Over the weekend, we heard about a group of people in London who get together every month and listen to an entire album, uninterrupted, according to BBC. There is no talking or texting, not even when the record is turned over. Why would anyone do this? you might ask. The club founders and members believe that modern-day innovations such as the iPod have prevented us from listening to albums as they were intended–singular works of art to be enjoyed as a whole. We have to admit they might have a point. Sometimes, anyway. What follows is a list of Southern California albums we feel are best consumed in their entirety.
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The Adolescents
Adolescents
(Frontier Records)
Yes. I'm taking it back. Way back to 1979, when some of the country's most influential punk bands formed right here in Orange County. Social Distortion, Agent Orange and the Adolescents were like tour guides to 1980s suburban-tract-housing hell, reacting to a mix of boredom and understimulation by exploding with furious sound. The Adolescents' self-titled release stood out from its peers–even at the time–and became an instant classic. Do yourself a favor, and throw this record on the turntable, remember what it was like to be a young skater punk and get immersed in Orange County cultural history.
