AMG Review of Gaol Ferry Bridge

Jason Ankeny
All Music Guide

Sometimes the sheer scope and brilliance of a label's output becomes truly obvious only after its singles are stacked side by side on a compilation LP -- the music somehow becomes even greater than the sum of its parts, revealing quirks, nuances and intricacies that are otherwise hidden below the surface. While Sarah Records issued only 7" vinyl singles during its infancy, it's now impossible to assess the label's legacy without factoring digital-era collections like Gaol Ferry Bridge into the equation. Both the uniform melodicism and the subtle gradations of Sarah's lovelorn, bookish guitar pop assumed real shape and mass in compilation form, and what was lost in sacrificing the aesthetic pleasures of the 7" format are balanced out by the luxury of hearing these singles sequenced one after another -- a should-have-been-hit parade, if you will. Highlights this time out include East River Pipe's "Helmet On," the Sugargliders' "Reinventing Penicillin" and Heavenly's immortal "P.U.N.K. Girl."