The Gun Club -- The Las Vegas Story

  I'm a big fan of their first album, but The Las Vegas Story I just didn't get, it felt too loose, too polished and uninspired. 

Link Protrudi And The Jaymen -- Missing Links

  Lead by The Fuzztones frontman Rudi Protrudi, this instrumental Surf group contains no real surprises, it is what it says, Link Wray inspired Garage Punk.

Iron Maiden

  A couple years before the band got classic annoying as f*ck screecher Bruce Dickinson, Iron Maiden had a Punk clad frontman Paul Di'Anno, this is when the group had more in common with Motorhead than cheeseball Brit Metal.

D.R.I. -- Dealing With It!

  Not exactly at par with with the likes of Black Flag, Minor Threat and the Bad Brains, but still an important element of the progression or better yet the demise of the Hardcore movement.  Dealing With It is a wham bam thank you mam mix of slap stick humor and Reagan era anger -- what's new right, not much!

Let Them Eat Jellybeans!

  This early compilation from Alternative Tentacles showcases No Wave-esque Experimental Punk Rock and a small pocket of Hardcore luminaries.  Honestly would I pay top dollar for this album, no, but would I fork over the flea market buck again, yes -- any day of the week!  

Ani DiFranco -- Revelling/ Reckoning

  Lesbian spokesperson/ provocateuse used to be mainly blown off in my mind because of her choppy guitar riffs and her million annoying chameleon looks.  Revelling/ Reckoning changed my mind, DiFranco on this album sounds like the female Lou Barlow meets Sufjan Stevens's horn section, what a damn cool mix!

M.I.A. -- Arular

  Not exactly my cup of tea but M.I.A. exudes the rebelliousness that Madonna had in the 80's, although updated by mixing mainstream Pop hooks with the Punk esthetic of Electroclash, pretty much telling the masses f*ck themselves by telling it like it is.