In Debt

"In debt" is right -- as bandleader freely admitted in interviews in later years, 's beginnings were so clearly inspired by such post-punk luminaries as , early , and above all else, , that on first blush it seemed unlikely the band would go further than fine nostalgia. The surprising touch on this compilation of the trio's first single, album, and EP turns out to be how quickly the band started to evolve in its own distinct identity. The first two tracks, and made up the debut single; from the crisp slam of the drums to the intricate, delicate guitar work and non-melodic singing, 's fascination hangs so heavy it's almost the work of a tribute band. the original opening track for the first album, is buoyed by a powerful, immediate combination of sparse drumming, digitally echoed riffs, loops, and hints of synth use; the inspirations remain clear but the song itself is much more their own, brought home with a killer guitar solo and drum break at the end. Similarly fine, soaring numbers such as and more ominous tracks like ("...or does your blood flow in a mess?") mesh with intriguing side efforts like the primarily acoustic The final four tracks, from the post-album EP, really see the band take off; is 's first total masterpiece, opening with an echoed bass note, astoundingly subtle percussion samples, then the deadly calm lyric "A sky without a god is a clear blue sky." rips along to a sudden, unexpected end after an increasingly fierce build-up. All in all, a striking starting point for what was to come next. ~ Ned Raggett