ACE / UK / RE 2023
This album was originally released by Ace back in 1981 and pulled together the classic singles that the band had waxed for the label like ‘Love Song’, ‘Smash It Up’ (Parts 1 and 2)’, ‘I just Can’t Be Happy Today’, ‘History Of The World’, ‘Hit Or Miss’, their Christmas single ‘There Ain’t No Sanity Clause’ and ‘Wait For The Blackout’. Not only are these now seen as gold standard Damned tracks but also map out a musical development when at Ace where they moved from their punk roots to crafting melodic pop songs that also took them into the charts. Better still, when originally pressed up in 1981 the album cannily also included those earlier classics punk classics ‘New Rose’ and ‘Neat Neat Neat’. There even Captain Sensible and the Softies version of Jet Boy, Jet Girl that appeared on the flip of ‘Wait For The Blackout’ in 1982.