This compilation pays tribute to the true kings of 'lo-fi' (it's no coincidence that Pavement and Guided by Voices put in appearances). In their first incarnation (they broke up around 1982 and then reformed at the end of the decade) they recorded on old 4 tracks and basically whatever else was available. This illustrates their DIY ethic. The title of this compilation comes from a piece of graffiti which, to this day, can be seen in an alley way in their home town. Tribute albums are a sketchy prospect at the best of times, so this is naturally a mixed bag. You get the aforementioned big-name foreigners, whose efforts are reasonable. You get peers of the band such as Chris Knox, the Verlaines' Graeme Downes who both put in surprisingly effective appearances. You get younger wannabes, some of whom show great promise. You get electronica acts who must be admired for their 'liberal' (i.e. unrecognisable) interpretations, yet seem clearly out of place due to the fact that The Clean are about as far away from sequencers and samplers as you could possibly imagine. One gets the feeling that such artists have been included merely for the sake of filling some kind dance music quota. All in all, this album is of marginal interest to anyone who loves the band already. For the non-converted it serves as a reasonable introduction, but I would recommend that you try and hunt down The Clean's own albums ('Compilation' captures the band at their absolute peak). Tally Ho!
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