Boys Only

Before recording this 1981 album (their fourth, excluding the hilarious Xmas tidings under the pseudonym The Yobs), the forever underrated punk-pop band The Boys had lost keyboardist Casino Steel and nearly called it quits. Good thing they held together, because Boys Only contained at least five absolutely irresistible face-slaps of perfect power pop, including the '60s-recalling innocence of “Weekend” (which could’ve been a real chart contender, had the band’s fortunes been a little greener label-wise), plus “Let It Rain,” “Gabrielle,” “Satisfaction and “Guaranteed.” For kicks, there’s a muscular rip through Sam Cooke’s “Wonderful World” and a big poppy tip-of-the-sarcastic-cowboy-hat to John Wayne in “Miss You.” Echoes of Slade, The Beatles, girl groups, and The Ramones (Joey Ramone was a huge Boys fan) still prevail in the sound, as do some of the most pleasing rock ’n’ roll vocal tones this side of John Lennon (from both guitarist Matt Dangerfield and bassist Duncan “Kid” Reid). It’s not dreaming to say that bands like The Cars hit it big with lesser songs.