Richard Hell & the Voidoids: Blank Generation

Richard Hell has been touted as one of punk rock’s brightest hopes for some time now, but this debut doesn’t come close to explaining why. “Love Comes in Spurts” and “Blank Generation” do hint at the potential power of his sardonic, aggressive stance, as does the eerie cover of Creedence’s “Walk on the Water.” The self-indulgent remaining tracks, however, find Hell offering little but noisy nothingness. As his outfit’s name may suggest, the void is intentional, but that’s not much consolation.