Recommended, but approach with a grain of salt...
09/03/1999
(4 out of 5 stars)
"What does "Postpunk" mean to you? As usual, Rhino has done a terrific job of attempting to chronicle an era, a sound, a zeitgeist from the vinyl age for those who wish to either discover or relive bygones digitally. Many of the selections here are correctly, even brilliantly included under the "postpunk" moniker (Pop Group, Magazine, early Simple Minds...but where's early PiL?...does anyone besides me remember Young Marble Giants? The Basement 5?) in the spirit of what that term appeared to mean approx. 1978-1982. However, at least one selection appears here completely without merit: the track by The Cult. As the liner notes correctly state, the earliest material by that band was the best, but "postpunk?" The track is from 1984, for crying out loud, FAR too late to be considered postpunk, which The Cult NEVER were. Rhino's editorial downfall is the occaisional desperation to include Los Angeles scenes in everything cool that ever happened. Sorry, but LA was never one of the hearts of postpunk. Even LA punk, as great as it was, flourished long after punk was declared dead in its true points of origin. This reviewer's sour grapes aside, do buy the CD if you're interested! It's the best in the series, and it's a very, very fun listen. Makes me wish such energy, creativity, and originality were as abundant in popular rock-associated musics now as they were then. I hope this series continues beyond the three current releases, and I hope that Rhino will be able to secure rights to more of the *real* postpunk music, as opposed to squeezing related, easily-found songs into the catagory."
The best of the Postpunk Chronicles. . .
06/13/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"for me anyway. "Left of the Dial" brought back the dayz when we angst-ridden outsiders proudly wore Joy Division stickers on our jackets, and "Going Underground" when we lightened up (?) with the Paisley Underground. "Scared to Dance" is a somewhat odd compilation (Heaven 17! ew) but it's the only one to bring me to some great undiscovered bands: Magazine, Tuxedomoon, and Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark. So if you want more than nostalgia, check this one out."
Track Listings (16) - Disc #1