The Mekons - Heaven and Hell: The Very Best of the Mekons [2CD Set] (2004)

Heaven & Hell is a wonderful 2 CD set of their most crucial moments...from their early lo-fi noise to their current status as avant-country rockers. This set includes many rare and previously out-of-print songs, as well as the music video for "Ghosts Of American Astronauts."

More than any band that came out of late-'70s England, the Mekons have perhaps the most devoted fans of any band connected to punk rock. They were witnesses to the birth...and while most bands who saw the start of punk have long since vanished, the Mekons still push the envelope...and not as some half-hearted attempt to recreate past glories. After nearly 30 years together, this band has produced some of the best rock & roll on the planet; be it rock-noise, synth-driven pop, guitar rave-ups, or post-modern country & western, the Mekons have done it all and done it with style, grace, and a ribald sense of humor. They have continually reinvented themselves: sodden country band, wiseass folk-rock band, cranked-up guitar band, trouble-making punk band. Whatever the scenario, what has remained consistent throughout the Mekons' existence has been great, great music.