Brooklyn’s BOYTOY consists of guitarist-vocalists Saara Untracht-Oakner and Glenn Michael Van Dyke, drummer Chase Noelle (who replaced Matthew Gregory Aidala), and bassist Lena Simon. Of records, they have a few, but their Kyle Mullarky-produced new one Night Leaf registers as their strongest effort yet. Prior, one could discern elements drawn from the ’60s to the ’90s, and as they integrated those influences well, this was just dandy. The multi-decade breadth hasn’t disappeared, but the music’s developed a timeless quality, which is perhaps just another way of saying they’re hitting their stride. The vinyl, 300 on black, 200 on pink, is out April 27 through PaperCup Music. Burger Records has the tape.
Initially a dual guitar-vox-drums trio, BOYTOY made their recording debut in 2014 with a 7-song self-titled 12-inch that was equal parts punky, poppy, distorted, and vibrant. Wielding intertwining guitar dynamics, harmony and thump, the three points of the triangle were adept while collectively eschewing the flashy. Weighty without tilting over into downright heaviness, the sweetness in their attack also never registered as cutesy.
A few months later they issued “Visits” as half of a 45 shared with the electronic duo Pleasure Curses. This made for an unusual combination, as BOYTOY deepened a similarity to the melodically raw side of the indie rock ‘90s. The resemblance persisted on 2015 full-length Grackle, their first for PaperCup, as Aidala delivered vocals in a few spots and the confidence and songwriting chops strengthened.
2016 was quiet on the recording front, but last year brought the “Putty” 7-inch on the Little Dickman label, which is where Noelle (ex-Thelma and The Sleaze) comes in. It’s also where their sound undergoes a tangible uptick. Previously, they could sometimes strike the ear as an improved variation upon the essence of Veruca Salt that could additionally bring the occasional smile to the mugs of Muffs fans, but on A-side “Want” they offered a gem of slightly druggy pop guitar-vocal layering.
Noelle’s unflappably distinctive presence was immediately discernable, and on “Burning in Orange” they stretched and spread out by climbing a rockier landscape. Happily, the 7-inch’s welcome turn gets considerably enhanced across Night Leaf’s ten tracks, with opener “It’s Alright” offering clean guitar action, echo-laced vocal harmony, and interjections of organ, all ’60-ish elements that impressively avoid emitting the aroma of retro.
BOYTOY have professed a fondness for smoking weed, and listening to their stuff, that’s an easily digestible tidbit of info. So is their interest in surfing and skating, and if I didn’t know Brooklyn was their digs, I might’ve pegged them, based on Night Leaf’s initial tracks at least, as residing in sunny California. This tendency is supported by “Mary Anne,” which oozes a pleasurable ’60s ambiance. Furthermore, a laidback aura of harmony and riffing (with just a touch of jangle) informs “I Get Distant.”
Said riffing gets beefed up a bit in “Stare into Space,” as those New York roots begin to show, a little post-Velvets style getting blended into the psych-tinged (and again organ-infused) motion. Even more so, “NY Rip Off” arrives enveloped in a ’76 CBGBs vibe that’d possibly (but hey, we can only guess) bring momentary appreciative smiles to the faces of Lou and Joey.
On their earlier material, BOYTOY played around with tempo changes, but with this LP, they shy away from getting speedy while avoiding the monochromatic; “Pretty One” possesses a substantial (though again, just short of outright heavy) guitar groove that downshifts to clean strum for the smooth (and a tad drowsy) verses.
Through Simon and Noelle’s sturdy yet relaxed foundation (dig that cowbell), “Get Off Your Leash” strolls deeper into the rock sensibility as the guitars and vocals maintain the group’s identifiable stamp. It’s a fine setup for the road-rambling highlight “Juarez” as a well-judged injection of sunbaked guitar reverb fruitfully blurs the geographical program. And then “Want” makes a welcome return from the 45 in a fresh version that accentuates the band’s increased instrumental rapport.
“Cold Love” throws an electric piano curveball that, given the assured exploration of their maturing sound here, could’ve ended matters on a false note. But instead, the pop sweetness found in their earlier stuff returns as the airy ’60s harmony gets enhanced. Altogether, BOYTOY’s sound is heightened on Night Leaf, sans any gimmicks; it’s just old-fashioned skill throughout, while never sounding the slightest bit antiquated. I could easily imagine spinning this a few dozen times before 2018 wraps up.
GRADED ON A CURVE:
A-
