Amazon.co.uk Review
Once, Ireland's foremost metalheads Therapy? were an act to be reckoned with--on a par with
Ministry and
Nine Inch Nails, easily: primal, menacing, feral. Fyfe Ewing's drum patterns on debut single "Meat Abstract" (from 1991's
Baby Teeth) predated the full-on rock power of the
Prodigy by several years. That same year, the release of "Potato Junkie" (from
Pleasure Death) resulted in on of the most memorable lines of the festival season: "James Joyce is fucking my sister". Therapy? went from strength to strength: 1991 (again)'s major label debut
Nurse recalled the post-punk tautness of bands like Gang Of Four, while 1994's
Troublegum spawned the mighty "Nowhere". Commercial considerations began to take over, though, resulting in a series of increasingly slick, LA-inclined albums. The absolute nadir was singer Andy Cairns' acoustic H|sker D| cover, "Diane" (from 1995's
Infernal Love). Fyfe then left in January 1996. Later years, however (see 1999's dark, menacing
Suicide Pact - You First) saw a return to form for the band. This compilation is a fine introduction for latecomers to the Therapy? experience.
--Jerry Thackray