The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
'
Dicky Barrett
would like to take all the credit for this album, and he certainly reached out a helping hand when
the Pietasters
were at their lowest. His influence may also be creeping into
Stephen Jackson
's vocals, which have decidedly altered from slightly gruff to notably gravelly.
The Bosstones
may even be responsible for the more prominent guitar featured on this set, but there again, guitar was always an important facet of
' mix. Perhaps the real credit belongs to producer
Brett Gurewitz
who brought the axe to the fore. But everything else about
Willis
is down to the band themselves, including the decision to actively emphasize another side of their sound. Relegated to the sidelines are the jazzier elements and
big band
-sound once so prominent. Gone too are the instrumentals that showcased the group's exceptional musicianship. It's all for a good cause, though, all the better for the band to return to their roots of '60s
pop
,
soul
, and
Motown
R&B
, all fueled by a syncopated beat.
And so
serve up their most varied album yet, quite a feat for a band that had always prided itself on its unique mix of stylings.
' inspired blend of styles boasts some of the group's most awesome arrangements to date --
garage punk
(
"Crazy Monkey Woman"
);
ska
-fueled, Brit-beat-flavored,
funk
-fired
"Stone Feeling"
reggae
-fied,
surf
-side;
C&W
-
"Higher"
calypso
-fied
Two Tone
(a new cut of their vintage
"Without You"
pop/rock
goes
"Ocean"
); flashy, brass-fueled
"Bitter"
), and that's not even taking into account the covers.
There's a bright and bubbly version of
the Outsiders
' 1966 hit
"Time Won't Let Me,"
flush with organ and brash with brass, but with the starring role falling to
Tom Goodin
's
Chuck Berry
-styled guitar solo; a pumping version of
Martha & the Vandellas
"Quicksand,"
inspired by
the Jam
's cover of that group's
"Heat Wave,"
and a storming take on
James Easter
"New Breed."
But for all the eclecticism, there are also some straight-out skankers, like the frenetic
"Fat Sack,"
and the anthemic
"Out All Night"
-- the latter destined to become the band's theme song. The slower paced
"Moment,"
awash in dizzying horns and sharp staccato beats, is also a blast from the past, albeit the band's own, the sole, heady, reminder of their previous styling. As surprising as the shift in musical sound is, equally amazing is
Jackson
's vocals, reaching never-before-attained heights of power. Every track on this set is memorable, the melodies irresistible, the hooks inescapable, the musicianship flawless as always, and the arrangements stunning, with the production highlighting each and every ounce of the band's strength.
Phenomenal. ~ Jo-Ann Greene