While
the Barbarians live up to a lot of people's vision of the classic garage-band image, their album is disappointing and thin-sounding. The material, none of which was penned by the group, is average and doesn't even rock terribly hard. "Are You a Boy or Are You a Girl" is here, but much of the rest of the songs are overdone standards ("House of the Rising Sun" is especially lame). "What the New Breed Say" is an OK anthem of rebellion, and "I'll Keep on Seeing You" a modestly touching ballad. But as eight of the 12 songs are covers and four tunes are supplied to them by songwriters not in the band, the album does not reflect much in the way of an original vision. The 2000 Sundazed reissue adds three important bonus tracks: "Moulty" and, at long last, both sides of their rare 1964 single on Joy, "Hey Little Bird"/"You've Got to Understand." "Hey Little Bird," the song they performed on their T.A.M.I. Show appearance, is easily their best track, although the studio version isn't as ferocious as their rendition on film. ~ Richie Unterberger