For those who remember being in High School when the song classic “American Pie” came out, in 2024 the song’s author Don McLean actually returned with an album of all-new pop-rock anthems called American Boys. The 13-track, 50-minute album features an impressive range of musicians and the good news is McLean’s clear-headed songwriting focus has never been sharper.

More than just a throwback to the “American Pie” heyday of the early 1970s, American Boys takes McLean’s singing and songwriting to new heights and it’s near impossible to single out one track. American Boys touches on modern-day Bob Dylan / Gerry Goffin style folk-rock and Beatles inspired rockers while another influence comes by way of new tracks that echo the memorable protest song romance of Phil Ochs, who himself was enamored of Buddy Holly so the Harrison / Dylan protest vibe is also recaptured.

Also of note is the excellent production of multi-instrumentalist Michael Severs and the full band shines. From the kickass opening spike of “American Boys” with its praises of American music giants like Fats Domino, Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly to the George Harrison effect on a bonus song here called “Gotta Make You Mine”, it’s clear that Don McLean is back on the music scene with a new and potent vengeance.