Urge Overkill

The first two albums from the only '90s Chicago band seemingly not influenced by Big Black. Steve Albini did produce Jesus Urge, which fills out half this package, but it's the Butch Vig-produced Americruiser that fans of U.O.'s chart appearances ("You'll Be a Woman Soon," "Sister Havana") will play over and over. "76 Ball," "Ticket to LA," "Empire Builder" and the mammoth, hilariously heavy "Smokehouse" defined ultra-cool-kid cool in 1990. These guys made zero errors aesthetically, and their preference for style over substance (on the surface anyway) remains ballsy.