AMG Review of Don't Back Down

Kembrew McLeod
All Music Guide

It doesn't get any better than this. On Don't Back Down the rip-roaring punk songs with no melody ("No Tit," for instance) are more than counterbalanced by the many mind-blowingly catchy songs ("Punk Rock Girls," "Number One," "Janelle, Janelle," ad nauseam). Some of the songs, dare it be said, even surpass many of Brian Wilson's perfect pop songs. Whereas the Ben Weasel-fronted group the Riverdales aspire to be nothing more than Ramones imitators, the Queers successfully use the musical vocabularies developed by the Ramones (as well as Brian Wilson and others) and take their songs to new levels.