3 out of 5

Label: Fork In Hand Records

Produced by: Shepard Fairey

A compilation curated by artist Shepard Fairey – hence the unique stencil punch-out slipcase – there’s possibly a light, anti-corporation (or anti-something) theme tying these tracks together, but it’s more likely just stuff Fairey liked, including some acts associated with Fairey’s label on which the album appeared.

While the press for this thing promotes its mixing of styles – able to boast electro acts like Peaches and BS2000 alongside a big indie name like Modest Mouse – it definitely errs way toward punk, which is okay, as amidst that genre we do get different variations, sequenced well to keep the 20 tracks truckin’ along.  And although most of these songs appear elsewhere, they’re pretty choice cuts; I’ve definitely been encouraged to look in to some of the groups based on what I heard here.  The flip side is that the exclusive tracks – Modest Mouse, Suicide Machines, Gonzalez, and I think the Peaches track? – are really average to middling for each group.

As the disc stretches on into its latter half, the punk stuff starts to blend together a tad, but the album closes out with three distinct sounding groups – Bouncing Souls, Helms, and Modest Mouse – which, while again maybe not all prime offerings, are unique enough to keep the disc in your thoughts for another spin or two.