ANTHOLOGY

The Clean includes: David Kilgour, Hamish Kilgour, Robert Scott, Peter Gutteridge. Flying Nun Records' first band, and certainly one of the most important to come out of New Zealand during the post-punk era, The Clean's oeuvre has been one of lasting influence and genuine depth. From their early, gritty, no-fi 7-inches and EPs to their later re-formed output of the early '90s, their inimitable amalgam of punk, garage, and '60s Byrds-tinged psychedelia highlights an effortless knack for emotional, highly melodic songwriting that successfully balances the line of sincerity and good-natured humor for which so many bands strive and fail. Disc one of this indispensable set has all the early, classic songs: the silly organ-soaked frenzy of "Tally Ho," the scrappy sing-along "Beatnik," the Pavement-covered "Oddity," and the gorgeous lament, "Getting Older." Disc two compiles the best songs from The Clean's reformation during which they made 1990's VEHICLE, '94's MODERN ROCK and '96's UNKNOWN COUNTRY. Most often operating as a trio, the core of The Clean were the brothers Kilgour, David and Hamish, with bassist and Bats frontman Robert Scott. While The Clean remain a cult band, their fanbase is loyal and obsessive; and while they've influenced countless bands over the years, if not the entire subgenre known as indie-pop, it's rare that any of their followers hold a candle to their charm, poeticism, and remarkable skill at making the simplest chord structures seem unequivocally rich and full of meaning.