This years marks the 30th anniversary of Boyracer. The band, one of the acts that's going to be forever linked to the seminal Sarah Records label, has also recorded for a bunch of other worthy outfits, including Slumberland Records. The group's newest release, On a Promise, is now out on vinyl and digital on Emotional Response.
"Hit and Miss" is a rush of feedback and chord changes, while the peppy "Crack the Red" is even better, especially since it features Simon Guild from the heyday of Boyracer. This one, like "Hidden Memories", finds Stewart Anderson and new band-member Christina Riley, the writer of "Crack the Red" and others here, cranking through some big riffs as the nearly-spoken word vocals carry things forward. The approach is one that other bands have tried (Spearmint, for example), but Boyracer really make this feel fresh every time they do it. The sing-song-y "Rest of Yr Life" is great too, shades of Heavenly here for those of you who are not initiated yet in the ways of Boyracer and need a point of comparison, and "Girl in a Soul Band" is another winner on On a Promise in a similar vein.
For all the euphoria contained in those tracks, On a Promise contains a few more down-tempo gems as well. "Positively Golden", featuring Anita Rayner and Mary Wyer from Even As We Speak, made me think of The Woodentops a tiny bit, even as Anderson's distinctive melodic hook here elevates the tune into its own unique space, while "So Long" provides bursts of guitar-noise to punctuate the lively tune as it revs up and down. "Fucked Up Legacy" mines a similar vibe, while "Move on Up" is as bright as it can possibly be. This one, like nearly every other track on On a Promise deserves to be played loudly, probably as you're out in the sunshine, or driving down a highway while practicing social distancing.
The video below, recorded in April, finds Stewart Anderson and Christina Riley giving a 12-minute concert from their respective kitchens due to the current pandemic. Not only do they roar through some Boyracer numbers, they tackle a few other indie-pop staples in the set: "All Day Long" by Shop Assistants and "About You" by The Jesus & Mary Chain. Those numbers are from the new All Day Long EP, by the way.
On a Promise is out now via Emotional Response. If you order now here, you just might be able to get a bonus flexi-disc with your purchase.
More details on Boyracer via Emotional Response.
[Photo: Stewart Anderson]