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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
Early gems and rarities now available again in the UK, 28 May 2004
The rapid development of this Aussie band from its first tentative steps across a "Treeless Plain" to its eclectic swansong ("Black Swan") has been charted by many reviewers of their other albums. This CD gathers up the best songs from their first two LPs and adds some tracks that were only released as singles or EPs, and have thus been difficult to find in anything other than scratch-o-phonic vinyl for several years.Musically, many of the songs have the raw, ferocious feel of the darkest moments on "Born Sandy Devotional" or "In The Pines", whilst other, lighter songs almost have a 'swing' to them. The very strange "Raining Pleasure", on the other hand, is beautifully lethargic, like a very, very still millpond; long, sustained strings underpinning a spooky tale of cabin fever sung by keyboard-player Jill Birt. Elsewhere, the band approach guitars as if they were some new instrument that needed a new way of playing. Normally rock-solid drummer Alsy MacDonald sounds as if he's trashing the kit at the end of "Property is Condemned" then, on the next song, is back keeping the beat with perfect precision. Inspired. Definitely worth purchasing for all fans of prime-period Triffids, especially those not quite sure about those first two albums. But anyone with an interest outside mainstream pop should hear the sheer passion invested by the sadly-missed David McComb in songs such as "Bright Lights Big City" and "Monkey on My Back".
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