Though a small handful of its 13 songs predate Los Angeles, X's second album represents a giant leap forward for the band. Wild Gift stands as one of the 1980s' most fully realized rock & roll LPs. John Doe and Exene Cervenka bring altogether more personal and biting lyrics to the mic, making for riveting, curiosity-promoting performances. ("If I wrote a song like 'White Girl,'" Doe tells critic Kristine McKenna in this remaster's liner notes, "there was an unspoken pact that this may happen, but I love you more.") From the metallic riff of "It's Who You Know" to the surf-wise lines of "In This House That I Call Home," guitarist Billy Zoom is given freer rein, while drummer D.J. Bonebrake fuses the Ramones and Beefheart to enduring effect on "We're Desperate" (improved from an early single version by a slight lyric change). And "Back 2 the Base" and "Year 1" stand out as two of the most complex statements about punk's icon-smashing impulses ever. The 45-rpm take of "We're Desperate" is included here, along with six other bonus tracks. Shut up and smoke. --Rickey Wright
Review by Greg Prato
For X's second release, 1981's Wild Gift, the quartet followed the same path they had taken a year earlier on their debut, Los Angeles, creating another batch of timeless compositions that merged the energy of punk rock with other musical styles. Former Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek reprised his role as producer on what would turn out to be X's last independent release before signing to Elektra. Included are such eventual punk standards as "We're Desperate," the melodic hookfest "White Girl" (sampled years later by the Red Hot Chili Peppers in their song "Good Time Boys"), and "Beyond and Back" (which would serve as a title for their 1997 two-CD anthology). Other highlights include the '50s-prom feel of "Adult Books," the punk-pop composition "In This House That I Call Home," and the rapid "Back 2 the Base." While it may be a shade less exceptional than its predecessor, Wild Gift is nonetheless a classic effort. [In 1988 Los Angeles and Wild Gift were combined as part of a CD reissue by Slash Records.]
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