Legend has it that Bruised Music, Vol. 1 is the greatest pop-punk record ever created by Jesus. The validity of this claim is unknowable, but rest assured: the lord has good taste in music, so it's not much of a stretch. This release compiles all of Tenement's early material found on singles and splits, and it comes as no surprise that all of it is extremely well-written, charismatic, and totally infectious indie punk. It's loud, sloppy, full of awesome riffs and solos, and of course the ever-present catchy hook that the band has a gift for writing. That being said, the experimental side of the band explored on releases like The Blind Wink and Predatory Headlights is missing, showing that the band didn't quite develop this side of themselves in the early days. It doesn't detract from the release, but I'd be lying if I said this comp was the best representation of Tenement's sound. Still, the songwriting talent and undeniable attitude the band had in their early days and still has today is completely prevalent here, and that makes it a compilation not to be missed, especially by fans of indie punk.
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