On Not So Sweet the Bobbyteens tighten up their sound and turn down the distortion, opting instead to feature a more rhythmic swagger and bubblegum pop hooks. Not that the band's second full-length release is a major departure from the hairspray and guitars formula of its predecessor, Fast Livin' Rock Roll, but with a discerning ear one can here the attention to detail and the discovery of studio craft. Intensifying their obsession with the sass of 1960s female vocal groups there are more doo wop style vocalizing, blues phrasing, and bad girl confessionals than your average punk rock record. The heightened production value adds a punch to the drums and Russell Quan takes advantage driving the band with sock-hop fury. The lo-fi aesthetic has its merits, but by necessity sacrifices the full sound of the beat and can leave the mix heavy with high-end guitar shrills. Not So Sweet growls instead of screams, and that husky quality works well with the gut level singing of Tina Lucchesi. A great sense of humor has always been one of the best assets of the Bobbyteens and the wit only gets sharper on the sophomore effort. The glam retro fun of tracks like Blind Date, Liquid Love, and I Taught You Everything You Know are great social satire as well a hot tunes. All partied out 30-somethings will chuckle at the "leave me alone!" sentiment of "Late Nite T.V.," an anthem to post pubescent antisocial behavior. Another hysterical song is the bouncy ode to a teen misfit, Young Dumb, which also features (as does Not the One) female/male harmonies. This new trick really works for the band and adds a dimension previously unexplored. The Bobbyteens have definitely not turned into Heart, but the attention to studio competence harnesses the pure rock roll joy of the band and helps connect them to the heroes they love (Chuck Berry, the Shirelles, the Ramones). The only thing Not So Sweet is missing to make it a full tilt rock roll party album is a ballad. Don't the kids slow dance anymore? ~ Chris Larry, Rovi

1		Liquid Love
2		Do You Want Me
3		Blind Date
4		Young & Dumb
5		I'm Alright
6		Late Nite TV
7		Not the One
8		The Way You Look at Me
9		Let's Get It On
10		I Taught You Everything You Know
11		Talk Talk

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