by John Dougan
Let me quote from the producer's notes to this CD compilation of the entire recorded output of the Electric Eels (including their long-lost LP Having a Philosophical Investigation with the Electric Eels): "The Eels never saw the inside of a recording studio. These tapes were made using an assortment of junk PA equipment and a low-end home cassette deck. No compromises to the recording process would be made and the band played just as always, deafeningly loud." Like the man says, this is grimy, gruesome, and at best, adequately played proto-punk chord bashing, but if you like your punk rock confrontational you'll happily chew on this bone for hours on end. My favorite track is the opener, "Agitated," which, as sung by John Morton, sounds as if he's saying, "I'm so educated." Which is a punky sentiment no matter how you look at it.