The vulnerably romantic trio LANY has given birth to another one of their precious children, in the form of their new album mama’s boy. The album weighs in at 50 minutes long, and 14 tracks tall.
This album was teased back in March when LANY’s frontman Paul Klein posted an image on his Instagram story. The post revealed a notebook with a checklist that needed to be finished before their third studio album, hinting at a release this year. These notes already included some titles for the upcoming singles, including the euphoric opening track you! When the first drums and guitars kick in, you might feel dizzy, because it feels like you’ve been hit with a strong metal bucket of love. This track would either be a perfect closing song for a live show, or a beautiful soundtrack for the first dance at a wedding.
“This song was an exercise in writing a love letter without referencing any physical characteristics or attributes, which is why it can be about literally anyone or anything. The search for love, acceptance, and completion is part of every human’s journey.” – Paul Klein, LANY frontman
cowboy in LA was previously teased by Klein on Twitter. With his cowboy shoulder tattoo, Klein has learned to love Oklahoma – the place where he spent his childhood years and went to church. As adults, LANY has found a sense of home in Malibu, on the West Coast. They have referenced the city in Mama’s Boy, showing that they have stayed humble to themselves, but appreciate how far they have come as a band.
The most honest and vulnerable part of the album is the band’s letters to their parents. In the track, if this is the last time, comfortable-sounding guitar melodies and warm vocals develop the song into an audible bear hug. With the intensifying drums at the end of the song, it would be a sin not to drop a single tear as a listener. The band has reached adulthood and learned to appreciate the small things before it’s too late.
The first single released, serving as the seventh track, is good guys. Melodically, it may be the most successful song out of the whole 50-minute emotional adventure. good guys may seem like a typical LANY song at first, with relatable lyrics that many can connect to. The lyrics depict a situation in which someone cares a lot, but you have to pretend that you don’t give a shit.
LANY has done a great job keeping their signature sound, but is it a sign of artistic development? As the album progresses, the band begins to get slightly predictable, in terms of their sound. The vocals, instrumental patterns, and song structures start to merge together and it could be easy to mix up which song is playing, without listening to the lyrics. The album starts out very strong, but as the songs go on, it starts to get lighter and slowly withers away, fades out. This band could be easily mistaken for bands like The Japanese House, with their aesthetic vocals and similar-sounding instruments. However, this could be argued as a positive; artists who could potentially tour and work together?
The stories told lyrically are completely heartfelt and clear. The band are honest with themselves, and their own opinions, throughout their music. It isn’t easy to express your inner thoughts, even if they are a bit disturbing sometimes, but the album sounds sincere and wholehearted. Their typical theme of talking about love starts to get a bit repetitive, but they are able to find a new way to tell the story, in each rendition. LANY have illustrated that they can stay true to their roots and original sound, something their fans have clearly appreciated.
