Vertebrats | ru

"... [The Vertebrats] straddled punk, borrowing its direct drive, aggression and edgy attitude, but marrying it to a more classic pop melodic sense, and with more guitar playing rather than punk's power chord blitzes... Everything here makes the critical grade, thanks to seemingly effortless harmonies, frugal jet-pack riffs and an overall "rock the joint" loose feel..." -Big Takeover

"...Less heralded, but almost as essential are long defunct Champaign, Illinois band The Vertebrats, who in its 1979-82 lifespan made a raw, but lovable noise that echoed the worthier aspects of power-pop, while presaging the Replacements school of punk-inflected confessionalism. The 'brats' underappreciated legacy is nicely preserved on a pair of low-fi, high energy 22-track CDs; the studio collection A Thousand Day Dream and the mostly live Continuous Shows." -Pulse, Tower Records .