THE CLEAN Vinyl & CDs

Review: The Clean are one of the most important indie bands to ever come out of New Zealand. Their EP 'Boodle Boodle Boodle' (1981), recorded on a four-track, had an instant lo-fi appeal and became the Flying Nun label's first major success. They were shaped by the likes of Syd Barrett, Velvet Underground and The Stooges and have gone on to influence the likes of Pavement and Yo La Tengo. The band were on hiatus for the majority of the 80s, but came back to release three albums in the 90s and two in the 00s. This is their second album and the first time this title has been in print on vinyl since its initial release. With more budget to record than when they were cutting their teeth in the early 80s, it's a higher fi record and of their post-reunion releases, this is the closest in feel to their early material. 'Linger Longer' is a haunting piano-led cut full of poignance and psychedelic feel. 'Secret Place' shines a spotlight on The Clean's iconic stripped back drum style and 'Something I Need' has a Lou Reed and Mick Jagger feel to the vocals as folk-y acoustic instrumentation prevails beautifully underneath. A staggering band.

Review: "Anthology" serves as a celebration of The Clean, a band whose influence extends so far beyond their New Zealand home that even if you have never heard of The Clean before, you have surely heard of some of the bands (Pavement, Yo La Tengo, and Superchunk, to name a few) who have been influenced by their unique blend of homemade garage rock, hook-filled melodies and psychedelic experimentalism.

The album is a compilation from across The Clean's legendary career, which began in 1981 and continues today. Merge originally released the two CD "Anthology" in 2003, but now this collection is available on quadruple LP. "Anthology" kicks off with The Clean's call-to-arms debut "Tally Ho!"; the story of the infectious track's $60 recording bill is now legendary. It continues with the early EPs "Boodle Boodle Boodle" and "Great Sounds Great" in their entirety. The hits "Billy Two", "Anything Could Happen", "Beatnik" and "Getting Older", live favorites like "Point That Thing Somewhere Else" and instrumentals "Fish" and "At the Bottom" all serve up memories of the joyous noise that characterized The Clean of that time. These recordings, mostly made by the band with Chris Knox and Doug Hood at the helm of the 4-track, capture the bright, raw sound of a classic garage band.

After a brief breakup, the band recorded "Vehicle" in 1989, made in three days and engineered by Alan Moulder (Smashing Pumpkins, Nine Inch Nails, My Bloody Valentine). The sounds of "Vehicle" and the two albums that followed it, "Modern Rock" (1994) and "Unknown Country" (1996), make up the bulk of discs 3 and 4 of the vinyl "Anthology". In addition to selections from these full-length recordings, "Anthology" includes two songs released only on a US 7 inch and two that appeared on a bonus flexidisc with the "Modern Rock" LP.