Although it was released in 1983, this collection represents just about everything San Francisco's late, great
Avengers
recorded from 1977-1978. By contemporary standards, it's by-the-book punk thrash:
Greg Ingraham
's guitar spews up hairball after hairball of distortion, while
Penelope Houston
snarls in her best impression of
Johnny Rotten
. However, contemporary standards diminish what great music this was and what a great band
the Avengers
were. Dozens of bands came in their wake, but few could recapture the excitement and ferocity of their sound.
Houston
, who re-emerged years later as a folk-rocker, is in full fury on these 14 tracks, especially the youth culture solidarity anthem
"We Are the One"
and the tale of desperation
"Thin White Line."
A few spins of this and you'll hear how
influenced everyone from
Black Flag
to
X
. Yes, they were that good. A forgotten classic. ~ John Dougan