Goldfinger

The year 1996 was a breakthrough year for a new sound: the fusion of ska and punk. The Suicide Machines debuted, Less Than Jake made their major-label debut, but no one had more success with this new sound than Goldfinger on their self-titled debut. That could be because the band went even farther with their genre-bending, throwing metal and a touch of reggae into the mix. Or it could be because songs like the hit "Here in Your Bedroom" and "Mabel" are irresistibly catchy, creative, and, with such self-effacing lyrics as the maybe-size-does-matter line in "Mabel," hopelessly endearing. The album is an emotional roller coaster, from the self-affirming "Bedroom" ("You have changed/Cuz I still feel the same") to the confusion of "Mind's Eye" ("Every time that I see you/I act like a different man") to the oh-well-I-give-up humor of "My Girlfriend's Shower Sucks" ("It's like the shower's going pee"). And there's plenty of anger and aggression left over for songs like "Answers." The album went gold in 1998. ~ Ron DePasquale|