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This compilation is remarkably consistent â?? an oddity considering it essentially comprises a collection of demo recording received by Jetplane Landing-affiliated label, Smalltown America. And the label should be the recipient of a hearty pat on the back for exposing us to the subtle charms of Canadian Pavement-philes Treebeard, Glasgow's visceral Fickle Public and the Fugazi-like Dead Or American, hailing straight out of the hotbed of punk creativity that is Stirling. Some bands here will be familiar to anyone with their ear even near the ground â?? London's Lomax and Dundee's One Inch Volcano have been attracting praise for a good while now, and Birmingham's excellent Distophia are certainly worth a recommendation â?? but it's the unheard delights here that really set this compilation aside from the crowd. The fact that it's not available in the shops is a pain, but all but a small fraction of these acts deserve your utmost attention, so click your way to www.smalltownamerica.co.uk and purchase yourself a copy for a mere fiver. I promise you; within six months half of these acts will be headline news.

Mike Diver
CWAS #13 - Autumn 2003

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