¡Demolición!: The Complete Recordings

Los Saicos (pronounced "psychos") were a raucous garage band from Lima, Peru who released six 45s between 1965 and 1966. "Demolición," the title track from this compilation of their entire recorded output, was their cult hit, their "Psychotic Reaction," their "96 Tears." It's been covered by Café Tacvba, among other groups, in the years since, and in South America it's a classic. Los Saicos were astonishingly aggressive and primitive, even by the standards of garage rock; this stuff belongs next to the output of modern-day labels like Estrus more than it would have fit in on a Nuggets compilation. They recorded love songs ("Ana," "Te Amo"), but their rave-ups, with bordering-on-hostile titles like "Intensamente," "Fugitivo de Alcatraz," and "Salvaje," will really thrill listeners. The guitars sound like nothing so much as fountains of sparks, the drums have a tribal post-surf throb, and the vocals are positively unhinged, going beyond even the limits probed by Gerry Roslie of the Sonics. Even when they were crooning promises of love, they sounded like gang members. These guys were a punk rock band, even if nobody outside Lima knew it at the time, and the 12 tracks on this compilation will make the hair on any rock & roll fan's neck, arms, and other body parts stand on end. ~ Phil Freeman