On their self-titled debut album, Boston band Boys Like Girls offer up 12 tracks of upbeat, catchy pop-rock. BOYS LIKE GIRLS contains elements of punk and emo and offers seamless songs with more hooks than a meat locker. The musicianship is tight, the lyrics are heartfelt and simple, and singer Martin Johnson's plaintive vocals are consistently solid. Boys Like Girls first garnered attention by simply posting some demos online, and fans who were enthusiastic about those few tracks will be ecstatic about the band's first full-length album. (The album, originally released in 2006, was reissued in 2007 following extensive touring by the band.)

Oh, Boys Like Girls. With their eponymous debut for Red Ink, the Boston quartet marks its entry into the effervescent world of sugary, emo-blasted pop/rock. They've got the gleaming guitars, urgent vocals, and driving rhythms propelling three-minute ditties about their hearts, their girls, and those girls who just like to toy with their poor hearts. But unlike similarly styled bands, Boys Like Girls are largely lacking much of anything that could either separate them from the pack or, at the very least, give them more substance to appeal to more than just the teenaged girls who will be singing along enthusiastically at shows while secretly pining for the shaggy-haired, boyish clan. Boys Like Girls are simply without the overwhelming catchiness of the All-American Rejects or the unbridled enthusiasm of the City Drive. Instead, listeners are left with an offering that is almost catchy and enthusiastic. Even the few standouts -- like the summer drive of "The Great Escape" and "Heels Over Head" -- will be pretty hard to recall by the lukewarm album's end. Regardless, those looking for a quick fix will surely eat up the likes of Boys Like Girls. ~ Corey Apar