More proof it was all better before you were born

Elastica, The Radio One Sessions (Strange Fruit/Koch) This late, lamented British quartet were the Strokes of their day: laconic fashion plates battling rock turgidness with badass punk/new-wave hooks and even more badass haircuts. Here, you get alternate versions of almost all the choice cuts from both their albums, including “Waking Up” (a twin to “No More Heroes” by the Stranglers, who successfully sued for songwriting credit) and a cover of Trio’s deadpan “Da Da Da.” Singer Justine Frischmann is as deliciously insolent a rocker as anyone could want--she broke Damon Albarn’s heart and will do the same to yours given half a chance. Hope her solo joint sounds this hot.

Various artists, Wild Dub: Dread Meets Punk Rocker (Select Cuts import) Nice idea: all rock dubs from the late ’70s/early ’80s, when the hipper punks were digging Jamaican dancehall culture. You’d expect the Clash, PIL, the Slits (all here), but maybe not the unsung Killing Joke (who deserve a retrospective amid the recent glut of punk-funk pretenders), the brilliant, paranoid Pop Group (ditto), and occasional Spin contributor Vivien Goldman, whose “Private Armies” was one of the great lost single sides from New York’s seminal 99 Records. Of course, the Police took this sound to the bank in a big way, but that’s another story.

Various artists, The Folk Years: A Singers and Songwriters Collection (Time-Life) There’s nothing here as magically dim as the theme to the ’60s folk-revival goof A Mighty Wind (“It’s blowin’ you and me!”), although plenty come close (did the Serendipity Singers’ goofy “Beans in My Ears” really go Top 40?). But this nine-disc package also has some worthwhile history, including Barry McGuire’s 1965 smash “Eve of Destruction” (as tough an antiwar song as that DJ Shadow/Zack de la Rocha joint, except radio actually played it), countless Dylan covers, and, for those special “Kumbaya” moments, “Kumbaya.” Everyone here keeps it real. But as more freewheelin’ folk-rockers like the Band and the Byrds proved, it’s often better when you don’t.

Wattstax (Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Repertory) It’s not an album per se, but this newly rereleased 1973 concert film about Los Angeles’ ghetto Woodstock still rocks hard. Full of hippie gear that makes Outkast’s Andre 3000 look like an undertaker and ’fros that make the Roots’ ?uestlove look like a jarhead, it’s a must-see for the wardrobe alone. And the punchily remixed soundtrack is stacked with classics by soul-funk vets Rufus Thomas, the Staple Singers, and Isaac Hayes. But the most striking bits are by a young Richard Pryor (on the LAPD: “How do you accidentally shoot a nigger six times in the chest?”) and a dashiki-rockin’ Jesse Jackson, whose Black Power rallying cry of “What time is it?!” would be reprised by Flavor Flav. Funky high point: Reverend Jackson, as faux manservant, helping Hayes remove his pimp hat and unveil his TurtleWaxed dome during “Theme from Shaft” while tens of thousands of sisters scream for mercy.