12XU US Schallplatten & CDs

Review: New York punks Love Child first burst onto the early 90s scene in the same aeonic breath as Pavement, Sebadoh and Beat Happening. But despite the ignition and hype, their debut seven-inch and subsequent releases have remained long out of print until now. Never Meant to Be: 1988-1993 pulls from these releases and some unreleased radio sessions, unearthing a trove of lost gems by the quadrangle of Will Baum, Alan Licht, Rebecca Odes and Brendad O'Malley. The former obscurity is undeserved and the reissue deserved, as the climaxes on this record - from the garbly top-reg guitar solo on 'Know Its Alright' to the tape-warblings of 'Sofa' (through and despite which we can still make out its humourous lyrics) - are full of forceful punk rapace.