Sunday's Worst Enemy

Now that Americans' faddish fascination with the Wannadies, the Cardigans, and others has faded, all the Scandinavian bands gave up guitars and went back to being waiters and CD store clerks, right? It may seem that way from the return to U.S. media silence — on to other playthings, as usual — but Sweden in particular continues to be a hornets' nest of loud and roaring rock & roll. Starmarket might be the most ferocious of all, judging from this 1997 reissue on top of the fearsome foursome's smackin' recent LP Calendar (also released in the U.S. via Deep Elm). The production is immense and teeth-rattling; the guitars, bass, and drums blast at full-throttle as though ear damage is a good thing; and the double-tracked, throaty, frantic choruses are primed for eruption. Comparisons to modern emo groups such as Promise Ring and Jimmy Eat World are more misleading than helpful; if anything, this far more headlong and desperate rush is more rooted in the more pulverizing mid-'80s Washington, D.C./Dischord mature punk/indie/emo slam to the gut, only even better recorded. Seriously, if you're going to adhere to a ten- to 15-year-old form, you better bring the goods, and Starmarket is hotter than August in Belize. Woah! (16 Raleigh Ln., Wayne, NJ 07470; alan@popkid.com)