Teenage boredom and substance abuse are often the twin ingredients of rock & roll excess, and the Jesus & Mary Chain's druggy ballads and feral, snarling wall of feedback worship at that altar. This collection of early releases, demos and out-takes captures the starkness of the Velvet Underground, the viciousness of Sonic Youth and the simplistic pop craft of 60s girl groups. It's a hostile landscape with a sticky-sweet melodic core oozing through the blitzkrieg noise; rough and ready rock & roll with extra textures and frisson of pop joining the party. These songs wear sunglasses at night, smoke high-tar cigarettes and hang out on street corners sneering at passers-by with supercilious disdain. --Ben Clancy