Violent Femmes “The Blind Leading the Naked” released 35 years ago today, February 6th, 1986. (At least I’m pretty sure it was Feb. 6th, internet is murky but that date was a Thursday and back in the 80′s most new releases came out on Thursdays). Slash Records. The LP was the Femmes third album and it charted at #84 in the US and #81 in the UK, which is odd to me because their first album, Violent Femmes (1983), is much better and has held up as a classic almost 40 years later – though I admit to being a bit biased about that statement as the Femmes are sort of “hometown heroes” from Milwaukee and almost all punk/alternative teens loved that record in the 80′s (“well you can all just kiss off into the air”). Though I do remember The Blind Leading the Naked was displayed prominently at every Wisconsin record store I went to in the 80′s so maybe we all just bought a lot of copies. Anyway, The Blind Leading the Naked was produced by the Talking Heads’ Jerry Harrison and the backing band, The Horns of Dilemma, is a who’s who of Milwaukee/Wisconsin musicians, many of whom are still active today like Sigmund Snopek III and Jim Liban (both Gordon Gano or Brian Ritchie no longer live in Wisconsin but Victor De Lorenzo is still around – I think, it’s been awhile since there’s been any live music). Overall the album is punchy and quirky with a few good rockers like “No Killing,” “Special,” “Heartache,” and their cover of T. Rex’s 1972 hit “Children of the Revolution.” The tracks I don’t care for are the twangy country-gospel infused  “Faith,” “Breakin’ Hearts” and “Cold Canyon.”