There’s something faintly noble about a career spent making the same album again and again. It tends to imply a genuine and unpretentious love of making music without the slightest desire to cater to changes in fashions. Unfortunately, it usually also involves flogging increasingly inferior variations on a theme to a loyal, but dwindling fanbase. It’s probably fair to say that both descriptions apply to ska-punk pioneers The Mighty Mighty Bosstones as they approach their 29th year of operations.
The Magic Of Youth sees the octet’s customary mix of blue collar lyrics, a chirpy brass section and noisy guitars executed as well as always; and with Ted Hutt (The Gaslight Anthem) producing, it sounds good too. Alas, the whole affair is rather lifeless. Frontman Dicky Barrett plods through The Daylights’ already insipid “do anything that we wanna do” refrain with little of his trademark gravelly charm, and while there are plus points – including minor key stomper Disappearing – few tracks scream out for a repeat listen. Some, such as the corny paean to working class childhood Sunday Afternoons On Wisdom Ave, border on unlistenable.
Hardcore fans will no doubt be chuffed but, for anyone else, there really isn’t much point.
