A stone classic from the team of Morrissey and Marr – a record that manages to wear its politics on its sleeve, yet still express things in a highly personal way! The balance is a key part of what made The Smiths go farther than just about all their 80s Brit indie contemporaries – and is what still keeps them going so many years later – not to mention great songwriting, haunting vocals, and some damn catchy guitar! Titles include "The Headmaster Ritual", "What She Said", "I Want The One I Can't Have", "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore", "Nowhere Fast", "Barbarism Begins At Home", and "Well I Wonder". LP, Vinyl record album

A triumphant third album from The Smiths – one that really focuses the energy of their previous sets, and helps them find a new sort of sonic perfection! Those haunting guitars are still in all the right places – as are Morrissey's heartfelt lyrics – but there's also a nice balance here between humor and honesty, which may well make the album the most appealing Smiths set to our ears! Titles include "The Queen Is Dead", "Never Had No One Ever", "Vicar In A Tutu", "Cemetery Gates", "Frankly Mr Shankly", and "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others". LP, Vinyl record album

A full-length live set from The Smiths – and one that's a surprisingly great complement to their studio material of the time! The album's got a nicely different vibe on some cuts – not all-out jams or improvisations, but maybe just a bit more character than some of the studio versions – and the way the material is combined makes for a surprisingly lively vibe – again a nice change from the previous albums! Titles include "The Queen Is Dead", "Vicar In A Tutu", "Cemetry Gates", "London", "The Draize Train", "Still Ill", "The Boy With The Thorn In His Side", and "Panic". LP, Vinyl record album

An iconic soundtrack to an iconic movie – including selections by OMD, Suzanne Vega, INXS, Psychedelic Furs, New Order, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Smiths, and more. (Soundtracks, Rock) LP, Vinyl record album

An early moment of genius from Warren Zevon – the kind of record that really set his talents part from the singer/songwriter generation that came before – and made Zevon a key part of a new era of much darker songsmiths! Zevon manages to weave in all these strange moody elements while still delivering songs that are tuneful – often with studio talent that goes back to an earlier generation of LA polish, but which manages to have a bit more edge here in Warren's company. The lasting highlight of the record is probably the oft-played "Werewolves Of London" – but the whole thig is filled with gems – titles that include "Accidentally Like A Martyr", "Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner", "Nighttime In The Switching Yard", "Tenderness On The Block", "Veracruz", and "Lawyers Guns & Money". LP, Vinyl record album