Runaway Boys: A Retrospective '81-'92

by

Stray Cats

Edit

Not as exciting as their powerhouse LP, "Built for Speed," this collection does a so-so job of presenting the best the group had to offer. Big hits like "Rock This Town," "Stray Cat Strut," "(She's) Sexy + 17," and "I Won't Stand in Your Way" as well as concert faves like "Runaway Boys" and "Rumble in Brighton" are all here, as are some unreleased tunes (for U.S. markets) like "Fishnet Stockings," "My One Desire," "Give It to Me" and "I Fought the Law." What hurts this album is the inclusion of their post-1986 reunion material, which lacked the drive and youthful vigor of the early 80's albums (the techno-heavy "Elvis on Velvet" is unforgiveably awful, but the Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent tribute, "Gene & Eddie" makes up for it). Buyers should seek out the hard-to-find original albums, particularly "Built for Speed," which culled the best tracks from the first two releases. All in all, this CD is not too bad, but Stray Cats fans will want more.