Mofungo:

End of The World, Part 2:(1987)

This is a band that I can only imagine coming out of New York. This record is everything I love about digging in dusty bins in thrift stores for records. They sound like...well... kind of No Wave, kind of Jazzy, kind of Post-Punk, kind of Art Rock, and political. I bought this record without knowing anything about the band, or what it sounded like in the grooves. From the opening of Ku Klux Klan on side one, I knew I was going to dig this whole album. There's a charm that jumps out immediately in the jagged melodies and instrumentation, and singer who sounds a little like Tom Verlaine. Favorite track: SR-71 Blackbird.

Mission of Burma:

Signals, Calls, and Marches:(1981)

What's not to love about Mission of Burma? I dig the Dadaist element to their music. This record in particular reminds me of the 1924 film, Ballet Mécanique. This copy is the 2008 rerelease, so it has more songs than the original, but has been sequenced seamlessly. 

Joy Division:

Unknown Pleasures:(1979)

Closer:(1980)

I love both of these records. They seem to come out of nowhere, possibly from some other realm. They sounded new, still sound new. And like a lot of new things, they burned bright, and flickered out with the death of Ian Curtis. I discovered Joy Division by way of U2. Hearing them cite Joy Division as a big influence made he dig back to find their records, which weren't widely repressed at the time. Like a lot of post punk, this isn't casual listening music, it demands your attention, and for me, it demands that I be alone to truly devote the attention required. Unlike most post punk, their is a real humanness to the writing of Ian Curtis that is sadly relatable. His was a great loss. It's also worth mentioning that it was through Joy Division that I began to really take notice of the photographic artistry of Anton Corbijn.

Richard Hell and The Voidoids:

Blank Generation:(1977)

 A fabulous album by someone who doesn't get as much credit as he probably should in the evolution of rock'n'roll. Just being a founding member of Television earns high marks in my book. Unlike a lot of the mid-seventies New York scene, Richard Hell seemed to be a little more forward thinking in much the same way as Patti Smith. That's what translates into this being a seminal album. I never get tired of hear this record. 

Echo & The Bunnymen

Ocean Rain:(1984)

Crocodiles is my favorite Echo & the Bunnymen album, but Ocean Rain is the one I have on vinyl. ...Yard sales... Actually, I picked this record up at a radio station vinyl sale in Grand Junction, CO. Anyway, this is the album where the band decided to go with more orchestration, and less straight rockin'. Still, there's good moments here like Thorn of Crowns, and Killing Moon.