The Kids Are the Same

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The Kids Are the Same
The Kids Are the Same.jpg
Studio album by
Paul Collins' Beat
Released1982
Genre Rock, power pop, pop
Label Columbia
Producer Bruce Botnick
Paul Collins' Beat chronology
The Beat
(1979)		The Kids Are the Same
(1982)		To Beat or Not to Beat
(1983)

The Kids Are the Same is the second album by the American band Paul Collins' Beat (formerly the Beat), released in 1982. [1] [2] "On the Highway" was released as a single. [3] The band supported the album with a North American tour. [4] The Kids Are the Same sold around 30,000 copies, leading Columbia Records to drop the band. [5] [6]

Contents

Production

The album was produced by Bruce Botnick, following aborted sessions with another producer. [7] [5] The band added Dennis Conway on drums, replacing Michael Ruiz. [8] Most of the songs were written by frontman Paul Collins. [9]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
The Clarion-Ledger Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [11]
Duluth News Tribune 9/10 [12]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [13]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]
Omaha World-Herald Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [14]
The Windsor Star B+ [15]

The Globe and Mail said that "the band dabbles in so many different styles that no one of them could be called its own ... the playing and singing are hardly exceptional". [16] The Blade-Tribune called the album "a masterpiece of basic rock". [17] The Duluth News Tribune concluded that Collins "is one of those rare rockers who understands the form intuitively—these songs come from a place where rock exists in its natural state." [12] The Clarion-Ledger noted that the band "is superb, especially lead guitarist Larry Whitman, who fits in rather than overwhelms." [11] The Windsor Star labeled the songs "ravers all and sock-hoppable." [15] The Intelligencer Journal listed The Kids Are the Same among the 20 best albums of 1982; the Fort Worth Star-Telegram placed it at No. 10. [18] [19]

In 2012, The Mercury stated that the band's first two albums "are still hailed as templates for how power-pop records should be made." [20] AllMusic said that the title track "is a classic teen anthem waiting to be rediscovered." [10] Trouser Press opined that "the band shows a high degree of musical volatility" on the first half of the album. [21]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."That's What Life Is All About" 
2."Dreaming" 
3."On the Highway" 
4."Will You Listen" 
5."Crying Won't Help" 
6."The Kids Are the Same" 
7."Trapped" 
8."It's Just a Matter of Time" 
9."Met Her Yesterday" 
10."I Will Say No" 

References

  1. ↑ Borack, John M. (2007). Shake Some Action: The Ultimate Guide to Power Pop. Not Lame Recording Co. p. 21.
  2. ↑ Krieger, George W. (November 26, 2004). "Reissues". Goldmine. Vol. 30, no. 24. p. 56.
  3. ↑ "Promotions". Billboard. Vol. 94, no. 13. April 3, 1982. p. 27.
  4. ↑ Newman, Mark (August 16, 1982). "Beat's hard rock muted vocal subtleties". The Grand Rapids Press. p. 3F.
  5. 1 2 McDonough, Jack (1985). San Francisco Rock: The Illustrated History of San Francisco Rock Music. Chronicle Books. p. 107.
  6. 1 2 MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1996. p. 51.
  7. ↑ "Billboard's Recommended LPs: Pop". Billboard. Vol. 94, no. 5. February 6, 1982. p. 71.
  8. ↑ "Beat's new album is excellent". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. February 14, 1982. p. 4E.
  9. ↑ Wilkens, John (May 15, 1982). "Record Rack". Santa Barbara News-Press. p. C32.
  10. 1 2 "The Kids Are the Same Review by Mark Deming". AllMusic. Retrieved June 3, 2025.
  11. 1 2 Burnett, Brown (February 21, 1982). "On music". The Clarion-Ledger. p. 3G.
  12. 1 2 Shefchik, Rick (February 14, 1982). "Hot Wax". Accent North. Duluth News Tribune. p. 29.
  13. ↑ Larkin, Colin (1998). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 1. MUZE. p. 431.
  14. ↑ Catlin, Roger (March 9, 1982). "New Sounds". Omaha World-Herald. p. 8.
  15. 1 2 Shaw, Ted (February 27, 1982). "Rock". The Windsor Star. p. C3.
  16. ↑ Niester, Alan (February 27, 1982). "The Kids Are the Same The Paul Collins Beat". The Globe and Mail. p. F6.
  17. ↑ Missett, Bill (February 11, 1982). "Record Reviews". The Blade-Tribune. San Diego County. p. 27.
  18. ↑ Sturm, David (December 16, 1982). "Music Makers". Intelligencer Journal. p. 37.
  19. ↑ Kaye, Roger (January 16, 1983). "Three acts earn top rock honors". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. p. 3D.
  20. ↑ "Counting the Beat". The Mercury. May 10, 2012. p. 33.
  21. ↑ Green, Jim. "Beat". Trouser Press. Retrieved June 3, 2025.
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