Girls to Chat & Boys to Bounce

Released in 1981, Girls to Chat & Boys to Bounce is Foghat's tenth studio album and marks a significant sonic shift toward a more streamlined, 80s-influenced sound. Produced by Nick Jameson, who also returned to play bass and wrote several tracks, the album sees the band moving away from the long-form blues jams of 'Fool for the City' in favor of shorter, more aggressive tracks like 'Wide Boy.' This era of the band was defined by the recruitment of Erik Cartwright to replace founding guitarist Rod Price, which altered the band's dual-guitar dynamic. While it retained the boogie-woogie DNA that made them famous, the record incorporated elements of power pop and even hints of new wave rhythmic sensibilities. Critical reception was mixed at the time as purists bristled at the shorter song lengths, but it has since been recognized as a solid example of a legacy act successfully adapting to the changing production standards of the early 80s.