By: Lucy Sante

The Normal’s WARM LEATHERETTE — JG Ballard’s method, inscribed on the head of a pin.

By: Anthony Miller

The Nails’ “88 Lines About 44 Women” — one of the great list songs.

By: Molly Wright Steenson

Watching “Words” by Missing Persons — it felt like the future.

By: Joshua Glenn

Tim Curry’s “I Do the Rock” — “I do the only thing that still/Makes sense to me.”.

By: Jonathan Lethem

The Blue Nile’s “I Love This Life” — dancing and singing, caring and careless.

By: Adrienne Crew

QUIRK YOUR ENTHUSIASM (9): D-Day’s “Too Young to Date” —  a quasi-feminist anthem.

By: Gordon Dahlquist

XTC’s “Respectable Street”: a very English anthem of Ah, Go Fuck Yourself.

By: Greg Rowland

Jilted John’s “JIlted John” : parodic yet profound.

By: Stephanie Burt

Altered Images’ “Happy Birthday” — should we trust its promise of happiness?

By: Elina Shatkin

Marianne Faithfull’s “Broken English” — an excoriation of all ideologies?

By: Douglas Wolk

Family Fodder’s “Savoir Faire” — not a hostile gnarl, but a joy.

By: Devin McKinney

Suicide’s “Frankie Teardrop” — nihilism with a hungry heart.

By: Joanne McNeil

Gary Numan’s “Metal” — what, exactly, is a “mallory heart”?

By: Mark Kingwell

Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love” — New Age blues, and bliss.

By: Joshua Glenn

Introducing this summer’s ENTHUSIASM series — on New Wave music!