Album: Under The Big Black Sun
Label: Elektra
Year: 1982
While many like to point to a "first" band of a particular style as the most important in the history of the genre in question, the fact of the matter is that in many cases, it is a later group that truly served as the pivotal band for that sound. Whether it was due to a certain approach or lucky break or any other of a wide range of factors, one can find many cases where even a number of years after a specific style had been "founded," a band emerges that brings it to the masses. Among many situations such as this, one can point to the various smaller "schools" of the punk and hardcore movement as a perfect example, as while punk itself had been heard it its more modern sense since the early 1970's, even into the next decade, new ground was still being broken. This is perhaps easiest to see when one looks at the various styles of punk that emerged from Los Angeles throughout the late 1970's and early 1980's, as bands like Black Flag, The Germs, Hüsker Dü and many others all presented unique approaches to the overall punk ethos. However, even with groups such as these, there was one band that can be seen as "the" group that really put the city on the map for the punk sound: X. Bringing a brand of the punk style that was unlike any of their peers in a number of ways, the bands' first three records are absolutely flawless, and one can easily argue that it is X's 1982 album, Under The Big Black Sun, that is their finest effort.
Moreso than almost any other band under the umbrella of punk rock, X has an extraordinary range in the overall musical structures they play. From heavy, to the point arrangements that are far more akin to the "standard" sound of punk, to slower, more melodic passages, to songs almost reminiscent of early 1950's rock, Under The Big Black Sun in many ways seems more like a rock album, and less of a punk statement. This sonic diversity is led by the brilliant guitar work of Billy Zoom, and it is his sound and presence on this record that sets the album aside from the bands' other work. He sounds more focused and has a much cleaner sound that the group's previous releases, and it is this slight change that allowed the album to have a far wider range of appeal. Adding to this sound is the bass of the legendary John Doe, and there is no question that he remains to this day one of the most important figures in the entire Los Angeles punk scene. There is an attitude and perhaps even a sense of mystery to the sounds he deploys, and it is the fact that he is able to get so much personality from his bass that allows the songs to achieve so much more than the music of their peers. Rounding out the band musically is drummer DJ Bonebrake, and it is his similar range in performance that pushes Under The Big Black Sun into some category beyond "just punk."
However, while there is no overlooking the importance of the musical arrangements across this album, one would be hard pressed to find a vocal pairing from any point in punk history that is even remotely close to that of John Doe and Exene Cervenka. Though other groups had dabbled here and there with harmonies and actually giving the vocals some form and melody within the punk style, it is the way that these two voices blend and trade the vocals that would set a new standard. To this end, one can easily make the case that the team of Doe and Cervenka are actually the ONLY pairing of vocalists that have ever properly deployed harmony within the world of punk, and there is no question that this reality played a large role in the albums' overall appeal. Yet at the same time, there is no getting past the fact that the lyrics all across Under The Big Black Sun are some of the most captivating and moving ever written, and this is understandable once one learns the reality behind the record. Shortly before recording on their new album began, Cervenka's sister, Mary, was killed by a drunk driver. The band made a conscious effort to explore and express their struggles and grief over this situation within the music of the album, and a number of the songs, specifically "Riding With Mary" and "Come Back To Me," speak directly to this truth. Yet even without these stunning lyrics, the vocals from Doe and Cervenka are simply beyond almost anything previously heard in the genre, setting a new standard for the punk sound.
Though one cannot take anything away from the brilliant musical, vocal, and lyrical performances found on every second of Under The Big Black Sun, it is also impossible to overlook the fact that the group also had the benefit of a rather unexpected producer. The fact of the matter is, this was the band's first album after being signed to Elektra Records, and they found themselves working with the man who had helped them on their first record, none other than former Doors member, Ray Manzarek. Though some may see this combination as a bit strange, once one experiences the music throughout all of the catalog of X, it makes more sense as there is a darker, completely unique sting and presence to their music. Manzarek clearly gives the band a bit more form, helping to keep them far more musically focused than almost any of their peers, and this is yet another element which sets their music so far apart from other similar bands. Whether one is looking at Under The Big Black Sun from a musical perspective, a lyrical perspective, or simply listening to the attitude, the album succeeds with flying colors in every possible manner. There is not a single missed note or piece out of place anywhere, and when it comes to albums that helped push beyond "just" a label of punk, few stand as pivotal as X's superb 1982 release, Under The Big Black Sun.
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