Saints

Collected for the first time are all the songs recorded by the original line-up of these Aussie punk pioneers. Included are the first three albums - I'm Stranded, Eternally Yours and Prehistoric Sounds - plus singles and unreleased alternate tracks. With 47 songs in all on two discs, plus a booklet packed with an extensive band history, you get the real deal here. This shows the band's progression from punk to punkish rock'n'roll to an almost brooding R&B. Comparisons with the Ramones are inevitable, but they were playing buzzsaw punk before they knew of their New York counterparts. Eternally Yours shows a bit of maturity, with the addition of horns, without sacrificing any energy. Prehistoric Sounds slows things down even more and occasionally ventures into Van Morrison territory with more complex R&B arrangements. The fact that these were originally released on a major label and have been reissued on an indie goes to show how short-sighted the big guys are when it comes to good music.