THE MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSSTONES
Pay Attention (Island)
Rating: 3 out of 7
By Rob O' Connor 

   LAUNCH’s resident SKA nut is back in action. And boy are my arms tired! OK, the delivery's a little off these days, but that's no reason to think that the rest of the SKA NATION can take it easy! The purpose of modern-day SKA eludes me. But I figure if it keeps kids on the dance floor, having a wholesome good time and away from the crack and the pot, well then, let the kids have it. Besides, you get to wear funny clothes and act silly. 
   "Let Me Be" used to be this great Turtles tune about rugged individualism. Now it's a different song and has a really catchy horn section and an even catchier "oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh" chorus. If the whole album were nothing but this kind of bitchin' "hit single," I'd have to take these guys seriously. But, sure enough, it melts down somewhere in the middle when the cute factor overwhelms things. 51 minutes is a long time to ask people to PAY ATTENTION. Get it? (I crack me up.)

All recordings courtesy of Big Right/Island. All songs written by D. Barrett, J. Gittleman, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones; courtesy of EMI April Music, Inc./Bosstones Music (ASCAP).