February 11, 1999
X proved that leather boots are a solid substitute for blue suede shoes. This punk band was an anomaly in the punk world - they were based in Los Angeles instead of New York or Britain, they had a subtle sense of humor, were accomplished musicians, and used the primal stomp of rockabilly as a starting point for their chugging groove.
Sounding like Gene Vincent on coke or Carl Perkins jamming with the Ramones, songs like the dark tale of prostitution "Johny Hit and Run Pauline" kick off with the classic "Johnny B. Goode" riff instead of predictable E-G-C chord strumming. It's not just a gimmick - Billy Zoom knows his roots, and ratchets up the electric boogie on tracks like "Soul Kitchen". This is punk that swings.
More importantly, this CD re-issue of X's first and best two albums showcases their wry sense of humor ("Your Phone's Off the Hook, But You're Not", "When Our Love Passed Out On the Couch") and intelligent social observation ("Sex and Dying in High Society", "The World's A Mess, It's In My Kiss"). Exene's dry, declamatory vocals are something of an acquired taste, but when she turns the mike over to bassist John Doe ("In This House That I Call Home"), the thrills are immediate. X expanded punk's range with smarts, humor and edgy energy - turns out that cat clothes look pretty good underneath a black leather jacket.
- Jared O'Connor
swingin punk