Disc features rare, live tracks
It’s about time this record be released. Perhaps the most influential forerunner of the early punk rock movement, Richard Hell co-founded, penned, sang and played bass in numerous New York-based punk rock bands beginning in the early ’70s. The double album is full of studio material, mostly unreleased, while the second disc features ragged live recordings from his numerous projects, including the Voidoids and the Heartbreakers, among others. The first few tunes on the first disc sound like they were recorded in a barren garage with one mic hanging from the rafters, but they encompass the overall feeling of D.I.Y (do it yourself) in the best way. I’m sure during the years those tracks might have been scuffed a bit, but the imperfect sound quality of each song makes the album that much better. Tracks like “I’m Your Man” come across nicely, even featuring an almost doo-wop harmonization from backup vocalists - parts of it are even reminiscent of a Pixies track - while “Crack of Dawn” is high-pitched guitar oozing to the max. The title track is one of the album’s best, while “I Can Only Give You Everything” staggers along with a guitar riff that current artist Beck borrowed on his single “Devil’s Haircut.” Other tracks, which feature horns, could be played at Marty McFly’s “Enchantment Under the Sea Dance” in the movie “Back to the Future.” The sound quality of the live disc is less than favorable, but it’s a nice addition to the package, and the liner notes feature a book’s worth of photos and stories about the band. This release is an effective and concise portrait of one of the greatest pioneers of punk rock that should have been released years ago.