There’re so many unheralded punk nuggets floating around the world that it really has become impossible to track each and everyone down. And oddly enough, it’s taken a Japanese label to ingratiate listeners to the sounds of F.U.2.

1977 Records appears focused on re-releasing a great deal of scum punk in order to perhaps re-tell part of history – the awful, forgotten part. And for this particular release, the label’s not only re-told some of it, but explained a bit of it as well.

Beginning in the early ‘60s a huge crop of Brit Beat combos popped up. Amongst them were some folks from Twickenham who made up the Downliners Sect. They didn’t possess the ability to over take the Stones, the Beatles or even the Who, but they did churn out a few solid discs of pseudo-American rock music. The Downliners’ weren’t ahead of their time, they were of the moment. And even beyond that, it’s pretty clear that they were not on the same level musically as any of the other Brit groups who would be exported to the states.

After those few albums, the band disintegrated, but for reasons unknown got back together, in part to capitalize on punk and its momentary commercial viability. It seems like an odd move, but if you take a look at MTV or any other media outlet, the trailings of punk culture can be seen on almost ever shoulder of the new rock cognoscenti. It’s a bit disconcerting, but true.

Regardless of that though, F.U.2. compiled lyrics, basic tunes and hit the studios. Some of the lyrics, if only read, come off as trite and even as a misrepresentation of a group that was at least ten years older than every one else playing punk in late seventies’ Britannia. But it’s also the same reason that F.U.2. was better than most of ‘em as well.

The inclusion of the Paul Tone’s harmonica easily sets this set of tracks apart from everything else that was recorded during this period. And even if Art Less’ vocals could be imagined to have sprung from another source, the band’s RnB background served them well. Every basic tenet of the Downliners Sect is easily applicable to the music here. It’s just way faster. And since this group is barely accounted for in the annals of punk, below you, avid reader, can find some close approximations of their sound.