Half the tracks here are really listenable garage rock’n’roll, while the rest tend to be too rockabilly-ish or poppish in derivation for me. Obviously, they’ve got power and roots, but I hope they don’t get stuck in the past.
Boston garage rock in the tradition of the REAL KIDS. Those who enjoy the REPLACEMENTS will probably take to this, though I found it a bit too slick and poppish and not rockin’ enough. There are a couple of kickers, but the ballad-y side (augmented by the dreaded sax) is more than I can take. Also, “Hardcore Rules” is a backhanded slap at the scene.
The A-side is kind of a teen rock-pop number in the old Boston tradition, with its jumpin’ rhythms, R&B beat, punchy guitar, and insipid lyrics; the flipside is a very uneventful cover of the EDDIE COCHRAN classic.
