Devil's Night Out

Recorded at Boston’s storied Fort Apache Studios, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones’ 1991 debut remains one of the band’s best and most beloved albums. It’s easy to see why—it’s rare that music made of such wildly colliding styles is this cohesive. The Bosstones took the skittering excitement of ska and punctuated it with blasts of heavy metal and hard rock. The result is music that's as giddy as it is explosive, and as amusing as it is aggressive. Because the Bosstones played with so much muscle and belligerence—from the relentless drumming of Josh Dalsimer to the guttural snarl of frontman Dicky Barrett—they could let themselves be goofy without risk of being clownish. “Drunks and Children” and “Do Somethin’ Crazy” are just two examples of the band’s ability to be hilarious, infuriated, and celebratory all in the same moment. “Hope I Never Lose My Wallet” set the template for '90s ska-core, while “Devil’s Night Out” and “A Little Bit Ugly” became instant fan favorites. But don’t overlook the lesser-known songs, like “Haji” and “The Bartender’s Song,” which show this merry band of Bostonians at the pinnacle of rowdiness.