Anton Barbeau is one of those cult figures whose vast catalogue intimidates the merely curious.
Helpfully, Empire Of Potential distils twenty years of lightly lysergic, hook-peppered, power pop into one package of eighteen insistent earworms, all hits in a fairer and better world.
While fans will spot favourite omissions, like 2003’s scorching King Of Missouri, Barbeau’s sequenced a sampler that play like a proper platter, including his viral Youtube hit Automatic Door.
File in the buried treasure bin alongside XTC, Robyn Hitchcock, Julian Cope and The Bevis Frond.
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter