It’s never a happy moment when a good thing comes to an end. For 12 years, Columbus, Ohio punk/garage band New Bomb Turks belted out raucous ditty after raucous ditty, earning them a reputation as one of the country’s most influential punk bands. Why they decided to split up last year is beyond me, but at least they were nice enough to leave us with Switchblade Tongues and Butterknife Brains.

This, their eighth and final CD, is a compilation of, mostly, unreleased or rare cuts from 1999 to 2002 that kicks mucho ass -- outtakes from the New Bomb Turks final studio album, 2002’s The Night Before the Day the Earth Stood Still) and tracks from the never released EP, Rocket Widget. But there’s also a slew of cover-songs of some of their lesser-known contemporaries such as the Devil Dogs and fellow Ohioans Gaunt, as well as some covers of some of their idols such as Aerosmith and Faron Young. Some might be disappointed that “Statue of Liberty” (from the final studio album) is the only song from an actual CD of theirs that is on this compilation. Others still, might not appreciate the covers. If you’re a true New Bomb Turks fan, though, this CD will be like stumbling upon a full treasure-chest.

What are the gems of Switchblade Tongues and Butterknife Brains? Wow, there are so many, but if you’re looking for some original material, “Bad For Me” and “Ad Nauseum” are killer. The former, especially, will shock you out of your seat. How often do you hear a punk band do a bluesy jazz tune? But the Turks pull it off well. By contrast, “Ad Nauseum” is a short, no frills punk song. And as mentioned above, there is “Statue of Liberty”, a striped-down, garage song that rocks, but pales in comparison to the other New Bomb Turks material on this CD

The cover songs are all excellent too. “Radiobeat” originally by Devil Dogs. “The Drawback” originally by Joy Division. Both of these renditions are great, but the best cover, by far, is the New Bomb Turks version of Aerosmith’s “Chip Away The Stone”. It doesn’t quite have the flair or the soul of the original, but the New Bomb Turks old-school punk take on it, gives it a whole new dynamic that makes for interesting listening.

Well, that’s all she wrote folks. This album marks the end of a great run by a great band. If you’re a veteran New Bomb Turks fan or if you’re just entering their world, Switchblade Tongues and Butterknife Brains is a must have CD.