THE FAIR SEX THE DARK AGES DOUBLE COMPILATION ALBUM VAN RICHTER RELEASE: MAY 10, 2005 REVIEW: MAY 27, 2005

Once more Myk Jung has delved into the past with yet another retrospective of The Fair Sex's early years. This release covers the same time span as the previously available "Thin Walls" comps but it expands on them quite a bit. Several tracks from each of their out of print albums "The House of Unkinds", "Demented Forms", "Oddities" and "Bite Release Bite" are presented here. The 1990 version of "Bushman" rears its vicious head on "The Dark Ages". Thank god they finally put this song out again. It's a cracking example of Myk and his boys in perfect form.
Some of these works are unique in that their original drummer A. Bang is featured. His untimely death on stage with the band in 1989 was unfortunate. The Fair Sex elected not to ever replace him, soldiering on with a drum machine to this day. What gets me is that by virtue of putting all of these excellent tracks together, Jung has raised the bar on himself. "Fine, We Are Alive" was not exactly what I'd call their finest hour, nor was the Nice Gods Bleed project. Don't even bother asking about Testify.
I really do hope that The Fair Sex somehow are able to get back on their feet after releasing so many of their best songs over the course of the last couple of years. Perhaps at some point, the entire albums will be re-released completely as it seems silly to keep doing collections of this era when it's obvious that this group is in possession of some highly sought-after works.

PETER MARKS