Rockness Recommends
The Boy Least Likely To create a not quite carefree world.
March 1, 2006
The Boy Least Likely To are a duo utterly devoid of pretension and represent one of a handful of current rockers intent on establishing a brave new "post-snob" world within the independent music community. Because of the genuine enthusiasm The Boy Least Likely To have for their own music, it is extremely easy to reciprocate the good vibes and fall for their joyous sound ourselves. Sure, a cynic who still rocks his/her Shellac shirt might scoff that The Boy Least Likely To (like The Go! Team) borders on the cheesy. But being an asshole is soooo 20th Century... everyone who's anyone knows the hot new shit is happiness and glockenspiels.
Jof Owen (lyrics, vocals) and Pete Hobbs (music) are two grown up kids from England who felt like writing some songs that were filled with fantasy and childlike wonder, but didn't suck like Raffi. So, the two got together and fiddled around with the secondhand instruments they culled from various thrift stores, craft fairs, and preschools. Their songs quickly, and magically, took shape, so they decided they might as well record a handful of them. Using a PC, an 8-track recorder, and Pete's bedroom as a makeshift recording studio, The Boys came away with the universally praised album, The Best Party Ever. Tens of thousands of record sales (as an import only, mind you) and one multi-country tour later, it is clear The Boy Least Likely To have spread their joy to far more places than just the English countryside. Seemingly every hipster wants to play Pin the Tail On the Donkey and sing along with these guys.
Who knew that songs full of sunshine synths, cheerful recorders and joyful glockenspiels would capture the fascinations of the cool kids and the most jaded of online music critics? Maybe The Boy Least Likely To are the musical equivalent of Citizen Kane's Rosebud. You may grow up and lose your innocence, but you can always find a little love in your heart for the bouncy banjo ditties of your past. What makes The Boy Least Likely To even more appealing is that while their lyrics do deal with such whimsical subjects as monsters, tigers and scary spiders, they also comment on such "grown up" subjects as coming of age, being burdened with fear, and confronting one's own mortality. Anyone who says The Boy Least Likely To are just "a fun twee band" are only about half right. There's some foundation to this fiesta.
As far as I know, there will be no furry monster puppets or giant bubble machines accompanying Owen and Hobbs as they embark on their very first American tour (and Jof's very first visit to this country). But I guarantee this duo will be supplemented with plenty of smiles, bops and toe taps from the audience to keep Pete and Jof from getting too lonely or worrying too much about dying before their time.
The Boy Least Likely To plays R & R on Friday, March 10th
Jof Owen (lyrics, vocals) and Pete Hobbs (music) are two grown up kids from England who felt like writing some songs that were filled with fantasy and childlike wonder, but didn't suck like Raffi. So, the two got together and fiddled around with the secondhand instruments they culled from various thrift stores, craft fairs, and preschools. Their songs quickly, and magically, took shape, so they decided they might as well record a handful of them. Using a PC, an 8-track recorder, and Pete's bedroom as a makeshift recording studio, The Boys came away with the universally praised album, The Best Party Ever. Tens of thousands of record sales (as an import only, mind you) and one multi-country tour later, it is clear The Boy Least Likely To have spread their joy to far more places than just the English countryside. Seemingly every hipster wants to play Pin the Tail On the Donkey and sing along with these guys.
Who knew that songs full of sunshine synths, cheerful recorders and joyful glockenspiels would capture the fascinations of the cool kids and the most jaded of online music critics? Maybe The Boy Least Likely To are the musical equivalent of Citizen Kane's Rosebud. You may grow up and lose your innocence, but you can always find a little love in your heart for the bouncy banjo ditties of your past. What makes The Boy Least Likely To even more appealing is that while their lyrics do deal with such whimsical subjects as monsters, tigers and scary spiders, they also comment on such "grown up" subjects as coming of age, being burdened with fear, and confronting one's own mortality. Anyone who says The Boy Least Likely To are just "a fun twee band" are only about half right. There's some foundation to this fiesta.
As far as I know, there will be no furry monster puppets or giant bubble machines accompanying Owen and Hobbs as they embark on their very first American tour (and Jof's very first visit to this country). But I guarantee this duo will be supplemented with plenty of smiles, bops and toe taps from the audience to keep Pete and Jof from getting too lonely or worrying too much about dying before their time.
The Boy Least Likely To plays R & R on Friday, March 10th
