Girls Against Boys

In 1990, Girls Against Boys sprang from the Washington, D.C., indie scene that spawned Fugazi, Shudder to Think and other like-minded acts. But unlike many of its peers, GVSB had few reservations about moving out of the minors to a major label — a decision the quartet surely regrets, having spent the past four years enduring entanglements galore with Geffen. But the strife paid off handsomely with the issuance of GVSB’s seventh full-length, You Can’t Fight What You Can’t See. Eager to prove it hadn’t completely sold out, the group retreated to form, inking a deal with Jade Tree and working with longtime producer Ted Nicely. Nicely saved the day, helping craft a touch-and-go bassfest that removed a few layers of studio sheen and let swaggering stud-muffin Scott McCloud get all Psychedelic Furry with his bad self. Having survived industry woes, dubious keyboard choices and side-project addiction, the band should scream with renewed vengeance on the Fight tour.