I first heard a song from Junior Boys on their album “Begone Dull Care.” The song was called “Dull to Pause,” and it hooked me instantly. Something about lead singer Jeremy Greenspan and his sparse production caught me off guard. It was intelligent and sexy, a suave Euro-beat indie track that managed to stay hip while pushing the normal envelope of indie electronics.
I was excited to hear the announcement of their brand new studio album “It’s All True,” released June 13, 2011 on Domino Records, even though I hadn’t cared to explore their back catalog any further than “Dull to Pause.” I naturally assumed that this new record would be a more matured sound than that previous offering, and looked forward to being able to soak myself in their new sound.
We start “It’s All True” with a very catchy synth-edgy track entitled “Itchy Fingers.” Immediately I’m thinking their sound hasn’t matured so much as it’s veered into a territory 180 degrees from where they left us with “Begone.” There are snark synth pops and a retro-electronic organ providing us with the initial background atmosphere. What a strange yet attractive way to introduce us to this set of new tunes.
This is what is working for Junior Boys here, however it soon unravels. They know how to seduce us, without really seeming like they’re trying to. Production value, expensive mechanics, the whir of their 80′s electro pop all coalesce very quickly into the world that they want us to get lost in and quite honestly, to fuck us. “Itchy Fingers” initially plays itself like a B-Side to a Boy George record, it’s smart: changing pace when it wants to introduce us to the chorus material, and adding sliced and rhythmic pads to the B-section of their verses to hold us. It’s really a great gimmick to get the album going, unfortunately they can’t even keep it up long enough to sustain my interest to the second song. Yes, they are successful in being seductive enough to capture me for the start of the album. However, by the second track “Playtime,” I reflect upon the track that got me started with their music in the first place and think that they haven’t managed go farther than Dull, indeed.
