Various Artists- Girls in the Garage Vol. 1 (2004)

I have always liked compilation albums, the different bands and styles that can be heard on one release, and this is no different.  Girls in the Garage is a 10 volume set that helps us discover rare 60's garage rock bands that is either all female or at least female lead vocals. 

27 different tracks, on Volume 1, helps to show the early female pioneers in garage rock, early protopunk type bands. When I first got this release, I hadn't heard of any of these bands, and after listening to a few of the other volumes, I really enjoy most of the tracks.  Everything you will hear on this volume is sheer, pure early psych-garage rock-protopunk-rockabilly-surf greatness!  Granted at times the vocals can get a little high pitched, but it's nowhere near what X-Ray Spex produced.  If you are interested in expanding your horizon to incorporate early rock n' roll, and to see where a lot of what we hear now got it's start, find a way to get your hands on this.  (After looking online at prices for this release, might be a good album to get on your favorite peer-to-peer program.)
With lots of great songs, tons of early rockin' guitar work and your standard rock-n-roll beat, not a bad release at all.


Official score-3/5

Can- Delay 1968 (1981)

(I will say up front that I am not finding an official release date.  I have seen everything from 68/69 to 81 to 2010.  So, for this review, I am going with '81.)

I will have to admit, it took awhile for this album to grow on me.  At first listen, I didn't really care for it that much, but after a couple more go-thru's, I dig it.  Can is one of the best early prog-rock, kraut rock pioneers, out of Germany, and they should be a band that any major music enthusiast should be familiar with. Can has had many different vocalists and musicians, and this line up is one of the better ones.  This album has some of their earlier sounding tracks and has a great example of their early progressive sound, as all the tracks have great breakdowns and some signature vocal styles mixed with early Kraut style guitar work. Track 2- Pnoom, is a short track with a great rhythm mixed found sounds and early style electric beeps and blarps, short- but still one of my favorites on the album.  I was a little disappointed with the track "Thief", not because it's a bad track, but it slows down the pace of the actual songs and their place on the album.  Lots of the tracks remind me of early garage rock/kraut rock/prog type sound, the guitar sound pretty dirty, which I like, but in my opinion, not a must have. 

Anyone that is familiar with Can, should definitely try and check this out, this is not their best work, but not their worst, by far.  The album contains 7 tracks, with a running time a little over 35 minutes, so it's a short listen.  If you like early Prog/Kraut, then go find this, or save yourself the effort and find a way to download it.


Official Score: 3/5