VA - Left of The Dial, Dispatches from the 80's Underground [2004] 4CD
Genre: Alternative rock
Audio codec: Mp3 @320 kbps

As a sequel to 2004's similarly packaged Rhino box No Thanks! The '70s Punk Rebellion, this four-disc set tackles the punk/indie/modern rock of the 80s with equal panache. Subtitled "Dispatches from the 80s Underground," these 82 non-chronological tracks play like a great college station from the later part of the decade. Encompassing a dizzyingly diverse musical palate, styles range from the artsy Southern twang of R.E.M., to the sugary pop of Aztec Camera, the blistering hardcore of Black Flag, the ghostly techno of Japan and the chilly, noir dance floor attack of New Order. And that's just on disc one.  Sure, there are some omissions, but the box does a remarkable job balancing more popular acts such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Cure and Echo & the Bunnymenwith cult faves like Green On Red and obscurities from the Lyres and the Three O'Clock . Even those who were radio fanatics during these years will likely find tracks they aren't familiar with, along with getting a flashback rush from those they are. There are no public service announcements or aspiring DJ's to interrupt the flow and the remastered sound brings the music to life with crispness low powered FM radio could never rival.

In his notes for this passionately compiled box, producer Gary Stewart writes, "the diversity from the late-70's punk/new wave scene turned into a full-blown, variety-fueled, genre-busting orgy in the 80's...The music became, in the best sense of the words, more complex, more literate, a bit more serious, and as a result, made astrong impact on mainsteam rock culture." From funk punk to revisionist roots rock to hard-core to smart-ass clever pop-and every musical nook and cranny in-between-Left of the Dial presents many of the 80's most important tracks. Savor the far more influential flip side of the "Where's the Beef?" decade's musical output! (Amazon)

A nice balance of offbeat and "Poppy" underground songs from the awesome 80's for all of us who didn't travel the hair band route.

Track lists:
Disc one
1."Radio Free Europe" R.E.M. 4:06
2."Going Underground" The Jam 2:56
3."A Forest" The Cure 4:55
4."Holiday in Cambodia" Dead Kennedys 4:39
5."I'm in Love with a German Film Star" The Passions 4:01
6."I Will Dare" The Replacements 3:19
7."That's When I Reach for My Revolver" Mission of Burma 3:53
8."Johnny Hit and Run Paulene" X 2:50
9."Just Like Honey" The Jesus and Mary Chain 3:02
10."Black Celebration" Depeche Mode 4:53
11."Tell Me When It's Over" The Dream Syndicate 3:33
12."Hollywood (Africa)" Red Hot Chili Peppers 5:03
13."Temptation" New Order 5:44
14."Ghosts" Japan 4:32
15."A Song from Under the Floorboards" Magazine 4:11
16."Oblivious" Aztec Camera 3:12
17."Don't Want to Know If You Are Lonely" Hüsker Dü 3:32
18."Rise Above" Black Flag 2:26
19."Back in Flesh" Wall of Voodoo 3:43
20."Cattle and Cane" The Go-Betweens 4:01
Disc two
1."Message of Love" The Pretenders 3:26
2."Vienna" Ultravox 4:40
3."Freak Scene" Dinosaur Jr. 3:37
4."This Charming Man" The Smiths 2:44
5."Stigmata" Ministry 5:45
6."Ways to Be Wicked" Lone Justice 3:26
7."Wardance" Killing Joke 3:47
8."Enola Gay" Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark 3:32
9."Mirror in the Bathroom" The English Beat 3:08
10."Fairytale in the Supermarket" The Raincoats 3:00
11."Behind the Wall of Sleep" The Smithereens 3:24
12."Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing" Minutemen 1:32
13."Punk Rock Girl" The Dead Milkmen 2:39
14."Still in Hollywood" Concrete Blonde 3:45
15."Love Will Tear Us Apart" Joy Division 3:27
16."Blister in the Sun" Violent Femmes 2:26
17."Lake of Fire" Meat Puppets 2:00
18."Amplifier" The dB's 3:08
19."When Love Breaks Down" Prefab Sprout 3:46
20."Goo Goo Muck" The Cramps 3:07
21."This Corrosion" The Sisters of Mercy 4:29
22."Senses Working Overtime" XTC 4:36
Disc three
1."The Cutter" Echo & the Bunnymen 3:55
2."Pay to Cum" Bad Brains 1:28
3."Birthday" The Sugarcubes 3:59
4."Madonna of the Wasps" Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians 3:07
5."We Care a Lot" Faith No More 4:05
6."Teen Age Riot" Sonic Youth 6:58
7."To Hell with Poverty" Gang of Four 3:28
8."Fa Cé-La" The Feelies 2:03
9."Ana Ng" They Might Be Giants 3:21
10."Swamp Thing" The Chameleons UK 6:00
11."The Mercy Seat" Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds 5:12
12."I Look Around" Rain Parade 3:07
13."All That Money Wants" The Psychedelic Furs 3:52
14."Under the Milky Way" The Church 4:59
15."Rise" Public Image Ltd. 6:08
16."Kundalini Express" Love and Rockets 5:51
17."Gravity Talks" Green on Red 2:34
18."Adrenalin" Throbbing Gristle 3:58
19."She Bangs the Drums" The Stone Roses 3:45
Disc four
1."Monkey Gone to Heaven" Pixies 2:56
2." Uncertain Smile" The The 4:54
3."Bela Lugosi's Dead" Bauhaus 9:34
4."Christine" Siouxsie and the Banshees 2:59
5."Straight Edge" Minor Threat 0:46
6."Help You Ann" Lyres 2:30
7."Our Secret" Beat Happening 2:48
8."Jane Says" Jane's Addiction 4:53
9."World Shut Your Mouth" Julian Cope 3:34
10."Running Up That Hill" Kate Bush 5:00
11."Sex Beat" The Gun Club 2:48
12."Take the Skinheads Bowling" Camper Van Beethoven 2:30
13."Institutionalized" Suicidal Tendencies 3:49
14."Pearly-Dewdrops' Drops" Cocteau Twins 4:11
15."24 Hour Party People" Happy Mondays 4:38
16."I Want You Back" Hoodoo Gurus 3:11
17."Suburban Home" Descendents 1:42
18."A Pair of Brown Eyes" The Pogues 4:53
19."Jet Fighter" The Three O'Clock 3:27
20."Moving to Florida" Butthole Surfers 4:31
21."A New England" Billy Bragg 2:13