More Noise And Other Disturbances

Bolstered by the instant classic “Where’d You Go,” The Mighty Mighty Bosstones’ sophomore album, More Noise and Other Disturbances, showed the band exerting some control over their boisterous sound. With songs like “Awfully Quiet” and “It Can’t Hurt,” they found the perfect balance of punk rock exuberance and tight-knit hooks—but metal-heavy songs like “What’s at Stake” and “Guns and the Young” proved they had no intentions of mollifying their sound. Even as they continued to develop the different aspects of their style—hard rock, ska, punk—the Bosstones were becoming more settled in an overarching identity. They might dip into funk or dive into a corny joke, but it felt less and less like the band was simply dabbling or screwing around with styles. Their impish delivery often obscured the poignant themes in Dicky Barrett’s lyrics, which frequently address loneliness, addiction, and social justice without becoming solemn or didactic. “Cowboy Coffee,” “Bad in Plaid,” and “They Came to Boston” are unmistakable. This is the album where the Bosstones became the best possible version of themselves.