Punknews.org

|
Sign In | create an account

Boys Like Girls

Boys Like Girls (2006)
Sony Music Entertainment

Reviewer Rating:

User Rating:

Contributed by: Marcel
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on March 21st 2008

What were to happen if you were to mix typical teenage lyrics about love, heartache and "breaking free" with catchy pop-hooks, melodies and a cliché album-ending power ballad? You get Boston locals Boys Like Girls' debut album called (rightfully so) Boys Like Girls, because after all, the album is about boys liking girls. It seems that Boys Like Girls have combined the perfect formula of writing catchy songs with memorable hooks, orchestrate it into an album and become the next big thing to hit the charts.

While it seems like the album is following in the footsteps of contemporaries, it has that certain edge over the rest that makes it stand out from the rest. The guitar work and drumming give the album a punk rock feel, but Martin Johnson's high-pitched singing over-ride these tendencies; however, it formulates into a very promising album for this up-and-coming quartet.

The album begins with "The Great Escape," which could be described as the ultimate song of teenage angst, with themes of escaping and starting over again run rampant throughout. Lyrics like "Watch it burn / Let it die / 'cause we are finally free tonight" make it seem that the song and those to follow are pulled out of a teenage diary. While this may be the case, the album does deliver.

The majority of the album's lyrics concern itself with situations of love, heartbreak, loss and starting over again and is evident in songs like the lead single "Hero/Heroine," the sing-along "Thunder" and the ever-so-dramatic "Up Against the Wall." The highlight of the album comes in right at the very end as Johnson's voice is echoed in the album's ballad "Holiday," repeating the hook of "The Great Escape" ("All the wasted time / The hours that were left behind / All the answers that we'll never find...").

It's pretty obvious that this album won't scratch everyone's musical itch, but to those that who do enjoy it will definitely get their money's worth out of it. For fans of the All-American Rejects, Cartel and the Academy Is....

Login to rate this album

Please login or register to post comments.

What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?

Share your opinion by posting comments on the stories that interest you
Rate music and bands and help shape the weekly top ten
Let Punknews.org use your ratings to help you find bands and albums you might like
Customize features on the site to get the news the way you want.

usversusthem (March 26, 2008)

"elegant."

You have to admit, though, he makes a pretty good point.

I found 'The Great Escape' to be kind of fun to listen to, but it's pretty ridiculous in terms of being manufactured pop-crap... completely devoid of substance, really. Also their other songs have much shittier hooks.

mechpope13 (March 25, 2008)

this blows

scorpiondeathlock (March 24, 2008)

"this is not punk. get this shit off of here. fuck."

elegant.

grantino (March 23, 2008)

http://www.hottopic.com/hottopic/store/product.jsp?FOLDERfolder_ id=2534374302028446&PRODUCTprd_id=845524442164694&bmUID=120632906 6516

chrisafi (March 23, 2008)

This band definetely aren't cool and aren't the most talented, but this album is actually ALRIGHT, 3 stars is about fair - review maybe too positive as this album is very very samey, but a good song formula/vocals.

im_john_galt (March 22, 2008)

ha. is that a cloud crying blood? seriously? that's the most ridiculous album art ever. it also looks like women's tricolored panties.

Tangy (March 22, 2008)

Is this supposed to be a joke? Get this shit out of here

darthnader (March 22, 2008)

Holiday is a great song.

by the Get Up Kids

CBSrocksteady (March 22, 2008)

Jaxkid - I think Brian does too. Thats why he posts this shit.

jaxkid1 (March 22, 2008)

Hahahah damn, I love reading review comments on this site.

icapped2pac (March 21, 2008)

I think I'm gonna throw up. I'd rather eat all my puke than listen to this.

damnitsderek (March 21, 2008)

For fans of the All-American Rejects, Cartel and the Academy Is....

Do we have any of those on this site?

mpc (March 21, 2008)

I clicked on this review expecting a scathing, vicious review. I was sorely dissapointed.

damnitsderek (March 21, 2008)

Ur so gay.

Sherlock_28 (March 21, 2008)

but the anarchy!?

llmp (March 21, 2008)

Ugh. My dislike of this band may even top my hatred for Plain White Ts.

totonotdead (March 21, 2008)

this is so fucking punk that everytime i listen to them a puke green mohawk grows out of my bald head.

CBSrocksteady (March 21, 2008)

No! punx punxxxxss punkxx punx!

jakethelifeguard (March 21, 2008)

he should have kept this to himself

shark-e (March 21, 2008)

In true big government liberal fashion, I'm in favor of a federal commission in charge of approving band names. With that in place, there's no way we'd be subjected to this horrible horrible name for a band (that was then duplicated for the album title. What??).

OverDefined (March 21, 2008)

nope

nocigar (March 21, 2008)

CBS: a lot of albums reviewed on here are by bands that aren't punk. however; this band is pure shit, and i wish brian wouldn't have posted it.

William_Jess (March 21, 2008)

Should read Boys like Boys.

MattRamone (March 21, 2008)

What in the hell is this shit? Go back to Absolute Punk.

CBSrocksteady (March 21, 2008)

this is not punk. get this shit off of here. fuck.

Jesse (March 21, 2008)

Nope. Brian should have just not posted it.