Various Artists - Dirty Water 2 More Birth Of Punk Attitude
Kris Needs has added to his earlier selection of tracks with attitude with the second instalment, unremarkably entitled 'Dirty Water 2 More Birth Of Punk Attitude'. The first release sapped from a wide ranging brief and surprises were to be found around every corner. The same formula seems to have been used for this collection of diverse and, sometimes, remarkable music.
The 39 track release highlights the work of innovators of their times; some rebellious, all daring to be different. From the first song on CD 1, the tone is set with 'Zigzag Wanderer' by Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band taken from the 'Safe As Milk' album. The tinny guitar rhythms, attitude and repetitive chorus are so obviously a style that may have been picked up years later by the emerging punks. Some tracks choices are obvious, some are obscure; placing the likes of the German band Faust here was the first reason for a raised eyebrow. Yes, there were (and still are) very innovative, but I can't see the relevance to punk. The inclusion of the likes of Bo Diddley, Dizzy Gillespie, Eddie Cochran and Woody Guthrie all seems a little too tenuous. How far back can you go with this type of project? Why stop at the fifties and sixties when you can trace the origins much further back? How about starting in the 1920s with the likes of 'Nobody's Fault But Mine' by Blind Willie Johnson, a song that was ultimately covered by Led Zeppelin.
Lots of tracks can obviously be attributed to being associated with the birth of punk such as the efforts of Bowie, Blondie etc, but again I personally find it hard to understand the inclusion of some of the reggae songs. The brief should have found more rebellious songs which had more attitude and broke further away from the mainstream. Without having access to Needs' reasoning for individual song inclusions, some do seem as if they are just plucked from thin air; possibly Needs trying too hard to include contributions from as many genres and eras as possible.
Taking examples from some very obscure releases, Needs has managed (again) to put together a remarkable collection of songs. Whether you agree with his choices or not, the album serves as a fantastic tribute to some classic songs and some long forgotten artists.