ALBUM REVIEW: The Mighty Mighty Bosstones – “The Magic of Youth”
Album Review
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones – “The Magic Of Youth” (2011, Big Rig)
The first impression that I get upon hearing The Magic of Youth, the ninth album from the Bosstones – okay, forgive the bad pun, will you? – is that, for a band nearing its thirtieth anniversary, these guys do sound remarkably youthful. Even as their blend of ska and punk exists in an alternate reality where third-wave ska never died and horns remained an integral part of alternative music, the Bosstones continue to put out albums which don’t waste time on superfluous fluff. Since getting back together in 2007, the band’s mission has been clear: save preppie indie fans from their own pretentious leanings. “They will need music to uplift; It will be a godsend, it’ll be a gift!” Dicky Barrett growls on “They Will Need Music,” a call-to-arms for those of us who still give a shit about music that inspires us to get up and prosthelytize. The rest of the album lives up to that call, giving the album significant momentum many of their peers consistently lack. While this won’t be among the best albums you’ll hear in 2012, it’s sure to be among the most honest and invigorating.
