Testors Prime Primitive 1976-1977 LP
In the conversation that’s dominated by references to the RAMONES and the NEW YORK DOLLS, TESTORS deserve a louder mention, and this release helps raise the volume for Sonny Vincent and co.’s pioneering old school efforts. The A-side presents nine of the band’s lightning-in-a-bottle studio cuts from 1976–77, newly remastered for this release, while the flip contains a careful curation of live performances showcasing lesser-known songs that add further dimension to the legacy. While revisiting this material, I’m struck by just how fast they played in this era—the B-side opener “Awmaw” sounds like a STOOGES song cranked up to 78 RPM. Though it was never in doubt, TESTORS’ status as top-tier O.G. punk visionaries is triumphantly reconfirmed, in a cool collector’s package complete with poster inserts and silver-foil jacket, no less.