The Boys
' final album certainly didn't lack for adventure, as the under-sung pop-punkers pogo from a twangy tribute to
John Wayne
(
"Miss You"
) to a fun packed
"Weekend"
revival of '60s pop perfection. Still footloose and feckless, the group cheekily pilfer from all their diverse influences, with the album echoing with the ghosts of the past --
the Ronettes
,
the Beatles
the Flamin' Groovies
, and such contemporary shades as
Johnny Thunders
and
the Ramones
.
Nick Tauber
's dense production and layered guitars deftly cover over the gaps left by
Casino Steel
's departure; on the rollicking
"Little White Lifeline,"
they even manage to conjure up his barreling keyboards from their guitar strings. But it's the band's ability to slice and dice yesterday's pop and serve it up like fresh sushi that ensured their reputation remained unvarnished long after the band itself folded. Even today, most of the songs still have the capacity to utterly delight, with
a now acknowledged pop masterpiece. ~ Dave Thompson