This compilation of punk/post-punk acts from the late 70's is rather like a greatest hits of the best songs of that period. When I stumbled across this record at Egg Records in Brisbane last weekend, I did hesitate before buying it as I already own all of the songs on various other LPs. The $7 price-tag was however enough to convince me to snatch this wonderful comp. The sequencing of the tracks is quite well done too. There are bona fide classics of the post-punk era on this. Let's just name Teenage Kicks by the mighty Undertones or Sex & Drugs & Rock'n'Roll by Ian Dury (which kickstarts this LP very aptly). The songs are all great and the artists themselves are pretty faultless too (Patti Smith, Elvis Costello, The Ramones etc...). Also worthy of note are two of my favourite tracks of just about all time (I Love The Sound Of Breaking Glass from Nick Lowe's superlative Jesus of Cool and Spanish Stroll, the ultimate NYC anthem by now-deceased Willie Deville of Mink Deville). This is an absolute no-brainer, a fabulous Saturday night party record or maybe a great hangover cure, who knows?
listen to Spanish Stroll & Nick Lowe's Bomb
