History does not record if holds a grudge against and , but one could hardly blame him if he does. ' 1980 debut album spawned a minor hit in "My Mistake" and established them as a top-notch proto-rockabilly act back when the phrase roots rock had yet to gain currency. Their second album, 1981's , could have been the band's commercial breakthrough, but it was released as was going through its death throes, largely due to the massive commercial miscalculation of the soundtrack, issued as the fortunes of went into a swan dive. While 's failure to scale the charts has given it a reputation as a sophomore slump project (especially since the original lineup broke up within a year of its release), a careful listen reveals it's a lively, revved-up bit of old-school rock & roll that certainly matches the debut for energy and rock action. The album doesn't have an instant classic tune on the level of "My Mistake," but "Stick It Out!," "Let Myself Go," and the title track could have connected on radio with the right amount of push, and the halftime trio of vintage rock & roll covers confirmed these guys did right by their influences. Guitarist and vocalist was a fine frontman who gave this band some real rock drive without overdoing his bop cat affectations, and bassist and drummer were a supremely tight rhythm section with a healthy swing, and great harmonies to boot. The production by is clean, crisp, and makes the most of the band's no-frills attack. Short, sweet, and satisfying, is the work of a band that deserved a better fate than being (almost) a one-hit wonder, and it has passed the test of time with flying colors. [ reissued in 2016, giving the recordings a snazzy remastering job and adding four bonus tracks. The additional tracks were cut in 1982 by and a different rhythm section. These tunes have a different feel, but fit in with the lean proto-rockabilly approach of , and find the frontman still in impressive form as a singer and guitarist. If you liked the first album, you should enjoy this one nearly as much, and this edition gives their overlooked second effort a welcome new lease on life.] ~ Mark Deming