Written by: Jennifer Moglia
On Friday, May 1st, 2020, UK alternative band Boston Manor, made up of vocalist Henry Cox, drummer Jordan Pugh, bassist Dan Cunniff and guitarists Ash Wilson and Mike Cunniff, released their third full-length record, titled “GLUE.” The follow-up to 2018’s “Welcome to the Neighbourhood”, a concept record surrounding the dark side of their old stomping grounds of Blackpool, England, “GLUE” takes a look at the state of our world today, tackling issues from toxic masculinity, suicide, originality within society, the rigid class systems existing globally, and so much more.
The first track, “Everything is Ordinary”, serves as a perfect opener to the record, welcoming the listeners into the chaotic universe they are about to spend the next 51 minutes in. Its electronic elements sound like a more mature, refined version of the experimentation on the band’s sophomore album, with sudden pauses weaved in between choruses as if to give the audience a brief moment to process what has just begun. This track may not have worked as the lead single, but it makes perfect sense as the introduction to this full-length.
Next, listeners are completely caught off-guard by the pure loudness of “1’s & 0’s”, an extreme departure from the track before it. Cox takes a different approach in this song in comparison to “Welcome to the Neighbourhood” and their first LP, “Be Nothing”, with striking lyrics and aggressive vocals discussing mental health and the older generation’s attitude towards those who struggle with their own inner battles is sure to change the minds of anyone still painting this band as “basic pop-punk.”
The third track on this record was also the final single released before the entire album was dropped; “Plasticine Dreams.” This song quite literally just feels dreamy, no pun intended, with a softer sound both instrumentally and lyrically than the previous two tracks. It serves as a break from the sheer chaos of this album, complete with the catchy chorus of “hey you, you’re the star”, perfect for a single.
For me, personally, “Terrible Love” was the most anticipated track on “GLUE”, just from when the tracklist was announced. Boston Manor never usually dabbles in the concepts of love and romance aside from a passing mention in a lyric here or there, more often than not opting to dive into deeper subjects, so I was eager to see what a song by them with the word “love” in the title would sound like. Immediately on first listen, I was hooked. While overall “GLUE” is heavier than the rest of the band’s discography, this track is probably most similar to their second record, sharing some of the same elements of “Digital Ghost”, a deeper cut on “Welcome to the Neighbourhood.” The lyrics itself look at Cox’s own insecurities and issues within relationships, without taking the route of a cheesy love song. In my eyes, it’s one of the strongest tracks here.
Next up is “On a High Ledge”, another single dropped a few weeks prior to the album’s official release. Based on an experience Cox had early on in his childhood and similar encounters that his bandmates have endured as their lives have gone on, this song examines a young boy straying away from the toxic culture of hyper-masculinity that so many men have to battle throughout their formative years. With lyrics as simple as “father, I think I’m different / I don’t like playing with the other boys / I like the way the flowers smell” as well as “I want to cry but I don’t know how” over a haunting instrumental, this song definitely makes the statement that it sets out to.
The record picks back up again with “Only1”, one of the catchiest tracks here. This has more of the Boston Manor that fans are used to hearing, with big, loud guitars and soaring choruses, while still maintaining that heavier sound that the album is defined by. It’s followed up by “You, Me & The Class War”, a similar-sounding track musically, but with harder-hitting lyrics that pick apart the gap between those with more wealth and those with less, almost serving as a call to younger people to stand up for themselves and their generation. It’s already obvious that this one will be a hit at live shows, with the repeated closing lyric of “This ain’t love / this is a class war” promising to echo throughout venues the minute they open back up.
Next up is possibly the strongest one-two punch on the album, the duo of “Playing God” and “Brand New Kids” back-to-back. The former’s anthemic-sounding vocals, especially in the chorus, are once again reminiscent of a more pop punk-leaning Boston Manor while still keeping the matured sound of the band in 2020. The latter does the same, serving as one of the more upbeat tracks on the record, complete with a swinging chorus of “I’m in love with the drug and it loves me too.” The tenth track, “Ratking”, released as a single with “On a High Ledge”, has all of those same elements, with this song’s big lyric being “Don’t call me a freak / I’m just not feeling this.” For me, “Ratking” stood out the most from the four singles on this record, due to its ability to grab the listener’s attention immediately.
“GLUE” slows down once more before its grand finale, with the eleventh track, “Stuck in the Mud.” Boston Manor is no stranger to acoustic-type songs, from “Welcome to the Neighbourhood’s” closer “The Day That I Ruined Your Life” to “Broken Glass” sitting at the halfway point of “Be Nothing.” This song seems to accomplish even more than either of the earlier two have, telling a full story rather than just standing in as the token “slow song.” It’s followed by “Liquid”, the first song from this album that was released long before fans even knew that this album would exist. While on the surface this is just another one of Boston Manor’s fun and catchy songs, the verse by John Floreani of Trophy Eyes and bridge towards the end of the song really take it to the next level.
“Monolith” might objectively be the strongest track all-around on this album. It includes those attacking vocals from Cox that have become the highlight of this album, and the instrumental encompasses everything that is Boston Manor in 2020 within a five and a half minute period. The electronic and hip-hop-infused elements of “Welcome to the Neighbourhood” along with the pop-punk roots of “Be Nothing” come together with the heavier, more alternative-leaning sounds of “GLUE” to produce one of the most cinematic, groundbreaking closing tracks I’ve heard in a long time. “Monolith” has highs, lows, a chorus to scream along with, and an ending so beautifully haunting and cryptic it’ll have you thinking about it for days after your first listen.
While certainly a departure from a more mainstream sound, “GLUE” is a huge step forward for Boston Manor. Although they get lumped into the pop-punk community far too frequently, whether it be because of their fanbase or the bands they tour with, this record is far from basic pop-punk. It’s a commentary of the social and political climate that all of us are experiencing right now, have been experiencing for the past few years, and will be experiencing for years to come, and it’s executed beautifully. With the halfway mark of 2020 approaching and year-end lists already being assembled in the minds of fans everywhere, a spot for “GLUE” should certainly be left open.
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