Sun City Girls, Valentines from Matahari (side A)

On this 1993 LP, Sun City Girls display little of their obsession with the world's indigenous musics and little of their dark sense of humor. Valentines from Matahari includes some of their most aggressive "rock" music, with an almost metal-like volume and energy peeking through at times. The riffs rarely repeat or use any grounding structure—the pieces evolve more organically over time. Perhaps the catchiest moment is in "Way Over the Rainbow", where a bit of the Harold Arlen tune sneaks in and sneaks back out. The austere packaging is instantly recognizable, and the incredibly primitive recording and mastering is equally iconic of this phase of Sun City Girls' oeuvre.