The 3Ds

Despite not being the best known of the Dunedin bands, the 3Ds were very influential to the likes of Pavement and Superchunk before finally disappearing from view in the mid-'90s. And like so many unheralded bands of the time, their albums have been out-of-print for quite a while, but that's no longer the case, thanks to the return of Flying Nun Records, who has also found some additional material hidden away in the vaults. Early Recordings 1989-90 is exactly what it states on the cover. It collects together their first two EPs ― Fish Tails and Swarthy Songs For Swabs ― and adds seven previously unreleased demos to make for a very satisfying compilation. The demos are very rough, but still show a group that had a very good idea of where they wanted to go once they made it into the studio. It isn't until the second EP that everything fell into place, with tracks like "Grimace" and "Meluzina Man." They make it very clear why the 3Ds were held in such high regard ― their ability to find just the right balance between noise and melody was second to none and still sounds remarkably fresh after all this time.