This Rough Trade Records promotional cassette from January 1988 showcases the independent label's roster at a pivotal moment. Camper Van Beethoven, Pop Will Eat Itself, Beat Happening, and Monks Of Doom each represent different corners of underground rock—quirky Americana, abrasive post-punk, lo-fi indie pop, and experimental rock. Together they capture what American alternative rock sounded like when it was genuinely underground and diverse. As a promotional item, it's become a rare artifact documenting what Rough Trade championed before alternative rock became mainstream.