Modern

Punk is riding a new wave of end of the century nostalgia. Yet another addition to the fray is the timely release of a new Buzzcocks album, packaged with an additional greatest hits enhanced CD containing three videos and lots of multi-media memorabilia.

If it’s the politics of punk you’re after, dig out copies of Never Mind The Bollocks and London Calling. But if you want to hear punk’s dynamics colliding with highly-strung sexual frustration then look no further than the bittersweet rage of Pete Shelley howling, “You spurn my natural emotions/You make me feel like dirt/And I’m hurt” on ‘Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve).

From the bitter finger-pointing of ‘Orgasm Addict’ to the chaotic confusion of ‘What Do I Get?’, this is a thrilling compilation of the best angst ’n’ roll ever committed to disc.

Fast forward to the 1999 CD Modern, and, surprisingly perhaps, the broken heart and bitter soul of the Buzzcocks can be found intact on ‘Why Compromise?’, ‘Rendevous’ and ‘Phone’. The 1999 model have a slightly more polished studio sound, but still pack enough of a killer punch to show that these rockers (fortunately) haven’t aged too gracefully.