Various: The Locals Soundtrack and Speed of Sound

Reviewed by RUSSELL BAILLIE

Here are two state-of-the rock nation collections which share some participants in Betchadupa, Pan Am and the D4.

The Locals Soundtrack comes complete with fanboy liner notes from director Greg Page as to why he chose particular tracks for his horror flick — including an admission that the film was a chance to get his own band Rumpus Room on CD (though their Head Down isn't exactly the most memorable offering here).

Also included are previously un-released numbers from Elemeno P (Christmas), Stellar (We Go Out), with the balance swinging between metal variations (8 Foot Sativa's gruesome Believer, Blindspott's Nil My Mouth), rock'n'roll (The Datsuns' Lady; The D4's Party) and tuneful tracks from Pan Am and Betchadupa.

Speed of Sound is a roster round-up from the Nunnery which ranges from label veterans Chris Knox (the devotional My Only Friend), the Clean (Stars), and Graeme Downes (Sunday Kickaround) through to new signings the Mint Chicks and offshore additions Gerling and Alaska. That's quite an inter-generational variety show but it still feels less a showcase, more an album that a music-smart mate burned off for you over a weekend.

Various: The Locals Soundtrack
(Herald rating: * * * )

Various:Speed of Sound — a Flying Nun Compilation
(Herald rating: * * * * )

Label: both FMR