VA - Flattery - A Tribute to Radio Birdman Vol. 1

This is the first of three volumes from the "Flattery - A Tribute to Radio Birdman" compilation series. Conceived in 1974, Radio Birdman were one of the first punk groups to form in Australia. Despite releasing only only one full length album and one EP before their breakup in 1978, they eventually gained a cult following, and their name has since become synonymous with Aussie rock. They have influenced a countless number of successful bands, All six members would go on to join other successful bands, including The Hitmen, The New Christs, The Visitors, and New Race. The group briefly reunited in 1996 for a small number of tours, and even released a new album, 'Zeno Beach', in 2006. The reunited Birdman called it quits once again in May of 2008, as lead-singer Rob Younger returned to work with the latest incarnation of The New Christs.

All Music Guide Review:
"The problem with tribute albums is that they usually only hint at the original artists' skill and majesty (if you could call it that) without coming close to the quality of the originals. One is usually left with a mixed bag of decent and not-so-decent tunes, some of which cannot stand alone without the memory of the original. Some songs are hampered since the originals are perfect as is, suggesting the futility of tribute albums. Really, how is one going to improve on tracks by an artist deemed great enough to warrant a tribute album? Flattery tries a different track, acting as both a compilation as well as a tribute album. Hearing different versions of one's favorite Radio Birdman tunes is the hook that gets one curious enough to take a listen, and is perhaps rewarded in finding out about a new band worth investigating. Often, one winds up deeming the quality of the songs by whether one agrees with the new version of it. The tracks on Flattery are hit-and-miss, with the high spots being the submitted tracks by the Hellacopters, the Dead City Rebels, and Hellenic Zeal. Hellenic Zeal is the only band to include a vaguely farfisa sounding organ to accompany their crunchy version of "455 SD"; only two other bands offer weak piano sounds. The low points include the Quadrajets hyperspeed "Man With the Golden Helmet" and the vocals of Larry May of the Candy Snatchers on "Murder City Nights." The Boyettes track stands out as being the only female band, while the rest of the tracks fall into the category as reviving pleasant memories, but not really adding to them. If you have the original Birdman albums, then this is worth a spin. Otherwise, proceed with all speed to find a vinyl copy of either Radios Appear or the Burn My Eye EP." ~ Jeremy Salmon, All Music Guide

Year of Release: 1999
Label: Nomad
Genre: Garage, Punk, Garage Punk
Bitrate: 192kbps

Track List:
1. Hellride - Non Stop Girls
2. The Candy Snatchers - Murder City Nights
3. The Hellacopters - Time To Fall
4. A-Bombs - Crying Sun
5. Sheek the Shayk - Love Kills
6. Bon Fuhrer - New Race
7. The Dead City Rebels
8. Red Shift - Hit Them Again
9. Hellenic Zeal - 455 Sd
10. The Crums - Hand of Law
11. The Boyetts - Didn't Tell The Man
12. The Quadrajets - Man With Golden Helmet
13. Adam West - Burned My Eye
14. The Powder Monkeys - Smith & Wesson Blues
15. The Onyas - Snake

Download: Flattery - A Tribute to Radio Birdman Vol. 1
Download Size: 57MB