Serene, disconnected alternative
California-borne alternative band Sir Sly has delivered another set of tracks in their new album, The Rise & Fall Of Loverboy. Their previous hits like “Gold,” “High” and “You Haunt Me” are songs from which they leaped to expand their alternative sound. This album is the creation of that hard work.
The album’s namesake “Loverboy” is a cathartic track with a standalone beat and frantic vocal effects. As a story of a romantic man, this song appeals to the faintness of the heart for young love. It’s light and arid, made to appeal to the masses. “Honey” has the same serenity with a slight edge to make the song dynamic. “Welcomes The Pressure” shows some darkness, deciphering mental health issues in musical form. The beat is timid, longing for something a bit more drastic to fit the song. While it flows nicely, this disconnection makes the song seem flat.
“Citizen” shoots to be indie, forgoing the serenity of previous tracks for a special rhythm that slowly distorts over time. This song crescendos to an edgy standalone song, numbing the feeling of other tracks on this album. To further numb this previous feeling is “Numb,” a sorrowful ode to the aspirations of this loverboy, who seems to wade in the melancholic soundwaves of frontman Landon Jacobs’ vocals.
“Are We Having Any Fun?” is too similar to the alt-rock of today. It’s trying to be something which it can’t relate to. The disconnection between the bridge and verses is too far to leap over, leaving an abyss to split strange feelings of happiness and solitude.
“thx.” is an interlude, slowly cascading the fall of loverboy as the album seems to slow down. The next track, “Material Boy,” seems to be a realization of some kind, almost enlightening the album slightly to keep people interested. It’s a bit repetitive, reminding one of the early 2000s alternative. “sick sick [sic]” brings the rhythm down a bit, transitioning into the decline of their character’s story. It splits into two sensations, one which slows you down and one that picks you right back up. “All I Want To Do Is Cry” follows the same pattern with minute differences. In the same dizzying manner is “I.M.G.,” though this track has a more creative flow to make it approachable for further listening. With an almost hip-hop beat, it shoots off into a different tangent from previous tracks.
“Little Deaths” is a stable alternative track, picking up the slack from previous mishaps. Jason Suwito and Hayden Coplen’s stripped-down accompaniment merges nicely with the dynamism of Jacobs’ vocals. This song performs well, forgoing expectations to provide something real. “d00msday” offers the same light of the beginning of the album, with some electronic edge to create the longing feeling at the end of the beat. The album’s closer, “b!!!rds,” is elemental, combining the edge of other tracks into an interesting conclusion. It starts soft and ends with a punch and cliffhanger, which leaves people hanging as a listener.
The sound of Sir Sly has changed incrementally over the years, including and excluding different sounds to make their repertoire in music. The Rise & Fall Of Loverboy is a new flare, adding a variety of new sounds to connect with their persona as a group. Though small disconnections are preventing this album from being a hit, and it needs the power to get there.
Leave a Comment