Bored Teenagers Vol.1 - Various Artists

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Not applicable
Value for Money	Good

Advantages:	Some great tracks
Disadvantages:	None !

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Bored Teenagers Vol. 1 is the first part of what is currently 4 compilations of punk bands between 77 an 82, I'd like to describe them as one hit wonders but they didn't even have hits, so it's not quite that, more an album full of the best tracks of punk bands who generally didn't release much of their own work.

Some of the tracks are true hidden gems and unbelievably cracking.

The album starts off with The Committed's beepy punk record "Fast Lane" an enjoyable track with infuriated car honking and a catchy chorus even though one part is uncomprehendible, it's quite poppy as far as the album goes.

Track 2 is Schoolgirl Bitch's "Abusing the rules", Accrington's only main punk band who have a more grimey sound to them.

Track 3 is Bournemouth's band Henry Essence with "14 Year old Lover", the vocals are quite posh and almost sound like Syd Barrett during his early days, whilst it's punk it has earlier garage/surf qualities to it.

Track 4 is The Grout with Cremation at Belsen, a gritty and quick track with very little in the way of lyrics apart from the snorted and spat out "Cremation at Belsen"

Track 5 is Teeside's band Amazing Space Frogs with one of the better songs on the album "I'm into necrophillia".. catchy and fairly entertaining lyrics including the chorus"I'm into necrophillia, I think it's so much easier" backed with a well made piece of music.

Track 6 is Anal Fleas' "Landlord" which starts off with "Open up I'm the landlord" before bursting into Uk Subs style punk but vocals quite different from Charile Harper, a bit posher and quality lyrics that jibe landlords "You own it all, you're it now, earn a lot of money by owning a house"

Track 7 is highly influential band from Stoke (not often you hear that ay!) Discharge's "Any Town" one of their lighter weight songs in comparison to later stuff. A lot of drumming throughout, sounds like a carnival!

Track 8 is The Crime with their song ""Johnny come home" but the disc is scratched and it doesn't work, so can't comment on it!

Track 9 is Tell me What Ya Mean by Accident on the E. Lancs, this track has a US proto-punk feeling to it and sounds like The Stooges/New York Dolls, some awesome guitar solos and a general trashy garage sound. A great track.

Track 10 is No Way with their song Breaking Point, an incredibly upbeat track with a more twangy sound to it, could have been a New Wave hit.

Track 11 is Discharge again, this time with a much harder, faster track "Hardcore Punx", still with the carnival drumming and complete chaos around the minute mark, probably as the band start to get knackered from their first fifty seconds of franticness! All round mentalism.

Track 12 is The Committed with their 2nd song of the album "Crash Victim", lyrics that only punk bands of the late 70's could come up with "Your hair was smooth, your skin was soft but now you're beat, your beauties lost and I can't love you, your such a state", incidentally it's still got a toned down version of the beeping from the earlier track and I imagine the two are connected.

Track 13 is The Grout's 2nd track of the album with "Fast Cars", fast and furious punk, this time they've replaced the lyrics with "We Like Fast Cars", I'm starting to see why they didn't make it.

Track 14 is the last song on the album and one of the best, it's Xpres with Stop, Start (and Go back again), an upbeat punk track about taking heroin. Quirky vocals are met with top notch music.

Well, I really enjoy these kind of compilations, it gives bands who often never released anything a chance to get some limelight and gives the listener a chance to give something a go that they would possibly otherwise never hear. Naturally being a compilation, you won't get bored as each band is different and each track is one of their better ones. No stocking fillers, just a CD full of rare gems.