There are many bands who play shows for years before ever recording a single song, and then there are bands who do almost the exact opposite. It would appear as if noise-punk duo, Boy, belongs in the latter group. As an EP, Boy’s debut, It’s Not Yr Birthday, lacks some cohesion; perhaps it would be best to think of this collection of songs as a demo, especially as it sounds like a band experimenting with various sounds and influences and trying on different hats. (And the production, while relatively great, is still pretty raw; the vocals don’t always stay within the measure, either.)
The first track, “Double Shot Depresso” (great wordplay!), opens with some feedback and a drum fill (drummer Scott Chalfant also plays in the similarly-minded Waitress), and then segues into the main riff which brings to mind Buildings and latter-era Unwound. A dissonant, creeping mid-section allows for a quick breather (though, on third listen, its 75 second+ length goes on a bit too long) before returning to the main riff to close things out. Stylistically speaking, this is by far the strongest, most interesting track on here. The song comes to a close as vocalist/bassist/guitarist Dionnet Bhatti (of the now defunct emo group Nurture) howls “It’s the way you say it/It’s the way you were.”
“Milkhole” is an infectiously fun garage-punk bruiser, while “Art Donut,” the only track on here that wasn’t recorded live, has a subtle, yet cloying artsy-pop melody that is reminiscent of sludge-pop heroes Torche. Around the 1:45 mark, the bouncing beat gives way to a new riff, which does not waste any time building up to its noisy peak.
The fourth and final track, “BBQ Prohibition,” sounds like an unreleased Bodyfather track. (Bodyfather, for those of you not in the know, is a noise-rock/post-hardcore band from Atlanta who occupies much of the same sonic territory as Boy and Waitress.) However, there is also a riff on here that could have easily been included on the latest METZ record, and I can also hear hints of Kerosene 454 and Dazzling Killmen. “BBQ Prohibition” closes out the EP with a fervent yell: “Unfailing, unchanging, unworn/Unfailing, unfading, we see what you are.”
I won’t dive too far into the lyrics, as I somehow get the impression that I’m not supposed to; however, I will make an observation: in these four songs, there are 42 occurrences of the word “you” or some kind of incarnation. Whether that is excessive or appropriate I will leave to your own interpretation.
In addition to the aforementioned bands, It’s Not Yr Birthday should appeal to fans of Fight Amp, Pissed Jeans and The Jesus Lizard. However, this may very well be the last thing we ever hear from Boy, as they apparently performed their last show on June 3. In any case, keep your ears peeled for new music from Waitress and whatever new projects Chalfant and Bhatti find themselves in, and make sure to grab It’s Not Yr Birthday for whatever price you choose via Bandcamp.
More Info
Bandcamp: hboy.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @athensboyy