This Chicago-based quintet clearly believes in the notion that "old punk is best punk," and for a bunch of young whippersnappers, they roar through a set of tunes in the 1977 manner with as much snot, firepower, and élan as you could hope for. The Busy Signals are a long, long way from reinventing the wheel on their self-titled debut, but they know how rock & roll works and lay it out with skill and confidence. Lead singer Analucia (no last names for this bunch) shows a healthy portion of
Chrissie Hynde-style attitude and equally impressive vocal chops, while Kevin and Eric both deliver top-shelf guitar firepower without getting in one another's path. The rhythm section keeps things fast and lean (the album zips by in less than 24 minutes) and drives these tunes like the proverbial Airmobile; "Matter of Time," "Plastic Girl," or "Stereo" would have sounded pretty swell on any random Sire Records LP released between 1977 and 1979. Blast from the past? Not quite, but
The Busy Signals sure get the first part of that equation right. ~ Mark Deming