LOS ANGELES is a perfect introduction to the crazy world of X. It's a fascinating and infectious musical gumbo that as
unique as the characters who created it. The punk tag mainly comes from the amphetamine energy of the band, as well as the
unorthodox harmonies of John Doe and Exene Cervenka. This is the sort of the album you can play in repeat mode, over and
over again. The song titles themselves are bits of scattershot prose with titles as great as the songs themselves - "The
World's A Mess, It's In My Kiss", "My Phone's Off The Hook, But You're Not", "Johnny Hit And Run Paulene" and "Sex And Dying
In High Society". There's also a cover of The Doors song "Soul Kitchen" which features their producer, Ray Manzarek of The
Doors joining them on the organ! I really adore all of the songs on this album, but the title track sounds almost anthemic
with its turbo charged rhythm. The song was actually inspired by Exene's roommate at the time, Farrah Fawcett Minor. They
were both hopelessly addicted to gin and Farrah just had to leave... This isn't any of the self-pitying nihilism and
psychopathic anger you'd hear from the hardcore punks. With X, there is disenchantment in certain realities of life, but
they are still able find small joys and romanticize upon the remnants of their tattered American dream. And this is why X
has so much more soul than most other punk bands. I'll always love this album.
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