Doing a 180: Digital Underground, Babes in Toyland, and Glassjaw

Digital Underground, Sex Packets: We usually try to keep up with our reports on our 180-gram vinyl reissues and let you know about them the week that they hit stores, but we have to admit that we're a week behind on this one, which - due to some bouncing around on the schedule - actually arrived on record store shelves last Friday. If you know anything about Digital Underground at all, then you know the first song on this album, as it's their biggest hit, but beyond “The Humpty Dance,” don't forget such other singles as “Doowutchyalike” and “Packet Man.” If you're looking for a party album to help you recapture those hazy, lazy days of the early '90s, look no further.

Babes in Toyland, Fontanelle:These punk rock girls released three full-length albums over the course of their career, but it's the one in the middle - this one - that most people remember, thanks to the singles “Handsome and Gretel” and “Bruise Violet.” Produced by frontwoman Kat Bjelland with assistance from Sonic Youth's Lee Ranaldo, Fontanelle is ferocious, which is why it's still considered to be the best thing in their back catalog. That's not to say that the rest of it is disposable, but this is definitely the defining moment in the Babes in Toyland discography.

Glassjaw, Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Science: We could probably subtitle this section of Doing a 180 “But the Kids Understand,” because there are a lot of old fogies out there who may not even know who Glassjaw are, even though they were incredibly influential in the evolution of the so-called “post-hardcore” scene. This is their debut album, and while their music has come a long way since these humble beginnings, it's come to be viewed as a classic of its genre and is therefore well worth being placed in the best possible sonic surroundings. If you don't know anything about these guys, go check out “Pretty Lush” and see what you think, because we suspect you might be sold on picking this up after a single spin.