Album of the Day

X marked the spot on the Los Angeles punk map, and when the band's 1980 debut for Slash Records hit the streets, it made the quartet standard-bearers for “the unheard music.” While LOS ANGELES was a bracing look forward, it also cast a backward glance at the city's rich rock history; Ray Manzarek of The Doors produced the set and contributes keyboards to a cover of “Soul Kitchen.” John Doe and Exene Cervenka's tales of urban desperation (“Johnny Hit and Run Paulene,” “Nausea”) remain indelible thanks to their careening, intertwined vocals and the spare, rockabilly-flavored drive of guitarist Billy Zoom and drummer D.J. Bonebrake. Named one of the 500 greatest albums of all time by Rolling Stone, the electrifying LOS ANGELES still captivates listeners far beyond the City of Angels.