This disc is Ad Hoc Records' definitive digital release of the first album by the English underground band, The Work. Originally issued on vinyl in 1982, this music, along with that of compatriots This Heat and Unrest Work & Play, set the stage for a unique type of new British Invasion; one that seemed to absorb the complexity and slickness of progressive rock, whilst throwing its aesthetics to the dogs, in lieu of the energy and power of early punk. The Work were amongst the first few to purposefully break their own mold in an attempt to break new ground, concomitantly creating music that seems more comfortable resting on a bed of nails than precious laurels. The brutal tone and sonic approach of that first recording held over into the Slow Crimes sessions, recorded the next year. The drums are primal, and hold the entire band together in a polyrhythmic way that was, at the time, unheard-of in punk music. The vocals are offered unapologetically, sometimes in semi-screams of anguish and insolence. The guitars & bass chug along, daring the listener to tap their foot in time to regain one's bearings. Over it all is the collective penchant to add experimental noise, to further a state of shock. The group worked tirelessly within these guidelines on the road for 2 years before disbanding, only to reform some seven years later, releasing two additional and equally excellent albums.