21895 This CD is as primitive as a stoneage TV being used to bang nails into the first wheel in frustration at not being able to tune in to the wife-dragging world cup final!!! Frankly, though, half the tracks are shit… There’s some nice flourishes of plank-spanking mayhem on The Spartan Dreggs’ “Yes I Can”, a Sonics-style rave-up, and an alternate version of the Fire Dept’s “Mental Block” to the one your eagle-eyed reviewer spotted on the Sympathetic Sounds of Toe-Rag LP out on Sympathy for the Record Industry earlier in 2003. This version ditches the industrial-strength tape phasing and relies on heavy controlled feedback. Basically, it howls like a cat on heat. Useless fact, useless fact fans (On the contrary, in my opinion fact fans are actually quite useful!—Ed.): “Mental Block” was originally done by early-80s Bristol mods The Reaction, as written by Sean Thomas, who was guitarist in Dover folk-rockers The Mystreated for a bit in the mid-90s, before he buggered off to the Continent to pursue his abiding interest in ball-squeezing hipsters, smoked meats and fine cheeses. There’s a range of stuff on offer on Fen Punk that goes way beyond the psych-punk-folk-rockin’ fare of their 90s garage contemporaries. Examples are the Fire Dept’s Kinks-style “Dolly Clackett,” a sturdy belter with a heart of gold, the toe-curling fuzz punk of The Right Hand Path’s “When”, and the smooth, blue-eyed Frat-Soul of Neale & The Fauns’ “Who’s Got My Love?” With the exception of the last half dozen tracks, which were recorded at Toe-Rag in its long-demolished underground Shoreditch base—apparently, a former MoD command and control centre—most of the stuff here is grade-Z ultra-primitive thud, with some oddball looning thrown in for light relief. Like I said, about 50% is sheer crap-ola, but it’s got balls of steel. In fact, some of the early recordings make The Gories sound like Spiritualized!!! Even better, unlike most limited edition comps, this one’s not even for sale—they’re givin’ ‘em away!!!! edited from a review from www.rockhunteronline.com Simon Strong 2004-09-29 22:58:01 2004-09-29 22:58:01 4 http://www.flickr.com/photos/feastofpalmer/sets/72157603918094578/ All the best Neil If you enjoyed listening...have a look at some photos NPalmer 2008-04-27 10:59:03 2008-02-26 16:20:49 5 I doubt this is serieus music, because it sounds like a youtband. Not music. mlwvandenberg 2008-12-19 11:43:53 2008-12-19 11:43:53 1 3 3.33