At the Speed of Twisted Thought...

Of the many reissues and career overviews of seminal yet fairly obscure first-wave hardcore punk bands released in the early 2000s, perhaps the most interesting of the lot is Touch & Go's Fix retrospective, AT THE SPEED OF TWISTED THOUGHT. The Detroit quartet called it quits in 1982 after releasing a mere two seven-inches, just as the scene was gaining an identity. While there's a tendency amongst the music cognoscenti to overstate the fleeting impact of short-lived, esoteric bands, the 24 tracks here (made up of the two singles and several live tracks) prove the absolute necessity of this excellent reissue. As brutally forceful and immediate as any classic hardcore act before or after them, what makes the Fix stand out is a stunning musicianship and cohesiveness nearly unheard of in the movement. In the case of the Fix, one should certainly believe the hype.