Nevermore. The Definitive Anthology

“I think it’s fair to say that, on reflection, and more than any other group on the scene at that time, San Diego’s the Tell-Tale Hearts perfected a truly combustible and dynamic blend of R&B and garage punk with such verve and authentication that all competitors were rendered pointless. They learned from the original masters as well as those elements drawn from the best of the British beat era and to this they added a shedload of U.S. style teen / garage punk plus a large quantity of European influences; most notably some ultra-cool groups that emanated from the sixties scene in the Netherlands.

All of this is what makes them so special, and would culminate in a cauldron of delights with, at the forefront, a clutch of unbeatable songs played out in the group’s own individual and collective style, with an ever-present and quite remarkable compository approach — melody, rhythm, harmony, rave-ups, screams, dynamics galore — and over and above just the sheer sartorial class of this gang.

Although I was thousands of miles away and the ‘Hearts never did cross the pond to Europe or the U.K. (never mind Scotland ha) those who witnessed their live gigs told of a powerful, authentic example of what raw rock’n’roll should be!

Lenny Helsing (Shindig! / It’s Psychedelic Baby)”