Rocket From The Tombs

At first it's hard to believe this unexpected and absolutely essential document of one of the most important bands to come out of the seminal early '70s Cleveland scene even exists. For years Rocket From the Tombs was a sole, impossible-to-find 45 RPM single and writings by people like Lester Bangs. So to be able to hear original singer (and future Pere Ubu guy) David Thomas on versions of "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo" and "Never Gonna Kill Myself Again" and an inexplicable cover of "Foggy Notion" (where'd they hear it the first place?) is beyond cool. Also, there are no bad songs.

David Thomas and Peter Laughner rehearse and play out, rude and alive respectively ("Raw Power," "Never Gonna Kill Myself Again") (Grade - ***)