Like a photographic snapshot, Direction documents an era of the mid-nineties Illinois / Wisconsin / Midwest scene when everyone played in someone else's band. The compilation became a turning point for Polyvinyl, literally and symbolically representing the new path the label was beginning to travel.

Album highlights include:

Rainer Maria's debut song “Sooyoung” (named after Bitch Magnet and Seam founder, Sooyoung Park).

Hubcap features Jay Ryan, who briefly served as bassist for Braid and later formed Dianogah. Ryan is now an accomplished concert poster artist/screenprinter.

Braid contributed “I’m Glowing and You’re the Reason."

Mary Me was Todd Bell and Roy Ewing from Braid.

Fracture was Adam Goren who became Atom & His Package and co-founded the File 13 label with AM/FM’s Brian Sokel and Aspera Ad Astra’s Matt Werth.

Ezra Pound was Kaia Fischer and Bill Kuehn from Rainer Maria and Matt Tennessen from Pele and Paris, Texas.

Corm members would form Q and Not U.

Mariner Nine’s Brian McTear would go on to record matt pond PA and become Bitter, Bitter Weeks.

The compilation also includes San Diego’s highly influential Boilermaker and a rare Gainer recording done by Bob Weston.

The Orwell track (available only on the CD and digitally) features Bob Nanna of Braid.

Direction marked the final issue (there were five) of Polyvinyl Press Fanzine. The original CD was packaged in a flat cover resembling a mini-LP jacket and was placed in a slipcase with the 24-page fanzine. When the zines ran out, a jewel case was designed for the CD.