The Clean said it itself on one of its early songs: “Anything Can Happen.” When David and Hamish Kilgour and Robert Scott convene, you might get songs so glorious they can change cultures (in the ’80s, the Clean kicked New Zealand’s underground music scene above ground) or you might get off-handed instrumental scraps. 2001’s Getaway is the first of just two albums that the Clean have recorded in the 21st century, and rather than rehash the glory days, it finds the band experimenting with splendidly Stones-y psychedelia, computer remixes and the aforementioned instrumental scraps. It benefits greatly from the sonic clean-up that it’s received in preparation for its first vinyl pressing. Even better, the bonus CD that comes with both formats compiles the contents of a pair of tour-only live albums that mixed incendiary versions of (then) new and old favorites with highly successful experiments. If you don’t yet know the Clean, pick up Anthology and thank me in the morning. But if you do and you don’t have Getaway, there’s never been a better time to get it.
—Bill Meyer
