"Boys Night Out" Review (3.5/5)
So the Canadian sensation has returned to grace listeners with yet another tail of Broken Bones and Bloody Kisses; well without any real influence from Broken Bones and Bloody Kisses. Boys Night Out has ditched their loud hardcore ways for a more melodic sound. It all started with the concept album, Trainwreck. The LP was the most different material the band has ever made. Fans and critics both ranted and raved but the overall outcome was Trainwreck had a good concept with melody good enough to do The Charleston to. Trainwreck was successful and profitable. This time around, Boys Night Out kept the formula which gave them some mainstream creditability while keeping most of the scene happy. Their latest Self-Titled effort is meant to continue the elegance of their almost scene ballroom melody while not bringing a concept along to divert from the music. This did give the band more freedom, but the severing of their restrictions really didn’t do anything for them.
Many people were afraid the tracks on Boys Night Out's digital EP, Fifty Million People Can't Be Wrong was going to set the tone of the next album; well it didn’t. Their Self-Titled is pretty much Trainwreck b-sides. Although many of the tracks share similar theme, there is really no conscious narrative. The songs off this album break into a few different categories. Tracks such as “Let Me Be Your Swear Word” have a pop feel with a constant leading bass line melody. The vocals as well as the back-up chanting in the chorus seem like some tools The Higher used on their latest album. “Hey, Thanks” is another pop track with another fist pumping chant, “We may suffer together, but we all die alone.” Also found on this track is some synth action. Although keyboardist Kara Dupuy departed the band after one album and a few national tours, the songs aren’t affected at all and “Hey, Thanks” seems to be the only track on the CD with any keyboards which would easily be manipulated and mimicked by guitar at their live shows.
If anyone has kept an eye on these guys, then it’s understood that their first single off this album is called, “Swift and Unforgiving.” Personally, for a single, there are better tracks. Although, this is the only track which lets every member in Boys Night Out shine. Since their drummer for Trainwreck, Brian Southall departed to join up with The Receiving End of Sirens, Boys Night Out reunited with their original drummer Ben Arseneau from Broken Bones and Bloody Kisses and on “Swift and Unforgiving”, Ben takes his set apart. “Swift and Unforgiving” seems to be the smoothest compilation between Make Yourself Sick and Trainwreck. The bass and some guitar work show some old-school BNO style while the lyrics are pretty much new fangled Trainwreck. The melodies are the perfect blend of both places.
The slowest song off this album, “Fall For The Drinker” seems very haunting a some points. Lead singer Connor Lovat-Fraser really uses his vocal melody to carry this track. Without his touch, this song would have never worked out as well as it does. Jeff Davis does an awesome job as usual through this song as well as on this whole record.
Boys Night Out has continued to keep up with their new sound much like Circa Survive seems to be doing. The trend here seems to be, “if it ain’t broke; don’t fix it.” Like many drugs, this album takes a few times before the addiction starts to kick in. And although the beginning tracks of the album hold no contest against the middle and end of this disc, the overall album is one to keep you preoccupied. Sadly, without that cunning concept, a good amount of the tracks will fall to the back of the mind. Don’t expect this to do better than Trainwreck because the concept of the album was stronger than the songs themselves. This Self-Titled effort is the songs themselves without the concept. Not as effective.
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