Top 10 Greatest One-Album Wonders
Operation Ivy, ‘Energy’ (1989): Berkeley four-piece Operation Ivy were not just the lynchpins of the East Bay punk scene.
Hermann Szobel, ‘Szobel’ (1976): Let’s assume this lost jazz-fusion masterpiece would have never seen the light of the day if Vienna-born Hermann.
Skip Spence, ‘Oar’ (1969): Moby Grape co-founder and songwriter Alexander “Skip” Spence slipped seriously into darkness the night.
Silicon Teens, ‘Music for Parties’ (1980): Had they become a Gorillaz-level success, this fictional group could have made The Big Chill soundtrack for the Blade Runner generation.
Scratch Acid, ‘Just Keep Eating’ (1986): Following bad-trip baddies the Butthole Surfers, Scratch Acid were Texas’ other hot.
Green River, ‘Rehab Doll’ (1988): Equal parts ramshackle and ferocious, Rehab Doll is the lone full-length from Seattle supergroup-in-retrospect Green River.
The Count Five, ‘Psychotic Reaction’ (1966): The great British blues-rock stars may have flaunted their studied virtuosity.
Rites of Spring, ‘Rites of Spring’ (1985): Before Guy Picciotto and Brendan Canty went on to form Fugazi with their producer Ian MacKaye.
Thunderclap Newman, ‘Hollywood Dream’ (1970): Pete Townshend’s chauffeur-flatmate John “Speedy” Keen, jazz-pianist postal employee Andy “Thunderclap” Newman.
Convicts, ‘Convicts’ (1991): The lone LP from the Convicts — the duo of Big Mike and Lord 3-2 — is one of the filthiest.