lowFLOWs covers the last three years of fIREHOSE’s existence, featuring the band’s two albums for Columbia along with plenty of bonus material, all remastered for the first time.

Flyin’ the Flannel, released in 1991, the band’s fourth album and their major label debut, gets off to a rolling start with “Down With The Bass,” with Mike Watt’s bass appropriately well to the fore (there’s also an instrumental version of the song included as a bonus track). The band’s musicianship is very tightly honed — there’s not a note out of place — and the musical mix distinguished them from other run of the mill “alternative” bands. The band’s aggressive rock is often tempered by more laid back singing, funk, even jazz stylings — sometimes all in the same song, as in the twists and turns evident in “O’er the Town of Pedro.” This is a band that keeps you guessing as to what they’re going to do next.

The rest of the first CD is rounded out by the bonus tracks include “Max and Wells,” originally featured in the film A Matter of Degrees, and the terrific live EP Live Totem Pole, recorded at Hollywood’s Palomino Club on August 16, 1991. What makes the live tracks such fun is that most of them are covers, some expected (Butthole Surfers’ “Revolution (Part Two),” with just a touch of dirge; the sharp rock of Superchunk’s “Slack Motherfucker”), some less so (a raging version of Blue Oyster Cult’s “The Red And The Black”; a heavy take on Public Enemy’s “Sophisticated Bitch”).

Mr. Machinery Operator followed in 1993. Overall, it’s a tougher, grittier, album, from the powerful squalling guitar of “Blaze” (with an instrumental version also included as a bonus track) to the attack of “Rocket Sled/Fuel Tank”; even the more laid back tracks, like “Witness,” have an edge to them. But at the time of its release, it wasn’t considered as a strong an album as its predecessor, and the band split up the following year. As with the first disc, there are more rarities as bonus tracks, including a single edit of “Witness,” and, best of all for fans, four tracks recorded live at Electric Lady Studios for radio broadcast. Three of the tracks — “4.29.92,” “Powerful Hankerin’,” and “Tien an Man Dream Again” — are previously unreleased, aside from the initial broadcast (the fourth, “Formal Introduction,” appeared on a promo EP). The songs are even harder when performed live — clearly the band’s preferred setting.

fIREHOSE begins a 13 date West Coast tour on April 5th, and there’s a possibility the band may also record new material. In any case, fans are advised to snap up this new set, a great way to get all fIREHOSE’s major label work on one release.

(Columbia/Legacy)