Sad to say that, for me, the Suspects was one of those that got away. Despite being quite well entrenched in this punk thang for many years by that point, their 1994 debut EP and 1995 Voice of America album were unknown quantities to me, and that’s a goddamned shame. With a sound that would’ve given Black Market Baby a run for their money a decade earlier, these rambunctious rapscallions decided to reinfuse the much-loved DC scene with some straight-up, no-frills punk rock after nearly a decade of post-Revolution Summer exploratory noodling and sonic mathematics. Both releases are included here, fulla chutzpah, piss ‘n’ vinegar to spare, and packing a punch that would’ve earned them a spot as “eastern shore emissaries” amongst the Hostage Records-affiliated New Beach Alliance. Pissed I missed out first time ‘round, but grateful for a second opportunity. –Jimmy Alvarado (Grave Mistake)