If a band is going to confront the question of "Aren't they a little old to still be doing this?," calling your album
Punk Rock Menopause is one way of grabbing that particular bull by the horns, and tossing in lyrics like "It's a mid-life problem, and yours has a '70s twist" only adds further fuel to the fire. In short,
the Boys haven't lost a bit of their trademark snark in the 33 years since they last released a studio album, and
Punk Rock Menopause shows they still know how to make a fine album that delivers plentiful rock action. Then as now,
the Boys' brand of punk rock is informed by glam and power pop more than the chockablock attack of
the Sex Pistols or
the Clash (
the Boys initially pre-dated those bands, anyway), and core members
Matt Dangerfield,
Honest John Plain, and
Casino Steel know how to write songs that combine big guitars with tough rockin' tunes that still have stick-in-your ear hooks. While "What's the Matter with Morris," "How Can I Miss You," and "How Hot You Are" will please fans who recall
the Boys' glory days, the bitter sarcasm of "I'm a Believer" and "Global Warming" show these guys are living in the here and now and have something funny but apt to say about it. And though
the Boys refuse to pretend they're any younger than they are (when one of your cultural references is a woman as beautiful as Julie Christie in Dr. Zhivago, you've effectively dated yourself), their status as bloodied but unbowed survivors serves this music well.
Punk Rock Menopause is no instant classic like
To Hell with the Boys, but it shows
the Boys still have clever ideas and tricks up their sleeves, and the panache to pull them off. For a band that stayed away from the studio for three decades, this is welcome proof that
the Boys still have the goods, and there is life in rock & roll after The Change. ~ Mark Deming