Caught in the Carousel

The Local Anesthetic

Compilation
Smooch

Fans of early punk rock should find plenty of irreverent grit on the 33-track, 78-minute compilation The Local Anesthetic, named after Wax Trax Records' co-owner Duane Davis's in-store label and featuring singles recorded between 1977-1983 by Colorado-based experimental bands. All the tracks on this collection are raw, unpolished, edgy, and adamant; some even go as far as riot-inducing and revolutionary. The Frantix kick-start the proceedings with a generous helping of ain't-life-a-pisser punk, which echoes an early Suicidal Tendencies sound. Opening with a pair of dysfunctional dirges titled "My Dad's a Fucking Alcoholic" and "My Dad's Dead," The Frantix spark in the listener that uncomfortable laugh that you almost immediately regret, because the underlying reality is so unsettling and grim. Fans of Operation Ivy will enjoy the relentless hardcore pace of White Trash, especially the anthematic call for social awareness and reform in songs like "Wake Up" and "Nazis in my Neighborhood." Bum Kon also serves up a hearty dose of breakneck-speed angst; noteworthy cuts include the civil service messages of "Drunken Sex Sucks" and "The Draft." Despite the unlikely moniker, Young Weasels satisfy the goth and darkwave niche well—"Twist & Turn" is every bit as haunting as any Bauhaus song, while "Happy Feathers" sounds like the Misfits both vocally and musically. And who could pass up Allen Ginsberg lending his infamous beatnik political rants and ramblings to the Gluons' "Birdbrain"? For my money, Ginsberg's Berkeleyesque punk rock can easily change Gilman Street's diapers, that's how godfather-boss he is on this poem set to music. Meanwhile, Gluons' "Sue Your Parents" offers Ramones-like head-bopping, pogo-bouncing poprocks, well-positioned midway through the record. Jeri Rossi's eclectic cover of "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" is downright brilliantly frightening with her squeals and yells—but certainly not any more frightening than James Brown's stage makeup and hairpiece and soulbrotha jumpsuit circa the early 80s, so she comes out ahead in the end. The compilation closes with non-label '77 punk bands Defex and Nails; the former definitely parallel The Ramones on "Psycho Surfer," while the latter seal the deal with their cheeky lo-fi camp ditty "Cops are Punks." Forget the latest Warped Tour record—Local Anesthetic is punk rock you can't put a price on.

-- Mark Cabasino