Thursday, September 14, 2017

Boys With Toys - Big House (1985, Hot Fudge)

Info on this Iowa City trio is pretty scant, but a brief primer can be found here.  I believe Brad Jones (ostensibly the Boys frontman, though I can't confirm) eventually went on to record a solo disk for Big Deal Records a decade after Big House hit the racks.  As for Boys With Toys proper, they struck a pretty reasonable compromise between power pop and rootsy rockabilly.  Their "pop" angle loosely resembled the Romantics and Plimsouls...but I wouldn't get too excited.  "Every Young Boys Heart" and "Ain't No Picture Show" twirl my knob the most.  Enjoy (or not).

01. Every Young Boys Heart
02. Cold Grey Morning
03. I Been Dreamin' too
04. Ain't No Picture Show
05. Holdin' On
06. Two by Two
07. In The Mood for Me
08. Oh Oh, No No
09. Rockin' and Rollin'
10. Don't Put Your Perfume on Tonight

Hear

8 comments:

George Leroy Tirebiter said...

Thanks very much for this. Never knew the group existed.

Brad Jones' "Gilt Flake" solo record was on Ginger Records circa 1995 (tho recorded a few years earlier I was told). One of the great 90's power-pop lps. Also, he & Hans Rotenberry (ex-The Shazam) released a digital-only lp in 2010 called "Mountain Jack". Pretty sure Brad still makes a living as a producer in Nashville.

Cheers!

Wally Bangs said...

This is awesome! When Brad moved to Nashville the Boys With Toys became Dig Mandrakes. I saw them play a local Nashville festival called Summer Lights once and they knocked me out.

spavid said...

Appreciate the comments folks. Will have to check out the Gilt Flake album and Dig Mandrake sometime.

Bruce K. said...

Wow, another Brad Jones-related album! This is like finding another Chris Bell-related album. "Gilt Flake" is one of the best indie power pop albums of all time. And he produced and contributed greatly to THE BEST indie power pop album of all time, Cotton Mather's "Kon-Tiki." Looking forward to it. And now, did Dig Mandrake record?

Dave K said...

Saw these guys live at Kansas City's Parody Hall back in the late 80s. Awesome show. I have obsessed about finding this record forever, so many thanks for providing it here!

Vespasian70 said...

The above link is dead. Any chance of reuploading this? That would be so cool!

Thanks!

popthinker said...

Hi. Would it be possible to re-up this? Thanks!

Indiggy said...

Would love to see this get a re-up please!