Lullabies Help the Brain Grow

The Big Boys' second full album, again overseen by Spot in the producer's chair, features the return of the Fun Fun Fun guest horn section, along with a change in drumming. While Schultz plays on half the tracks, the Boys also debuted their fourth and final drummer, Rey Washam, who would later gain notoriety for pounding the skins with Scratch Acid and the Jesus Lizard. The Boys' patented combination of hardcore smarts and funk chops remains present as always, with some extra laughs and fun present from the get-go. "We Got Your Money" makes for a hilarious opener, with Turner leading everyone else in some great call-and-response while tackling the meatheads in their audience head-on ("And to all you frat boys/We got your money in our hands!"). Strong statements of intent abound -- as with all the early punk bands, continuing in the face of an unsympathetic media and society was a key point, so anthemic pounders like "We're Not in It to Lose" and "Fight Back" have that extra bite to them. Kerr takes the lead vocals a couple of times; his softer tones bring a slightly calmer element to the album, making it even stronger as a result. "Sound on Sound" is especially fine, with random radio and TV broadcasts babbling in the background while the melancholic tune chimes along. As always, the Boys throw in some fine, straight-up American punk like "Lesson" and "Brickwall," but while they do the job in their brief way, it's the songs which draw on everything the band liked that succeed the best. "Jump the Fence" covers the Kamikaze Refrigerators, whoever they might be, with fire; "White Nigger" may push that concept a bit much for some, but the beat and brass works more than well. Calling one of the later tunes "Gator Fuckin'" has to win on the humor level. ~ Ned Raggett