Aliens In Our Midst: Complete Recordings 1977-80

The legend of The Twinkeyz, such that it is, rests on the title song of this compilation – their debut single, it’s known not only for its perfect rendering of thunking, slap-happy garage pop, but the sly queerness in its lyrics. It’s a truly great song, but The Twinkeyz had much more in their back pocket, so to speak. Based in Sacramento, The Twinkeyz were at several removes from the punk and post-punk action of their times, and while they were known at the time, in a limited fashion, there was something outsider about them. It’s the way their songs always threatened to dissolve into chaos; the beautiful smear of distorted, echoplex guitar and squelching electronics derails their garage rock dreaming in perfect ways. Simple and surreal. And the remixed versions of material from their Alpha Jerk album turn a missed opportunity into a total gas.