I don't know if the compiler feels the same way, but this collection is brilliant. And the best part is that it was free with the purchase of a British music magazine which I've long since jettisoned.
What do I love about this compilation? It just caught me at the right time. It was pretty much my first foray into the garage/psych scene, which is not something that should be taken lightly. It can be easy to get sucked into a compilation so obscure that the listener walks away confused. On the other hand, you don't want to be stuck at a Time-Life 1960's series compilation level, trying to pick your way through Motown and other movements to find the garage songs. Finally (on neither hand, I suppose) you want a compilation of the actual era, not all derivatives, though a few tastefully chosen cuts of those so influenced by the movement is probably fine.
With all of that in mind, here's the three-pronged approach to this compilation: (1) essential garage tracks, (2) a few bands/songs clearly influenced by the garage scene, and (3) enough obscure track to make you want to keep digging. Falling into section 1: The Electric Prunes, The Sonics, Love, The Count Five, The Wailers, Paul Revere & the Raiders, and The Amboy Dukes. Section 2 would include: the MC5, The New York Dolls, The Modern Lovers, and The Ramones. These eleven artists help guide the listener to sixteen other tracks firmly in the lower tiers of the garage scene. Since there is a lot to choose from at this level, plus the compilation is essentially a marketing tool for other comps, a lot of the tracks feature lesser-known artists from the Pacific Northwest scene, which is probably one of the finest local scenes to explore. Another neat surprise is an incredibly lo-fi recording by Iggy Pop's old band The Iguanas.
One track stands alone, which is the Kinks' sendup of "Milk Cow Blues". I don't really consider the Kinks themselves to have been a garage band, but their influence is undeniable.
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