Junior Boys
http://www.juniorboys.net
styles: electro-pop, '80s revival, melodic techno
others: New Order, Underworld
 So
This Is Goodbye
Domino, 2006
rating: 4/5
reviewer: grigsby
So our friends from the Great White North have decided to grace us with a second
full-length visit, So This Is Goodbye. There couldn't be a more apt
locale for these Boyz to hail from than Canada, as they serve up another round
of music for dance floors made of ice and for heating up wintry bedrooms.
As a fan of Junior Boys' debut, Last Exit, hearing their new offering was
absolutely thrilling. As good as it is, though, I can't help but be taken aback
by just how similar it sounds to its predecessor. I recently took another listen
to Last Exit, and it is quite apparent that Junior Boys are more
concerned with refinement than overt progression. Last Exit sounds like a
band creating a sonic niche for themselves, such that every timbre of every note
sounds perfect, while So This Is Goodbye simply applies this template to
a new fantastic string of songs.
So This Is Goodbye wastes no time, beginning with a one-two dancefloor
punch of "Double Shadow" and "The Equalizer." Make no mistake, it sounds just
like Last Exit, but their reinvigorated sense of pop songwriting takes
their sound to new heights. This idea peaks on the maybe-too-sexy "In the
Morning," which is a flurry of heavy breathing, suggestive lyrics, and
fluttering synths. Things change direction a bit with "First Time," a ballad of
sorts that takes advantage of the band's sound for a different sort of song. In
this case, the trick absolutely works and the song proves to be a highlight.
However, on "When No One Cares," the band again tinkers with their formula but
with less compelling results. Stripped-down, vocal-led, and lacking a strong
melody, the song takes down the momentum of the second half. This is only one
dud among ten, making the album about as solid as they come.
In the end, Junior Boys' improved skills at constructing pop songs within their
fantastic sonic template is more than enough to make So This Is Goodbye
one of my favorite releases of 2006 so far.
1. Double Shadow
2. The Equalizer
3. First Time
4. Count Souvenirs
5. In The Morning
6. So This is Goodbye
7. Like a Child
8. Caught in a Wave
9. When No One Cares
10. FM
 Last
Exit
Kin, 2004
rating: 4/5
reviewer: jean-pierre
On Junior Boys' website, there is a line that states that Last Exit will
reinvent electronic pop in the same way that Luomo's Vocal City
reinvented house music. That's a tall order for music that essentially sounds
like New Order for 2004, but the point is well taken. Last Exit is a
unique album that takes a decade's worth of electronic music and injects soulful
vocals for an overall enjoyable and satisfying release.
Junior Boys have made a name for themselves over the last year on the upstart
KIN record label. These three Canadians released two singles before beginning
work on their full length. While micro-house has dominated electronic music in
the last few years, Junior Boys thankfully steer clear of complex skittering
beats on Last Exit. Instead, '80s pop and the glossy production of
Timbaland seem to be big influences here. What keeps Last Exit grounded
is the laid-back approach to the vocals and beats. The music is never hard or
pumping. The subtle vocals and air-y beats make this album perfect for late
nights without being overtly "chill."
Last Exit succeeds surprisingly because of its shrewdness. Junior Boys
could have mimicked countless micro house tracks and sang over them. Instead,
the group culled together the quieter, melodic moments of Underworld, injected
some '80s pop, some garage-y production techniques, and came up with a quaint
collection of ten tracks.
While I can't vouch and say this is reinventing anything in electronic music,
Last Exit is an enjoyable release that makes you wonder why someone didn't
follow this formula earlier. It's shrewd-pop, something I imagine we'll be
seeing a lot more of in the next few years.
1. More Than Real
2. Bellona
3. High Come Down
4. Last Exit
5. Neon Rider
6. Birthday
7. Under The Sun
8. Three Words
9. Teach Me How To Fight
10. When I'm Not Around
11. 35 In The Shade
|