The van accident that claimed the lives of three of the Exploding Hearts was tragic on many levels; musically, it wiped out the future of possibly the best punk band since 1977. They were one of the few bands to transcend their obvious influences (the Clash, Johnny Thunders, the Only Ones, the Real Kids to name a few) and come up with something worthy of being rated right alongside the originators of the sound. Their album Guitar Romantic is simply thrilling from beginning to end and the thought that there will never be a follow-up leaves a huge hole in the hearts of their fans. Luckily, Dirtnap realized this and put together Shattered, a wonderful and melancholy collection of rare single tracks, unreleased songs, their original demo form 2001, and alternate versions of tracks from Guitar Romantic. Taken together it is compelling proof that liner note author Fred Landeen might not be far off when he calls them “the best band in the country.” The exciting and raw demo tracks (including “Busy Signals” and a slower version of “Modern Kicks,” which were released as the band’s first single on Pelado) show why they got a record deal in the first place. The outtakes from Guitar Romantic are looser than the finished versions but they serve as reminders as to how excellent the album is. Especially great are “I’m a Pretender” and “Throwaway Style,” two of the finest pop-punk songs ever to reach vinyl. The songs recorded at a summer 2002 session show no drop-off in quality; apart from a throwaway cover of the FU2′s tune “Sniffin’ Glue,” the four songs they laid down may be their best. Two of them, the very bratty “(Making) Teenage Faces” and “Your Shadow,” ended up on a single for Vinyl Warning, the other two were slated for release of Dirtnap Across the Northwest but only “Sniffin’ Glue” saw the light of day until now. “Shattered (You Left Me”) and “We Don’t Have to Worry Anymore” would have been an amazing single, yet both tracks are stunning examples of how perfect the right mixture of pop hooks and punk attitude can sound. It’s hard not to be devastated at the shattered lives and lost promise on display here, but ultimately the music pulls you through. The Exploding Hearts were about the joyous expression of youth and the power of music, and this record will have you smiling and singing along through the tears. Hey Fred, how about best band in the world? – Tim Sendra