Death on Credit
Senior Member
Every once in a while, we are treated to an album that shoots right through our skull, like a silver bullet. This was just what I experienced after I laid my new copy of Nuggets onto my turntable.
What Lenny Kaye has done here is assemble a full on rock 'n roll assault. We have a mix of R&B ballads, bubblegum, "tripping balls" psychedelia, and hard edged garage rock that blends together perfectly to create a musical cornucopia that is a pure auditory delight.
There's not a single bad track on the album, although some songs are, of course, better than others. There are some tracks that I was already familiar with, such as Tobacco Road, I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night), You're Gonna Miss Me, Pushin' Too Hard, Psychotic Reaction, and Hey Joe, but most of it was new to me. The compilation works exceedingly well as an album, as the individual bands dissolve for better or worse into one grand masterpiece that represents an era that's long gone and all but forgotten. It almost seems criminal that many of these bands have been lost in the vaults and condemned to perpetual obscurity while many less talented acts (well, maybe that's not the right phrase, as this collection partially serves as a testament to the wonders that can come from folks who can barely play their instruments) have gone on to make millions, but such is that nature of the business.
All in all, this is a great set, and one of the most enjoyable albums that I've ever had the pleasure of listening to.