Pointed Sticks

This re-release of the Sticks' 1980 classic is both a fascinating trip down memory lane and a frightening reminder of the sorry state of Canadian punk of the period. Produced by Bob Rock (yes that Bob Rock), this was clearly an attempt by the band to gain mainstream commercial success on the backs of the Clash and Elvis Costello. It's a slick and polished release that lacks any of the balls of the bands it was trying to emulate. At the heart of it, the songs could have been sneering anthems of a time and a generation but Rock's production, which even back then had the ability to turn punk to pap, makes mush of the whole thing. While it may not stand out musically, it is a wild nostalgia trip. And given the recent resurgence in skinny-tie, happy new wave pop-punk, maybe this will find an audience with kids who've just discovered their parents' old Vapors and Plimsouls albums.