This CD compiles the Dickies output that was originally released on Triple X Records. This mid-period Dickies has its moments, but never really compares with the manic fervor and joyousness of their early releases. Idjit Savant has a few standout tracks, including “Golden Boys,” “Pretty Ballerina,” and “I’m on Crack,” but nothing that really grabs one by the (metaphorical) balls and doesn’t let go. A few of the slower songs, like “House of Raoul” and “Song of the Dawn,” sound bizarrely out of place. On the cover album, Dogs…, the only songs that just didn’t buzz by me are “Solitary Confinement” and “Nobody but Me.” These are the only two covers that live up to the Dickies’ covers of old, with the rest of the songs not really standing out in any noticeable way. A good summation is this compilation is that it’s about 50 percent “this is pretty good/alright,” 45 percent “meh,” and 5 percent “what the hell is this?”
–Adrian (Captain Oi)