Boids are a punk rock and roll band from Montreal. (In case you're wondering, their name is a made-up, nonsense word.) I caught them on their first ever US tour opening for fellow Canadians The Real McKenzies. I remember thinking at the time that the band had a strong 50's influence. Repeated listens to their debut album, We Stalk Each Other Like Animals, only confirmed my suspicion. While it could be certainly be argued that most punk bands owe a debt to Chuck Berry, Boids really wear that influence on their sleeve. For the most part, it serves them well.

Opener, "Hong Kong Candy", is a one minute blast of straight-up punk fury. Its lyrics also give the album its title. Later, the raging "PBMF" clocks in at less than a minute. What Boids real specialize in is two minute punk songs with primitive rock and roll riffs, raspy lead vocals and melodic back-up vocals. "Paradise Wasted", "Wheels" and "Spitfire" are good examples of this sound done successfully. They're not really doing anything earthshaking, but they're good at what they do. When the band does try to get more experimental, the results are mixed. "Runaround" and "Smart Ass" feature spoken word style delivery of the lyrics, angular rhythms and off-kilter guitar lines. Even if these songs don't always work, they do serve to show the band's wicked sense of humor.

Boids are at their very best when they're embracing their inner hopeless romantics. "Back in My Arms" begs a lover to come home and is reminiscent of Johnny Thunders. Boids save their best track for last. "Don't Go" is a super catchy song that begs a lover to stay. Overall, We Stalk Each Other Like Animals is an enjoyable listen and a solid debut.