MILO GOES TO COLLEGE

Like a slightly more sardonic, decidedly Californianized Undertones, the Descendents ran the gamut of adolescent interest, from girls to, uh, girls. And they matched that wide scope with an equally wide array of three-chord tunes. So why is this such an essential record? One word: Milo. Singer Milo Aukerrman--who really was off to college after recording it--yelps "I'm Not a Punk" and "I'm Not a Loser" with such desperation that it's almost touching. Then again, the nyah-nyah attitude that crops up just about everywhere else marks him as the sorta guy who'd probably pick your pocket as you were looking for a hankie to help dry those eyes. A quintessential American punk document. --David Sprague