I’ve been borderline obsessed with Denver's Spells since 2020’s Stimulants & Sedatives, and these 18 assembled tracks from various out of print, early releases of their patented “Vacation Rock” probably won’t have me resigning from my position as their #1 fan anytime soon.

“I Don't Want A Legacy” starts the listen with two minutes of mesmerizing guitar, scrappy drumming and gritty vocal harmonies populating the garage-punk climate, and that energy continues into the swirling and melodic “En Vogue,” as well as the buzzing, gruff and aptly titled “I Want Fun.”

The middle tracks bring us the thumping and driving “A Failure's Wake,” which uses pretty backing vocals, and the pop-punk spirited “I Don't Feel At All,” that will likely get you singing along immediately. “Big Boy Meeting” then brings a distinct rawness to the head bobbin’, toe tappin’ playfulness.

Approaching the end, “(You Can'’) Drag Me Down” includes some of the best singing alongside the lively rhythm section and fuzzy guitar, and “We’re Desperate” finishes with group vocals and dense song craft that’s steeped in punk rock and exits the listen with a great balance of firm but catchy ideas.

The band consists of “Little” Stevie Shithead, Charlie “Continental” Stimsell, Duke “Box” Standard, Peter “P” Bohner and Dusk Monarch. Appearances by Ella Sugar, CK2, Triple Maddog, Jenny Calgary, Gucci B., Tarvis Magnum, Tigress Guns, Griswold Downer, Robbie Boneroids, Dusty Queef and Li Qi are certainly appreciated, too.

Several of these songs are seeing vinyl for the first time, and they certainly deserve a spot in the physical world of music. All the tunes have been remastered, and they’re available digitally as pay-what-you-want. The vinyl comes with a download code, excellent art work, a wild lyric sheet, and perhaps bragging right as Spells’ second biggest fan.

Rating: A

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