The A's

  Gary Hill -  When punk rock exploded on the scene, the Sex Pistols brought it in with an angst, sense of rebellion, and shock value that became hard to match. The bands that followed worked in various segments of the genre, searching for an identity and individuality. This eventually gave birth to a style that became known as new wave. Still, the boundaries and sensibilities of that style were hard to define. The A's came out of this era, forging their own path. Along with groups like the Dickies, they combined the irreverence of punk rock with a fun sort of texture and a pop sensibility, and, most importantly, a sense of humor. Their music forged a path that encompassed power pop, punk, and a retro, almost mod, texture. They did it with accessible hooks and catchy numbers. It is really a shame that this group never achieved the level of fame that they should have, because their musical sensibilities bordered on flawless. As a slice of time from this era, their debut release really works well to this day. The other thing about this album that really pleases is that it is just plain fun. This band is really one that should have been somebody, but seemed to have been caught in an awkward time of musical indecision.