Credit: indieisnotagenre.com
Writer
Lend your ear to some contemporarily retro bops
Lucia & The Best Boys walk the fine line between retro 80s synth-pop and modern alternative rock, mixing elements of both fearlessly. Their most recent effort, Eternity EP can be listened to in under 15 minutes, each listen unveiling a new sound or poetic lyric to fixate over.
The band travelled across the pond to work with Carlos de la Garza, a name that may be familiar to fans of Paramore and Wolf Alice. His influence on the EP can be heard in the melted guitar rhythms which effortlessly blend with the synth to create dynamic and repeat-worthy material. There is a lot of experimentation on this EP, with echoed and layered vocals giving dramatic depth to each track.
Overall, the band have matured from their earlier singles and completely honed their sound to become distinctively Lucia & The Best Boys. Lyrically, the songs feel much more poetic and dreamlike, rather than the realist approach to their earlier tracks Summertime and When I Think Of You. Each song on the EP has many tiers to unravel; it appears to have been crafted in this layered and curated way.
Aesthetically, the band lean on heavily-stylised photography backed up with a contrasting red and black colour palette, something which has been consistent throughout their journey. Their merchandise, EP cover, music videos, social media feed and anything else associated with the band is kept cohesive. It’s their commitment to the vision which is so commendable in this new period of their journey. Nothing about this band’s presence is subtle; the new EP encompasses their blazing live performance and fiery glam-rock aesthetic. For their track Good Girls Do Bad Things, the visuals involved a latex outfit, white horse and the Barras – need I defend my assertion more?
The opening track City of Angels sounds unsuspecting as it begins, but leads to an explosive performance by frontwoman Lucia Fairfull. The lyrics narrate what it feels like to deal with imposter syndrome and social anxiety, a wholly personable track that invites you into an experience. The pace of the chorus keeps the listener on their toes, as if the music might trip over itself, but – of course – never does. This device embodies what anxiety feels like for most, assimilating the lyrical and musical content. You feel this song as much as you listen to it, easily making it the best on the record.
Allowing the band to fully embrace the glam-rock parts of this project, Good Girls Do Bad Things is the insanely catchy feminist anthem bleeding with riot grrrl energy. The track has vague remnants of A Flock of Seagulls with a Blondie-esque edge heard in the raw and confident vocals. Lucia & The Best Boys do well to make these vintage elements contemporary with their lyrical content and assertive presence on the EP.
Flames gives way to a blazing finale which ties the EP up with a neatly fashioned ribbon, despite the fact that nothing about this music is tame or neat. It spills out of the lines and all conventions of genre and taste, fusing incredible guitar melodies and blending the vocals, meaning that neither are more pronounced than the other. This slightly faded and blunted effect on the instruments and vocals helps to create an artificially antique sound, completely complementing their vintage aesthetic.
Overall, this Glasgow band has stepped up their game with their Eternity EP by honing and embracing the elements of synth-pop and alternative rock which make them. Track by track, nothing sounds the same but is uniquely Lucia & The Best Boys.
