With sandpaper-throated frontman Jake Burns leading the way, Belfast-based punk band Stiff Little Fingers did release an auspicious, if badly produced, debut album, Inflammable Material, that featured the band's two best songs, "Alternative Ulster" and "Suspect Device." These songs thrust SLF into the limelight and got them loads of enthusiastic press, which led to a contract with the decidedly anti-punk Chrysalis label in 1980. After that, SLF released a handful of pretty good records (including a terrific live album, Hanx!), but their unregenerate fast and loud punk style started to sound stale. ~ John Dougan