332. The Dictators - Go Girl Crazy

This week we had the chance to listen to some very early punk (labelled proto-punk no less), which I thought would be pretty interesting. It is US style punk, and it doesn't sound much like punk to begin with; guitar solos, harmonies, themes about surfing - it's a far cry from Anarchy in the UK. However, that is no bad thing when the songs are as fun and well-crafted as these ones. 

The album is a real celebration of the craft of a punchy pop song, and is instantly accessible and puts a real smile on your face. It is hard not to sing along with the harmonies, and there are some real earworms in there too. Stand out tracks for us were California Sun, The Next Big Thing, Weekend, and Cars and Girls.

The only time we were unsure about this album was during the slightly questionable lyrics of Back to Africa. Whilst we agreed on reflection that it was more mocking of racism than anything else, a couple of the phrases are a bit close to the bone.

The band themselves never achieved real acclaim, which is a shame given how influential they appear to be. For example, Ross Funichello is clearly an excellent guitarist, and went on to appear alongside metal bands such as Dio and Manowar, showing a high level of technical expertise that is evident on this album too. Other members had less follow up success, with them primarily reforming the band under different names. 

Chloe's rating: 6
Chloe's favourite song: 6 - California Sun
Olly's rating: 7
Olly's favourite song: 9 (I live for) Cars and Girls