Atomizer

Their first full-length (out of a whopping two), this record does a spiffy job of presenting the many sides of an awfully creative collective, from the sonically innovative ("Passing Complexion," which features one of the most unimitatable guitar sounds ever created - plus a hip dance beat!) to the explosive and violent ("Kerosene," "Jordan, Minnesota") to the hooky (the dopey "Strange Things" and the doc "Big Money") to the beautiful (Believe it or not, "Bad Houses" is beautiful, by Ripley!).
A couple of dull ones at the beginning of side two mar the proceedings a wittle, and "Jordan, Minnesota" isn't nearly as disturbing as a song about a whole town of child molesters should be, but "Bazooka Joe" tears, and "Kerosene" is universally considered (and rightly so) to be the best song that this band ever recorded. An amazing heavy pounding building tale of rural boredom and its simple cures, it's the epitome of what the band did best - vicious rhythmic noise that somehow leaves you with a distinct memorable melody running through your head at the end of the day. Aaaah. This album is what we in the business call "an underground classic." Much like a gopher.

Ha! Gopher indeed!