Playground needs to leap off the merry-go-round
The Boy Least Likely To is stuck in an unimpressive Never-never Land.
Published March 16, 2009
After releasing a critically acclaimed indie-pop debut record in 2005, it was predicted that UK natives The Boy Least Likely To would start putting out a steady stream of cute, twee pop for years to come. How hard is it to write these seemingly childish songs accompanied with even more childish artwork? Apparently it takes time, as their latest effort, The Law of the Playground, was finally released this month on CD and on vinyl, exclusively with Insound for the audiophiles out there.
Fret not, The Boy Least Likely To has really refined their sound (sort of) with The Law of the Playground. It seems the band has grown a substantial amount since 2005, but its lyrical content and general demeanor have remained rather static. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is not completely satisfying.
Despite their refusal to change all that much, they have added a few elements to the mix this time around in order to spice things up a bit. On "When Life Gives Me Lemons I Make Lemonade," the duo blends banjos, synthesizers and acoustic plucking in a way we have not seen The Boy Least Likely To do before. Typically relying on the simplicity of generic twee pop, the two have created an interesting texture with this track, and the layers and noises do not stop here.
Handclaps, twinkling bells and soft voices are staples of the twee pop music culture, and are all present on "Stringing Up Conkers," about halfway through the album. Although it only clocks in at a bit less than two minutes, these simple elements tied together with a harmonica make it arguably the strongest track on the record. Right after this song, The Boy Least Likely To really start to show the folk influence they developed in the downtime between records. Built on layers upon layers of synthesizers, the banjo lines and lyrics on "The Boy Least Likely To Is A Machine" are unparalleled elements on this record, and it really adds a new, previously unseen side to The Boy Least Likely To.
Although the childlike innocence that originally drew fans on The Best Party Ever remains on this effort, there are hints of an ominous and depressing ending on the aptly titled final track, "A Fairy Tale Ending." Previously bombarded with cute love songs, the final song is a bit unexpected. "I'm still as stupid as I was before," lead singer Jof Owen claims. "I find it difficult to be myself/So I pretend to be something I'm not." For such a seemingly happy guy, this final song left me feeling pretty down, despite the upbeat instrumentation we see so often on the band's other records.
To be perfectly blunt, The Law of the Playground is nothing special. Yes, the Boy Least Likely To has finally returned with a twee pop record that pop enthusiasts have been anticipating for four years, but the album doesn't include anything that novel. And although the folk additions are interesting, they do not really save the record from being a casual, one-time spring listening.