my all time favourite most mindbogglingly mintest album of all time in my collection is standing up straight by the wolfgang press. released 1986 i think, 4ad records. its one album i come back to time and time again
the cover and artwork are fantastic, 4ad took a lot of care over their presentation i think. my copy is still as new - i dont really let anyone else touch it except for one or two of my mates who know about the wolfgang press.
once my mrs picked it up for a look in a kind of a 'casual' way and i freaked out
hmmm....ive started going off on one a bit...
also....
throwing muses - hunkpapa and their first album
dead can dance - spleen and ideal
(both 4ad bands too

)
coil - i was fairly into horse rotorvator for a while
bongwater - were they late 80's? i think doublebummer was. epic album
remain in light - but not really underground though
anyone heard of the utter pop genius of WIN? they had 2 albums out in the late 80's which in my opinion as blueprints for perfect pop albums take some beating. one was called 'uh...tears baby. a trash icon'. the other was called freaky trigger
arkane - 69 and 'i'. both dreampop/noise masterpieces