This album starts out with “Miracle Gro”, and it’s a very quaint, sweet intro. I mean, there’s a whole lot of this album that really takes me back to the innocence of the early Of Montreal albums. Some of these harmonies are actually really fantastic. And of course, the fact that there’s no grimy or Low-Fi production around for miles is actually a big deal. But this is pleasant, and it certainly puts me in a good mood. But I do sort of wish they went into a regular tune. Like, come on, this is barely over a minute. It’s sweet and likable, but where’s the content? However, with “Take The Doggie” Shy Boys come up with a really classy, snappy Indie Pop tune that’s insanely catchy. It’s moments like this that I honestly see a ton of progression from Shy Boys. Between the very punchy and upbeat instrumental, and some seriously well-written verses too, there are just tons to really love here. And this chorus, forget about it, it may just be one of the catchiest I’ve heard this year. This is one hell of an Indie Pop tune and just puts me in such a great mood. Now, remember earlier when I said I was getting a big Of Montreal vibe? If that was the case earlier, it’s a thousand times more with the arrival of “Tragic Loss”. There’s such a youthful innocence to this, and I continue to love the sweet vocal harmonies and just how carefree this is. Like, the production and their sound as a whole has made ridiculous strides since their early recordings. It’s bright and sunny, and if that’s not your thing you should probably stay away from all of this. But overall this is an insanely catchy and memorable Indie Pop jam. On the other hand, “No Fun” strips things down and almost brings in some slight elements of Dream Pop. And honestly, it’s very charming and endearing. But sadly, I’m not as wild about the vocals here. I think the instrumental is super warm and inviting. But the harmonies here don’t seem nearly as natural and aren’t as rewarding.
With “Evil Sin”, it becomes apparent just how much this band has to go still. This is a very sweet, tender ballad for sure. But instrumentally this isn’t nearly as heartwarming as it thinks it is. No, sadly this one is incredibly boring. And when you strip back from all of these glorious harmonies we had earlier there is literally nothing going on underneath. Thankfully, the second half of this track does pick up a little bit with some incredibly classy and charming instrumentals that harken back to the early days of Vampire Weekend. But this is still, a massively disappointing tune. “Basement” on the other hand is so much more straightforward, and instantly I’m just so much more into this. It’s very quaint and has a certain awkwardness to it that I’m actually totally into. It’s a very human ballad that just comes off like it was came up with out of nowhere, but in the absolute best way. In a way that it actually ends up coming off as heartfelt. It’s a genuinely quirky song, but I love it. “Something Sweet” continues on with the very sunny, dreamy and colorful themes of the rest of this album. Now, in a way this album is very positive and sweet, and like I said earlier if that’s not your thing you gotta avoid this album like the plague. But for a track that doesn’t have nearly as many harmonies (outside of the chorus) this is a strangely complete and engaging tune. Whoever taught these guys how to write a Pop tune, good on ya. But it’s these slower, softer track that time and time again that throw me off. Tracks like “Bell House” are heartfelt and sweet. But I feel like Shy Boys are just doing so much more engaging stuff with their more colorful material. This is easily the most boring and quite frankly awkward vocal performance here. Like, I’m not even kidding, this track is actually painful to listen to. And in an album filled with tracks between 1 and 2 minutes, why the hell of all tracks here is this almost 4? I do like the very dreamy aesthetic and just how heartfelt this is. But I feel like Shy Boys are almost holding back.
Shy Boys continue to keep me on the fence in every way with “Disconnect”. There’s certainly a lot to dig here. As far as softer tunes go, these are easily some of the band’s best harmonies. I love the very sleek, sexy vibes on this one, and the very groovy bass that rolls in. In general, there’s plenty to like about this one. Shy Boys I still think can take their sound further, get more colorful and wild, I really do. But I have to say, they know how to write a charming tune. Ugh, but it’s moments like “Champion” that I really don’t know what to think. All of this time, I’ve been saying Shy Boys need to expand their sound a little. And here, they do, and there are so many different styles and sounds clashing. Some of them are actually a little awkward and clash, like those finger snaps which are almost never on cue. But outside of that, this is an insanely catchy and likable Indie Pop tune. It’s sweet and just so easy to take in. If they smooth out their sound, Shy Boys can be huge.
Rating: 7.2/10
Give A Listen To: “Take The Doggie”, “Tragic Loss”, “Basement”, “Something Sweet”
Least Favorite Track: “Bell House”
Genre: Indie Pop / Art Pop
Overall Thoughts: Well, Shy Boys have certainly did a lot with their sound from the early days of this project. Gone is the very Low-Fi production, and in it’s place we’re getting a lot of very charming, endearing ballads and sweet tracks that harken back to the days of Of Montreal. Some of the ballads though, sadly aren’t nearly as effective, and I just can’t shake the feeling that if they went even bigger and more colorful this band would be so much better. But they’re progressing, and writing some very charming songs to say the least.
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