Pigbag, Vol. 1 (Singles & Bsides)

Given its title, one can only assume that Fire Records is planning a second volume in its reissuing of Brit postpunk unit Pigbag. This first entry includes two discs. The first, comprised of ten tracks, features the A-sides of the three singles that predated the release of its debut LP: the hit (twice released, and it reached number 2), "Papa's Got a Brand New Pigbag," "Sunny Day," and "Getting Up." None of these tunes made it onto Dr. Heckle and Mr. Jive — also included on this disc. The second CD in the package is devoted to 12-inch versions of the singles, some live tracks, remixes and the more free-form and shambolic B-sides of the original 45s. This second disc, in some ways, feels unnecessary. Critics at the time charged that Pigbag was able to successfuly wed different global musics, avant-funk and jazz, its inclinations to be a jam band superceding most of its efforts to focus deeply enough to get past simple unimaginative vamps with freeform blowing over the top (thus failing to get the rest of their music across to a wider audience). Decades after the initial release of this material, it feels the critical opinion is validated.