Though their base of Hagerstown, MD, put them off the map of most media that track even emerging alternative bands, the Left made an EP and an LP of near-hardcore punk in the mid-'80s that attracted some critical attention before breaking up. A little more flexible in their rhythms, influences, and melodies than the standard punk-hardcore band of the era, the Left nevertheless fit more or less within that genre with their wiry, speedy, fuzzy songs, sarcastic angry lyrics, and surly vocals. They did reunite to record a few tracks in 1992 with a slightly altered lineup. But those efforts remained unreleased until the 2006 CD compilation Jesus Loves the Left: The Complete Studio Recordings, which included everything from their 1984 EP It's the World and 1985 LP Last Train to Hagerstown, as well as a track used on a 1983 compilation. ~ Richie Unterberger