The Finale of the X Collaboration, somewhat lacking.......

WOW, don't know what happened to the rest of my X studio discs, I was pretty sure I had most all of em, I
seem to be lacking "Under the big Black Sun", "More Fun in the New World", "Ain't Love Grand", and "Hey Zeus!"......I'm certain someone will come up with them, and at least I have the most important pair, "Los Angeles" and the masterful "Wild Gift", as well as "See How We Are" and the two-disc "X Anthology", which combines studio tracks, rarities, demos, and live tracks into as good an anthology as has ever been created on ANY band!

"Los Angeles" was an immediate classic upon it's release, capturing the spirit of that city's scene  with a 4-star effort, including the staggering title track, "Sex and Dying In High Society", and plenty more.....no "one hit wonder" status for this crew however, "Wild Gift", the follow-up, is a TRUE classic, a five-star effort all the way......every track is amazing, as John Doe and Exene Cervenka trade vocals in rapid fire succession..."Beyond and Back" is my personal fave ("Now it's five to twelve, shut up and smoke!"), but there are TONS more great songs here, "White Girl", Back 2 the Base" "Year 1", "The Once Over Twice"....tremendous album.

"See How We Are" came along a few years later, we have a vinyl rip at least ("Wild Gift" is a vinyl rip as well), to me it was a "playing out the string" effort, worth a listen, but it's the first two albums that matter.

As for the "X Anthology", this is no typical "Greatest Hits" effort.......stellar live versions (check out "Beyond and Back" /"Back to the Base", stellar!), demos, tracks exclusive to this set, the odd-ball single "Wild Thing" (why it was used in the movie "Major League" rather than, say, ANY other version, I'll never know), and LOTS more....this is essential, and I rarely say that in regards to this type of release.

As far as the missing titles, I'll look around a bit more, I was pretty sure I had them, if not, I will almost guarentee someone comes through with them. For now, though, I hope we have presented one of my fave bands up to your satisfaction!

LOS ANGELES-01 You're Phone's Off the Hook, But You're Not/02 Johnny Hit and Run Pauline/03 Soul Kitchen/04 Nausea/05 Sugarlight/06 Los Angeles/07 Sex and Dying in High Society/08 The Unheard Music/09 The World's a Mess It's In My Kiss

WILD GIFT-01 The Once Over Twice/02 We're Desperate/03 Adult Books/04 Universal Corner/05 I'm Coming Over/06 It's Who You Know/07 In This House That I Call Home/08 Some Other Time/09 White Girl/10 Beyond and Back/11 Back 2 the Base/12 When Our Love Passed Out on the Couch/13 Year 1

SEE HOW WE ARE-01 I'm lost/02 You/03 4th Of July/17 In the Time It Takes/18 Anyone Can Fill Your
Shoes/19 See How We Are/20 Left & Right/21 When It Rains...../22 Holiday Story/23 Surprise Surprise/24 Cyrno de Berger's back

THE X ANTHOLOGY DISC 1-01 Los Angeles/02 The World's a Mess It's In My Kiss (from the film "The Unheard Music")/03 Yr Ignition (rehearsal)/04 Year One (demo)/05 Hungry Wolf/06 We're Desperate(single)/07 Beyond and Back (Live)/08 Back 2 the Base (Live)/09 Blue Spark (remixed outtake)/10 Some Other Time (unreleased track from the film "The Unheard Music")/11 Sex and Dying In High Society (Demo)/12 Motel Room In My bed/13 Heater (rehearsal)/14 The Once Over Twice (Live)/15 Because I Do/16 In This House That I Call Home/17 Soul Kitchen (demo)/18 Universal Corner (live)/19 Delta 88 (demo)/20 Real Child of Hell (remixed demo)/21 I'm Coming Over (live)/22 White Girl (single mix)/23 Nausea (live)/24 Johnny Hit and Run Pauline (demo)/25 Your Phone's Off the Hook, But You're Not/26 Riding With Mary (single mix)

THE X ANTHOLOGY DISC 2-01 The New World (demo)/02 Breathless (Single Mix)/03 Poor Girl/04 What's Wrong With Me (rough mix)/05 How I (Learned My Lesson) (Live)/06 The Have Nots/07 Someone Like You (demo)/08 The Stage (demo)/09 See How We Are (demo)/10 Surprise Surprise/11 4th of July (demo)/12 Arms for Hostages/Country At War (demo fragments)/13 Wild Thing (single edit)/14 Burning House of Love (From the Infidelity Records Release "Unclogged")/15 Devil Doll (demo)/16 True Love/17 Call of the Wreckin' Ball (From the Knitter's Slash Records release "Poor Little Critter On the Road")/18 In the Time It Takes (demo)/19 I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts (1997 mix)