The emergence of punk rock in the U.K. in the mid-'70s had a massive impact that extended far beyond the spiky hair and safety pin brigade. It made the pretension and excess that tainted much of British rock and pop of the '70s seem outdated, and even British folk legend
Richard Thompson has said he was encouraged by punk making three-minute songs and straightforward production fashionable again.
Thompson clearly wasn't the only one who felt that way, and after the rise of
the Sex Pistols and
the Damned, suddenly the British singles charts were awash with records that weren't quite punk, but whose straightforward hooks, propulsive energy, and irreverent attitude streamlined and buffered the more threatening sounds that were earning column inches in the music press.
Kids on the Street: UK Power Pop and New Wave 1977-81 is a three-disc collection featuring 77 tunes from this era, and it testifies to the dirty little secret of the new wave -- it was actually the return of the singer/songwriter movement, only electrified, edgy, and smart, and this is a set full of great tunes and inspired, enthusiastic performances. There are plenty of familiar names here, including
Elvis Costello (the definitive U.K. singer/songwriter as new wave artist),
the Jam,
XTC,
the Boomtown Rats, and
Squeeze, all of whom typify the salad days of the days of skinny ties, but there are also plenty of tantalizing lesser-knowns (especially for American listeners), and half the fun is being introduced to the likes of
the Smirks,
the Stiffs,
Apartment,
Shake Appeal, and
the Freshies, all of whom sound like the right kinds of one-hit wonders in this context. There are also a few unexpected ringers whose contributions work wonderfully in context, such as
the Rutles (
Neil Innes' inspired
Beatles parody/tribute),
the Searchers (1960s British Invasion favorites who made a pair of excellent power pop-influenced albums in the late '70s),
the Damned (whose "Smash It Up" just so happened to be a top-shelf pop song), and
Dummies (who were fronted by
Jim Lea while moonlighting from
Slade). Even the occasional lesser tracks fit the mood of the set well, and overall this is a very entertaining mixtape from a time when British pop was at once reinventing itself and reclaiming its essential virtues.
David Wells' liner notes are smart, endlessly informative, and often witty (he describes the confusingly named Bristol-based act
Various Artists as being "inspired by their love of guitar bands stretching from
The Beatles and
Big Star to
Big Star and
The Beatles"). If you have any love at all for the music of this period,
Kids on the Street will deliver hours of quality entertainment, and if you need to study up on the golden era of British new wave, this is a splendid introduction. ~ Mark Deming
![The The Clash [US]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0074646388327_p0_v1_s90x140.jpg "The The Clash [US]")
