Junior Boys
It's All True
Rating: Meh
I've been a huge fan of Junior Boys since No Exit and So This Is Goodbye were released and massaged my ears with their minimal, pristine synthpop. Junior Boys' sound slowly evolved over those two releases, never taking giant steps, but subtly honing their focus. By the time of their third album Begone Dull Care, I was waiting for a shift that would signal a new purpose, unfortunately, the album was a bit of a puzzle, taking their minimal aesthetic to an almost jokey level. After a brief hiatus, their new album It's All True is out, and again, we are left with a puzzle, Junior Boys not really doing anything new, but still doing it very well.
It's All True is a sunnier affair than the glum Begone Dull Care, announcing itself proudly at the start with the brisk, Asian tinged electro of "Itchy Fingers."
Pacing becomes an issue with the album overall, with the sequencing of the songs creating a whiplash effect. After the the bright opening, they bring things to a halt with the icy, electro-ballad "Playtime," which continues the Asian influence.
"Playtime" is a highlight of the album, but should have been more in the middle of the mix. It is such an abrupt shift in the pace of the album, it derails the whole flow. And the Asian influence of the first two tracks, which was a welcome addition, is then discarded.
"You'll Improve Me" gets the flow started back, locking into a synth-funk groove.
As the album progresses, the lack of focus becomes quite a hindrance in enjoying the album. Several songs just become Junior Boys by numbers, and slide by with half-baked melodies and rote synth parts. "Truly Happy Ending" is the worst offender.
Junior Boys - A Truly Happy Ending by zar
"Kick The Can" is almost unlistenable. Jeremy Greenspan's falsetto works against the ping-pong effects of synths and percussion, and the repetitive nature of the track is borderline torture. "ep" meanders and wanders through almost 6 minutes of ambient noodling.
It's All True is maddening, because Junior Boys show that they can take risks and move their sound into different areas. While the band is an electronic band, they have never been overtly dance oriented. Final track "Banana Ripple" is a fun 9 minute slab of funky, electro house.
Had they stuck to more adventurous moves such as this, the album would have been more interesting. As it stands, it is by far the weakest album in their catalog. The lack of focus and brutal sequencing destroys any momentum of the album. While Begone Dull Care was a bit of a misfire, it at least had a sense of purpose. It's All True, which on first listen has memorable elements, loses itself too often to cohere into anything other than a hopeless mishmash.
Rating Guide
Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.
Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.
Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.
Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.
Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.
Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.
Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.
