Sometimes you can get the vibe of a record just by looking at the album cover. In the case of Boy Least Likely To’s The Best Party Ever, with the happy cartoon animals playing musical instruments and holding balloons, they hit the nail on the head. This is a cheerful collection of pop songs that will instantly brighten up your day. These sweet, simple indie pop songs come from the UK duo of Pete and Jof. While the outer candy shell of their songs may have a childlike quality, the chocolate center looks more towards adulthood as they tackle the fears of growing up. The album begins with "Be Gentle With Me", which resembles Badly Drawn Boy's work on About a Boy Soundtrack. The duo channels the sunny California pop of Brian Wilson on "Paper Cuts", which is led with a Rentals-esque Moog line backed by plenty of vocal harmonies. The youthful glee continues on the folky "I'm Glad I Hitched My Apple Wagon To Your Star", which could be a pre-school sing along with i... [
Read On... ]
Sometimes you can get the vibe of a record just by looking at the album cover. In the case of Boy Least Likely To’s The Best Party Ever, with the happy cartoon animals playing musical instruments and holding balloons, they hit the nail on the head. This is a cheerful collection of pop songs that will instantly brighten up your day. These sweet, simple indie pop songs come from the UK duo of Pete and Jof. While the outer candy shell of their songs may have a childlike quality, the chocolate center looks more towards adulthood as they tackle the fears of growing up. The album begins with "Be Gentle With Me", which resembles Badly Drawn Boy's work on About a Boy Soundtrack. The duo channels the sunny California pop of Brian Wilson on "Paper Cuts", which is led with a Rentals-esque Moog line backed by plenty of vocal harmonies. The youthful glee continues on the folky "I'm Glad I Hitched My Apple Wagon To Your Star", which could be a pre-school sing along with its sugary sweet chorus and playful instrumentation. Even a little rain must fall in Pete and Jof's world, such as on the frail ballad "The Battle Of The Boy Least Likely To". Don't worry, as plenty of smiles are just around the bend. The album picks up with "Hugging My Grudge", bouncing along with jangly guitars, harmonica, and don't forget about the handclaps. The charm of the Boy Least Likely to is that they come across as the underdog, who you will be rooting for by the end of the album. This is the perfect record to usher in the warmer weather of spring, as we leave the gloom of winter behind us. Put on some sunblock, grab your headphones and run out to the park. Fire up the iPod, find yourself a swing and enjoy The Best Party Ever. Maybe even treat yourself to an ice cream cone...because you deserve it. [
close ]
