Look, there’s no way I can be partial or unbiased about this record. It’s my favorite record of all time. It helped me get out of many a dark spell. It opened my ears to music beyond oldies radio and whatever mall punk was being handed over to me by Hot Topic (yes, I had a overly baggy pants and black t-shirt phase, don’t ask). Zen Arcade even helped me define what I felt it was to be an adult, and yes, even help me sort out questions of my sexual identity. It is the kind of life-affirming and life-saving work that anyone who has ever felt lost, dejected, hated, confused or self-loathing can put on and feel that they have at least three people in their lives that can understand them. Even though it’s rooted in early-20 angst, it’s far more worldly and universal than other rock operas that have been released.