Labels: Count Your Lucky Stars
Review by: Andy Malcolm
Count Your Lucky Stars is a sweet new label that I must divulge a vested interest in. I work a bit with Keith and do some co-releases. That said, I am sure he won’t mind if I don’t give Boris Smile a not quite sparkling review, at least I hope so! Please don’t hate me Keith! Boris Smile is some fairly standard indie / acoustic miserabilsm. They have garnered comparisons to Pedro the Lion, and I think that’s where the problem is. I don’t like Pedro the Lion either. This is far from being terrible, but it’s all a bit ponderous and over the top in a way that I can’t quite come to terms with. The vocals are quite imposing, and songs like the titular Beartooth are piling on the build up towards a surprisingly raucous finale. I find it sort of endearing, but there’s something missing. It’s not you, it’s me. If I am going to stick on something acoustic, you can bet your bottom dollar it will be Ida or Jurado, all soft hushed tones and people who’ve been around a bit, not a bunch of kids young enough to be my brothers or sisters or something being all a bit noisy with their quiet music. Sheesh. Look, this is not bad, it’s just a bit youthful and untroubled by life at present. If you’re into Pedro or some such, you should give it a chance though.