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Album Review

Various Artists
Nineteen78 Filthy Little Angels free download

Article written by Ged M - Nov 17, 2008

1978 was the year that punk became powerpop, that the Sex Pistols played their last gig and the Dead Kennedys played their first one, that produced ‘White Man in Hammersmith Palais’ and ‘Ever Fallen In Love’ but the best sellers of the year were still the Bee Gees, Boney M and the Grease soundtrack. In celebration, Filthy Little Angels have produced one of their irregular compilations, with various indie bands covering songs of the year. Quality and entertainment value are both high, despite the odd clunker that should have been permanently confined to the bedroom, with as many pop and rock tunes as punk in the choices. The Eagles, Nick Gilder and the Commodores get a going over, as do Adam and the Ants, Elvis Costello and Public Image Ltd. Micropenis combine a dirty fuzz guitar and little girl voice on a very strange version of ‘Human Fly’; Popkiller’s brilliant artschool treatment of ‘Grease (Is the Word)’ sounds like early Ultravox!; Beacons produce a delicate, lonesome ‘Outdoor Miner’ and Geese’s version of La Dusseldorf’s ‘Cha Cha 2000’ is blinding Krautrock with some very topical lyrics.

They’re just the good ones; the standouts are really special. Hot Beds offer a shimmering synthpop version of ‘Hong Kong Garden’ to narcotic effect while Ginger Tom – one of the only guitar bands on the album – rip a new rock arsehole in the powerpop of Radio Stars’ ‘Nervous Wreck’, the singer’s dirty laugh of a voice the perfect accompaniment. Vatican Cellars are responsible for one of the two covers of Van Halen songs; cello substituting for lead guitar on ‘Running With The Devil’ is as incongruous as Simon’s anguished indiepop vocals but transform into brilliance a song that, let’s face it, you’d never normally give iPod space to. “Birthday Girl” from the Cellars also goes head to head with Alexanders’ Festival Hall on a skew-whiff synthpop deconstruction of ‘Three Times A Lady’ that’s only topped for insane genius by the Glasgow Glam Bangers’ version of ‘Rasputin’; the song was bonkers then but is now certifiable when delivered in a Glasgow brogue.

I’d recommend Nineteen78 if it cost money; that it’s free means you have no excuse for not downloading it. It’s an unreliable history but a smart concept and a fantastic compilation.

Links:
http://www.filthylittleangels.com/
http://www.myspace.com/filthylittleangels