Razor Blades & Aspirin: 1990-1993

Cult act Leatherface are a melodious U.K. punk band with soul-searching lyrics, and while that may sound just like the Stranglers, this late crew launched in 1988 with much more of a buzzsaw guitar and Husker Du-like compression in its mix. Besides that, leader Frankie Stubbs is a growling, gruff singer with power to spare, coming from the Bob Mould or Jake Burns school with the same solid hold over his audience. Stubbs has been the band's only constant, and his use of the Leatherface name has certainly slowed since 2010, but the Razor Blades and Aspirin set focuses on the band's early days, covering the years 1990-1993 when they were signed to the Roughneck Recording Company. Three albums are featured in their entirety, beginning with the sophomore and short Fill Your Boots, which includes the box set's great title cut. The classic album Mush and the difficult, but fantastic, breakup album Minx are also here, along with numerous bonus tracks from various EPs and singles. Writer Jack Rabid adds informative and interesting liner notes, and with all these out of print greats put together in one compact package, Razor Blades and Aspirin ends up being just what the (obscure punk aficionado) doctor ordered. ~ David Jeffries|