by the boys - by the boys

by the boys

by the boys
​self-released; 2021

4.0 out of 5

By Matt Jensen

By The Boys is located in Phoenix, AZ and is composed of long time friends Samuel Ernest and Dylan Jacob. The band recently released an eight-song self-titled album By The Boys. They explain that they have a fondness for pop and psychedelic music especially from the ’60s.

That makes sense when listening to their music. I was getting some vibes from The Beatles which often sounded like it’s combined with a modern lo-fi bedroom type of aesthetic with a splash of ’90s rock.

The album gets going with “power of the witch (i’m free).” It’s a lush and atmospheric song and quite catchy. I loved the lead vocals and harmonies right away. This song has an inspired hook and overall was a pleasure to hear.

The next song “bye bye bye” is a nice mix of genres and styles. There’s a Mac Demarco type of quality that’s combined with ’50s pop sensibility. It also sounds similar to early Tame Impala. “miss my brain” is another great song. The melodies felt instantly catchy and infectious. There's just the perfect amount of dissonance as well.

“where is my baby ??” is a leftover romantic dream while “you’re so clever” is one of the more full sounding songs that blossoms with slide guitars and synths. “you’re so clever” might be a highlight for the groove alone. It’s this subdued funk that is absolutely infectious. I was reminded of the band Of Montreal on this song.

We go back into the lush dreamy atmosphere with “lover boy.” I loved the vocals and the bird chirping that “goodbye” starts with. The song has a great groove as well.

​The songwriting was so good throughout this release and I fell in love with the vocals as well. This is a great album from beginning to end. Recommended.

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