Rough Trade are two independent record stores (Shops!) located in the UK. For a little over a decade now, these stores have compiled several albums of varying genres with song selected by the staff. Eventually, the record chain opened a label to their name, Rough Trade Records. Though typically a minor label, it was home to indie pop kings The Smiths, as well as many punk/post-punk acts.

In 2004, the business already had several compilations under their belt when they released Rough Trade Shops: Indiepop 1. “Indie pop” is a vague term, so to clarify, this is actually a compilation of mainly twee/noise/jangle pop mostly from the late ’80s and early ’90s, with a few outliers coming before or after that period.

They keyword here, however, is “pop.” Every track on here had the potential to be a hit single. There are upbeat hooks everywhere, catchy choruses, and a delightfully happy tone that characterized the twee pop movement at its creation and rise, as well as some slower, charming midtempo songs to give this 46-track monster compilation some variety and dynamics.

There’s also a couple of post-punk tracks on here. While none are poor tracks, they are in the minority and somewhat break the flow of the rest of the compilation. They have pop structures like the rest of the songs here, but entirely different tones and sounds.

While during the indie pop movement of the late ’80s it would have been easy at the time to consider many post-punk acts a part of the indie movement, Indiepop 1 came out in 2004. In hindsight, few would call much of the post-punk on this compilation “indie pop,” and for good reason. They heavily contrast with the rest of the compilation. Some might consider that a good thing, but this is a compilation with a specific goal and concept that these songs move focus off of.

That’s still a small price to pay, though. Rough Trade Shops: Indiepop 1 is still one of the best compilations of its genre. It’s a stellar collection that paints a very positive portrait of its featured genres, and that’s exactly what it should be. Almost every track is catchy, short, and flows perfectly into the next. Most of the time, at least, until a post-punk song comes along to break the style. But even those tracks are good enough to forgive and forget. There isn’t a single dud on here, to be honest, and that’s one hell of an accomplishment for a compilation of this size.

It’s also interesting to see less-portrayed incarnations of many popular bands here. Primal Scream’s first-ever single opens the compilation, showing them with a more catchy and accessible jangle pop sound instead of the acid house-influenced alternative rock/electronic music the band would go on to create and be recognized for. The same goes for My Bloody Valentine, who open the second disc with their killer early noise pop track, “Paint a Rainbow.”

It would be easy to go on forever about the multiple merits of this compilation. From early pop pioneers The Jesus and Mary Chain, to modern dream/twee pop groups such as Camera Obscura, and even early 2000s Spanish pop group Juniper Moon, this album covers a wide range of music eras. The compilation maintains variety without sacrificing focus, other than the previously mentioned minor problems. The more recent tracks show influence from the early ones, which helps tie this whole package together.

By now you should already know if you’re interested in this compilation or not. If you’re even slightly considering it, or already enjoy any of the 46 songs featured here, Rough Trade Shops: Indiepop 1 is highly recommended. If you’re a fan of any indie pop in general, that goes double. A near-perfect compilation loaded with both popular and underground lovely pop treasures.