Question the Answers

While Question the Answers contains all the elements that longtime Bosstones fans had come to know and love—neatly skanking verses, surging choruses of heavy rock, kindhearted messages delivered in Dicky Barrett’s animalistic growl—it's the first album that’s more about the band’s songwriting than its presentation. The group’s ability to slow their tempos was a sign of confidence, and the space left in “Sad Silence,” “Stand Off,” and “Toxic Toast” gave listeners a chance to hear the intricacies of the arrangements. Even the balls-out rock songs are riddled with complexities, whether the sudden time changes on “365 Days” or “Bronzing the Garbage” (which is, essentially, an immaculate pop tune retrofitted with the fangs of a punk anthem). As fearsome as the band can get, they're still a ska outfit at heart. Even better, they seem to bring out the bittersweet side of ska. The style serves as the perfect setting for the lovable losers portrayed in “Kinder Words” and “Pictures to Prove It.”