In My Head Songs Ranked
In My Head is the sixth studio album by American band Black Flag. It was released in 1985 on SST Records, and was their final studio album before their breakup in 1986. The CD reissue adds three of the four songs that later appeared on the I Can See You EP, replicating the original 1985 cassette release which came out concurrent to the LP. After building a reputation for confrontational hardcore punk, late-era Black Flag turned to a more experimental, heavy metal-inflected sound, in particular on their last two albums. Greg Ginn intended In My Head to be his first solo album. The cover is a collage of six drawings by Raymond Pettibon. Here are all of In My Head songs ranked.
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9. The Crazy Girl
“In 1985, Black Flag had transcended hardcore long ago, and ‘In My Head’ shows the band making music that’s often unclassifiable and truly in a league of its own. ‘In My Head’ is an interesting mix that contains songs that rank among Black Flag’s most experimental and those that show the band at their most accessible and (dare I say it) commercial.”
8. Black Love
“The album’s roots in a Greg Ginn solo project means that it boasts his busiest guitar parts yet and his solos are batshit avant-noise exercises the likes of which rock had never seen. Henry Rollins’ vocals rarely reference the excruciating screaming and ranting that characterised his earlier performances.”
7. It’s All Up to You
“I think the musicianship on this album is stellar. They were doing things no one was doing, or was even capable of doing. However I’ve long wished that Ginn would re-mix this album. I think every aspect of its sound would benefit, including Ginn’s guitar.”
See more: Black Flag Albums Ranked
6. Retired at 21
“Retired at 21” sounds very much like a Slip It In cut and is filled with catchy guitar riffs and a melodic hook. Man, Greg Ginn suddenly really fell in love with scaling up and down notes. Literally every single song has him playing his guitar in a steady rising or downward sloping motion.”
5. Drinking and Driving
“Drinking and Driving” is the only “fast” song on here, having a style more similar to their earlier material, and even then it’s very deadpan serious about it’s subject matter.”
4. Paralyzed
“On ‘Paralyzed’, Rollin’s cry of ‘I can’t shake these troubles off me’ sounds so hopeless but backed by the urgent crunch of Ginn’s guitar it’s like an anthemic chorus.”
See more: Black Flag Songs Ranked
3. In My Head
“In My Head’s genres and descriptors make it look like it’s gonna be the best Black Flag album, but unfortunately it’s the sound of a band beginning to run out of fuel at the end of a remarkably consistent run, so I guess it was a good choice to call the project off as it sounds like everyone involved wants to move on to something else.”
2. Out of This World
“Out of this world is a complete Punk Rock banger that displays Henry using probably the most “Rock Vocalist” singing pattern and technique he every has while in Black Flag”
1. Society’s Tease
“Greg Ginn’s guitar playing has become more predictable, although he’s still creative enough to keep the tempo and manage a snazzy riff here and there, like on the title track and “Society’s Tease”, so it is what it is. It’s the rest of the gang that suffer more as a result of the glammy ‘80s production, which leaves the drums and bass lacking their yummy yum, as well as Henry Rollins himself sounding pretty out of place.”
