The Ruts were just one of the host of second division punk bands around at the end of the 1970s, who churned out a couple of decent singles, but didn't really catch the public's awareness, nor the adoration of the music press.
I picked this up in a sale a few years ago, and haven't listened to it much.
Released as a 'Virgin Choice Cut', this compilation has little or no information on the label, apart from a track listing, but it seems to consist of their debut single In A Rut and its B side, the whole of their debut album, The Crack, and three tracks (two of them singles) from the second album Grin And Bear It.
In A Rut shows promise, and you can see why Virgin signed the band, not really fully developed, as does the anti heroin song H Eyes (ironically within 18 months singer Malcolm Owen would be dead from a heroin overdose).
The first album opens with Babylon's Burning, still sounding exciting and powerful decades later, then Dope For Guns, SUS, both listenable without making an impression, unlike hit single Something That I Said, a great pop song. You're Just A... follows, lively and toe-tapping, before It Was Cold, a slower, much longer song, powerfully compelling and a great listen, and Savage Circle confirms that there's more to The Ruts than a three chord punk thrash. Jah War is another lengthy piece about the 1979 Southall riots, no better or worse than many punk bands' reggae attempts (see also The Members). There's a series of shorter, louder songs next, Criminal Mind and Out Of Order working best in impact and brevity, the album section ending with the live Human Punk, plenty of swearing and anger as the band plod through a leaden crown pleaser.
This compilation ends with the enjoyable single, Staring At The Rude Boys, the tedious reggae number Love In Vain, and the greatly underrated single West One, released after the band had peaked.
I'd expected this to be the couple of singles that I'd already heard, with lots of filler, and was pleasantly surprised that there was more to The Ruts that a couple of lucky hits.
3* - a good compilation, showing there was more to The Ruts than I'd thought.
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