Going steadily up in my estimation every listen. (Singles Going Steady - Buzzcocks)

Member Name: GKDurkin

Product:	Singles Going Steady - Buzzcocks
Date:	22/03/08 (46 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: All the hits, and more.

Disadvantages: Maybe a little to much more.

Buzzcocks, the masters of the irrepressible two-minute angst-fuelled pop burst, are well documented on this expanded compilation of A and B - sides culled from the Manchester group's singles from the years 1977 to 1979.

The big hits are included of course. Their spiky ode to unrequited love, What do I Get? , the Pete Shelley penned masterpiece Ever Fallen in Love, and the smutty fun of the teenage paean to onanism - Orgasm Addict. Lesser known tunes to the casual listener such as Autonomy and Everybody's Happy Nowadays further showcase the Steve Diggle and Pete Shelley partnership as capable of producing the sweet and the scathing in equal measure.

This "all the hits and more" package was banded together in 1979 and has now had its track list bumped up from 16 to 24. Much like The Jam's Compact Snap it has always been a preferred choice to other attempts at a Buzzcocks best that sidestep the feel of those early efforts. Some of the bonus tracks are great (Why She's The Girl From The Chainstore), others feel a little unnecessary (Airwaves Dream), but none bring down the overall quality. With a keen appreciation of the power of the three-minute single these songs do not outstay their welcome on this nostalgically packaged collection from a great new wave group.

Summary: A big bundle of new wave delight.