THREE stars, five stars, one star - I don't know!

I hated every second of this album but who am I to judge. This American foursome from the late 80s have been assessed by far better than me.

David Bowie decribed their work as: "just about the most compelling music of the entire 80s", while further accolades came from U2's Bono and Kurt Cobain, who admitted one of their albums was his favourite of all time and he, himself, had ripped off one of their tracks.

I don't even remember their five-year reign, even with the release of the five albums that have spawned the generous 23 tracks picked here. Devotees will love it but devotees of the band who seem to be so revered and sanctified would have all the originals wouldn't they?

Their music, to those in the know, is a fusion of "screaming punk, indie guitar rock, classic pop and surf rick". It just sounded like a racket to me. Forty seconds of each was about all I could stomach before I had to hit the forward button.

Not that the music was bad but at the risk of sounding like someone of 103, I just didn't understand it.

scc