***After 20 years as one of the premiere independent labels, as well as punk rock’s most admired, Fat Wreck Chords has amassed an extraordinary catalog of artists and releases. Label founder FAT MIKE (singer/songwriter of NOFX) consistently adhered to an ethos of putting out releases that always measured up to listeners’ expectations. The result was an unspoken guarantee to fans through which Fat Wreck Chords became a coveted brand name and the gold standard among punk labels. Having issued more than 280 releases over the course of the label’s first 20 years in the business, it is a daunting task to try to encapsulate Fat’s rich history into a box set. Nonetheless, that is what the label attempted to do with Wrecktrospective. Three discs and a huge booklet render a view of Fat Wreck Chords’ journey along the path of its storied existence. The first disc is a sampling of the label’s greatest hits. The second disc contains an array of all unreleased demos and rarities. The third disc is the limited release Fat Club 7-inch series in its entirety. Finally, the booklet provides an oral history of sorts, chock-full of stories from band members, as well as a timeline of all Fat’s releases. The box set as a whole is an essential piece of punk rock history, a must-have for fans, and a hallmark of the dominating influence Fat Wreck Chords had in shaping a genre. (STREET DATE - 12/08/2009)