Junior Boys really made a huge leap forward last year with So This Is Goodbye. Without selling out even the tiniest bit of indietronica cred they earned to date, on this latest release they've jumped headlong into the art of the pop song. Sounding comfortable and effortless, they've mastered the form without falling back on clichés, and given their long-time fans a lot to chew on regarding what it means to be 'pop'.Alternating between bouncy, sexy tunes like "Double Shadow", "The Equalizer"* and the perfect pop treasure "In The Morning" and more introspective, mellow tracks like "FM" and "When No One Cares" (a Sinatra cover), the album shows both range and maturity while holding onto an ephemeral youthfulness that's key to its success. And while the songs are thoroughly modern, the album as a whole seems to pay respects (sonically, at least) to John Foxx, Fad Gadget, Thomas Leer and other synth-pop pioneers from a generation back.
Junior Boys have created something essentially of-the-moment by looking back to their arguably unhip influences while planting their flag firmly in the pop present. If there's any justice, So This Is Goodbye will get them the mainstream attention they rightfully deserve.
*Man, is the Morgan Geist Graphic Mix of this on the In The Morning awesome!
1 comment:
Well, this was my album of the year (see my review here), so of course I completely agree with everything you're saying here.
I'm still trying to decide if we want to attempt to check out their live show. It could be fun or it could sort of diminish our love if they put on a bad show. Hurm.
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