Often overlooked,
the Hooters'
Nervous Night was a defining record not only for the band, but for 1985 itself. Filled to the brim with fun, danceable new wave-ish rock, the album is a wonderful representation of a lighthearted era. The peppy vocals of keyboardist
Rob Hyman and guitarist
Eric Bazilian give the band an assured, happy energy, while the sporadic use of the mandolin and melodica (a combination harmonica/keyboard) gives the group its distinctive sound. "And We Danced" and "Day by Day" became instant pop hits, but the remainder of
Nervous Night is almost as strong. "All You Zombies," which refers to stories in the Bible, is the band's most powerful moment; along with "Where Do the Children Go," the track showed that
the Hooters could be serious and dramatic as well as upbeat. Although the band wasn't able to maintain its momentum with subsequent records,
Nervous Night remains a noteworthy contribution to mid-'80s rock and doesn't sound quite as dated as the work of some of the band's contemporaries. ~ Kenyon Hopkin