Search - Various Artists :: The Great New York Singles

Early NYC Punk - a remarkable collection

02/06/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This follows the development of the early New York punk/new wave scene from 1974 to 1980, via a collection of homemade singles that came out of the scene. Unlike Rhino Records' totally contrived "DIY" series, this is the real thing, a genuine anthology of the genuine stuff. Patti Smith's single which opens this disc is great, but musically sounds closer to a post-Woodstock, hippie kind of thing than new wave. It nonetheless qualifies as early punk because the lyrical content is much starker and angrier (and riddled with strong language) than the popular music of the day (1974). Television's song bridges the gap musically between Patti Smith's post-hippie jazz and what would later become punk. By the time we get to the third single here, Richard Hell & the Voidoids' "Blank Generation", an identifiable punk style had already evolved that can still be heard in the punk music of today. From there the music ranges from the weird and arty (Model Citizens' "Animal Instincts" and Theoretical Girls' "U.S. Millie") to straightforward power pop (Marbles' "Red Lights" and Speedies' "Let Me Take Your Photo"). The Student Teachers' "Past Tense" fittingly closes the album, reminiscing about a scene that was already in decline by 1980 as the newer hardcore bands arrived and quickly made the older punk rock seem tame by comparison. Of all the bands chronicled here, only four (Patti Smith Group, Television, Richard Hell & the Voidoids, and Nervus Rex) went on to release full-length albums on major labels, and of those, only Patti Smith was able to find any commercial success (with her top-20 hit single, "Because the Night", in 1978). None of the big names of the early NYC punk scene, like the Ramones, Talking Heads, New York Dolls, Lou Reed/Velvet Underground, or Blondie, are here. This by and large is made up of one-shot bands, whose fan base was mainly at the CBGB's club and whose only recorded output was a homemade single or two. If you want an excellent chronicle of where punk in the U.S. began, I can think of no two better albums to pick up than this one and "Live at CBGB's"."

CBGB, Max's Kansas City,Hurrah,Danceteria

F. Hunt | New York City | 12/25/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Great compilation of 1st & 2nd generation punk/new Wave/No Wave bands. Great tunes!! Neil Cooper-re-release this CD!!! And pay us our royuaalties!!! Fin Hunt-ex-Invader."