If
Nuggets
represents the very best of American garage punk and pop from the '60s, and the
Pebbles
series is a step down from that, then this album is another couple of steps further down the ladder of accomplishment. Beginning with a
"Wipe Out"
rip-off and ending with a version of
"Louie Louie,"
this set, lovingly compiled and annotated by
Erik Lindgren
, is amateur night from start to finish. We get lots of songs about dances, inviting us to do things like
"The Jelly Belly,"
"The Rat Fink,"
"The Log"
and
"The Ostrich"
(that last an early, and terrible,
Lou Reed
recording), along with weirdness, silliness and assorted covers. There is good fun to be had here, though, if you get into the album's party spirit. The TV theme song
"Kiddie a Go Go"
is especially winning, and a lot of the rest has an uncomplicated energy and innocence that can be charming. ~ Stephen Raiteri