Anthology 1979-1983

For all of those curious but understandably tentative music lovers awaiting the arrival of an affordable single-disc collection summarizing the oftentimes confusing career of industrial music pioneers Chrome, Cleopatra Records' Anthology 1979-1983 offers an excellent, and pretty close to definitive, cross section of highlights from the San Francisco originals' short-lived but uniquely inspired career. Focusing on the "glory years" of the volatile Damon Edge/Helios Creed partnership, this release compiles 18 influential and revelatory tracks from Chrome's various albums, 12" and 7" singles, and even such rarities as the three tracks originally contributed to the legendary Subterranean Modern compilation ("Anti-Fade," "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," and "Meet You in the Subway"). Of course, completist-minded fans may object to the exclusion of any material dating from before Creed's arrival (essentially Chrome's recognizably formative 1977 debut album, The Visitation), but then they'd have a hard time disputing this collection's similar dismissal of anything recorded by the various splinter incarnations of Chrome that were active post-1983. And since Anthology 1979-1983 is meant to be a focused encapsulation aimed at new converts rather than a broad overview for devout fanatics, the above argument is most likely rendered moot on arrival. And for the former group of Chrome neophytes, this set is as recommended a starting point as they come.