But the Little Girls Understand

The Knack's second album was a strong set of pop-rock tunes, but it had the misfortune of following one of the most successful debut albums ever (Get The Knack) and the chart-topping single "My Sharona." While it's true enough that "Baby Talks Dirty" is a not-so-subtle rewrite of "My Sharona," the musicians were such capable players that they could make anything catch fire. The media backlash in the wake of The Knack's sudden success made it hard for critics to hear the songs for what they were. "Can't Put a Price on Love" was a tender guitar ballad with a generous nod toward The Rolling Stones' "Beast of Burden," while pop-rockers like "I Want Ya," "The Feeling I Get," "End of the Game," "It's You," and "Tell Me You're Mine" were sleek and powerful, filled with tormenting lust and youthful indiscretion. The cover of The Kinks' "The Hard Way" was inspired, and the rockabilly force of "(Havin' A) Rave Up" and the speed-defying pop blast of "Hold On Tight and Don't Let Go" show off the top-notch abilities of guitarist Berton Averre and drummer Bruce Gary.