(original release: May 1989; twentieth anniversary digital re-release: March 2009)

[1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8] Recorded Jan 87 at The Music Store; engineered by Declan; produced by Declan + BNS

[3, 7, 9, 10] Recorded live Aug 86 at The Showplace, Dover, NJ

[12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17] Recorded Jan 89 at Arlene Studios; engineered by Marchese, produced by Rosko, Marchese

[21, 22] Recorded Jan 89 at Electrolux Studios; engineered and produced by Zico and BNS

[11, 23] Recorded solo by Ant

[24, 25] Recorded live to cassette fall 1988, Troy, NY. A. Marchese, vocals; L. Marchese, guitar; J. Robertson, bass; G. Lems, drums

Twentieth Anniversary Digital Re-release Notes:

With the benefit of hindsight, it would be tempting to say that BNS fit into the Reagan-era political DIY ethos of bands like 7 Seconds, Minor Threat, Suicidal Tendencies, and even the Dead Kennedys. Their raw-to-primitive skills and angry political bluster might nostalgic fool ears in a Bush-44-era world. But, that would be too generous to the point of a lie.

"Rip your jeans, and tie some bandanas around your thighs," the crowds yelled. The boys retort: "we don't need no distortion or shit."

Straight-edge? No, 18-year old cluelessness.

In reality, this is the final battle cry of BNS. The boys were graduating from college and going off to start careers and grad schools far flung.

During college, they continued to write songs, trade letters and cassettes, and jam on road trips to Troy or Cleveland or during breaks back in NJ. They had moved far from the early songs of Next Best Thing and The Drinking Song, but, this was clearly the end.

From the ashes of BNS would emerge Jim's 4-track albums and, later, the short-lived Fords and Hoboken-based alt.sex.dentist. And in some respects, one can see this late-era BNS laying the template for the heavier alt.sex.dentist. But, that is a chapter to be told elsewhere.

Anthony issued this compilation-cum-best-of tape around 1989 -- sequenced it, created the artwork, and sent it in limited release. Likely a release of three.

Here now are presented the original 23 tracks -- in original order with original artwork -- in digital form. They sound now as they did then. Only some slight EQ-ing was done (mostly to minimize tape hiss -- a prevalent problem with original BNS recordings due to their usual formula of Reckoton tape + boom box + basement).

Two bonus tracks are added. Recorded in the fall of 1989 at Ant's apartment in Troy, NY, with Lars and Greg Lems. These songs found their way onto Jim's cassettee copy of Large Birds, Small Chimps and are included for completeness.

Album artwork: Anthony Marchese
Website: Jim Robertson