The Krayolas "Savage Young Krayolas"

 (Box/Saustex, 2020) I only have a glancing familiarity with these four decade-strong Lone Star local legends, but I always fugured Texas is pretty fucking big, so I never write off bands from there...they could be monumental without me knowing jack about them. According to the boss beats on this archival release, this band was monumentally talented. Broken up into two parts, the first collects recordings that should have been released as the meat of a 1980 album that would have put them on one of those maps that features 49 other states. These are gorgeous rocking power-ish pop New Wave recordings by a band that apparently at the time wore space suits (I do not know the full legend, but my picture of the young act had them in Beatles get ups).  The most punky/rockabilly song of the set is called "Roadrunner"(no relation) and is a highlight of the "album," and a boss,slinky Kinks cover lets you know what kind of covers band they were (as they tried to sneak their originals into the set). The rest of this release features an eclectic collection of pristinely recorded diverse songs they did in the late 70s.  "Gator Gator" is a 60s-ish party pop tune with B52s-style vocals and Tex-Mex seasoning.  "All I Do Is Try" is a full on Fabs-clone shoulda-been hit that would make Dave Edmonds jealous. "Alamo Dragway" is a savage and youthful drag/surf instrumental. So they could do it all, and apparently did, and while we all should have been at the parties they played in the cusp of Carter/Reagan, now at least we can pretend we were there!