Much like their music, Jawbox's career was marked by peaks and valleys: mild line-up shifts; the loss of fans after their 1994 jump from Dischord to Atlantic Records; personal sweetness and light; and jarring post-punk experimentation. The latter two items are most evident on this posthumous collection, and, as the band never fully proved to their harshest critics, these simplest elements are ultimately all that matters. Beginning with a five-song 1994 Peel Session, "Scrapbook" embarks on a journey through unreleased tracks ("Apollo Amateur," "Under Glass"), live performances, rare singles and cover versions (of Cole Porter's "I've Got You Under My Skin" and Tar's "Static," among others). All of the band's phases are represented here, as well: the early "trio" era before guitarist Bill Barbot climbed onboard; the angular harmony/discord state of the, well, Dischord era; and the more melodic and rhythmically complex era featuring drummer Zachary Barocas (who replaced original skinsman Adam Wade). A photo diary, as well as a written history, accompanies the track listing, providing intimate details of the sessions captured here; and a gargantuan list of all of the band's shows provides a "wish you'd been there" sense of hindsight. Tastefully packaged and compiled by Jawbox themselves (Barbot and bassist Kim Coletta also run the DeSoto label), "Scrapbook" wonderfully fits its title.
