X. - Beyond and Back: The X Anthology: MusicNear.com

Music CD 1

Los Angeles
The World's a Mess; It's in My Kiss
Yr Ignition
Year One [Demo Version]
Hungry Wolf
We're Desperate
Beyond & Back [Live]
Back 2 the Base [Live]
Blue Spark [Remix Outtake][Mix]
Some Other Time [#]
Sex and Dying in High Society [Demo Version]
Motel Room in My Bed
Heater
The Once Over Twice [Live]
Because I Do
In This House That I Call Home
Soul Kitchen [Demo Version]
Universal Corner [Live]
Delta 88 [Demo Version]
Real Child of Hell [Remix Outtake][Mix]
I'm Coming Over [Live]
White Girl [Single Mix]
Nausea [Live]
Johny Hit and Run Pauline [Demo Version]
Your Phone's off the Hook, But You're Not
Riding With Mary [Single Mix]

Music CD 2

The New World [Demo Version]
Breathless [Single Mix]
Poor Girl
What's Wrong with Me [Rough Mix]
How I (Learned My Lesson) [Live]
The Have Nots
Someone Like You [Demo Version]
The Stage [Demo Version]
See How We Are [Demo Version]
Surprise, Surprise
4th of July [Demo Version]
Arms for Hostages/Country at War [Demo Version]
Wild Thing [Single Edit]
Burning House of Love
Devil Doll [Demo Version]
True Love
Call of the Wreckin' Ball
In the Time It Takes [Demo Version]
I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts [1997 Mix]

Free Music Notes for Beyond and Back: The X Anthology

Free Music Review: It's the X factor the world needs today...
Hit: 5 Stars

Of course, anyone familiar with X would vote for Billy Zoom as being the quintessential guitar player for the band, & his awesome machine-gun rockabilly licks leave little room for argument on gems such as "Blue Spark", "Los Angeles" & "Johnny Hit and Run Pauline". But the wonderful country-tinged social protest songs that Tony Gilkyson played with them, represented here by "See How We Are", "4th of July" & others equally deserving of respect; it's also fascinating how close the early punk numbers really are to the later folk sounds X recorded.

Many of the best-known songs are here in alternate takes or live bootlegs. "Burning House of Love" is turned into an unplugged country number while "The Have-Nots" is an early live cassette recording. "Soul Kitchen" which I had always assumed the band covered in homage to their producer Ray Manzarek here predates his involvement with X in their first demo recording. Additionally, a wonderful "Riding With Mary" features Mr.Manzarek on some very punk keyboard riffs!

No matter how much the guitars or the wonderful primal drums of DJ Bonebreak are discussed, the essence of X is the truly unique beauty of John Doe & Exene Cervanka singing together. The dissonant harmonies they discovered will give you goosebumps & have you turning the volume to 11. I simply cannot listen to them without having flashbacks to LA in the late-70's; this IS what living in Los Angeles sounded like then, amidst the decaying movie star mansions & aging hippies of Venice.

In the era of pre-fab boy bands, teenage barbie dolls & corporate sponsored music, the X factor is what's missing. This is the love of music that seduced me all those years ago, life on the edge & screams of desperation that have been silenced by banality. Buy this CD set & take a stand against corporate music. You won't be sorry you did.