“A must-buy for people in search of worth-while new rock.”

Compilations pretty much suck - don’t they? Corporate labels bang together a load of pre-picked ‘radio-friendly unit-shifters’ chosen in line with the pre-determined ‘popular music’ of the day. It’s all on the radio and you’ve got most of it on other compilations anyway.

Smalltown America have a different idea; take a bunch of bands worth releasing, stick them on a CD and release them to the public. In fact, it’s that good an idea we’re now on volume five. Its ‘new music’ is mainly enclosed in rocks small-box, but if musical claustrophobia gives me this much pleasure then it’s a problem worth having.

In 23-tracks nothing particularly disappoints or can be easily ignored. The Sparks in bed with Sebadoh blast of Distophia, Dive Dive and the brilliance of Piney Gir give just a glimpse of how great this album is. A must-buy for people in search of worth-while new rock. Roll on Volume 6.

© The National Student 2004