If there’s one undeniable fact about Matador Records’ hardcore punk outlier Fucked Up, it’s that they do not lack material. While the upcoming David Comes to Town is only their third official full-length, there’s no shortage of loose ends to track down: a towering stack of singles, their zodiac series of EPs, a debt-reducing 2LP singles compilation Couple Tracks, the Coke Sucks Drink Pepsi live album pressed with Chunklet’s endlessly quotable Indie Cred Test book, etc. I both pity and envy any souls brave enough to attempt to collect them all.

Until now I’ve stuck with the “major” titles in Fucked Up’s discography, but David’s Town was too intriguing to pass up. A tie-in release for the concept album David Comes to Town, David’s Town is tagged as a compilation of bands from Byrdesdale Spa, England, from the late ’70s. Spoiler alert: it’s actually Fucked Up channeling bands from the era with a smattering of guest vocalists. If you’re expecting progressive-leaning hardcore, wait for David Comes to Town; if you’re up for a loose romp through Brit-pop, early punk, and pub rock, by all means, come on in.

The fun of David’s Town comes from figuring out which songs evoke which bands. I won’t spoil that for you, since knowing all of what to expect from David’s Town lessens its impact (and I’ll likely be off anyway), but highlights include Grain’s “Light Rain,” which is dead-on Fleetwood Mac pantomime with Simone Schmidt donning Stevie Nicks’ gypsy wardrobe, the charging Brit-punk of Hateful Coil’s “Bull Thunder,” the girl-group perkiness of Redstockings’ “Unrequited Love,” the insistent melodies of In Good Company’s “Harmony’s Double” (guest vocals from A.C. Newman), and the goofy charm of Wonderer’s “It’s Hard to Be a Dad” (with Cloud Nothings’ Dylan Baldi). Like any compilation, real or fake, there are both hits and misses. Be prepared to stand by your turntable and move the needle past a few of the less inspired tracks after your first spin.

I won’t claim that David’s Town is essential listening. This sort of record is always in danger of being more fun for the band to record than for the fans to hear, and there are certainly a few points when that’s the case on David’s Town. What I will claim is that it’s a perfect Record Store Day release. It’s an entirely optional lark for fans and a chance for the band to continue stretching out their wings. I’d much rather bands do something like David’s Town for RSD than repress one of their albums on a previously unavailable color of vinyl or in double ten-inch form. David’s Town is a reward for fans, not an obligation, and that’s an essential distinction.

If you missed out on grabbing a physical copy, don’t lose sleep or your kid’s college fund acquiring a copy on eBay: a download of this album will be included in the massive pre-order package for David Comes to Town (along with four seven-inches, five non-album tracks, and a gallon zip-lock bag full of Pink Eyes’ body hair).