Are these Friday compilation tapes getting old? I was kinda wondering if that was the case, until I popped this one into the Magic Terminal Escape Digital Sound Converter Machine and heard how awesome it is. Just like the cover proclaims:
"22 Punky Tracks!!" and this shit smokes from start to finish. Everything here is from the UK except for the excellent addition of Italy's S.I.B. (Swelling Itching Brain) and the post S.I.B. "skunk" band DIOXINA (that's 'skin" and 'punk' shoved together in the same genre, and these dudes made it up in 1983)...the S.I.B. tracks are two of my favorites, while the DIOXINA stuff falls a little flat compared to other shit they did in later years...but that's as close as this comp comes to a dud, and nearly everything else fucking shines. The two EXIT-STANCE tracks make my hair stand on end, especially the epic A-side closer "Witchtrial," and XPOZEZ here are as good as I've ever heard them. SCREAMING DEAD offer appropriately gothy tracks; DISTORTED live their name to the fullest (why have there not been more bands called DISTORTED? It just makes sense...); live female fronted shit from HAGAR THE WOMB; demo tracks of two SUBHUMANS classics; killer songs from BUTCHER; and the always worthy Scots POLITICAL ASYLUM round out the roll call on this C60 comp. If POLITICAL ASYLUM's "Trust In Me" sounds a bit familiar, then please follow my little story: The singer has lived in the SF area for many years now, and when I heard the opening bass line to this track I gave him a ring (actually, it's the
only bass line in the song). "Did you know that the bass in this tune is lifted from BLACK FLAG?" I asked. "Sure, it's '6 Pack'" came the reply. Shameless, and kinda brilliant. This tape came to us in 1983(?) courtesy of Rentaracket Recordings, which was an offshoot of
Odsunsods fanzine, and came complete with a mini-zine featuring band info, contacts and shitloads of punk graphics...yeah man, punk compilation tapes rule. Enjoy your Friday.