Division of Laura Lee

Before these garage-influenced Swedes broke out in the last year or so on Epitaph on the coat tails of White Stripes/Hives/Strokes neo-rock revolution, the band was still looking for their own sound. Back in 1997 and 1999 the band focused on a more Fugazi-lite kind of sound with a dark emo flavour. This record, made up of tracks from compilations, singles and the At the Royal Club CD is just under 40 minutes of short, hard songs that showcase the discordant angular sound the band has left behind for the more rootsy Nuggets and ’70s NYC sounds all the kids are loving. While all the material rocks in its own impenetrably angst-y way, songs like "44" and "Royal Club" totally blend together, with few nuances to distinguish the songs from each other. This album features slick packaging and good production but is really only geared towards anyone who wants to hear how this band has evolved over the years.