"The world really wasn't ready for ska-core," laughs Nate Albert, the band's guitarist. "The ska kids hated us for years, because we weren't traditional. And then we got shit from punk rock people, because we were playing ska and metal. We kind of got it from all angles. But fuck it," he adds, "because, at this point, people are coming around more."

Indeed, they are. With a growing number of bands opting for the two-tone and buzz-saw synthesis these days, the Bosstones stand as the clear progenitors of the genre. Still, Albert concedes that ska isn't the ideal showcase for guitarists: "You're just providing a percussive element for the rest of the band," he admits. "The big challenge is breathing some life into it." Clearly capable of rising to the challenge, Albert has forged a unique style that combines double-time ska upstrokes with beefy power chords.

Another challenge Albert faces is being heard over an eight-man ensemble. He doesn't grouse at sharing the spotlight with the Bosstones' horn section, though; in fact, he writes many of their arrangements. "I think of the horns as the second guitar player," Albert says, "and they get most of the licks and hooks."

Even so, Question The Answers (Mercury), their most recent offering, is more guitar-heavy than previous Bosstones releases. But Albert firmly dispels rumors that he's flirting with guitar narcissism. "The biggest trick in my bag? Pressing my A/B box," he laughs.

-TIM KENNEALLY