This reissue of The Real Kids’ 1982 sophomore album, Outta Place, is an essential twofer: it comes with songs recorded by Taxi Boys, a short-lived side project that was basically The Real Kids sans guitarist Billy Borgioli and bassist Al Paulino (who left to form The Primitive Souls). “Can’t Talk to That Girl” opens with the band’s Beantown-flavored power-pop aplomb. Andy Paley blasts bluesy harmonica over John Felice’s endearingly melodramatic lyrics of teen romance gone wrong. In keeping with the early-‘80s trend of ‘60s garage-rock flirtations, “No Place Fast” implemented a Farfisa-sounding organ without deviating from the band’s penchant for near-perfect guitar pop played with a slightly sloppy attack. Curiously, their live cover of Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels’ “I’d Rather Go to Jail” is absent here, as is Taxi Boys’ “I Can’t Kick” (which referenced Felice’s addiction). Yet the muscled riffs on “She” and “Bad to Worse” make up for it—especially the latter, with its sing-along melodies and a jangly guitar that epitomizes power pop’s bygone love for Rickenbackers.
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