by Dave Thompson
With the Flys best sampled via a "best of" collection that sweeps away the chaff with which they surrounded the handful of classics that assured their immortality, this reissue of the group's debut album goes at least some of the way toward fulfilling that ideal. With the goodies spread across both the regular album and the generous eight bonus tracks, the title track heads off a litany of singles that includes "Name Dropping," "Fun City," "Beverley," and, of course, "Love and a Molotov Cocktail." All ring with the promise and verve that was power pop's first gleaning; all paint the Flys as one of the zippiest bands in that entire galaxy. That they ultimately failed to master anything beyond the 45 rpm medium should not be held against them -- at least a handful of the album tracks rocket along with much the same spirit as the better-known tracks, while the inclusion of the group's debut release, the self-released Bunch of Five EP, certainly takes some of the heat off the collectors market.