Supersuckers

With their gaudy celebration of rock & roll and all of its sins, the Supersuckers never quite fit into the Sub Pop roster -- they were always a bit too gonzo, a bit too rowdy compared to the grunge that was Sub Pop's stock-in-trade before they signed the suckers, or to the indie fuzz-pop that ruled the label during their tenure there. Their closest compatriots were the Reverend Horton Heat or Mudhoney, who had left the indie for Reprise Records. Still, the Supersuckers persevered, cranking out three LPs for the label, along with handful of EP and singles. As it turned out, they were one of the more reliable artists in the second wave of Sub Pop, as the compilation How the Supersuckers Became the Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World proves. The first half of this 27-track compilation, entitled The Greats, is devoted to highlights from their records, and it's a tight, stellar 14 tracks. The rest, entitled The Gravy, is a collection of rarities, B-sides, and miscellany that often lives up to the music that precedes it (after all, it's a blast to hear them bash out covers of "Before They Make Me Run" and "Bloody Mary Morning"). So, it's the kind of compilation that plays equally well to both the hardcore (who will want the rarities) and the casual fan, who will find this to be the best record in the group's catalog. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide