10 Albums That Created Grunge Music

The arguable high point of Wipers’ three classic records, their sophomore effort Youth Of America is difficult to categorise. Emerging from punk and new wave, it was as bizarre on its 1981 release as it is today. The songs range from short, pop-punk blasts to winding guitar freakouts, and just about every track was picked apart by grunge at the other end of the decade.

“No Fair” features the kind of grinding riffs that Mudhoney, particularly, would make their calling card. Greg Sage’s guitar is obscenely overdriven, but the lead line and plinking keyboard is sharp enough to slice through the thudding chords.

The delightful “Taking Too Long” can be heard in the more melodic likes of Veruca Salt, with the lyric delivered in a totally detached manner throughout the verse before bursting briefly into life on the chorus. The title track, while taking an epic approach mostly eschewed by grunge, has the barked, muffled vocals that Kurt Cobain would sometimes adopt - listen closely if you like, but he’s not going to make it easy for you.

But it’s “Can It Be” that perhaps most accurately reflects the sound to come. It boasts riffs galore, flitting nonchalantly from one to the next. It’s one of the least show-offy guitar virtuoso albums ever recorded.