The Minutemen are hard to categorize musically: They were not truly a punk band, because their musical inclinations were too broad, encompassing hard rock, funk and freeform jazz. This album was their last studio recording, made just before guitarist D Boon was killed in an auto accident, and it shows an innovative underground band maturing into a great rock band. Their left-wing politics targeted the foreign policy excesses of the Reagan years, but the politics never got in the way of the music, and, in fact, was one of the sources of its greatness because it fueled their artistry. Boon and bassist Mike Watt trade explosive riffs throughout this set. This is one band that was destined for greatness and expired much too soon. ``Three Way Tie (for last)'' is still one of the greatest rock albums of the 1980s. If you never heard the Minutemen, start here!