the Frogstranglers

of its garage party single “Pack Your Sh*t,” but there are 22 other stacks here, most of them raw, unfettered gems. They include Stigma 13’s “Nervous Wreck”; the Irish Brothers’ “Turkish Song of the Damned” (which sounds like early Motörhead playing a track by the Pogues); the methamphetamine-fueled rush of the Chuck Berry-influenced “Chicken Pickin'” by the Racket; the extremely lo-fi, finger-popping swing of “Lover Blues” by Vicky Tafoya; and the country-tinged garage rock of “Faraway” by the Frogstranglers. It all ends with the noir-ish instrumental “Meurtone Surf” by, you guessed it, the Muertones. This is an eye-opening comp, offering an international view of the independent marginal but mighty underground roots scene. Seek it out. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide"