Boys Night Out

Following their powerfully inventive concept album, Trainwreck, it’s no great surprise that Burlington, ON’s Boys Night Out have failed to match the creative high-water mark set by their previous effort. A Grade-mimicking screamo band that morphed into a bizarre prog/emo monster, Boys Night Out made their sonic transition all the more interesting by developing a penchant for severely fucked up stories/songs. Boys Night Out, however, ditches the unique lyrical narrative that made Trainwreck so fascinating while recycling the same musical formulas that seemed new and exciting the last time out. The demented tales of homicide and madness have been usurped by songs with titles like "Get Your Head Straight” and "Let Me Be Your Swear Word,” abandoning the clever lyricism of the band’s past work for asinine rallying cries. While the record still contains a few great riffs and catchy hooks, it’s a bland follow-up to a fantastic creative detour. While disappointing, Boys Night Out doesn’t suggest the band’s creative demise, only an unfortunate lull.