Compilations in general tend to suck-- punk compilations even more so. To make up for it, record labels have started selling them new for less than $5. After all, they're advertising their roster. You're just doing the label a favor if you listen to what they've got to offer.

That's usually the case, anyway. On Magnetic Curses, Thick Records has stitched together 26 tracks from unrelated bands on different labels; the only discernable pretext is that the bands share Chicago zip codes. Compiler Billy Spunke stretches that pretext pretty thin; the Mekons-- who can claim three or four U.S. cities as their surrogate hometown-- donate yet another recording of "Where Were You," a track that dates from 1978.

Magnetic Curses opens with some decent punk-- the regrettably named acts Bitchy and Muchacha deliver alternately hardcore and pop-punk better than most. Then it's suck time, as genius bands like Alkaline Trio and the Bomb offering duh-duh punk gems like "Can Jeannie Come Out Tonight." Horns? Sure! It's the Blue Meanies, who, y'know, might not be so bad if they got rid of the horns. But if we got rid of the horns, what would we talk about? The riveting choruses? Hmm...

Laughably bad band names like Gaza Strippers, Lynyrd's Innards, and Sidekick Kato should make obvious the sort of half-assed, underdeveloped Screeching Weasel imitation offered on Magnetic Curses. It's broken up by a handful of contextually interesting cuts, but overall, it's not even worth its matinee price.

-Chris Ott