Preschool

Released in concert with their first new studio recording in years (Another Case of Brewtality), this collection of classic old-school Gang Green numbers appeared on the band's longtime indie label, Tang!, in 1997. While Chris Doherty (vocals and guitars) leads the group (including bassist Bill Manley and drummer Mike Dean) through a myriad of blisteringly fast and mercifully short punk gems ("Lie Lie," "Kill a Commie"), the interesting and rare mid-tempo numbers ("Sold Out," "Don't Know") stand out with their more pointed — or maybe just understandable — lyrics and overall listenability. Doherty's throat-splitting vocal delivery matches the greatest punk wailers with its intensity and abandon, while the "singer" lays down some seriously quick guitar work, actually displaying a reasonable amount of technical facility on his instrument. All this can be said for just about any Gang Green disc, so even while there are more than a few nice moments on Preschool, it's not an important entry in the band's oeuvre and should be valued as such by fans looking to begin or expand their punk collection.