Various ‎– Be A Caveman - The Best Of Voxx Garage Revival 1979-1990 (2000)

The Voxx label, an offshoot of Bomp Records, was responsible for a large part of the '80s garage rock revival, and this disc culls 27 tracks of the finest from the 66 LPs they released. With a pool of prospects that large, you'd better be able to deliver a killer comp. They have.                                                                        

It opens with the Vertebrats' "Left In The Dark," one of the great lost '80s singles. It's a smoking combination of the Shadows Of Knight and Flamin' Groovies that was good enough for the Replacements to cover.    

                                                                          

The Crawdaddy's, the first band signed to Voxx, offer a terrifically garage-y cover of the Velvet Underground's "There She Goes Again," and the Pandoras, who'd later morph into the Muffs, redo "Gloria" as "Melvin." The Hypstrz's "Midnight Hour" would've reduced the Jam to little more than a pair of slightly singed, smoking shoes.           

                                                                       
We get lost gems like the Time Being's "Why Don't You Love Me," the band's only released track; the Unclaimed, featuring future Long Ryder, Sid Griffin; and Surf trio's poppy "Fun In The Summer." We also get garage legends like DMZ, with a pre-Lyres Jeff "Monoman" Connolly;                                                                              

the Fuzztones and the Chesterfield King's, with a dandy Chocolate Watchband cover. Most of it's less metallic and grungy than the garage bands of today on labels like Estrus.   

                                                                           

Inspiration comes from the original wave of Nuggets-era bands, and most tracks feature hard-charging guitars, pumping keyboards and snotty vocals. The only dogs to be found are Eye's Of Mind's slick quasi-psychedelia and the Steppes Beatley Music Hall tripe. Otherwise, it's pure rocking bliss. (Voxx)                                                                             

By John F. Butland
Published May 01, 2000

                                                        

                                                         
Various ‎– Be A Caveman - The Best Of Voxx Garage Revival 1979-1990

 

Label: Voxx Records ‎– VCD 2073
Format: CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 2000
Genre: Rock
Style: Garage Rock

TRAXS

01. Vertebrats: Left In The Dark    
02. DMZ: Can't Stand The Pain    
03. Crawdaddys: There She Goes Again    
04. Barracudas: This Ain't My Time    
05. Plan 9: I'm Not There    
06. Unclaimed: Run From Home    
07. Pandoras: Melvin    
08. Gravedigger V: Spooky    
09. Tell Tale Hearts: It's Not Me    
10. Miracle Workers: One Step Closer To You    
11. Time Beings: Why Don't You Love Me    
12. Fuzztones: Green Slime    
13. Odds: I'll Make You Sorry    
14. Vipers: Nothing's From Today    
15. Cynics: Waste Of Time    
16. Chesterfield Kings: Are You Gonna Be There?    
17. Stomachmouths: Dr Syn    
18. Wombats: Bye Bye Baby    
19. Laughing Soup Dish: Teenage Lima Bean    
20. Hypstrz: Midnight Hour    
21. Surf Trio: Fun In The Summer    
22. Eyes Of Mind: She Only Knows    
23. Things: Can't Get Enough    
24. The Leopards: Psychedelic Boy    
25. Steppes: Living So Dead    
26. Event: She's Our Girl    
27. Dwarves: Be A Caveman
   

Credits

 

Artwork [Cover Art By] – Rudi Protrudi (Fuzztones)
Compiled By [Compilation By], Design [Design By], Liner Notes [Compilation Liner Notes By] – Greg Shaw
Coordinator [Production Coordination By] – Betsy Palmer
Design [Design By], Mastered By [Mastering By] – Patrick Boissel
Mastered By [Mastering By] – Mark Wheaton  

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