The Mercury Albums Anthology

iTunes Review

The original lineup of the Runaways existed for less than two years, but the three albums they released together remain one of the best hard-rock trilogies of the ‘70s. The Mercury Records Anthology collects those three LPs (1976’s The Runaways and 1977’s Queens of Noise and Live In Japan) and adds the band’s first album after Cherie Curie’s departure as vocalist (Waitin’ for the Night, also 1977). The Runaways combined the sass of glam, the anger of punk, and the danceability of pure pop music. The combination made for some timeless anthems of teenage rock ’n’ roll, among them “Cherry Bomb,” “Queens of Noise” and “California Paradise.” Even the lesser tracks are glorious, driven by blasts of livewire guitar and Sandy West’s tribal drumming. Live In Japan is the band’s peak, and shows them delivering their slumber-party heavy metal to an auditorium full of manic Japanese fans. Waitin’ for the Night (the last 10 tracks here) shows things just weren’t the same after Curie’s departure. “Little Sister” and “Gotta Get Out Tonight” display Joan Jett’s development as a singer and songwriter, but the band wasn’t as powerful as a four-piece.