Various Artists - US vs. UK Punk

The debate rages on. Who did first, who does it best, loudest, or hardest? This album is a veritable hall of fame of punk rock. In this corner, a rare demo of the Sex Pistols Anarchy in the UK and a live recording of the Buzzcocks What Do I Get? facing off, in the other corner, a live version of Personality Crisis by the New York Dolls and Beat on the Brat by the Ramones. This sixteen track album has it all. If you’re not familiar with the early days of punk, this is an excellent primer. Kicking off with the Sex Pistols and ending up with Suicidal Tendencies, this albums is a crash course in leather jackets, studded belts, and safety-pins. The second track, by Irish band The Undertones, ups the ante, and leads into the droning base-line and surf-guitar riffs of the Damned’s Neat Neat Neat. The caper for the UK side, is Sham 69, with the punchy, sing-a-long, head bobbing track Hersham Boys. The anxious power of the Dead Boys pushes the envelope, following up the classic tracks Beat on the Brat and Personality Crisis, and makes way for Iggy Pop, the Weirdos, Black Flag, and Johnny Thunders. [www.sanctuaryrecords.com]