ALBUM: The Ordinary Boys 'The Ordinary Boys'

Rating:

It’s been a while but The Ordinary Boys are back with three quarters of their original line-up and a brand new album which harks back to their debut. Echoes of Over The Counter Culture shine through across The Ordinary Boys in its infectious beats and positive youthful vibes. The album is personable and down-to-earth as ever without a hint of pretention, and marks a triumphant return.

There is enough on this release to get even the hardest of souls dancing and shouting to the rooftops. You can already see the crowds singing back to ‘Awkward’ – “That I’m awkward” – and ‘Almost Ready’ – “I kind of get the feeling that you’re almost ready”. As well as being a great listen, it’s instantly apparent that this will be an amazing album to see live.

The Ordinary Boys’ abundance of adolescent charm shows through strongest in ‘Four Letter Word’, which opens with a sample from the film Fast Times At Ridgemont High. From the first note the single is driven and effortlessly energetic, building into a joyous cadence for each chorus.

The boys show another side to their sound across ‘I’m Leaving You (And I’m Taking You With Me)’ and ‘Putting My Heart On The Line’ which take on a heavier beat and thick guitars for that rock and roll feel. Across this album they’ve shown off their musical brilliance with dynamic beats, irresistible riffs and an ever-shifting sound which keeps us on our toes, a trait which is best heard in the latter rockier tracks.

The charisma of this album really lies in its sweetly simple lyrics, which prove that quality not quantity is key in song writing. Both ‘Losing My Cool’ and ‘Panic Attack’ fluently tackle heavier topics with a lighter touch, while ‘Disposable Anthem’ shows off the boys’ aptitude for succinct poetic lyrics. Throughout these tracks they manage to neatly combine a chilled and nostalgic sound with a dance-worthy beat.

It’s been a decade since The Ordinary Boys first jumped on the scene, and this album sees they jump right back to the start without missing a beat. It’s got everything you could want from an album, and is a pleasure from start to finish.

The Ordinary Boys is released on 2nd October via Treat Yourself Records.