doors Otis Redding - Otis Blue James Brown & The Famous Flames - Live at the Apollo Nirvana - Nevermind The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground Prince - Sign 'o' the Times The Byrds - The Notorious Byrd Brothers R.E.M. - Automatic for the People The Who - The Who Sell out
Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks Big Star - Third (Sister Lovers) Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run Gram Parsons with Emmylou Harris - Grievous Angel The Ramones - Ramones Iggy Pop - Lust for Life Lou Reed - Transformer Miles Davis - In a Silent Way The Byrds - Younger Than Yesterday Kraftwerk - Trans-Europe Express The New York Dolls - New York Dolls The Beatles - Moby Grape The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's The Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers Joy Division - Closer Bruce Springsteen - Darkness on the Edge of Town The Mothers of Invention - We're Only in It for the Money Donald Fagen - The Nightfly Bob Dylan - Bringing It All Back Home The Clash - The Clash Roxy Music - For Your Pleasure Kate Bush - Hounds of Love Todd Rundgren - Something / Anything Can - Future Days The Beatles - With the Beatles Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band - Clear Spot Sly & The Family Stone - Stand Brian Eno - Here Come the Warm Jets The Wailers - Catch a Fire Massive Attack - Blue Lines Elvis Costello - This Year's Model Richard & Linda Thompson - I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight Stevie Wonder - Talking Book Pere Ubu - The Modern Dance Steely Dan - Can't Buy a Thrill Sly & The Family Stone - There's a Riot Goin' On Van Morrison - It's Too Late to Stop Now Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back Pink Floyd - Piper at the Gates of Dawn Joni Mitchell - The Hissing of Summer Lawns The Stooges - The Stooges Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night Miles Davis - Bitches Brew Neil Young - Tonight's the Night Randy Newman - Good Ol Boys Prefab Sprout - Steve McQueen Marvin Gaye - Here, My Dear Talk Talk - Spirit of Eden Margaret O'Hara - Miss America Frank Zappa - Hot Rats Steely Dan - Gaucho The Kinks - The Village Green Preservation Society Dusty Springfield - Dusty in Memphis Todd Rundgren - A Wizard, A True Star The Smiths - The Smiths Muddy Waters - Hard Again Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti The Zombies - Odessey & Oracle Iggy and The Stooges - Raw Power The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's The Beatles - Rubber Soul