AllMusic

Queensrÿche

Operation: Mindcrime

April 27, 1988

Hard Rock

I could give a TED Talk on the layers of delightful ridiculousness to be found within Operation: Mindcrime, Queensrÿche's Reagan-era concept album about heroin-addicted hitmen, dead nuns, and the mysterious Dr. X. It never fails to get sillier each time I listen to it (lately I'm inspired to call people, say "mindcrime," and hang up), but bombastic songs like "Breaking the Silence," "The Mission," and its pair of radio hits still bear their original twin-guitar majesty.

- Chris Steffen

Cyrnai

1980-1990

September 14, 2018

Alternative/Indie Rock

Recently issued by Dark Entries, this colossal box set compiles everything Carolyn Fok released during the '80s, plus plenty of unreleased material. While Fok might be an obscure name to all but the most devoted fans of D.I.Y. cassette culture, the visionary artist's singular brand of dubby post-punk/industrial is ripe for rediscovery. Releases like her 1985 debut, Charred Blossoms, sound remarkably ahead of their time, and could have easily been released by lo-fi labels like Not Not Fun three decades later.

- Paul Simpson