ARTIST: Scratch Acid        

TITLE: The Greatest Gift

YEAR RELEASED: Compilation

CHART ACTION: None

SINGLES: None

OTHER SONGS YOU MAY KNOW: Oh, Lord no

LINEUP: David Yow, David Wm. Sims, Rey Washam, Brett Bradford

WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT: Austin weirdos record some raucous albums, and pave the way for the Jesus Lizard.

SOME WORDS, PHRASES AND CLAUSES ABOUT THIS RECORD: You know, all you need to know about Scratch Acid is that this is where David Yow began his career as a deranged ‘vocalist’. This collection has everything the band released, and one other track that was a demo.

The band (featuring future Rapeman members Rey Washam and David Wm. Sims – Sims later joined Yow in Jesus Lizard) plays pretty straight forward loud alternative-ish, punk-ish rock, and Yow just does his thing over it. He’s probably even more unhinged here at times (“She Said”, “Lay Screaming”, “Mary Had a Little Drug Problem”).

Since this is everything they did – containing the EPs Scratch Acid and Berzerker along with the LP Just Keep Eating), after a while it gets monotonous, but in short spurts, this is a good document of the origins of some find weird rock-and-roll.

NOTES & MINUTIAE: The band reunited in 2011 for Touch & Go Records anniversary.

IS THERE A DELUXE VERSION: No

 

GRADE: B: In short spurts, it’s worthy. It probably may be best to listen to each of the original records as segments.