The guys in BOAT are a loveable bunch. They bump and clang through the tracks on their fourth album, Dress Like Your Idols, like they are thrilled to have time off from real jobs, real lives, and real problems, in order to have some good old rock & roll fun. It’s always refreshing to hear bands that sound like they play music because they love it, and are in a band because they want to be, not because it’s a career path or a means to an end. BOAT are pretty pure in that regard. Despite the super hooks in their tunes, the energy they bring to the studio, and the fun that’s transmitted through the speakers throughout the entire record, they aren’t even going to be more that the kind of band that have a small and devoted following. Like Young Fresh Fellows, they will remain a somewhat forgotten group who quietly keep racking up release after release of loose and fun R&R. On Dress, BOAT stick to what they do best, rollicking through a batch of songs about cleaning up dog dirt in your yard, King Kong, the terror of falling in love, and the wisdom of Frank Black that might sound kind of silly if they weren’t delivered with 100-percent conviction and plenty of irony-free rocking out. David Crane delivers the words in a pleasingly flat, everydude drawl that sounds great on the rockers but also packs a surprising punch on the one or two ballads (like the girl group sweet “(Do The) Double Take)” they throw in the mix. Unlike a lot of bands who are in it for love, BOAT isn’t content to just cruise along. They have been getting better and better, writing sharper hooks, amping up the performances, and getting tighter and tougher with each new effort. Dress Like is their best record to date, with their best songs and a wonderfully cute album cover that will reward anyone who buys the LP version. Ignore BOAT at your own risk; write them off as a comedy band, and you’ll be missing some great rock & roll. – Tim Sendra