Reviews

As visions of sugarplums and fairies dance in our heads, two giddy little Englishmen are happy to provide the soundtrack.  The whimsical duo, The Boy Least Likely To, have raided the music rooms of early learning centers and primary school practice halls to create the sweetest album since—well, were records ever made of chocolate?

Their impressive debut, the aptly titled The Best Party Ever, is full of elementary instrumentation including recorders, bells, Casio keyboards and woodblocks.  Galloping guitars and skipping basslines surround childlike melodies that could easily be sung at storytime.  Singer Jof and instrumentalist Peter have created a sound as lighthearted as Dexy's Midnight Runners, and as innocent as They Might Be Giants. 

Their frivolity comes as a product of their upbringing—an adolescence of John Hughes films and reruns of Top of the Pops have turned any angst into saccharine.  Album starter "Be Gentle With Me" works like a marching band cadence; hard bell mallets and heavy cymbals give way to a faint banjo as Jof confesses his fragility.  "I'm Glad I Hitched My Apple Wagon to Your Star" begins with a Pied Piper guiro beat, leading the listener through an instantly recognizable melody and a dissonant whistle solo that would have fit perfectly on Blur's Great Escape. 

Prozac-induced contentment aside, The Boy Least Likely To is capable of seeing the dark side.  Underneath a thick fog of candy-coated shenanigans lie some disillusioned lyrics, reminding us that The Best Party Ever is more than a trivial romp.  Album highlight "Monsters" explores society's dangers. "This town is full of monsters holding hands with other monsters," warns Jof in a secretive fashion, "I don't know why it is it scares me, but it does."  Fear not. 

Recorded in minimal fashion (by producer Bobby Charm's magical eight track machine), The Boy Least Likely To have wedged themselves into the 'less is more' genre bands like The White Stripes The Kills run with.  While this method works for delicate songs like "Warm Panda Cola" and "The Battle of the Boy Least Likely To", its lack of intricate arrangements is a bit unfortunate.  A toy chest as eclectic as this deserves full attention.