Friday, June 14, 1996
Critic: Ryan Self
Senior at Manchester Rating: ***1/2
Album: "House of GVSB"
Label: Touch and Go
Type of music: Smooth, sexy, sultry groove

Background: Girls Against Boys has released three full-length albums, "Venus Luxure No. 1 Baby," "Cruise Yourself" and "House of GVSB," all for Touch & Go. They recently signed with Geffen records, so pretty soon they'll be blasting out of obscurity. Their first single and video, "Super-Fire," has received wide airplay on the Buzz, and MTV. Lead singer Scott McCloud's raspy vocals complement the swirling guitars and cool background "a-wah-a-wah-a-wah" guitar effects.

Best songs: Besides "Super-Fire," "Click Click" rides a groove all the way to its rocking climax. "Crash 17 (X-Rated Car)" stays on one basic guitar line while McCloud repeats on the chorus, "I think I'm gonna crash it/I think I'm gonna crash." Another awesome song is "Disco Six Six Six." In the middle, everything is quiet except for McCloud wacking away at his guitar while he says in his sultriest voice, "White Diamonds-Black Pearls."

Best lyric: ". . .Like a disco ball/Crashing down on your head." Girls Against Boys uses many of the same components disco once used, like sexy grooves and suggestive lyrics. So it's fitting that it should be the first band in who knows how long to reintroduce the famous disco ball. Only this time, they're shattering the ball, as in shattering the bland-dance element of disco by reincarnating the genre into a rock album.

What is the general theme: McCloud seems to be a rather high-strung fellow, as evidenced by his choked vocals and his propensity for making a big deal out of small details.

Critic's notes: Girls Against Boys is among the last true innovators of our time. Rather than pull a Silverchair or a Candlebox by copying a formula that has been pop radio-tested and approved, it makes its own sound and lets the listener decide. It seems to be working.