California punks Flyboys didn’t last long, but they sure made in impression in the early punk scene of Los Angeles. Their EP was the first release from the seminal label Frontier Records (who brought us Suicidal Tendencies), and those songs, plus plenty more, occupy this very posthumous LP.

The flowing guitars of the scrappy “I Couldn’t Tell” starts with John Curry’s melodic voice that suits the raw melodies. “Dear John” follows with a bit more muscle, where Dennis Walsh’s hard hitting drums and Scott Lasken’s thick bass seem ready to soundtrack a pit.

Moving along, “Butch” invites singing-along to the quick pace and harmonic qualities, while “Picture Perfect” is a bit moodier and carries some ambience in the background. “Different Kind Of Guy,” a demo track, finishes the first side and welcomes Thames’ bouncy guitar to the pop-punk fueled climate.

The back half leads with the punchy and gritty “So Juvenile” that’s balanced by Curry’s smooth voice. “Crayon World,” a tune from their single, then places David Wilson’s keyboards into the mix with great results that adds another dimension the early punk formula. Sadly, Wilson’s presence in the band was short lived, as he died in a car accident.

“Butch,” “Different Kind Of Guy” and “Dear John” all appear again late on the b-side, but they’re different versions of fantastic and frisky tunes, so you won’t hear me complain. “Theme Song” exits the album, and it’s got thicker guitars, plenty of hooks and a lively rhythm section that doesn’t use vocals or need to in the surf-rock delivery.

Flyboys dissolved in 1980, and though they weren’t your usual punks and instead opted for day-glo clothes, Cuban heels, pompadour haircuts and infectious songs, they played with just about every punk band who came to town. A couple of quick reunions have occurred over the years, but the songs here are likely going to be the only recorded output of this overlooked and under-appreciated band who were clearly one of the best of the first wave of American punk.

Rating: A

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