Drowned and Dragged - EP

A much, much improved effort from these SST elder statesmen. While still not of the super caliber of their first two LPs in 1983-1986 (1986's Kill Tunes is an early-Saints-like classic!!!), with the return of well-missed Eric Stringer on bass, leader James "Falling James" Moreland moves the band back to the territory they were last effective with four LPs ago, the sort of trashy but boppy rock & roll that characterized the strong F**k and Transportational D. Vices before the turn of the decade (hell, even Sam Merrick returns to guitar on a track, in addition to regular player Bobby Belltower). "She'll Be Crushed" is easily their best, most instantly sharp song since F**k's "How Will I Explode," and "Die" and "We Don't Like You" aren't far behind in rockin' sus either, a cross between the 1979-1980 Weirdos post-punk EPs and the sort that so many are digging with the more up-tempo Guided by Voices, only more from a punk and garage background than pop and British Invasion. This unfortunately brief five-songer is a genuine pleasure, a big, pleasant surprise from what was once one of America's finest groups, seemingly reclaiming past glory.