While most people who weren't there will never perceive of it as a Golden Age of Pop Music (and I'm not sayin' it was either), it will nevertheless take years to track down all of the worthwhile stuff that came out of the "college rock" explosion that started when REM, Burma, The Replacements, The Dream Syndicate, etc. etc. inspired kids around the country to pick up guitars. Of the hundreds of bands that sprung up, there were plenty who were never able to secure significant distribution for their records. There were even more that never had the wherewithal to press up vinyl in the first place. Their legends survive on well-worn cassette tape stored in boxes in closets or in the memories of middle-aging former scenesters. (Here in my neighborhood there were some pretty damned terrific outfits like the Moving Van Goghs and Klyde Konnor who recorded minor masterpieces that exist only on cassette.)

The Keepers, from Boston by way of my wife's college town of Oxford, Ohio, are just another story of "Local Band Makes Beer Money, Not Much More" (the liners have all of the whys and wherefores of their lack of success), but fortunately Chuck Warner has issued this CD which compiles live stuff, radio tapes, and demos (as well as four tracks from an early vinyl release), that we might have a chance to hear an exceptional band that would have sounded great on a bill with the Dangtrippers or Wishniaks. And yeah, I think that's worth preserving.

Trivia: Band member Craig Stevens was the brother of the Cavedogs' Brian. Figures.

Band members: Do you know where the master tapes of your old band are? Maybe you should check on that.