The Long Ryders were one of the finest retro/roots bands to emerge from the U.S. in the 1980s. Their recorded legacy on Island and Frontier easily bears this out. When the Ryders disbanded in 1988, they left behind miles (well, at least hundreds of yards) of unreleased tapes. This release, a fan-club-only compilation, illustrates the band's power and diversity, especially on cover tunes like "What Goes On" and "I Shall Be Released." The whole affair has been lovingly and intelligently put together, and is a nice tribute to one of the finest bands of the decade. ~ Matthew Greenwald