Boy Crisis: Live
Words by Sophie Eggleton
When there’s a buzz of hysteria surrounding a band I can’t help but cringe and recoil away, my skeptical nature reckoning the buzz likely spawned from overblown hype filtered down from record labels and their over zealous teams. But in recent months, Boy Crisis have made frequent appearances in pub conversations with my music obsessed, untampered friends, who also cite the New York based five piece as a potential ‘Sound for 2009’. Spurred by my dedicated musos I stole a few listens on their Myspace and was pleasantly intrigued, however I wondered how their sound would translate to a live situation.
Boy Crisis, named after a term coined in a Newsweek cover story regarding the falling standards among young males due to the"biologically disrespectful education system”, was created in 2005 when Tal Rozen, Alex Kestner, and Victor Vazquez began creating music together at Wesleyan University. A year on, the band was in, for want of a better word, crisis due to difficultly replicating their compositions in a live capacity. Luckily Lee Penders’ arrival brought a solution . Since his arrival (and Robert’s), Boy Crisis has been able to bring their sound to clubs across New York City, and finally, and thankfully, venues here in the UK.
Without sounding like MGMT clones, they carry that innate but magical capability of sounding both retro and modern. You can reference the 70’s 80’s and even 90’s (JT, Kylie Minogue, Animal Collective and MJ are reported influences), but it doesn’t feel passe. After one listen I was reciting the wisely simplistic lyrics and found myself unwittingly sashaying my head in a manner that harked back from the psychedelic era, and even donned snake hips to accompany the sexy grooves of the tracks. Victor’s voice is a warming mix, similar in tone to a sexed Chris Martin (Coldplay haters don’t let this put you off) with a degree of Prince’s range and shade, dashed with Sam Sparro inflections .
I always feel for support acts, particularly since witnessing a brutal mauling of ‘...And you will know us by the trail of the dead’ a few years back. Knowledge that a majority of the audience members are willing you to finish must make for a daunting experience (or perhaps a performance enhancing challenge). From the start though, it seemed the audience was on side, it became evident that some of the crowd were there primarily for Boy Crisis’ segment of the show, perhaps they too had succumbed to popular belief that the band is on the cusp of big things and had also checked out their Myspace! Those still tentative with their appreciation were shortly converted, charmed by the band and their obvious mutual joy of performing. But, if their music wasn’t enough the frontman’s mantra of ‘ you look so cool’ massaged the egos of the happily accepting listeners.
So used to seeing bands look sullen on stage, it was refreshing to see such obvious glee and appreciation of their position. Endearingly, the keyboardist (and alternative vocalist) chuckled on as he watched the denim shirted frontman’s theatrics, extending his microphone to its limit, meaning that it was necessary to leap into the air like an excitable child. We also saw him bashing drums with chaotic gusto and violently whacking a rusty cowbell which he finally flung clumsily across the stage. His performance style is like a less manic Mick Jagger, hand hanging limply, with the occasional clap, the knees moving as if independent from the rest of his legs, mouth dancing round the microphone - but it’s not contrived, he’s completely engrossed in their sound. In his overgrown, ripped up kaftan shirt the lithe guitarist was also in his own element throughout their stint, eyes frequently closed, absorbed in his role, occasionally hitching a place against the side of Victor, lapping up the euphoria of centre stage.
There didn’t seem to be one dud amongst their set. 1981 has a distinctly hip hop vibe, breathy vocals and their trend of lust based lyrical content continuing. L’omme used 70’s disco style strings, orgasmic prince like yelps over-lapping dirty bass, and synthesized claps, “I’m on some drugs, you’re on some drugs do you wanna talk to me” carrying on their unstuffy and often humorous approach to song writing. Their knowing use of the world’s sexiest language successfully delivering another dimension of allure to the track. Dressed to Digress might be their most obvious ‘hit’ with its funky bass line, and sequence of breathless urges, name dropping Bruce Springsteen and Woodrow Wilson, ‘let me love you like you’re the shit, girl’, a phrase sure to be taken on by the fan-base. Ganglion of Lightnings slow tempo flirts with you and you can’ t help but feel a little sexy. It’s the perfect chill out, voices layering and harmonizing to beautiful effect with a hint of Kanye West style voice affectations,
Ok , so they won’t be for everyone. Those that seek heartfelt, angst ridden lyrics for instance, might find their current approach a tad vapid. I personally find them a welcome antidote to the dark, bleak realism of some of my current favourite bands. Whatever your views,t ime spent with Boy Crisis will transport you to some by gone/futuristic disco where order of the day is an intoxication of fun, sex ... and dancing. Doesn’t sound too bad now does it?
Posted Wed, May 06, 2009
Comments on Boy Crisis: Live
totally agree… love these guys. look forward to seeing them make it big!
Posted by: LauraH | 06/05/2009 at 17:09