The Quick
“On Holiday with Earle Mankey”
Burger Records

Score one for Burger Records! These guys got an original, unissued coupla songs by the Quick, L.A.’s proto-punk power-pop Sparks-esque loverboys (who, according to legend, indirectly caused the Dickies to happen by hiring them as roadies) and put it out as a 7″. And holy fuck! This may be the best thing the Quick ever did. Certainly this sheds the Sparks comparisons, being far more catchy, yet it does have the Mael lyrical wit–”Bigger than Life” has lyrics about being shot to death amid a meditation on the value of life and the power of death. “Beautiful Island” is even crazier, with a guitar straight out of Davie Allan and a cacophony of madness that hopefully will call to you like the siren songs of Samoa and force you to purchase 18 copies of this amazing disc!

-D. M. Collins