AMG Review of Thank You Very Little

Mike DaRonco
All Music Guide

This compilation should've never happened. After breaking up for the second time, Screeching Weasel could've easily walked away, content with their legendary legacy of bad-tempered, Ramones-style punk. Unfortunately, Ben Weasel probably needed to make another house payment. So, upon their third re-formation (and another handful of albums), an entire catalog of unreleased material was gathered and saved specifically for this occasion.

Thank You Very Little collects a number of second-rate demo tracks and warped live versions of songs that are found in better condition on their eight previous albums. The opening track, "I Hate Old People," is unintentionally hysterical, thanks to its exaggerated toughness and middle-school lyrics. Not all the songs here are bad, though -- over half the collection consists of the angst-ridden pop-punk that Screeching Weasel were known for. But the ironic fact that the best moments on Thank You Very Little can be heard elsewhere classifies this compilation as a package for dedicated fans only.