Alan Vega Saturn Strip (LP, colored Vinyl)

(Real Gone) 9 tracks, colored vinyl in highlighter yellow.

Alan Vega's work with Suicide is revered by just about every electronic music artist who has ever touched a keyboard or moved a mouse. His growling rockabilly-style vocals, coupled with the menacing, looping soundscapes of Martin Rev, paved the way for post-punk, synth-pop, industrial rock, techno... the list goes on.

Vega's solo career essentially overlapped with his Suicide recordings; this 1983 release, his first on a major label (Elektra), was his attempt at commercial success. He brought in Ric Ocasek of the Cars (who had produced the second Suicide record) as producer and a young Al Jourgenson (who had just formed Ministry) as keyboardist. Vega not infrequently even shortened his notoriously long songs.

But his art still proved too idiosyncratic for mainstream success. For that, Saturn Strip's relatively accessible sound received critical acclaim; it's Vega's best solo album, highlighted by Kid Congo, his homage to Cramps / Gun Club guitarist Kid Congo Powers, and a cover of the disco hit Every 1's a Winner that sounds like White Light White Heat-era Velvet Underground.