The Magnolias - Concrete Pillbox (1986)

A scruffy Minneapolis punk-pop band with all the melodies of their Twin Cities forebears (Hüsker Dü, the Replacements, Soul Asylum), the Magnolias formed around vocalist and guitarist John Freeman, who proved to be the only constant in the band's career. Recording for Twin/Tone, the group worked with Hüsker Dü's Grant Hart for their noisy 1986 debut, Concrete Pillbox. Later albums For Rent and Dime Store Dream showed the Magnolias toning down the chaos and leaning closer to the pop side of punk, resulting in 1992's Off the Hook, their first album for Alias. After the release of an EP that same year, the Magnolias were silent until 1996, when Freeman and another batch of backers returned with Street Date Tuesday.