What's a song you initially disliked but now love?

When I first heard James Chance and the Contortions, my ears just could not get around those chaotic horns intruding on comparatively rhythmic guitars. But it made such an impression, I couldn't help revisit. And what once sounded like noise , now sounded more like a conversation (or maybe a heated argument?) between instruments.

What’s your favorite track one on a debut album?

It starts with a frenetic synthesized click. Then some chanting, followed swiftly by a startlingly predatory bass. Soon, the entire vibe of Nine Inch Nails’ decades-long catalog is established, and you can’t help but shout along.

What’s a hidden gem you wish more people knew about?

“The Comb” predates The Waitresses’ debut album (and its inescapable hit, “I Know What Boys Like”) by a few years. I love the danceable bass line, the fuzzy production, and how it pokes fun at the gender dynamics of early adolescence.