The Festival Records vault has been scraped bare for this cut-price primer of coolness for all those with more than a passing interest in punk and allied rock. The comprehensive nature of the selection guarantees that those professing a vast and intimate understanding of this music will now increase disproportionately.
The usual suspects are present – New Order, Joy Division, The Cure, Devo, Human League, The Damned, Magazine, The Dead Kennedys. But the beauty of this selection is that among its 93 songs, it features works from bands that time forgot. Those who are often neglected, or whose recordings have reached such mythical levels of obscurity, such as The Directors, The Germs, Hollywood Brats, The News and Pel Mel, also get the opportunity of being exhumed and heard.
Spurts! has a distinct feel of being a snapshot of someone’s rather refined record collection, but as a history of bands favouring ear-splitting feedback who sneeringly caught the spark of the new future, this is about as good a starting point as there is. Of course licensing and copyright issues stymied the opportunity of other bands being included, but the likes of Gallows and The Smith Street Band provide current flavour. A commendable selection of the raw and energetic spirit that remains wonderfully aflame after all these years.
You can almost imagine little Johnny spitting in grannies eye as he unwraps this pearl during Christmas.
By Bronius Zumeris
