Various Artists
Burn Your Fingers On The Sun

“Scene” compilations usually work in one of two ways: by capturing and highlighting a particular atmosphere that exists around a cluster of bands or, more boldly, by attempting to define or create a scene by means of the bands chosen for inclusion. This collection tries to do both. A companion piece to Off The Hip’s recent feast of garage punk, “Antipodean Screams”, it focuses on what could be loosely defined as neo-psychedelica, and is ideal summer listening. The two discs include a wide range of styles, from pumping organ-driven pieces to electric ragas to blissed out stoner pop, with most of the tracks running to six or seven minutes long. Despite the (rather scanty) liner notes mentioning the influence of the English shoegaze bands of the early 90s, I don’t hear it.

The Dolly Rocker Movement and Sand Pebbles contribute sterling work, and although their tracks are already available elsewhere, they are welcome and in good company. Current Sydney buzz act Richard In Your Mind are featured twice, with ‘13 Stingrays’ being the best of their pair. Treetops evoke a Byrds/west coast country feel with ‘Blue Ribbon Behaviour’. The Unheard and 3D TV throw in some grunt, but overall this set could have benefited from a few heavy, acid trip moments – there are no real freakouts to be had here. And although there’s only one snatch of guitar torture, the slab of backwards Rickenbacker that closes the Green Circles’ ‘Given Time’, this compilation really should carry a disclaimer that no effect pedals or tambourines were harmed in its making.

by Trevor Block