“This really a public service with infallibly noble intentions” Album Review - Public Service Broadcast #7

Over a number of years Smalltown America has been releasing cheap compilations (£4 average cost) of bands that are seemingly cutting the mustard, either in their capacity as an unsigned act, or those in the exciting position of new label acquisitions, preparing to venture into the industry as serious musical prospects.

Each compilation has 25 bands on, so there's a lot of diversity here, and it must be hard to compile a cohesive body of individual works, seeing as no two bands here are remotely alike, from the synthetic power-pop of Oppenheimer to Kapowski's skinny-boy guitar melodies, it's a bafflingly eclectic mix. The unifying glue, though, is a level of quality, which is, thankfully, very high.

Boom In The Diamond Industry mix indie guitar lines with a more groove, dub based rhythm section, the melodies are infectious and stomp along at a good cruise-control pace. There's also more vitriolic music on display too, Dragonflies Draw Flame hit the melodic hardcore chords, tempered vocals bubble with endless lilting harmonies as the music is a paranoid frenzy of angled chords and restless distortion.

With the intention of releasing 10 of these compilations in total and the seventh installation presented here, this really a public service with infallibly noble intentions.

© The Stereo Effect 2005