THE HELLACOPTERS
Cream of the Crap! Collected Non-Album Works Volume 1
(Psychout/Universal/Gearhead)
Ever since the band's formation in the mid-90s, Sweden's rock & roll gods the Hellacopters have been spewing out singles and compilation tracks at a frightening rate. Most of these sides are long out-of-print and fetch ridiculous prices at collector's shows. To make this music available again, the 'copters put together Cream of the Crap!, the first in what's likely to be a long series of platters featuring songs not found on any of their albums. The material spans the length and breadth of their career, from the early garage rock days with Backyard Babies guitarist Dregen to their current, more polished incarnation. Regardless of the era, however, you can damn well bet it'll be ribcage-rattling, high-energy rock. Fans can savor classic 'copters originals like "Killing Allan" (their very first single), "1995," "Crimson Ballroom," "Down Right Blue," "Misanthropic High" and "Freespeedin'," rock & roll monsters all. Even better, though, is the opportunity to sample the band's ever-growing collection of covers, which the boys tend to scatter on B-sides and bury deep in the heart of tribute albums. Included here are hard rockin' takes on Social Distortion's "The Creeps" (also from that debut 45), the Victims' "Television Addict" and Iggy Pop's "I Got a Right," not to mention the Stones' "Gimme Shelter." Far stranger, however, is a fully 'copterized version of Nino Tempo and April Stevens' "I Want a Lip." As a collection of rarities, the album is a boon; more importantly, however, as a kick-ass rock & roll record, Cream of the Crap! is indispensable. Michael Toland [buy it]
For fans of: Iggy and the Stooges, the Streetwalkin' Cheetahs, Thin Lizzy