“But let’s talk about you for a minute…”
The opening lyric of Los Campesinos!’ third full-length (yes, I’m counting We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed, 32-minutes is not an EP in my book) suggests that the Welsh septet might stop complaining about the petty emotional problems of their pretty young selves and start focusing more on their audience’s internal struggles. Such an assumption would be ridiculous, of course. As just stated, the guys and gals of LC! are young and attractive, so all they ever seem to do is have sexy struggles involving sex and struggles, but that’s what we love about them. What Romance is Boring brings to the table that debut Hold On Now, Youngster… didn’t is sheer size. In every way, Romance is Boring is a substantially bigger album.
The horns are bigger. The strings are bigger. The singalong hooks are bigger. Even the self-flagelating lyrics are more extravagatingly painful.
“I think we need more post-coital and less post-rock / Feels like the build up takes forever but you never get me off,” introduces “Straight in at 101,” potentially the mission statement for the album. The narrator does everything in his power to aid and impress a rebellious girl for nothing more than, in his own words, indignity, embarrassment and wasted time. Starting off strong, possibly the most rocking song in the band’s repertoire to date, and literally ending with a whimper.
Most noteworthy, though, is how dark an album this is. We’re talking about bright peppy kids who just a few years ago sang “We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives” and “You! Me! Dancing!” Sure, in between they had beautifully downbeat numbers like “You’ll Need Those Fingers for Crossing” and “Heart Swells/Pacific Daylight Time,” but “The Sea Is A Good Place To Think Of The Future” and “Who Fell Asleep In” are almost shockingly dour in the face of their back catalog. The entire album on a whole is still poppy and danceable, but the dances will be slower and sadder or riddled with violent anger. I dare say the boys and girls of Los Campesinos! are growing up, but thankfully they seem to be maintaining their level of entertainment. I doubt Romance is Boring will woo many new fans or shun many old ones, but Los Campesinos! have done what many bands try and fail to do with their sophomore LPs – evolve without losing what made them worthy of note in the first place.
Related reading:
- None Found