Stuck in Wonderamaland
Artist: Dramarama

Continuing its regret-tinged look at the life of the almost-famous in L.A., Dramarama on its third album continued polishing its abilities at both straight-ahead rock and gentler affairs on Stuck in Wonderamaland. Beginning and, in a brief acoustic reprise, concluding with the title track, a wistful strum with some prime feedback burn added in... Read More

Warehouse: Songs and Stories
Artist: Hüsker Dü
Community Score: 7.69

It's cleaner and more produced than any of their records, which is one reason why many Hüsker Dü fans have never fully embraced their second double album, Warehouse: Songs and Stories. Granted, Warehouse boasts a fuller production -- complete with multi-tracked guitars and vocal, various percussion techniques, and endless studio effects -- that... Read More

The People Who Grinned Themselves to Death
Artist: The Housemartins
Community Score: 10.00

Comparisons to the Smiths are essentially irrelevant by the point of the Housemartins' underrated sophomore effort -- the melodies and arrangements move away from the upbeat guitar pop shimmer of London 0, Hull 4 to further explore the group's fascination with Motown and gospel, while P.D. Heaton's lyrics articulate a leftist anger and scathing... Read More

Live'r Than God! - SUB POP
Artist: Thee Hypnotics

Thee Hypnotics' debut release, Liv'r Than God!, is perhaps the most accurate, though not the best, articulation of Stooges influence ever, as vocalist James Jones emulates Iggy Pop at every possible moment. Though the guitar chops also emit The Stooges psychedelic blues vibe, the music in its entirety is a bit more jam-oriented than The Stooges'... Read More

Do It
Artist: Rollins Band
Community Score: 8.00

Leave it to good ol' Hank to make the second Rollins Band album a collection of studio outtakes and live tracks. This is not an attempt to make a quick buck, however. Rollins has always believed in giving the people the most for their money. And this is no exception. The first three tracks are covers which were outtakes from the Life Time... Read More

Pleased to Meet Me
Artist: The Replacements
Community Score: 8.94

Bob Stinson was kicked out of the Replacements after Tim, allegedly because he was unwilling to make the musical leap forward necessary for Pleased to Meet Me. With Stinson left the band's hardcore roots, leaving behind the conflicting desires of Paul Westerberg's wish to be a serious singer/songwriter and for the group to become either the... Read More

The First Chapter
Artist: The Mission UK
Community Score: 6.00

Mission fans should be thankful. Most bands that come up to the majors the hard way (i.e., on an indie label, releasing singles only) usually ignore their previous output once the big corporate label is buying the drinks. For the Mission, whose reputation was built on those early singles, it was a necessity to make them easy for fans to get... Read More

Huevos
Artist: Meat Puppets
Community Score: 6.60

Recorded and released just a few months after the experimental Mirage, 1987's Huevos was a return to the Meat Puppets' earlier, more straight-ahead direction. The band (guitarist/singer Curt Kirkwood in particular) had always voiced their admiration of ZZ Top, and Huevos contained Billy Gibbons & Co.'s influence more than any other Puppets... Read More

Cinéma Vérité
Artist: Dramarama
Community Score: 10.00

Probably the greatest rock release from 1985 that almost no one has ever heard, Cinema Verite is a simply fantastic album. Blending everything from British Invasion panache and glam influences to punk energy and back again, its cult legend was established by L.A. DJ legend Rodney Bingenheimer. He played "Anything, Anything (I'll Give You)" to... Read More

Box Office Bomb
Artist: Dramarama

Blessed and cursed with the cult classic "Anything, Anything (I'll Give You)" -- it became the group's calling card, though many music fans never took the time to look beyond that one song -- the band moved to Southern California and created its inspired follow-up to Cinema Verite. Tongue firmly in cheek regarding the title, Box Office Bomb... Read More

Saturation
Artist: Urge Overkill
Community Score: 5.17

When they hit the major labels, Urge Overkill followed through on their promise with the blistering Saturation. It's stadium rock by clever post-punkers who are smart enough to not let their carefully crafted image interfere with the music. Every one of the 12 songs is a killer, from the outlandish menace of "Stalker" to the moving ballad "Back... Read More